Enfield Election Overview 2019 - Town Council, Board of Education

ENFIELD, CT — Municipal elections around the country are just over three weeks away, and the ballot in Enfield contains a few more candidates for town council and the Board of Education than in past years.

The secession of about a dozen members of the Enfield Democratic Town Committee led to formation of Voices for Enfield, which has three candidates running for school board seats and one campaigning for an at-large seat on the council.

In the battle for the four district council seats, two Republican candidates are running unopposed: Deputy Mayor Donna Szewczak, the incumbent in District 3, and current Board of Education vice chair Charlotte Riley, who is seeking to represent District 4.

Republican Joe Bosco seeks to retain his District 1 seat against Democratic challenger Mike Ballard, while Democratic incumbent Bob Cressotti looks to continue representing District 2 by taking on the challenge of Republican Kelly Hemmeler.

Ten candidates are vying for the seven at-large posts on the council. Incumbent Republicans Mike Ludwick, Joe Muller, Carl Sferrazza and Lori Unghire are all seeking re-election, as are Democratic holdovers Gina Cekala and Bill Kiner. Democrats Cindy Mangini and Jacob Nadeau also are campaigning for at-large seats, as are Voices for Enfield challenger Colleen Ann Reidy and petitioning candidate John Santanella.

Just five of the current eight Board of Education members are seeking re-election: Republicans Walter Kruzel and Chris Rutledge, and Democrats Tina LeBlanc, Tim Neville and Scott Ryder. Former longtime board member Joyce Hall and Steve Niemitz are Democrats joining the race, while Republicans Wendy Costa, Jonathan LeBlanc and Bill Salazar and Voices for Enfield candidates Liz Davis, Marcy Taliceo and Monica Wright are also on the ballot.

Over the next three weeks, Enfield Patch will publish candidate responses to a questionnaire each was recently emailed. Plans call for one district race or at-large council candidate profile and one school board candidate response per weekday.

Here are the Enfield sample ballots, as provided by the Secretary of the State. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

District 1 (polling place: John F. Kennedy Middle School, 155 Raffia Rd.)

District 2 (polling place: Enfield Street School, 1318 Enfield St.)

District 3 (polling place: former Fermi High School, 124 North Maple St.)

District 4 (polling place: Henry Barnard School, 27 Shaker Rd.)