Candidates to be Hamden's Next Mayor Begin to Line Up

We know that Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson will begin his new job with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Office of Policy and Management on April 17.

What we don’t know is who will be the next mayor and how many people will be running for the seat.

Jackson’s Chief Administrative Officer, and former councilman, Curt Balzano Leng has confirmed that he will run for mayor in a special election and Jackson’s 2013 Republican opponent, retired Hamden firefighter Bob Anthony, has also expressed an interest in running for the seat, according to Kate Ramunni of the New Haven Register.

While Leng is the only Democrat to officially declare his candidacy, Ramunni reports that several have expressed interest.

Legislative Council President James Pascarella will become acting mayor once Jackson’s resignation becomes official.

Ramunni reports that the town charter calls for a special election to take place within 45 days of the mayor’s resignation. Each party will nominate a candidate, but it’s also possible that if there are others interested in running they can secure signatures to petition for a spot on the ballot.

The town could be facing three elections for the mayor’s seat before the year is out — a special election (most likely at the beginning of June) to finish out Jackson’s term, a primary election in August and then the November municipal election, according to Ramunni.

Read the full story at the New Haven Register here.