Special Election Ordered For Probate Judges In Mansfield, Eastern CT

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont today announced that he is ordering special elections to be conducted on Nov. 5, — the same date as the next general election — to complete the terms of six probate judges who will each be retiring over the course of the next year. Retirements include the districts that serve Mansfield and some eastern Connecticut towns.

Five of the six judges are reaching the state’s mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges. Probate judges in Connecticut serve four-year terms. The terms of all six retiring judges expire on January 5, 2027.

The winner of each special election will begin serving from the date of the current office holder’s retirement through the end of their current term.

The governor specifically chose to hold these special elections on the same date as the next general election because doing so will enable the municipalities in each of these probate districts to avoid any added costs of holding separate elections for this purpose.

The affected probate districts include:

Region No. 22 Probate District

• Towns: Bethlehem, Oxford, Roxbury, Southbury, Washington, Watertown, Woodbury
• Current judge: Honorable Domenick N. Calabrese
• Expected retirement date: August 31, 2024

Fairfield Probate District

• Towns: Fairfield
• Current judge: Honorable Kathleen N. Maxham
• Expected retirement date: Jan. 3, 2025

Tolland-Mansfield Probate District

• Towns: Coventry, Mansfield, Tolland, Willington
• Current judge: Honorable Barbara Gardner Riordan
• Expected retirement date: March 9, 2025

Hamden-Bethany Probate District

• Towns: Bethany, Hamden
• Current judge: Honorable Edward C. Burt, Jr.
• Expected retirement date: March 14, 2025

Middletown Probate District

• Towns: Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield, Middletown
• Current judge: Honorable Joseph D. Marino
• Expected retirement date: May 3, 2025

Windham-Colchester Probate District

• Towns: Chaplin, Colchester, Hampton, Lebanon, Scotland, Windham
• Current judge: Honorable John J. McGrath, Jr.
• Expected retirement date: June 12, 2025