Primary petition deadline at 4 p.m. today. Democratic primaries for mayor in Hartford and New Haven expected. Republicans in West Haven.

Petitions for September’s municipal primaries are due by 4 p.m. in local registrar offices. Democrats supporting Eric Coleman and John Fonfara in Hartford were optimistic on Tuesday that each would qualify to challenge former lobbyist Arunan Arulampalam, the choice of Hartford’s Democratic town committee.

Democrats Liam Brennan, Shafiq Abdussabur and Tom Goldenberg are in the hunt to meet incumbent Justin Elicker in a primary. Elicker defeated incumbent Toni Harp in 2019–his second attempt to knock her off the Democratic ticket.

Republican Barry Cohen is expected to file enough signatures to take on party endorsed candidate Paige Weinstein for mayor of sorrowful West Haven. Cohen lost by 32 votes to Nancy Rossi two years ago. Cohen challenged the result and the handling of absentee ballots in a court action that failed. Rossi, who has brought insistent incompetence to the job, is not seeking re-election. Republican Steven Mullins is also running.

Democrats nominated state Representative Dorinda Borr for mayor. She’ll face council member Victor Borras in a primary. A former Democratic mayor, Ed O’Brien, formed an exploratory committee for mayor early in the year but endorsed Borr when she entered the race.

Published August 9, 2023.