Slates Contest Over “Future of the Democratic Party” in New Britain Primary Election

Competing slates for the New Britain Democratic Party’s governing Town Committee are offering different visions on the future of the Party to Democratic voters ahead of the March 5th primary election.

The election is to be held in two of the city’s five wards for who is to represent Democratic voters on the Democratic Town Committee. Ward 1 and Ward 3 each have two separate slates competing, who will apparently be on two different rows of the ballot. The slates on first of these rows in each ward are aligned in the upcoming contest, as are the slates on the second of these ballot rows in each ward.

The slates that will appear on the first of the two rows feature some of the New Britain Democrats’ key elected leaders, including State Senator Rick Lopes (D-6), State Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-24), State Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-25), Probate Judge William Rivera (D), City Council member Ald. Iris Sanchez (D-3) and Democratic Party Chair and former mayoral candidate Chris Anderson.

The slates on the second of the two rows include Council members Ald. Nate Simpson (D-1) and and Ald. Candyce Scott (D-3), newly elected as part of the Democrats’ new Council majority.

The slates on the first of the two rows say that the upcoming, “Democratic Town Committee election on March 5th will be a referendum on the future of the Democratic Party in New Britain.” Both slates appear to agree with that, but disagree on what the future should include.

The slates on the first of the two rows say that, “The current town committee membership and the state delegation believe that Democrats in New Britain need to fight for better education funding, better public safety, and more economic opportunities for New Britain residents.”

The slates on the second of the two ballot rows say that they are campaigning as, “pro-democracy advocates and community leaders,” who, “want to make the Democratic Party stronger through community input, which will lead to more democratically elected candidates on the ballot.”

The two Democratic Council members from Ward 3 are running on opposing slates in the primary.

Ald. Scott, a member of the slate in Ward 3 on the second of two ballot rows, says that, “The only reason I ran for Common Council last year was to unite the diverse voices of our party, to include marginalized voices in our political process.”

Ald. Sanchez, running in the Ward 3 on the slate on the first of the two ballot rows, says that, “We need more diversity and equality within the DTC to better represent our community.”

The slates on the first of the two rows say that, “The Democratic team on the top line has a record you can trust, delivering hundreds of millions of dollars for education, public safety, and economic development. New Britain needs the decades of combined service and experience from all the members of the top line Democratic slates.”

But Ald. Simpson challenged that, “New Britain Democrats have had declining membership, declining vote totals, and a DTC that failed to meet nine out of the eleven times it was supposed to last year. There could not be clearer evidence that change is needed.”

The slates on the second of the two rows say that they are running for Town Committee, “despite efforts by party leadership to prevent these campaigns using anti-democratic practices.” Ald. Scott said that, “I am saddened that party leaders are so deeply opposed to this mission of including young, energetic voices to be the future of the Democratic Party.”

The slates on the second of the two ballot rows say that Jacob Pudlin, local activist and a member of its slate in Ward 1, “is in the process of filing a complaint with the State Democratic Party for election interference,” saying, “that DTC Chairman Chris Anderson purposefully mishandled a legal document,” in the nomination process.

The slates on the first of the two rows responded that, “The challenge slate wants the local party to focus on defunding the police, foreign affairs and removing statues from public venues.”

“Sen. Lopes, Reps Bobby and Manny Sanchez and Tercyak are united in their belief that the local party needs to stick together and concentrate on how the party can best serve the interests of New Britain residents,” the slates on the first of the two ballot rows say.

The slates on the second of the two rows slates, meanwhile, say they are, “For a more democratic DTC that is focused on bringing in more people, pro-democracy advocates and community leaders.”

The upcoming term of the Democratic Party’s local governing committee is the first time that it will be elected from the five City Council districts, commonly called wards. Previously the Democratic Town Committee was elected from voting districts.

Ward 1 includes the West End, Willow Brook and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods and Ward 3 is located in the center of the city.

Voters registered as Democratic Party members in wards 1 and 3 will choose the Democratic Town Committee members to represent them in a primary election on March 5, 2024.

Editor’s note (2/8/2024): The article was updated to correct an error in the row designations for the two slates in the article, as originally published. It appears that the slate that the article previously identified as Row A will actually appear on Row B on the ballots and the slate that had been identified as Row B will actually appear on Row C. Row A is apparently to have no candidates names under state law. Apologies for the error.