This year's elective race for the 86th General Assembly District is between Republican incumbent candidate Vincent Candelora, a North Branford family businessman and attorney, and Unaffiliated candidate challenger Vincent Mase, an East Haven attorney. The 86th district covers areas of Durham, Guilford, North Branford and Wallingford.

Candelora and Mase are set to debate in the Evergreen Woods auditorium in North Branford on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The debate is co-sponsored by the East Shore League of Women Voters (LWV) and will be recorded for later broadcast on public access television and online outlets.  The debate was arranged at the request of Evergreen Woods staff and residents and will be moderated by LWV president Carol Reimers.

Candelora is serving his fifth consecutive two-year term representing the 86th District in the CT House of Representatives. He won his first elective seat in 2006 and has since run unopposed in both the Republican primaries and general elections. The November 2016 election is Mase's first time running against Candelora for the 86th district seat.