The 2021 municipal election is just days away. The five polling locations serving North Haven’s five districts will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2 as registered voters cast their ballots for first selectman, Board of Selectman, and various boards and commissions.

Voters are asked to wear masks.

The Candidates

In North Haven, registered voters will cast ballots for several positions, including first selectman, selectman, town clerk and tax collector, town treasurer, as well as seats on various boards and commissions, including Board of Finance, Board of Education, Board of Assessment Appeals, Planning & Zoning, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Police Commissioners, and Board of Fire Commissioners.

Republican Michael J. Freda is seeking re-election as first selectman and is challenged by Democrat Carl M. Kordek. Voters will also vote for one selectman, choosing between Sally J. Buemi (D) and William Pieper (R), and one town clerk and tax collector with Kathy A. Spinato-Grant (D) challenging incumbent J. Stacey Yarbrough (R). Donald Clark (R) is the lone candidate running for town treasurer.

Voters will choose two of four candidates for the seats on Board of Finance, Board of Education, Board of Police Commissioners, and Board of Fire Commissioners.

Board of Finance candidates include Democrats Michael T. Hallahan and David A. Cohen and Republicans Dyann Vissicchio and James Lianos.

Board of Education candidates are Frederick C. Rodriguez (D), Marie W. Devlin (D), Randi Petersen (R), and Ronald Bathrick (R).

For the police commission, Democratic candidates are Jonathan D. Lewin and Alden Mead and Republican candidates are Lawrence Lazaroff and Robert Hannon.

Fire commission candidates include Lori A. Mansur (D), Joseph A. Cappucci (D), Vincenzo Gallo (R), and Pasquale Nuzzolillo.

There is one full-term seat available on the Board of Assessment Appeals with the race between Norman J. Juniewic, Sr. (D) and Ralph Riccardelli (R). Democrat Nupur Garg is up for election to the two-year vacancy on the Board of Assessment Appeals.

The Zoning Board of Appeals has two alternate positions open to fill a vacancy for two years. Candidates are Democrat Stephen L. Gifford and Republicans Luigi Coppola and Robert Neilsen.

Where to Vote

North Haven’s districts are based on residents’ street addresses. Polling places include: District 1 at Mildred Wakely Recreation Center, 7 Linsley Street; District 2 at Montowese School, 145 Fitch Street,; District 3-11 and 3-34 at Ridge Road School, 1341 Ridge Road; District 4 at Green Acres School, 146 Upper State Street; and District 5 at Clintonville School, 456 Clintonville Road.

Registering to Vote

There will be a limited registration session for “voters who wish to vote in the Nov. 2, 2021 Municipal Election but have either just become U.S. Citizens, turned 18 years of age, or moved into town after the posted voter registration deadlines, and for members of the Armed Forces and former members of Armed Forces discharged within the calendar year immediately that precedes the ROV receiving a written request.” The session will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Town Hall, 18 Church Street, in the Registrars of Voters Office on the first floor.

There is also an Election Day Registration (EDR) option. Any unregistered North Haven resident who is eligible to vote or any registered voter who has just recently moved to North Haven may register and vote in person on Election Day at the town’s EDR table in the first floor conference room of Town Hall, 18 Church Street, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Proof of identification and residency is required to register.

According to Secretary of the State’s website portal.ct.gov/sots, “by law, a person is eligible to register and vote if he or she is (1) a U.S. citizen, (2) age 18 or older, (3) a bona fide resident of the town in which he or she applies for admission, and (4) has completed confinement and parole if previously convicted of a disfranchising felony.” EDR is not available at polling places.

Absentee ballots must be returned by the elector in person to the town clerk by the end of the business day on Monday, Nov. 2. Absentee ballots can be received by or delivered by a family member or placed in the drop box in front of Town Hall by 8 p.m. on Election Day. An overseas ballot must be mailed or otherwise returned by the elector or applicant so that it is received by the town clerk not later than the close of the polls on Election Day.

2021 Candidates

* denotes incumbent

Board of Assessment Appeals (four-year term)

• Nupur Garg (D, partial term)*

• Norman Juniewic Sr. (D)*

• Ralph Ricciardelli (R)*

Board of Education (six-year term)

• Ronald Bathrick (R)

• Marie Devlin (D)

• Randi Petersen (R)*

• Frederick Rodriguez (D)

Board of Finance (four-year term)

• David Cohen (D)

• Michael Hallahan (D)*

• James Lianos (R)*

• Dyann Vissicchio (R)*

Board of Selectmen (two-year term)

• Sally Buemi (D)*

• William Pieper (R)*

Constable (two-year term)

• Joseph Cappucci (D)

• Joseph D’Errico (R)*

• Kathleen Fox (D)

• Scott Leamon (D)

• Mildred Stankiewicz (R)*

• Karl Veith (R)*

First Selectman (two-year term)

• Michael Freda (R)*

• Carl Kordek (D)

Fire Commission (four-year term)

• Joseph Cappucci (D)*

• Vincenzo Gallo (R)

• Lori Mansur (D)

• Pasquale Nuzzolillo (R)*

Planning & Zoning (four-year term)

• Vern Carlson (R)*

• Mark Parisi (R, alternate)

• Theresa Ranciato Viele (D)*

• Paul Weymann (R, alternate)

• Roderick Williams (D, alternate)*

Police Commission (four-year term)

• Robert Hannon (R)*

• Lawrence Lazaroff (R)*

• Jonathan Lewin (D)

• Alden Mead (D)*

Town Treasurer: Donald Clark (R)

Town Clerk/Tax Collector (two-year term)

• Kathy Grant (D)

• J. Stacey Yarbrough (R)*

Zoning Board of Appeals (four-year term)

• Luigi Coppola (R, alternate)

• Stephen Gifford (D, alternate)

• Andrew Gorry (R)

• Robert Nielsen (R, alternate)

• Kenneth Quick (D)

• Joseph Villano (D)*

• Carolyn Yaccarino (R)

For information on all the candidates and all the races as well as letters to the editor and expanded voter information, visit Zip06.com/election.

For information on the North Haven DTC and Democratic candidates, visit www.northhavendemocrats.org, or find NorthHavenDemocrats on Facebook or @NorthHavenDTC on Instagram and Twitter.

For information on the RTC and Republican candidates, find NorthHavenRTC on Facebook or NorthHavenRTC on Twitter, email northavenrtc@att.net, or call 203-239-2084.