Wallingford Democrats Endorse Tomassi for Vacated Council Seat

Wallingford CT

15 January, 2022

6:41 AM

Description

The Wallingford Democratic Town Committee (DTC) requested in writing to the Town Council that Alexa Tomassi be appointed to replace Councilor Gina Morgenstein, who resigned from the board for personal reasons earlier this week. While the Town Council can appoint whomever they wish in the vacated seat, precedent set by both the RTC and DTC dictates that they accept the request of the DTC. In 2015, Republican Chet Miller resigned from the Board of Education in January. The RTC voted to nominate Jean Pierre Bolat and forwarded his name for consent by the Town Council (6 Republicans and 3 Democrats at the time). The recommendation was passed with no comment or dissent by the Council. In 1997, Democrat David Doherty passed away while in office. The DTC put forward Peter Gouveia to finish the term, and the Council—comprising 6 Republicans and 2 Democrats— approved the appointment. DTC Chair Alida Cella says, "The DTC represents registered Democrats in town, and we unanimously endorsed Alexa. Furthermore, Alexa was the next highest vote getter. We feel that seating Alexa represents the will of the voters." Ms. Tomassi's qualifications rival those of the councilors. She is currently an Associate Communications Officer in the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics. Previously, she worked for Sandy Hook Promise in Newtown, CT, where she helped craft and pass state and federal gun safety, mental health, and school safety policy. She is especially active on issues surrounding voting rights, including organizing voter registration drives and outreach every September on National Voter Registration Day. Ms. Tomassi has been on the DTC since 2018, and has served as a district 8 co-leader since 2020. She consistently demonstrates her understanding of local politics, the needs of the Wallingford community, and her commitment to our town.