Matt Lesser ’09 was one of four University-affiliated candidates elected to public office in last Tuesday’s Middletown election. A healthy turnout by members of the University community helped secure victory for the four candidates.
Lesser (D) won an alternate seat on the Planning and Zoning Commision, garnering more votes than Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano (R) who ran for reelection. According to city voting records, Lesser received 4,534 votes, almost 200 more than Giuliano’s 4,335. 215 of Lesser’s votes came from Precinct 14, where Wesleyan is located. Both candidates ran unopposed in their respective races.
“I think it’s great to bring young people into government and give the people a voice in the city,” Lesser said.
The other three elected candidates represent different facets of the University community. Grady Faulkner (D), parent of Lesley Faulkner ’11, was elected to the Common Council. Bill Boyd (D), husband of Professor of Economics Joyce Jacobsen, won re-election to the Board of Education. Renee Johnson-Thornton (D), Associate Coordinator of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, also gained a spot on the Board of Education.
Over 400 Wesleyan students were registered to vote in last Tuesday’s election. Registered students received phone calls from the Wesleyan Democrats reminding them to vote. Both the Wesleyan Democrats and the Center for Community Partnerships offered transportation to the polls multiple times throughout the day.
Lesser says he is “honored and lucky” to be given this opportunity by voters, and looks forward to the re-writing of the zoning legislation. In particular, he says that he hopes to do his part in making the Middletown government more responsive to environmental issues and more friendly towards open space.
“I want to move my focus from the short term — the government — to the long term — families and the environment,” Lesser said.
He also hopes to increase communication and partnership between the University and the town government.
“We’re really excited to turn a new page at Wes and Middletown and to work together on these issues,” Lesser said.
“Wesleyan depends on Middletown as an engine,” Lesser added.
According to Lesser, his decision to run began a year ago, when he attended a meeting of Middletown Democratic Town Committee. After speaking with Lesser, the Committee’s chairman, Dan Russo, encouraged him to run in the 2007 election.
His campaign has been the subject of media attention within the state of Connecticut up to and after election day. The Hartford Courant profiled him in an Oct. 25 article. Lesser was also featured on a Nov. 7 episode of the Connecticut Public Radio program “Where We Live” to discuss the previous day’s election results.
After his electoral victory, Lesser received congratulatory phone calls both from Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd (D-CT) and House Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). He recalled that both politicians commended the Wesleyan community on their activism.
Lesser will be sworn into office this evening at 7 p.m. at Middletown High School, and will attend his first commission meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall.
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