Cheshire Election 2025 Voter Guide: Candidates, Polling Places

CHESHIRE, CT — On Nov. 4, Cheshire residents will cast their votes for key municipal positions, including seats on the town council and board of education. There will also be elections for board of assessment appeals, planning and zoning commission, zoning board of appeals and constables, along with seven ballot questions.

Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming municipal election.

Early voting details

Early voting began Oct. 20 and runs through Nov. 2. Early voting hours are: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on October 28 and 30.

If you are not registered, but want to vote during the early voting period, you may register in person every day of Early Voting at the early voting location. To find your Early Voting location, visit MyVote.CT.gov or call 860-509-6200.

Same day voter registration

If you are not registered, but want to vote on Election Day, you may register in person on Election Day at your Election Day Registration site People must be registered by 8 p.m. in order to vote using Election Day registration.

Absentee ballot information

To receive your absentee ballot, complete and sign an application and return it to your Town Clerk, or you can request an absentee ballot online.

Election Day polling hours and locations

Polls in Connecticut are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can use the Secretary of State’s website to find your polling place. Voters who are in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Return to Patch for results as they come in. Subscribe to free local news alerts and to receive real-time election results.

Here are the candidates:

Town Council

For Council At-Large, residents can vote for up to five candidates. The Democratic candidates are: Gregory Wolff, Peter J. Talbot, Debrah Manke, A. Fiona Pearson, and Louis Todisco. The Republican candidates are: Gregg Johnstone, Tom Bartley, James Bulger, John Milone, and Jeff Falk.

The Town Council district races are as follows: 1st District) Republican David Veleber (unopposed); 2nd District) Democrat Jim Jinks and Republican Lori Barnes; 3rd District) Democrat Paul Calaluce and Republican Don Walsh; 4th District) Democrat Tricia Cramer and Republican Michael Stavola.

Board of Education

For Board of Education, residents can vote for up to three candidates. The Democratic candidates are Sam Rosenberg, Mandy C. Miller, and Heather Fitzgerald. The Republican candidates are Jason Pinkus, Adam Grippo, and Matthew Colehour.

Others

For Town Clerk, Patti King is endorsed by both the Democratic and Republican parties.

For Board of Assessment Appeals, Republican Michael O'Brien is running unopposed.

For Planning and Zoning Commission, residents can vote for up to three candidates. The Democratic candidates are Matt Bowman, Jim McKenney, and Christopher Affie. The Republican candidates are Anita Blake, S. Woody Dawson, and Robert Brucato.

For Planning and Zoning Commission Alternate, Republicans John J. Hilzinger and Chuck Neth are running unopposed.

For Zoning Board of Appeals, residents can vote for up to two candidates. The Democratic candidates are Therese Bradley and Edmond Cullinan. The Republican candidates are Jackie Cianci and Doug Noble. For Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate, residents can vote for up to two candidates among Democrat Gerald Devine and Republicans Paul R. Orlowski and David Ioime.

For Constables, residents will vote for up to two candidates. The Democratic candidates are Breina Schain and Ron Gagliardi. The Republican candidates are Michael Rapetski and Randy Raines.

Residents will also vote on the following ballot questions (with explanatory text below):

1. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $585,000 For The Construction Of A Splash Pad At The Cheshire Community Pool And Authorize The Use of $150,000 In State Grant Funds And The Issue Of $435,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received (Together, With Prior Approvals, Totaling $1,450,000 In Appropriations, $722,500 In Use Of Grants And $727,500 In Bonds And Notes Authorized)?”

If approved, this would appropriate $585,000 for costs related to the construction of a splash pad at the Cheshire Community Pool. Of this appropriation, $150,000 would be funded by a State legislative grant. Funds may be spent on acquisition, installation, construction, legal costs, net interest on borrowings, and other expenses related to the project. Said appropriation shall be in addition to prior aggregate appropriations in the amount of $865,000 approved by the Town Council on various dates, thereby making the total project cost equal to $1,450,000, of which $722,500 would be grant funded.

2. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $1,500,000 For Acquisition Of Land For Open Space Conservation And Preservation Purposes And Authorize The Issue Of $1,500,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received?”

If approved, this would appropriate $1,500,000 for costs related to the acquisition of land for permanent open space, conservation, and preservation purposes. Parcel(s) shall include woodlands, meadows, farmland, ridgeline, and watershed areas for permanent preservation. Funds may be spent on acquisition, development rights, easements, studies, appraisals, surveys, testing, grant application and management costs, legal fees, net interest on borrowings and other financing costs, and other related expenses.

3. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $1,100,000 For Replacement Of The Fire Alarm Control System At Cheshire High School And Authorize The Issue Of $1,100,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received?”

If approved, this would appropriate $1,100,000 for costs related to the replacement of the fire alarm control system at Cheshire High School. The appropriation may be spent on acquisition, installation, related equipment and materials, design and consultant costs, legal costs, net interest on borrowings and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.

4. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $800,000 For Replacement Of The Synthetic Turf Field At Cheshire High School And Authorize The Issue Of $800,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received?”

If approved, this would appropriate $800,000 for costs related to the replacement of the synthetic turf field at Cheshire High School. The appropriation may be spent on design, engineering, construction, acquisition, installation, removal of prior field, related equipment and materials, legal costs, net interest on borrowings and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.

5. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $800,000 For South Parking Lot Reconfiguration And Related Improvements At Cheshire High School And Authorize The Issue Of $800,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received?”

If approved, this would appropriate $800,000 for costs related to the south parking lot reconfiguration and related improvements at Cheshire High School consisting of stormwater management improvements, constructing a new loading dock configured to accommodate a new outdoor refrigeration unit with internal entry points, modifying vehicle access, and site work to reconfigure and repave the parking area and to provide a secondary means of egress. The appropriation may be spent for design, engineering, including post design underground and Geotech survey, demolition, construction, paving, acquisition of related equipment and materials, legal costs, net interest on borrowings and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.

6. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $800,000 For The Road Improvement Program And Authorize The Issue Of $800,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received?”

If approved, this would appropriate $800,000 for the Town’s ongoing road improvement program, including but not limited to road treatments such as restoration, milling and paving, chip seal, micro-seal, crack seal and other surface treatments. The appropriation may be spent on design, construction, equipment and materials, engineering, consultant and legal fees, related improvements, repairs or renovations, net interest on borrowings and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.

7. “Shall The Town Of Cheshire Appropriate $1,100,000 For The Acquisition And Replacement Of A Fire Truck And Authorize The Issue Of $1,100,000 Bonds And Notes To Finance The Appropriation, The Amount Of Such Bonds And Notes To Be Reduced By The Amount Of Project Grants Received?”

If approved, this would appropriate $1,100,000 for costs related to the acquisition and replacement of a fire truck pumping engine, anticipated to consist of an engine or similar type truck to replace Engine #1. The appropriation may be spent on design, acquisition, equipment and outfitting, legal costs, net interest on borrowings and other financing costs, and other expenses related to the project.