Patch Candidate Profile: Lisa Balter, Town Clerk

EAST HAVEN, CT —The 2023 municipal election is heating up in East Haven and there are plenty of local races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

East Haven Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Incumbent Democrat Lisa Balter, 57, is seeking reelection as East Haven's Town Clerk.

What is your occupation?

Town Clerk

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I am the spouse of a combat veteran, mother of 4 and 3 grandchildren. My oldest son and his wife are both Navy Seabee combat veterans who met while on active duty. My son completed his Master's in Forestry at Yale and is currently the Director of Programs & Operations for Great Mountain Forest. His wife completed her Masters in Occupational Therapy and is practicing in Salisbury. They currently live in Falls Village with their 3 children, 2 boys ages 12 & 10, and a 1-year-old daughter. My second-oldest son works in HVAC for a small business, and his fiancée' recently obtained her Masters in Social Work and practices in Fairfield. My next son graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston and is currently living in Buffalo working on his music career and my youngest is currently completing his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Boston University.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

None

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I am your East Haven Town Clerk

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I am running for re-election to continue fixing the programs in place when I took office, while creating new programs which directly benefit the people of our town.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Election integrity and proper preservation of the resident's documents. I am currently completing the installation of additional cameras for the ballot box and the Town Vault, as well as continuous interaction with State Election Officials. I have implemented several programs for residents to provide more access to the services of the Office while also working to save the taxpayers' money.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My priority is not the paycheck or the notoriety. My priority is improving the office for the lives of my neighbors and our future generations. My attention to detail, and dedication to customer service stand in stark contrast to my opponent.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Every morning when I wake up, my goal is the same. To continue to do everything I can to serve the community that put their trust in me by seeking ways to continuously improve the services of the Town Clerk's Office.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

The evidence is shown by what I have already accomplished during my first term in office. I found waste of taxpayer dollars; improperly stored documents; misfiled documents; missing documents; and a lack of compliance with the laws of our state. I fixed it by routinely working 10-hour days reorganizing the vault and office files; implementing tracking systems to ensure proper reporting of revenue, expenses, and election results; found lower cost and better supplies; adding additional security; and restoring statute required records that should have been kept and were not, just to name some of what I have done.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Never lose your integrity.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

In addition to what I have accomplished as your Town Clerk during my first term, I came into the position with over 30 years of customer service and banking management. This provided me a smooth and easy transition into the office and a mindset of what I wanted to work towards; improving the services and transparency of our frontline to town government. I believe community service is an important, while rewarding way to give back to the community that has put their faith in me. I am currently serving as a founding member of the American Legion Auxiliary as Secretary, I am the Secretary of the Democratic Town Committee, a Director for the East Haven Lions Club, and a current Chamber of Commerce member. My hope is that you will re-elect me this November to continue the work I have started.