Wallingford Election 2025: Autumn Allinson Running For Town Council

WALLINGFORD, CT — The 2025 municipal election is heating up in Wallingford with plenty of races on the ballot.

Voters will cast their ballots in the Nov. 4 election for the position of mayor, along with seats on the Town Council and Board of Education.

Wallingford Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Autumn Allinson is running for re-election to the Wallingford Town Council as a Republican.

Campaign Website
https://autumnforcouncil.com

Occupation:

Global Distribution Support at The LEGO Group - 5 years; 15 years supply chain

Family:
My husband's (and treasurer's) name is Steven Allinson, he is a probate attorney in Wallingford. We have been married for a decade as of July of this year. My parents, Robbie and Cindy LaBlanc, live in Lewes, Delaware with my fur siblings, Virginia and Leo. Steve's dad, Aaron Allinson, and step-mom, Dr. Roz Chosak, live nearby in Woodbridge, CT. Steve and I have 5 cats, mostly because we are suckers for cute cat faces.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No family in government or politics, but we do have a lot of lawyers and accountants.

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
This will be my third term on the council if elected, and I served on the Wallingford Board of Education for a term prior.

Why are you seeking this office?
I love the town of Wallingford, and I want to preserve our community while balancing the community's wants versus needs for continuing advancement and development.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
The most pressing issue in Wallingford right now is balancing our need for efficiency and technological advancement, ease of access, and infrastructural updates with ever-rising costs associated with employment (insurance being the most), needs for services, and building costs to execute to those needs. We have taken several steps forward toward those goals, which has resulted in some up-front costs, but as a balance, we will begin to see the fiscal returns of improved contracts with providers, efficient processes, reduced on-paper and manual work, etc. As we continue on the path forward, I will continue to support our mayor and constituents by working together with others to listen to the feedback of others and weigh the value stream of our decisions against spending.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
The primary differences between myself and others would be the same as anyone else - our life experiences, aspirations, educations, professions, and general opinions. Understanding all of this, my goal is not to separate myself from others but to engage with the other councilors to move the community forward and solve emerging issues for the town by incorporating our differences into our understanding of community needs. Politics has too many people who spend their time talking about others (parties, collectives, or individuals), at the expense of simply getting the work done. A beautiful thing about local politics, notably in Wallingford, is that we are usually able to set aside rhetoric to make improvements and resolve issues. Let's continue the Wallingford community practice of representing our individual experiences and values while working together respectfully.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
There should be no surprise when I say that the main issue that I will continue to address as a member of the council is the equitable education for our students. I will continue to support our Board of Education, central office, and all members of our education community in their goals to produce graduates who are prepared for their next steps, resilient, kind, and ready to usher our community into its next iteration(s).

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
First, this will be my third term, so I benefit from knowledge of the process and what can and cannot be accomplished as an individual goal versus achieving broad goals through partnerships with the mayor, other councilors, and the departments. I also benefit from existing relationships with many department heads, the mayor, and all other councilors. As professional experience, I also bring in strategic thinking, knowledge of technology (and support), and have worked for several years in discovering fiscal savings opportunities, contract accountability and the negotiations based on those findings.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
"Don't worry about what they're doing, just worry about what you're doing," was the most impactful direct advice I have ever gotten from Katie Rincon, a previous manager.

"You can't control how you feel, but you can always choose how you act." - Mel Robbins (The Let Them Theory)

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
Whether or not I am chosen to serve this community again, I am extremely grateful for the personal discovery and growth serving this community has afforded me. Thank you, Wallingford, for giving me the opportunity to serve you for these 6 years.