Delnicki Primary Could Cost South Windsor $11,000 to $13,000

If Mayor Tom Delnicki succeeds in his goal to force a primary for Republican seats on the Town Council, it could cost South Windsor between $11,000 and $13,000, according to town officials. 

Democratic Registrar Sue Larsen told Patch Tuesday that if Delnicki succeeded in gaining enough signatures to force a primary in September, the estimated cost to the town could be anywhere from $11,000 to $13,000, from having to print ballots to staff all five polling places in town. 

Larsen said that figure was "an estimate and purely an estimate," and that it was too early to determine an official cost.  

Delnicki, a Republican who has served on the town council for a total of eight terms, including the last one as mayor, failed to garner enough votes when the Republican town caucus met earlier this month to secure a spot on the November ballot as a candidate for his party. 

He has elected to attempt to primary his way onto the ballot instead. 

But, first, Delnicki must obtain signatures on a petition of 5 percent of the registered Republicans in town by Aug. 7, or about 173 signatures from the town's 3,461 registered Republicans. 

Delnicki told Patch Tuesday that he had already obtained more than 150 of the required signatures, and that he was choosing to primary because he thought it was in the best interest of the town and its residents. 

"You've got to look at the big pictures," Delnicki said. "We're talking about millions and millions of dollars that the town could be spending in the future, and I want to make sure that the people have a say in that, and that's why I'm running."