Delnicki Secures Republican Primary

Mayor Tom Delnicki has secured enough signatures of registered Republicans in town to force a primary for Republican seats on the Town Council this fall, according to town officials and Delnicki himself. 

"Yes, he's gotten over the required amount and they keep coming in," Town Clerk Lori Trahan said Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013. "As of yesterday, he had about 200 verified signatures." 

Trahan said she was in the process of drafting an official notice to send to the Connecticut Secretary of the State's office to notify them of the primary, which would be held on Sept. 10, 2013. 

In order to force the primary, Delnicki needed to obtain signatures on a petition from five percent of registered Republicans in town by Aug. 7, or about 173 signatures from the town's 3,461 registered Republicans. The primary will cost the town an estimated $11,000 to $13,000. 

Delnicki told Patch Tuesday that, so far, he had collected well over 300 signatures, and that he planned to continue collecting signatures until tomorrow's 4 p.m. deadline. He said a number of independent voters in town told him that they switched their party affiliation to Republican just so they could sign his petition. 

"I have people calling me that still want to put their names on the petition, and I'm delighted and heartwarmed to hear that," Delnicki said. "People feel I've done a good job, and they want me to return me." 

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 last month to secure a spot on the November ballot as a candidate for his party. 

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2013.