Voters will head to the polls for the 2021 municipal election on Tuesday with Independent mayoral candidate Al Lotto on the ballot registered as a write-in candidate.
On Sept. 22 Lotto announced on his Facebook page he was dropping out of the race because he was receiving “venomous messages” from members of the community about himself and his family members. However, his supporters convinced him to get back in the race on Oct. 19.
“The constituents are the ones that influenced me to run as a write-in,” Lotto said. “Many people are tired of the two-party system and want another choice.They didn’t like what [Democrat candidate Lauren] Garrett and [Republican candidate Ron] Gambardella had to offer.”
Hamden Crime Watchers is Lotto’s Facebook page where residents share their information and concerns about crime in Hamden. Lotto founded Hamden Crime Watchers in 2020. In a candidate survey by the New Haven Register, Lotto said residents were expressing, “concerns, creative solutions and cry for change” on his page. This group is moderated by Lotto and has more than 5,000 members.
Residents are tired of the two-party system because their agenda is not in the best interest of the town, according to Lotto.
Lotto said that residents don’t like Garrett because she is “very far left”. On the other hand, Republicans are unpopular because of their association with national GOP politics in a town that hasn’t elected a Republican mayor since 1997. Therefore, Lotto wants to give residents and independents an opportunity to be heard in Hamden.
“Let it be known if you are not happy with either candidate, voice your opinion loud and clear,” Lotto said in a statement on Facebook. “The two-party system in Hamden is over. If you want to see change, vote accordingly. No more railroading people out!”
Lotto suggested that people don’t support the Democrats or Republicans because they don’t like what the candidates have to offer. Lotto said many people in town feel like their voice doesn’t matter.
“I am trying to give people more options,” Lotto said. “Many people have said they don’t like either candidate. It seems as though people weren’t necessarily voting for one candidate because they like their message but against another one.”
Garaidh O’Cuilleannain, a Hamden resident of six years, expressed support for Lotto on a Facebook post in Hamden Crime Watchers on Oct. 24.
“You got my vote Al,” O’Cuilleannain said. “Nothing would make me happier than to see the ‘powers that be’ taken down. I agree that the only way to rebuild our town is through upheaval of a grassroots nature. I fear we are in serious trouble should Garrett or Gamberdella win.”
Even though Lotto is running as an independent write-in candidate, he believes he has a decent chance at being elected mayor due to the amount of support he has. Lotto said what separates himself from his opponents is that he is not “beholden to any party beliefs.”
Unlike Garrett and Gambardella, Lotto said he has the flexibility to cross any party lines. As a result, Lotto is confident he will be able to get votes from members of both parties because residents are frustrated by the two-party system.
When Lotto announced that he was dropping out, he said “our streets are riddled with crimes, our schools are falling apart and our mill rate is forcing people out of their homes.”
Lotto has a few ideas on how he can help Hamden. One thing in particular Lotto wants to focus is to increase transparency in Hamden. Lotto said his strategy to do this would be to fix the town website because “it’s horrendous and horrible to navigate.” Since the town website is run poorly, Lotto said he would post all the meetings because it needs to be shared for all town matters.
Lotto wants to address the issues with policing in Hamden to make the town safer.
“I would like to see a more transparent police department with a social media person to be more transparent with incidents, and whether they apprehended criminals or if they are still on the loose,” Lotto said.
Furthermore, Lotto wants to have regular meetings with the Strengthen Police and Community Partnership (SPCP) and the Hamden Police Department to determine hot spots and positioning of police officers. The purpose of the SPCP is to improve public safety by strengthening trust and developing partnerships with law enforcement along with the communities they represent.
Lotto also wants to address the town’s high tax rate. To solve this issue, Lotto told the Hamden Patch that he will have to “look at top heavy government offices and departments and find the most efficient ways to move forward with less burden on the taxpayers.”
Lotto said he will give the voiceless a platform because he lacks a personal agenda driven by partisan politics.
“If elected, I will truly listen to all the residents,” Lotto said. “I will do what is in the best interest for the town, not my own personal agenda. I will bring a new way of thinking to the mayor’s office and get away from the two-party system opposite agenda. We can get back to focusing on bipartisan politics and teaching compromise.”