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Hartford Democratic Leadership Dispute To Get State Committee Hearing

Steven Goode

March 18, 2010

The dispute over who, if anyone, won the Democratic town committee chairmanship last week will be heard March 25 by a three-person panel made up of members of the Democratic State Central Committee.

The panel will listen to testimony and view evidence as it decides whether Georgiana Holloway, who was declared the winner by temporary Town Chairman Ramon Arroyo, should be the winner.

Holloway and Sean Arena, who was seeking a second two-year term as chairman, were deadlocked at 33 votes apiece after the first round of voting. But Arroyo, who already had voted for Holloway as a committee member, voted for her a second time, citing his power to do so as temporary chairman.

Holloway's supporters cited state party rules they said allowed the chairman the vote again in order to break a tie.

But Arena's supporters pointed out that Robert's Rules of Order prohibits a chairman from casting a second vote, even in the event of a tie.

The next day, Arena filed for the formal party hearing.

Allison Dodge, director of the Democratic State Central Committee, said Tuesday that she expected a speedy ruling from the panel, especially in light of the need to begin selecting delegates for the state convention.

The city's Democratic town committee primaries in the 4th and 5th districts were marred by accusations of political impropriety, highlighted by six complaints filed with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, a lawsuit and a recount.