Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Sandra Stokes casts her ballot for the members of the Democratic Town Committee District B during the District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Sandra Stokes casts her ballot for the members of the Democratic Town Committee District B during the District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Jannie Bowman and Travis Simms get their ballots filled out during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Jannie Bowman and Travis Simms get their ballots filled out during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Ray Dunlap starts on checking the boxes on his ballot during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Ray Dunlap starts on checking the boxes on his ballot during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Members Bruce Morris and Bobby Burgess cast their ballots during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Members Bruce Morris and Bobby Burgess cast their ballots during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
District B Chairman Bobby Burgess talks about the voting process to the members during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
District B Chairman Bobby Burgess talks about the voting process to the members during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Ray Dunlap starts on checking the boxes on his ballot during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Ray Dunlap starts on checking the boxes on his ballot during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Members Bruce Morris and Bobby Burgess cast their ballots during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Members Bruce Morris and Bobby Burgess cast their ballots during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
District B Chairman Bobby Burgess talks about the voting process to the members during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
District B Chairman Bobby Burgess talks about the voting process to the members during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Sandra Stokes casts her ballot for the members of the Democratic Town Committee District B during the District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Sandra Stokes casts her ballot for the members of the Democratic Town Committee District B during the District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Jannie Bowman and Travis Simms get their ballots filled out during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Jannie Bowman and Travis Simms get their ballots filled out during the Democratic Town Committee District B caucus at The Smilow Life Center on Thursday january 11, 2018 in Norwalk Conn.
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B Chairman Bobby Burgess
Democratic Town Committee District B Chairman Bobby Burgess
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B member Bruce Morris
Democratic Town Committee District B member Bruce Morris
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B member Faye Bowman
Democratic Town Committee District B member Faye Bowman
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B member Manny Langella
Democratic Town Committee District B member Manny Langella
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B member Travis Simms
Democratic Town Committee District B member Travis Simms
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B member Shannon Stewart
Democratic Town Committee District B member Shannon Stewart
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Democratic Town Committee District B member Ray Dunlap
Democratic Town Committee District B member Ray Dunlap
Photo: Alex Von Kleydorff / Hearst Connecticut Media
Morris falls short in bid to return to Norwalk DTC
NORWALK — State Rep. Bruce Morris, who ran an insurgent petition candidacy against Mayor Harry Rilling last year, came up short Thursday evening in his bid to return to the Norwalk Democratic Town Committee.
At caucuses across the city, Democrats endorsed candidates for two-year terms on the Norwalk DTC. Each district endorsed up to 11 candidates, who will be elected March 6 barring any primary challenges.
Endorsed for the 11 District B seats were Ron Banks, Phaedrel Bowman, Ray Dunlap, Daisy Franklin, Manny Langella, Mike Mushak, Sonia Oliver, Travis Simms, Sharon Stewart, Sandra Stokes and Martha Wooten-Dumas.
Morris and Erik Anderson, also on the ballot in District B, were not among the top 11 vote-getters at the caucus at Smilow Life Center on Merritt Street, according to Norwalk DTC Chairman Edwin Camacho.
He described participation in the caucuses at five locations across Norwalk as “great.”
“I think there’s going to be a lot of new people on the DTC, and that is a good thing — new ideas, new energy,” Camacho said. “There obviously are going to be a lot of returning members, and that’s good because institutional knowledge is necessary. So I think we have a good mix of people and we’re going to work well together.”
The new members and re-elected members, once seated in March, will play a key role in getting the party’s message out, as well as recruiting and endorsing Democrats for election to public office.
District B, the most Democratic part of Norwalk, has bucked party leaders on issues ranging from mayoral candidates to development, zoning violations and placement of a new South Norwalk school.
Morris, who ran as a petitioning candidate last year, captured some of that resentment, but placed fourth behind Democrat Rilling, independent Lisa Brinton and Republican Andrew Conroy in the city’s 2017 mayoral election last Nov. 7.
Simms, a District B councilman who was endorsed for re-election Thursday evening, said it is vital the local Democratic Party has “real leadership and real representation from South Norwalk.”
“I’ve been a huge voice for this community for over a decade,” Simms said. “I think by serving on the DTC, it just furthers that I continue to be a voice for the people and make sure that South Norwalk is getting what it deserves.”
Langella said District B Democrats have made progress over the last two years in terms of participation.
“We’ve increased attendance, which is very important,” Langella said. “The goal of ours was to attract new faces.”
Several dozen people cast ballots in the caucus, which Chairman Bobby Burgess kept open from 7:30 to 9 p.m., given the race was contested. Thirteen names appeared on the pre-printed ballot. Eleven seats were available. Burgess invited names to be put forward for nomination on the floor, but none were.
Burgess instructed registered District B Democrats to vote for 11 candidates — no more, no fewer — or else their ballots would be voided.
In 2014, the Norwalk DTC amended its bylaws, expanding its size from 35 to 55 people. The change has allowed greater involvement in the party, according to Camacho.
