HARTFORD, Conn. — Democrat Arunan Arulampalam captured 69% of the vote Tuesday and will take over the role from current Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin in January 2024.
“A transition is a real opportunity to have conversations and dream about what the city can look like for the next four to eight years,” Arulampalam said.
Less than a day after he was officially elected the next mayor of Hartford, Arulampalam is hitting the ground running.
Wednesday afternoon he announced his transition leadership team, made up of heavy hitters in state government and community leaders.
“This is an important part of any campaign because January 1 starts, but if you're not prepared… there's no excuses on January 2 for not being ready,” said House Speaker Matt Ritter, one of Arulampalam’s transition co-chairs.
Arulampalam wants to use this transition period to hear from citizens, both those who voted for him and those who did not.
He says he will bring together policy groups and he wants to host public hearings throughout November.
“We really want to get the voices of as many Hartford residents at the table,” said Arulampalam.
Arulampalam and current mayor Bronin says this is also a time to set priorities for next year. Arulampalam says he will build on economic development, create safe spaces for youth, work on community policing initiatives, and increase housing.
“I think it's important that the mayor be engaged, but it's also important that democracy is a two-way conversation, that democracy doesn't just happen in the election, in the voting booth, that it happens all year round,” he said. “We're really engaging in conversations about what it looks like to dream about the city, to be hopeful for the city.”
For Bronin, he says the next two months are about tying up loose ends and making sure the new team can come in with as few distractions as possible.
“We're one city. We are one small city and to everything, there is a season,” Bronin said. “We've just been through the season of politics, but the time for politics is done. The time for coming together as a community and moving Hartford forward is now.”
Bronin also says he’s feeling as optimistic and confident as he’s ever been about the next mayor.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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