New London Democrats will have their say today

September 13, 2011 12:00 am • Last Updated: September 14, 2011 1:47 am

By By KATHLEEN EDGECOMB Day Staff Writer

New London mayoral candidate Daryl Finizio talks to voters and restaurant patrons Monday before an impromptu meeting to discuss the ongoing situation inside the New London Police Department at the Portuguese Fisherman restaurant.

New London - Democrats will be going to the polls today to vote for the candidate they hope will eventually become the city's first elected mayor in nearly nine decades.

The Democratic primary pits the party's chosen candidate, City Councilor Michael Buscetto III, against challenger Daryl Justin Finizio, who forced the primary.

The city's 6,017 registered Democrats, who outnumber Republicans 4 to 1, will be deciding the first step in this historic race for mayor as the city shifts from the city manager form of government to a four-year elected mayor.

On Nov. 8, all 12,452 registered voters will have a chance to elect the mayor.

Monday morning, Buscetto was at the Democratic headquarters on State Street checking on voter lists, making phone calls and lining up addresses of doors he was going to go knocking on later in the day.

The two-term councilor, who was endorsed by the Democratic Town Committee in July, was busy organizing about 30 volunteers who throughout today will be making sure Democrats have rides to the polls and are voting for their candidate.

Today, he said, he'd vote in the morning and then go out on to the streets.

"I'm going to all the polls, talk to people, saying hello and say thanks for voting for me,'' he said.

Finizio, a lawyer and former Westerly town councilor who is a relative newcomer to town, said Monday he's done all he can to campaign and that it was now up to the voters.

"We did our job. The people now have a choice. It's up to them,'' said Finizio who, without a headquarters, was using his home on Ocean Avenue as a base.

On Monday, he, too, was working the phones and organizing about 25 volunteers.

Later in the day, he appeared at a "community conversation" at the Portuguese Fisherman restaurant, where he joined a group of residents who were rallying support for Police Chief Margaret Ackley.

About 25 people attended the gathering, which was organized by Kathleen Mitchell, and nearly all - including Finizio, Mitchell, the police union and the head of the Police-Community Relations Committee - agreed that an outside agency should be called in to look into the inner workings of the police department.

The chief has leveled accusations against Buscetto of threats, favoritism and undermining her authority. The union has countered the accusations, calling the chief an ineffective leader.

"This is more important that who wins the election,'' Finizio said at the gathering, reiterating his position that the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office should be contacted.

"Whether the union is correct or whether the chief is correct ... there needs to be an outside investigation," he said.

The winner tonight will be on the November ballot with four other hopefuls: City Councilor Rob Pero, a Republican; Republican Martin Olsen, the ceremonial mayor, who is an independent petitioning candidate; and two other petitioning candidates, Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh and Andrew Lockwood.

k.edgecomb@theday.com

New London mayoral candidate Michael Buscetto III laughs along with his campaign workers Monday as he calls potential voters on the eve of the Democratic mayoral primary from the New London Democratic Party Headquarters.