New London — Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio announced Wednesday that he has secured 732 signatures, more than double the number needed, to petition his way onto the ballot for the Sept. 16 Democratic primary.

Finizio needed 341 signatures to force a primary, based on a state law that requires signatures of at least 5 percent of the voters whose names appear on the active last-completed enrollment list of the party in the municipality.

In the primary for the Democratic nomination for mayor in 2011, Finizio won with 1,108 votes over 744 for challenger Michael Buscetto III.

Standing outside the Registrars of Voters office at City Hall on Wednesday, the deadline to file the petition, Finizio said he was "very pleased by the result of our petitioning," which he said was the result of "22 separate circulators going throughout the city in less than three weeks."

According to Finizio, more than 100 of the signatures were obtained by Democratic City Councilor Efrain Dominguez, who is running for re-election. Finizio said he is endorsing Dominguez for council, and that he may make other endorsements of council candidates.

"This total sum of signatures represents almost enough votes to win the primary outright on our actual ballot petitions," he said. "So what I believe this filing today demonstrates is that our campaign retains the significant support that we feel we've always had among the people of the city of New London."

Finizio cited as his achievements three balanced budgets, cutting crime in half and a $200 million plan to invest in the city's schools.

Ryan Henowitz joined Finizio at the mayor's press conference. Henowitz filed a petition Wednesday to get his name on the Democratic primary ballot for City Council.

The Democratic Town Committee in July voted to fill out the seven-person ticket with Henowitz, Martha Marx and John Satti joining incumbent Democrats Anthony Nolan, Michael Tranchida, Erica Richardson and Dominguez.

Democrats currently control the council 6-1.

However, Don Venditto accepted a nomination from the floor and in a vote by the committee secured his spot by garnering more votes than Henowitz.

Finizio said Henowitz, who is a combat veteran of Iraq, has his "full endorsement."

"I think he is a bright young leader in our community and we could use people with his experience on the city council," Finizio said.

Finizio nominated Henowitz in April to be the volunteer liaison between City Hall and the city's veterans.

Henowitz, who said he has a political science degree from Eastern Connecticut State University, works for the American Federation of Teachers in Connecticut.

He said that "through our coalition" he was able to receive more than 700 signatures on 42 pages. Henowitz also needed 341 signatures to petition his way onto the ballot.

He said Wednesday that he's become "very involved with a lot of the grassroots movements that go on within the city."

Henowitz added that he was "very pleased" with the mayor's support in the "Fight for $15" to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. 

The residents of New London, he said, "want to achieve a decent medium income. That's what we're trying to do here."

Democrat Paul Reid also secured enough signatures to petition his way onto the city council ballot. The registrar's office said Reid submitted 24 pages' worth of signatures.

Reid said he served in the Army for eight years and was stationed in Iraq for a little more than a year. He earned his bachelor's degree in business from Eastern Illinois University and his MBA from the University of Hartford.

He worked as a data analyst for Sikorsky and now for Pratt & Whitney, and has lived in New London for close to four years.

"Since day one, I saw the potential here in New London and what it could offer," Reid said by phone Wednesday. "To me New London is a diamond in the rough."

He said his attributes are fiscal responsibility and being able to strategize in an effective manner and that he would look to bring a stronger coalition for the residents of New London, rather than focus on any divisions.

At the July caucus, Democratic City Councilor Michael Passero easily secured his party's nomination as candidate for mayor by a vote of 39 to 17.

In a brief speech after the nomination Passero promised to restore professional management to the city.

"I will be campaigning to restore respect for our employees," Passero said. "I will be campaigning to throw open the doors of City Hall to anyone who is willing to work for our city. I will be ready to hear from everyone. We are all Whalers. We all share the same goal. We have disagreements, but we want to see this city succeed."

Finizio, who lost the nomination for the city's first strong mayor four years ago, had predicted the loss to Passero.

New London Republican Town Committee Chairman Bill Vogel last month received his party's endorsement to run in this fall's mayoral election.

One incumbent city councilor, Martin Olsen, is a Republican. The departure of Passero and City Council President Wade Hyslop, who is not seeking another term, left three open spots for the seven-person Democratic slate.

The highest vote-getter for a council nomination after the vote by the Democratic Town Committee in July was Richardson, followed by Satti, Nolan, Marx, Dominguez, Tranchida and Venditto.

j.bergman@theday.com

Twitter: @JuliaSBergman