New London – At least one City Councilor is seeking public support to force a primary and win a spot on the November ballot.

John Satti, finishing his first term on the council, was one of two Democrats to obtain a petition from the Registrar of Voters following last week's caucus. Paul Reid also considered a petition drive but said on Monday that he has since changed his mind.

Satti, a longtime former probation officer who now runs a lawn care business, was initially chosen by the Democratic Town Committee’s nominating committee to run for another term on the City Council. He was not, however, among the top seven vote-getters at the July 25 caucus.

Democrats, in order of votes received at Tuesday’s caucus, endorsed Don Venditto, Martha Marx, Rich Baez, Anthony Nolan, Efrain Dominguez, Alma Nartatez and Michael Tranchida.

Satti and anyone else seeking to primary must now must obtain at least 388 verified signatures – or 5 percent of the registered Democrats in the city – by 4 p.m. on Aug. 9 to successfully force a Sept. 12 primary, said William Giesing, the Democratic registrar of voters.

Giesing estimates it will cost the city $10,000 to hold the primary.

Satti, a staunch advocate of reducing the city’s budget and what he called the “out of control,” 9.4 percent tax increase, described himself as “the most fiscally conservative person on the council – no doubt.”

“The bottom line is I don’t want to see New London go bankrupt,” Satti said.

While a consistent critic of educational spending, Satti did ultimately vote in favor of the current Board of Education budget but against the city government budget. He said his previous attempts to reduce educational spending had already been blocked at that point.

He said he suspects his criticisms of the education budget led to a lack of support in some segments of the Democratic Party.

Satti will be getting help in his petition drive from some surprising places.

Three-term former Republican City Council and school board member Reid Burdick, outspoken on a host of issues and at times critical of the current council, on Monday changed his party affiliation from unaffiliated to Democrat.

“It’s pretty simple. It comes down to the fact I’m angry about a few things,” Burdick said. “The first is that John Satti was not allowed to put himself before the voters. He was rejected by the town committee. Rejecting that guy with all of his service to the city - I find offensive.”

He said he is also upset over the 9.4 percent tax increase and thinks he is representative of others who will come out to vote because of it. Turnout at primaries for local candidates are notoriously low - 26 percent in 2013 and 27 percent in 2015.

Burdick, who considered his own run at a council seat, said he changed his party affiliation primarily to be able to circulate petitions for Satti. The two previously served together, in opposite parties, on the school board.

“I believe that man has earned a right to run. His motives are genuine and honest. I’ll take that guy on my team all day long," Burdick said.

Burdick said his own political leanings are now more aligned with Satti’s and with what he called the “old Democratic way of thinking,” not with Republicans or the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

“Times change and politics do too,” Burdick said.

Reid, a former U.S. Army sergeant, business school graduate and owner of a business consulting firm, said he was disappointed but not surprised by the results of the caucus.

He said that while he thought he could garner enough support for a spot on the ballot decided against it after weighing his options.

“It’s really about timing and making the best decision possible,” Reid said. “It’s not a lack of support from the community, I just have to do what’s right for me.”

One factor was the lack of support from the party insiders, he said. He said he thought his business background fit nicely with the city’s need for someone with a firm understanding of budgets and spreadsheets.

Reid did not rule out a run at another seat in the future but said he would continue to focus his attention on his current positions. He is a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Foreign Trade Zone Commission and Economic Development Commission.

g.smith@theday.com