Montville — Following recent party endorsements, a rematch is officially set for the mayor's seat with Democratic incumbent Ron McDaniel facing another challenge from Republican Town Council Chairman Tom McNally.

McDaniel seeks his third term in office after previously serving the town as a probate judge and member of the Town Council, Zoning Board of Appeals and various school committees. McNally, who previously served on the Board of Education for several years and sits on a number of town committees, currently is serving his second term on the council.

In the 2015 contest, McDaniel won by about 750 votes, with roughly 35 percent of Montville's 8,400 registered voters casting a ballot, The Day reported at the time.

Both candidates received endorsements from their respective town party committees earlier this month.

McDaniel in June pledged to keep spending and taxes down, ensure that schools strive to exceed education standards and to "continue to meet with developers to find sites that will produce jobs and shift the tax burden away from the residents."

"My commitment to the Town of Montville and its residents are my priority," McNally said in a statement earlier this year, touting measures during his tenure as council chairman, including investments in school buses, police vehicles and a $10 million, 10-year road repair plan.

For the Town Council, the Republican Town Committee endorsed incumbents Joe Rogulski, Kathy Pollard, Jeff Rogers and Deputy Chairman Wills Pike, as well as Tony Siragusa, a former candidate for state office and a member of the Water Pollution Control Authority, and Board of Education members Steven Loiler and Colleen Rix, who is chair of the committee.

The Republicans also endorsed Board of Education Chairman Robert Mitchel and Sheelagh Lapinski for the school board; Joe Aquitante and Florence Turner for the Board of Assessment Appeals; and Elmer Wittkofske for the Zoning Board of Appeals.

"Our team has brought some much needed positive change over the past two years and we plan to continue doing great things for the residents of Montville," Rogers said in a statement.

The Democratic slate for Town Council includes incumbents Billy Caron and Joseph Jaskiewicz, along with former Town Council member and Democratic Town Committee Chair Tim May, former Zoning Board of Appeals member Denise Gladue, longtime Youth Advisory Board member Tim Shanahan, former Montville Police Department Lt. Leonard Bunnell and active Montville Booster Club member and teacher Kate Southard.

Democrats also endorsed Carol Burgess, Chuck Longton, James Wood and John Desjardins for the Board of Education; Joan Paskewich and Patricia Boyles for the Board of Assessment Appeals; and Richard Gladue, Joseph Berardy and Douglas Adams for the Zoning Board of Appeals.

"We've selected a slate of candidates that represent Montville who all want to bring transparency and devotion to the citizens first back to Montville," May said in a statement.

b.kail@theday.com