Want to Help Out?!?
Writing postcards is a wonderful way for volunteers to become involved with Colchester DTC. Handwritten cards written by a neighbor are proven to influence voters to make it to the polls. Colchester DTC has 1500 cards AND WE NEED YOUR HELP to get them in the mail before municipal Election Day. All you need is legible handwriting. And if you don’t have that, you can be the stamper! Postcard party dates are below, or you can write from home. Email us at colchesterdems@gmail.com for more info. Thank you!
We have six planned postcard parties. We hope you can join us! Wednesday, October 1st, 6pm-8pm, Colchester Senior Center- Pizza! Thursday October 9th, 6-8pm, 10 Vicki Ln.- Snacks! Wednesday, October 15th, 6pm-8pm Colchester Senior Center- Pizza! Friday, October 17th, 53 Old Rod Rd., 7:30-9pm Tuesday, October 21st, 6-8pm Fresca Bar and Grill- Let’s get drinks! Monday, October 27th, 7:30-9pm, Colchester Senior Center- Snacks!
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Thanks to the voters of Colchester, Bernie Dennler was elected as First Selectman in November 2023. That year, Democratic candidates swept the ballot and Colchester has been moving forward ever since. This year, we need to re-elect Bernie and the great slate of candidates recently endorsed at our caucus. DTC is excited for municipal elections in 2025! Scroll down to learn more about our candidates and platform. You can click “contact us” to get in touch to volunteer. We’d love to have you join our team. We meet monthly and welcome the participation of all Democrats. Click here if you would like to receive the Zoom meeting link.
Election Day is November 4th, 2025 at your district polling location. VOTE EARLY at Town Hall from October 20th-November 2nd.
Pictured (L-R) Back row: Jillian Vinci, Sean Gillespie, Krista Kardys, Denise Turner, Eric Jackson, Dave Koji, Gussie Gilberti. Front Row: Nancy Nelson, Rosemary Coyle, Bernie Dennler DTC Chair Monica Swyden, and Andrew Cournoyer
Our Platform: Proven Leadership. Stable future. We will stand up for Colchester.
- Maintain fiscal stability and professionalism in our town government
- Keep Colchester affordable by aggressively seeking efficiencies and grant opportunities
- Bipartisan collaboration to keep Colchester moving forward
- Show pride in our town by maintaining public buildings, grounds, and spaces
- Support the Bacon Academy fields and athletic complex restoration projects
- Renovate the Youth Center, provide a new expanded space for the Police Department and create a Veteran’s Hall
- Provide Fire, EMT, and Police with the necessary resources to support public safety
- Promote maintained safe roads and expand walkability
- Safeguard our green spaces, family farms, and rich history
- Drive smart growth to create jobs, lower taxes, and enhance local services
- Support Education by ensuring our Board of Education puts every tax dollar to work for our students
Our Candidates for the 2025 Election
First Selectman – Bernie Dennler
- Colchester First Selectman since 2023
- Lifelong part of Colchester and community volunteer. Bacon Academy graduate.
- Graduate of Hofstra University with a degree in journalism and political science
- Worked in neighboring Lebanon as the office manager and executive assistant to the First Selectman
- Former Vice Chair of Colchester’s Board of Finance
- Public Safety Subcommittee
- Economic Development Commission
- Website
Board of Selectmen – Rosemary Coyle
- Colchester Board of Selectmen, incumbent
- Colchester Board of Education, former Vice Chair
- Liaison to Fire Department, SC Building Committee, Commission on Aging, Open Space, Agriculture and Youth First Coalition
- Chaired Elderly Tax Relief and Senior Center Subcommittee
- Colchester Lions Club, Historical Society, Land Trust
- Montville Teacher, retired – 37 years
- Connecticut Education Association, past President
- Member Chatham Board of Health
- Justice of the Peace
Board of Selectmen – Denise Turner
- Lifelong member of the community
- Long term employment in senior care
- Board member of Colchester Historical Society
- Completed three terms on the BoAA
- Incumbent of 7 years on BoS
- Liaison to Parks & Rec, CORE, Historic District Commission, and Conservation
- Justice of the Peace
Board of Finance – Sean Gillespie
- Elected Treasurer – 2023 to Present
- 20 year Colchester resident with two children currently in Colchester schools.
- 20+ year IT Architecture career specializing in Medical Record systems and Financial software integrations.
- Charter member, marketing director, and board of directors member, Comstock Regional Lions club.
- Justice of the Peace
Board of Finance – Krista Kardys
- Board of Assessment Appeals elected 2023
- EMT volunteer for the towns of Rocky Hill and Marlborough. 1987-1993
- Graduated from Wilcox College of Nursing Middletown CT 1993, employed as a Registered Nurse since
- 30+ year resident of Colchester
- Vice President Bacon Academy project graduation. 2017, 2018, 2022
- Comstock Lions Club board of Directors
Board of Finance – Jillian Vinci
- Member of Colchester Board of Finance since December 2024
- Colchester resident for over a decade
- Has two special needs boys attending Colchester Public Schools
- Graduated summa cum laude from Southern New Hampshire with a BS in Finance
- Actively working in the Finance industry for over 25 years
- Liaison to Fire and EMS Department
- Former Chair of CORE Commission
- Volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters Program in Hartford, CT
- Animal rescuer and foster for New England All Breed Rescue
- Volunteer for the CT Humane Society
Board of Education – Gussie Gilberti
- 30 plus years resident of Colchester
- Retired educator 45 years in public education as special education and education leadership in Colchester, Windham and Plainfield
- BA in Special Education/Elementary Education Boston College
- MS Reading Education University of Hartford
- 6th yr in Educational Leadership UCONN
- Initiated, Designed and Implemented Colchester’s First Full Day Kindergarten
- Summer School Coordinator -Colchester’s First inclusive summer school
- Member Colchester Budget Committee
- Interview committee member and chair for teachers, and administrators
- Raised 3 children who were educated in Colchester Public Schools
Board of Education – Nancy Nelson
- Retired Math Teacher/Math Specialist of 30+ years grades K-8
- Eastern CT University 1968-1970 BS Majors: Mathematics and Education
- Colchester CT Senior Center: substitute Administrator Assistant 2024- present
- Versailles United Methodist: Various Committees; Teacher, School Superintendent, Choir
- EMT Lisbon CT Volunteer Fire Department
- CORE Commission, Chair
- Coalition for Youth, Colchester, CT. 2024-present
- Colchester Senior Center: Greeter. 2022-present
- Active town volunteer
Treasurer – David Koji
- Chaired the Colchester’s ARPA committee (overseeing $4.6M in stimulus money)
- Chair of the marketing and media committee (Colchester Youth Services)
- Served as board member of Colchester’s Youth First Coalition
- Actively coaching Colchester youth sports (basketball, baseball, softball and soccer teams)
- Project Management for 18 years at Optum
- Adjunct business professor for 6 years at the University of Hartford
- Undergraduate degree: BA in Communications; three Master’s degrees: MBA – Business Management, Organizational Psychology, Organizational Communication
- Executive leadership certification from Cornell
Board of Assessment Appeals – Andrew Cournoyer
- Current chairman of the Board of Assessment Appeals
- BA in Business Administration from Eastern Connecticut State University
- Senior Operations Analyst in First Mortgage Loan Fulfillment at Bank of America
- Life-long resident of Colchester
- Achieved Competent Communicator designation from Toastmasters
Board of Assessment Appeals – Eric Jackson
- Professional R&D Scientist at Intus Bioscience since 2019
- Veteran, US Navy, Nuclear Electronics Technician, 2008-2014
- Education: M.S. Bacterial Systems Analysis from UConn, B.S. Molecular & Cell Biology, UConn
- Tutor (Biology, Chemistry, Calculus)
Elections Matter
Every election matters, even at the local level.
Volunteer activities, even small ones, help win elections.
Want to get involved? Please email us at colchesterdems@gmail.com to learn more.
Every donation also helps to fund campaigns.
Please Donate now!