The field is back to one.
Just one day after saying he was considering running for Ward 7 alderman, Robert Pelgrift ’04 said he will not.
Pelgrift’s withdrawal leaves labor activist Dolores Colon ’91, who is expected to have the support of outgoing alderwoman Esther Armmand, as the only candidate who has said she is considering a run.
Pelgrift cited concerns that either he or his wife would want to leave New Haven to continue their schooling sometime during the aldermanic term.
“If it turns out I will not be in New Haven, I think I’ll be shortchanging the people in my ward by leaving so soon,” Pelgrift said. “I understand that it takes a time commitment of years to get anything done in office, and I think that Dolores Colon would be better for the ward in that sense.”
The announcement capped a topsy-turvy period in Ward 7, which includes Davenport and Pierson colleges. Last Thursday, Armmand, who has moved out of the ward, announced she would resign April 30. Armmand’s resignation forced a special election to be held by the end of June, to be followed by the regularly scheduled election this fall.
Daniel Adamson ’98 LAW ’03, who had been considering running in the fall election, dropped out after Armmand’s resignation, citing concerns that students would not be present for the special election. He also said he may be working in New York at the time of that election.