Courtesy of Jake Siesel and Elias Theodore

Jake Siesel ’27 — the first candidate to launch a campaign for Ward 1 alder this year — plans to drop out of the race and rally behind Elias Theodore ’27, who last month announced his own campaign for the same office. 

The two juniors will combine their campaign platforms and simultaneously launch the New Haven Exchange, an organization they say will help bridge a long-standing divide between the Elm City and Yale by promoting opportunities for locals and students to interact.

When Theodore, a New Haven native, announced his plan to run for a seat on New Haven’s Board of Alders, the city’s legislative body, he told the News that his campaign would focus on Yale-New Haven relations, development of the New Haven Green and affordable housing. Siesel, who is from Charlotte, N.C., originally announced a campaign focused on police accountability and increased student engagement in the city. 

Now, Theodore will continue his campaign for alder while Siesel spearheads the development of the New Haven Exchange. Each plans to be involved in both efforts, they told the News. 

In a joint interview with the News, Siesel and Theodore voiced hope that the New Haven Exchange will last far beyond this fall’s election. Their aim is to improve a relationship that has been infamously complicated since the 19th century — and which they described as the ward’s most pressing issue.

Siesel said conversations with local leaders in recent weeks inspired him to launch the organization alongside Theodore. He hopes to spark “a movement grounded in friendship and fellowship and earnest dialogue” between Yalies and New Haveners.

“New Haven is full of so much knowledge and so many brilliant, thoughtful people that we should be learning from beyond Yale and every student should have an opportunity for that,” Theodore said. “Every Yale student should graduate with a person in the New Haven community they feel they have a relationship with.”

While Theodore praised the existing opportunities for students to contribute to the New Haven community, such as Dwight Hall, Yale’s largest community service organization, he believes the New Haven Exchange will provide something distinct: “shared meals, time in new neighborhoods, shared space, getting people not affiliated with the University on campus and getting Yale students to neighborhoods.”

For example, the New Haven Exchange might initiate a trash clean-up at the Quinnipiac River or encourage Yale students to use guest meal swipes to connect with locals over meals in dining halls, Theodore said.

Whether Theodore is elected or not, he and Siesel hope the New Haven Exchange will prevail long beyond this year. 

“For both of us, we didn’t enter this race for the sake of winning. We entered this race to drive substantive change in the community,” Siesel said. “It’s not about personal ambition or ego. It’s about fighting the real fight, and this is the best arrangement to do so.”

Norah Laughter ’26 and Rhea McTiernan Huge ’27, the other two candidates running for Ward 1 alder, did not respond to the News’ requests for comments on Wednesday about Siesel’s exit. 

With Siesel’s decision to drop out, the race for Ward 1 alder will once again be a three-way contest — the first since 2009. 

Correction, July 17: A previous version of this article incorrectly said that Siesel and Theodore felt Yale-New Haven relations was the most pressing issue in the city. They feel it is the most pressing issue facing Ward 1.