Farrah for Finance

Platform

In 2023 I decided to run for the Town of Stonington Board of Finance.
I decided to do so because:

  • I wanted to see more funding go to Public Works, specifically to sidewalks and bridges. Accessibility matters!

  • I wanted to do what I could to help (finally) get funding for an HVAC system for our middle school.

  • I wanted to help ensure we were funding coastal resiliency projects, and otherwise taking actionable steps towards mitigating climate change.

  • We didn’t have any low-income folks on the Board. As far as I know, we never have. These are the people who decide how our taxes are spent, and what projects are funded, how the citizens of our town are helped, or not. I felt it was vital that at least one low-income person was present, helping to make decisions that dramatically affect the lives of deeply vulnerable people.

  • We also, far as I know, don’t & haven’t had any queer, trans or young disabled folx (we have some elderly folks on the board for sure). While those things don’t super affect one’s ability to serve on the board (aside from a keener insight into some areas, perhaps. See above point), diversity sure does matter.

#GarlandBlanchette

I made a bid for endorsement from my fellow Democrats, and I won!
I joined forces with my dear friend and fellow candidate for Board of Education, Meghan Blanchette, and we campaigned together. We decided to buck a lot of the traditional campaign methods and stick to our values and focus on community, accessibility, and progressive values.

That meant not dragging our meat cages out to do excessive door knocking and sign waving. We didn’t really phone bank, but we did text, especially voters 35 and under. We did some virtual events, and a few small coffeeshop gatherings, but didn’t bend over backwards to do exhausting and stressful, non-neurodivergent-friendly functions (which honestly are more to be seen with fancy people than anything). We didn’t focus on wealthy voters, but rather spent our time reaching out to young voters, college students, retail workers, and the disabled community.

We sent out SO MANY absentee ballots so kids can still be involved in their municipal elections while at university. We helped folx get registered to vote. We connected with the local independent and assisted living facilities. We spent our time talking to the people waiting tables and stocking shelves, working in our libraries and laboring at the Seaport, asking them what their concerns were in our town. And, not to spoil this story early, but it turns out there’s a LOT of those people out there… ;)


Pushback from the right

We faced some surprising opposition, including my being “dragged through the mud” in the paper & on social media by our very own State Representative. I use quotes there because, well… it wasn’t really mud I got dragged through. I got a lot of publicity and pushback from the right for having said, in 2020 during the BLM protests that “black lives matter, police shouldn’t murder people.” If you’d like to read more about this truly incredible moment in my life, you can do so here.

The Turnout & The Aftermath

So, WE BOTH WON! Meg won her seat without any controversy, which I am eternally grateful for. I won mine as well, but was barred from taking my seat.
But you can read more about that here if you want.

I’m really proud of what we did the Summer and fall of 2023. Team #GarlandBlanchette not only got hella votes as young, first-time candidates, but we did so as queer, chroncially-ill/disabled, progressive humans who refused to compromise our values in the process. We faced a lot of bizarre opposition, and still came out on top. And now I’m doing affirmative action work with the State DNC and beyond, and Meg is sitting on the Board of Education, ensuring all our children are cared for and well-represented.

We are both still fighting hard and doing lots of additional work, together and independently, right here in our community. Including founding and running Stonington Pride together.