Dec. 14 Special Election for West Haven State House Seat

West Haven voters head to the polls Dec. 14 to fill the vacant 116th state House District seat.

The seat became vacant following the resignation of three-term Democratic incumbent Michael DiMassa, a vice-chair of the state legislature’s Appropriations Committee.

DiMassa resigned the seat Oct. 25 following his arrest on charges related to the misappropriation of $636,000 in federal funding intended to help West Haven recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

He also resigned from his job as an administrative assistant with the West Haven City Council.

Three candidates are running for the seat: Democrat Treneé McGee, Republican Richard DePalma, and petitioning candidate Portia Bias, who is unaffiliated.

McGee serves on the West Haven City Council and DePalma and Bias are former council members.

DePalma unsuccessfully challenged DiMassa for the House seat in 2016 and 2018.