Dr. James Simon is seeking his second, four-year term as the Democratic Registrar of Voters in Stratford.

Jim has had a long and varied career, all centered on public affairs. After growing up in Lordship and graduating from Stratford High School, he worked locally to help anti-war activist Joseph Duffy win his party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate. Simon graduated from Rutgers University and spent 10 years as a newspaper reporter covering politics for The Associated Press, the world’s largest news organization. He also served as Assistant Secretary of the Environment in Massachusetts and worked in the presidential campaign of Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis.

Jim went back to school and was awarded a master’s degree in communication at the Cronkite School and a Ph.D. degree in public administration, both at Arizona State University. He taught college journalism for 25 years, including 18 years at Fairfield University, and he served as Dean of Fairfield’s College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Simon was named a national journalism “Teacher of the Year,” and he is the co-author of the book, Environment Reporters in the 21st Century.

As Registrar, Simon says he is proud of his efforts to cut thousands of ineligible people off the voter rolls; expand the use of QR codes and online links to help people register and check their registration electronically; and help Stratford post the second highest voter registration rate among the state’s 20 largest towns. The Registrars now interact with every Stratford high school student four times: conducting 40 election workshops every year in junior year Civics classes; using the voting machines to conduct HS Senior class elections; hiring and training 20+ high school students for paid positions as poll workers; and meeting graduating seniors and getting 300+ of them to register to vote.

Jim currently resides in Stratford in District 8 (Chapel School) with his wife, Karen, and son, Christopher.