Arunan Arulampalam

Arunan Arulampalam
68th Mayor of Hartford
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2024
Preceded byLuke Bronin
Personal details
Born (1985-09-15) September 15, 1985
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
PartyDemocratic
SpouseLiza Butler
Children5
EducationEmory University (BA)
Quinnipiac University (JD)

Arunan Arulampalam (born September 15, 1985) is an American politician who is the 68th mayor of Hartford, Connecticut. A member of the Democratic Party, Arulampalam won the November 2023 election for mayor and was sworn in on January 1, 2024.

Early life and career

Arulampalam is from a Sri Lankan Tamil family from Jaffna. His parents fled Sri Lanka in July 1983, during Black July at the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War.[1][2] They moved to England, where they married, and settled in Zimbabwe. Arulampalam was born in Bulawayo in 1985.[1][3] The family later took a vacation to California where they stayed with his uncle before they moved to a one-bedroom apartment.[4] Arulampalam earned a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University and earned a Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University School of Law.[3]

In 2014, Arulampalam joined the law firm Updike, Kelly & Spellacy[5] and was an associate with the firm for five years.[3] Ned Lamont, the governor of Connecticut appointed Arulampalam to be a deputy commissioner in the Department of Consumer Protection. In July 2021, he became the chief executive officer of the Hartford Land Bank, a non-profit aiming to reduce urban blight.[3][6]

Political career

In October 2017, Arulampalam announced that he was exploring a run for Connecticut State Treasurer, as long as Denise Nappier, the incumbent, opted not to run for reelection.[7] He received enough support at the Democratic Party of Connecticut convention to qualify for the primary election ballot, but ended his campaign in May 2018, citing his desire to avoid a divisive campaign.[8][9]

In January 2023, Arulampalam announced his candidacy in the November election for mayor of Hartford, Connecticut.[10] He won the party's endorsement at their nominating convention.[11] Arulampalam defeated state senator John Fonfara and former state senator Eric D. Coleman in the Democratic Party primary election in September,[12] receiving 39.6% of the vote.[13] He won the November general election with 69% of the vote[14] and was sworn into office on January 1, 2024.[15]

Personal life

Arulampalam and his wife, Liza, have five children and live in a house in Hartford's Frog Hollow.[16][17] He is a naturalized U.S. citizen.[18]

Electoral history

Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut

General Election, 2023[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Arunan Arulampalam 4,702 62
Independent Nick Lebron 907 12
Independent Eric D. Coleman 803 10.6
Republican Michael McGarry 485 6.4
Independent James S. McCauley 443 5.8
Independent Giselle Gigi Jacobs 213 2.8
Total votes 7,553 99.6

References

  1. 1 2 Kim, Yehyun; Golvala, Katy (September 18, 2023). "A Diaspora in Focus: Profiles of CT residents with South Asia roots". The Connecticut Mirror.
  2. ↑ Stuart, Christine (October 31, 2017). "State Treasurer Candidates Tout Newcomer Status". CT News Junkie. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Keating, Christopher (August 29, 2023). "Arunan Arulampalam: From Zimbabwe to Hartford Dems' endorsed mayoral candidate". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ Cade, Cayla (May 16, 2025). "A closer look at Mayor Arunan Arulampalam's journey to Hartford". WTIC-TV.
  5. ↑ Bordonaro, Greg (October 4, 2021). "Hartford Land Bank CEO Arulampalam wants to restore city's eyesore properties, boost homeownership". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Dylan, Jonah (January 6, 2023). "Arunan Arulampalam announces run for Hartford mayor". CT Insider. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  7. ↑ Altimari, Daniela (October 25, 2017). "Arunan Arulampalam Exploring Run for State Treasurer". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. ↑ Altimari, Daniela (May 29, 2018). "Candidate Quits Treasurer's Race With Pointed Message On Diversity For Fellow Democrats". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  9. ↑ Munson, Emilie (May 29, 2018). "Arulampalam ends treasurer bid to work on diversity in Democratic party". Connecticut Post.
  10. ↑ Underwood, Stephen (January 5, 2023). "Hartford Land Bank's Arunan Arulampalam announces his bid for mayor". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ Underwood, Stephen (August 17, 2023). "Three-way primary set for Hartford mayor race: Fonfara and Coleman qualify, Lebron out of primary contest". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ DiSalvo, Emily (September 13, 2023). "Newcomer Arunan Arulampalam wins Hartford Democratic mayoral primary, defeating two veteran politicians". CT Insider.
  13. ↑ DiSalvo, Emily (September 14, 2023). "How Arunan Arulampalam won Hartford's mayoral primary against experienced opponents". CT Insider.
  14. ↑ DiSalvo, Emily (November 8, 2023). "Arunan Arulampalam scores big victory in Hartford mayoral race". Connecticut Post.
  15. ↑ Caffrey, Jane (January 2, 2024). "Newly sworn in Hartford mayor prepares to tackle long list of interconnected issues". WVIT.
  16. ↑ DiSalvo, Emily (July 20, 2023). "How mayoral candidate Arunan Arulampalam found "home" in Hartford". CT Insider. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  17. ↑ Bordonaro, Greg (August 21, 2023). "Arulampalam says homeownership, small business support, downtown amenities, and faster permitting could jump-start Hartford's growth". Hartford Business Journal.
  18. ↑ Pazniokas, Mark (July 24, 2023). "Hartford Democrats endorse Arunan Arulampalam for mayor". The Connecticut Mirror.
  19. ↑ "2023 Nov 7 :: General Election :: Mayor :: City of Hartford". Retrieved June 16, 2026.
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