Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz was in West Hartford on Tuesday afternoon officially swearing in Leon Davidoff as town clerk.

By Ronni Newton

Leon Davidoff was elected for a four-year term as West Hartford Town Clerk in November 2023, and was officially sworn in on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.

Davidoff, a Democrat and long-time member of the West Hartford Town Council who prior to that served on and chaired the Town Plan & Zoning Commission and has been involved with many other civic organizations, was appointed to the town clerk role in April, following the retirement of Essie Labrot. He ran, unopposed, and was elected in November 2023.

Town Clerk Leon Davidoff was sworn in by Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (left) on Jan. 2, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

“The job of town clerk is a very detail-oriented job, and there really is no one more detail-oriented than Leon [Davidoff], and I think any of us who have worked with him in here know that. He takes his job very seriously and he dots the i’s and crosses the t’s,” said Council member Tiffani McGinnis, noting that there was no one better to swear him in than Bysiewicz, who previously served as Connecticut’s secretary of the state from 1999-2011 and “truly understands the important of this position.”

Bysiewicz praised Davidoff for his years of dedication to the town and background as a business person, a lawyer, and elected official, and after a brief interruption by a group of pro-Palestinian protestors who began chanting – directing their comments to the lieutenant governor – she commenced the swearing in ceremony.

“I like to say the the town clerk is the chief information officer for the town because the town clerk keeps all of the records for the town,” she said, land records, birth records, and much more. “It’s an office where people come … often it’s where a new resident has their first contact with the town so you have to choose a person very carefully to do this job.”

Being detail-oriented is also critical, Bysiewicz said, because the town clerk is also the chief election officer for the town.

“You are very blessed to have such a professional person of integrity and a person who is just passionate about making West Hartford a better, more equitable, and inclusive place,” Bysiewicz said, before inviting Davidoff to take the oath of office.

Town Clerk Leon Davidoff shakes the hand of Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz after taking the oath of office on Jan. 2, 2024. At left is Davidoff’s wife, Lexy. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Davidoff, who has been sworn in many times over the past two decades, praised Bysiewicz for remaining calm during the protest and said this was definitely a swearing-in to remember.

“You make me look good every single day,” Davidoff said to the staff of the Town Clerk’s Office. He said he loves coming to work every day and loves continuing to come to Town Council meetings, even if it’s just to call the roll.

Thanking his wife and rest of his family, Davidoff said, “Every day I always say that the most important people live within in the four walls of my house.” He also thanked the voters of West Hartford.

Town Clerk Leon Davidoff was sworn in on Jan. 2, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

“It’s to serve the people of West Hartford and the people who interact with this town on a daily basis that makes this job just so, so important,” he said, noting that he really enjoys coming to work every day for the greatest job, in the greatest town in the state.

Davidoff said that he is the 10th town clerk in West Hartford history, which dates back to the town’s incorporation in 1854. The longest-serving town clerk was Leonard Buckman, who served 34 years from 1861-1895.

Town Clerk Leon Davidoff (second from left) with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (left) and staff of the Town Clerk’s Office at the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 2, 2024. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

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