The race to replace Ben Healey begins:

Daniel Weeks '06 and Rebecca Livengood '07, who both attended the first meeting of the newly selected Ward 1 Democratic Committee, announced their candidacy yesterday. Though they are the only candidates who have declared that they are seeking the party's nomination at this time, others can come forward until March 23, when the committee will convene to decide on a nominee...Livengood said she has been involved with New Haven politics through the Undergraduate Organizing Committee, the Fair Share Coalition and the Community Organized for Responsible Development. She said she has worked on issues like pushing a bill that was passed in the state legislature on climate change and promoting the expansion of the Homebuyer Program... "Over the past three years, having gotten really involved in local politics here, I feel really invested in this city even though I'm not from here," Weeks said. "New Haven is an amazing city. It's much more progressive than you typically see, and I think it offers us -- if we're willing to get involved -- a remarkable laboratory to experiment with progressive ideas." If elected alderwoman, Livengood said she would be interested in working on homelessness and affordable housing initiatives, pressuring the state to pass domestic partnership legislation, pushing for community benefits surrounding hospital development, and environmental issues -- particularly the city's commitment to increasing its use of renewable energy sources. "I'm really excited about mobilizing students on Yale's campus to work on New Haven issues," Livengood said.