MANCHESTER, NH – Zachariah Tringali wants a permanent home. He wants to live in a city that creates an atmosphere of dignity and compassion for its least fortunate.
He also wants to be an alderman in Ward 6.
He lives in a city-verified “domicile” but identifies as a member of the unhoused community. His objective is to “prevent the criminalization of homelessness in the United States with local state and federal law mandates that will protect all that are unhoused individuals.”
He walks the walk.
Tringali was able to register to get on the ballot on Friday, with some assistance. Longtime local advocate for the homeless, Dam Wright, accompanied Tringali to City Hall, a next stop on what has already been a challenging road.
“My friend from the homeless community wanted to register to get on the ballot and, to do that, you have to register to vote. And when he tried to do that, they told him that if he doesn’t have a mailing address then basically, he’s screwed. So we had to do some work with the ACLU, who spoke with the city solicitor and the Department of Justice, who confirmed that, yes, he has every right to vote – despite not having a physical mailing address,” said Wright. “As I understand from Zach this culminated in fire Chief Cashin having to come out to take a verification photo of his his domicile, and that happened this morning.”
According to his paperwork, his domicile is located on Green Meadow Lane.
Given Tringali’s current status – unhoused and on federal probation for an incident in Derry back in 2022 involving possession of a “molotov cocktail” – Tringali is hoping that people will accept that the worst thing you know about a man isn’t the truest.
He goes by the Reverend Zachariah Tringali and identifies as founder and minister of House of Mercy Ministries, and lists among his skills carpentry. When asked, Tringali declined to comment in the moment, but said he would answer any and all questions after the filing deadline closes.
“I think it’s important to allow him to have a voice in Ward 6 and and be able to advocate for some of the things that aren’t being advocated for by the current candidate,” Wright said.
And so Tringali filled out his papers and the $50 fee was paid “and now, we see what happens,” says Wright, who is curious how the public will receive its first unhoused candidate for alderman.
“It should be interesting,” he said.