James Harrington

James Harrington is a Republican politician serving as First Selectman of Chaplin, Connecticut, a small town in Windham County. He was elected to the position in the November 2025 municipal elections, running unopposed and receiving 355 votes. He succeeded Juan Roman III, who had served as First Selectman and subsequently ran unopposed for the Board of Selectmen seat formerly held by Harrington.

Harrington's involvement with Chaplin's local government began prior to his election as First Selectman. He was appointed to the Board of Selectmen on June 14, 2025, following a special meeting held on June 10, 2025, in which he was appointed to replace Kenneth Fortier, with the appointment effective through November 4, 2025. He was already serving on the Board of Selectmen at the time of his election as First Selectman later that year.

Since taking office, Harrington has engaged in economic development initiatives for the town. Among his noted priorities is the potential redevelopment of a historic property at 142 Chaplin Street, a 151-year-old former post office located in a historic district. Harrington has expressed support for a brownfields grant that could facilitate new commercial use of the property, citing its location and historic character as assets for the town.