A Democrat, Slifka was first elected to the West Hartford Town Council in 2001.

[citation needed] He served as chief-of-staff for Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz.

In 2006 he ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut on a ticket with John DeStefano, Jr., losing in the Democratic primary.

[1] He oversaw the approval and completion of the Blue Back Square project and a new hotel in town.

[2] On Jan. 28, 2016, Slifka announced his intention to step down as Mayor later the same year after being named Deputy General Counsel of The LEGO Group.