Merrill Releases Turnout Figure from 2012 Republican Presidential Preference Primary

Romney Wins All 25 Delegates at Stake

Secretary of the State Reports Turnout of 14.4% Among Registered Republicans; Lowest Percentage Since Current Presidential Preference Primary was First Used in 1980

Hartford:  Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today released voter turnout figures from yesterday’s 2012 Republican Presidential Preference Primary in Connecticut.  Figures reported by Republican Registrars of Voters show that a total of 59,969 registered Republicans cast ballots out of a total of 415,725 active registered Republicans in the state, for a turnout percentage of 14.4% statewide.  The figure represents the lowest voter turnout for a presidential preference primary in Connecticut since the current system was first established for the 1980 presidential election and a sharp drop from the 2008 turnout figure for Republicans of 36.7%.  Secretary Merrill, who will certify the results to the State Republican party within days, is also reporting that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will be awarded all of the 25 delegates at stake in yesterday’s contest, according to party rules. 

“Republicans in Connecticut got to have their say yesterday, as did their counterparts in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island,” said Secretary Merrill, Connecticut’s chief elections official.  “I will be certifying these results shortly, according to our state laws, and notifying the Republican party so the appropriate delegates can be awarded to former Governor Romney.  Now that this primary is behind us, we look forward to an exciting election season this year with a statewide primary in August and a major Presidential Election in November.”

Republican former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won the support of 67.5% of the primary voters yesterday, while Ron Paul won 13.5%, Newt Gingrich won 10.3%, and Rick Santorum won 6.8% support.  Some 2% of those voting yesterday chose the uncommitted slot on the ballot.  The town with the highest voter turnout percentage yesterday was Wethersfield, where 41.1% of Registered Republicans voted.  The city of Bridgeport had the lowest voter turnout, saw just 7.7% of registered Republicans cast ballots.  A complete listing of the 2012 Republican Presidential Preference Primary results and a letter explaining the awarding of delegates is attached to this news release. 

Previous Presidential Primary Turnout

2012 Republican               14.4%

2008 Democratic               51.1%

2008 Republican               36.7%

2004 Democratic               20.4% 

2000 Republican               40.8%

2000 Democratic               28.8%

1996 Republican               28.4%

1992 Democratic               26.2%

1992 Republican               21.9%

1988 Democratic               36.8%

1988 Republican               23.8%

1984 Democratic               33.0%

1980 Democratic               33.2%

1980 Republican               43.3%

Av Harris
Director of Communications
Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill
(860) 509-6255 ofc
(860) 463-5939 cell

av.harris@ct.gov

Wallingford polling places for today’s Republican presidential primary

As published in the Record Journal, Tuesday April 24, 2012

Wallingford Polling places, open from 6AM to 8PM  for today’s Republican presidential primary:

District 1: Pond Hill School, 297 Pond Hill Road.

District 2: Stevens School, 18 Kondracki Lane.

District 3: Moses Y. Beach School, 340 N. Main St.

District 4: Dag Hammarskjold School, 106 Pond Hill Road.

District 5: Cook Hill School, 57 Hall Road.

District 6: Parker Farms School, 30 Parker Farms Road.

District 7: Yalesville School, 415 Church St., Yalesville.

District 8: Wallingford Senior Center, 238 Washington St.

District 9: Rock Hill School, 911 Durham Road.

Santorum Remains on the Ballot for April 24th Republican Presidential Preference Primary

Denise Merrill

Secretary of the State

Connecticut

- Press Release -

Merrill: Despite Exit from the Race, Santorum Remains on the Ballot for April 24^th Republican Presidential Preference Primary

Secretary of the State Reminds Republicans and Unaffiliated Voters that Deadlines to Register to Vote for Presidential Primary are Approaching Soon

Hartford:  Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today informed Connecticut Republican and unaffiliated voters that despite the suspension of his campaign, Republican Rick Santorum will remain on the ballot for the Republican Presidential Preference Primary to take place in Connecticut on Tuesday April 24, 2012 (Santorum can also still receive votes).  Since the deadline to withdraw from the race was March 19^th, ballots for the primary have already been printed for every town and there is no legal way to remove any one of the four candidates previously selected for the ballot by Secretary Merrill.  Secretary Merrill is also reminding Republican and unaffiliated voters that the deadlines to register to vote in time for the presidential preference primary are fast approaching, starting with next Thursday April 18, 2012, the deadline to register to vote for the primary by mail.  The final, in-person deadline to register to vote for the presidential preference primary is Monday April 23^rd at 12:00 p.m. noon at town or city hall. 

“We are closing in on the day Republicans in Connecticut get to decide who they want to be their presidential candidate,” said Secretary Merrill, Connecticut’s chief elections official.  “Republican voters will be going to the polls in a regional primary on April 24^th, along with voters in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Rhode Island.  Unaffiliated voters can also participate in this primary if enroll with the Republican party by April 23^rd at noon.”

Polls will be open on April 24, 2012 from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for registered Republicans in Connecticut for the Presidential Preference Primary.  Voters can go online at www.sots.ct.gov to download voter registration forms, absentee ballot applications, and find out where their polling place is located.  The four candidates to appear on the Republican Presidential Preference Primary ballot are: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum.

Av Harris
Director of Communications
Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill
(860) 509-6255 ofc
(860) 463-5939 cell
av.harris@ct.gov
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FROM WALLINGFORD - People had other things to do

As Published in the Record Journal – Sunday August 15, 2010

Jason Zandri

So the Primary race has ended. All the money that was spent by candidates seems to have been wasted on an electorate that basically had other things to do than show up and vote.

In Thursday’s Record Journal there was a cartoon depicting an excited TV viewer watching American Idol while clicking away on a phone (presumably to vote for a contestant). The next panel showed the same viewer snoozing in front of the television that was illustrating election information.

Unofficial voter statistics published showed that 2,969 voters came out and cast their vote for the office of Governor in Wallingford. That is the combined totals for the Republicans and the Democrats. The numbers were even lower for other races.

As of 2008, there were nearly 26,000 registered voters in Wallingford. If that number is still correct (or at least close) then the 2,969 voters represent an 11.4 percent turnout.

To be fair, a 26,000 registered voter total includes unaffiliated voters who cannot vote in the primary but despite that fact, the turnout is what I perceive to be unacceptably low for a free democracy. In other countries where the threat of physical harm up to and including death is often realized upon the electorate, the numbers of those that turn out are higher there than what we see here in America on a regular basis.

The primary on Tuesday was to select which people, from those that were nominated and from those that had enough support to force the primary, would be on the ballot for this upcoming November election.

Wallingford’s turnout was very low but they had plenty of company; most towns were in the same area percentagewise.

Secretary of the State Bysiewicz reported an average statewide turnout of about 20 percent around 5 pm on primary day as reported in the Hartford Courant.

Many will give myriad reasons why they “couldn’t” vote. Often it has to do with not having the spare time. These are the same people that leave the line in the coffee shop and head out to go wait an hour in line for fast food. They’ll complain about how bad the economy is too but you’ll see them daily in line buying food and coffee that could be prepared at home for much cheaper. But I digress.
Some will give you the argument of “there was no one running that I liked or cared for enough to be bothered to go.”

Who would you have then? Name me someone you think should have been running and then let’s you and me go and have a conversation with them and see if we can encourage them to run at some future date.

Someone has to run the town/state/country — if not these candidates then who?

If you are not going to help choose them by showing up to vote then the same minority of people that ARE turning out will keep putting THEIR favorites into office.

You don’t get to pick your boss (in most cases) and that person directly affects your ability to make a living. You can’t choose your family either (and that may be a plus or a minus).

What you do have the ability to do is vote your choices for who you want to govern you.

Why the majority chooses not to, year after year, election after election is a mystery to me.

I wonder: if the privilege to vote were to be forever revoked for three occurrences of non participation if it would change attitudes and the apparent lack of participation?

Unfortunately, you can’t claim to be a free society and attempt to compel citizens to vote.

Still, it’s a shame that the will of the electorate from the majority standpoint always seems to be one of non participation and no confidence.

If this were the attitude in 1776 we’d still be an English Colony today.

From the pages of the Record Journal – the local vote tally from the Primary

Farrell looking forward to facing Merrill on Nov. 2

As published in the Record Journal Wednesday August 11, 2010

By Jesse Buchanan
Record-Journal staff
jbuchanan@record-journal.com 
(203) 317-2230

Follow all the news directly on the Record Journal Website for the most up to date information. www.myrecordjournal.com

Write a letter to the editor letters@record-journal.com

Jerry Farrell Jr., the Republican candidate for secretary of the state, didn’t face a primary Tuesday, but he spent the night visiting with fellow Republicans at victory parties keeping an eye on the vote to determine his Democratic opponent.

Denise Merrill, a state representative from Mansfield and the House majority leader, defeated former New Haven Alderman Gerry Garcia in Tuesday’s Democratic primary and will face Farrell in the general election.

“Tonight I’m just delighted,” Merrill said, adding that she’s looking forward to a positive campaign against her Republican opponent that “talks about the issues.” Farrell, a Wallingford town councilor and the state’s consumer protection commissioner, said he respected the campaign run by Garcia, who he said tried to engage disenfranchised voters.

Farrell called Merrill a “Hartford insider,” and said her victory gave voters a distinct choice in the general election.

Farrell spent much of the evening at U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon’s victory celebration in Cromwell accompanied by campaign staff and his wife, Natalie Campisi, and parents Gerald Farrell Sr. and Mary Ann Farrell, all of Wallingford.

While the governor and U.S. Senate races receive plenty of attention, Farrell said running for secretary of the state was a challenge since some are unaware of the office’s role. Attending the Republican victory parties is important in raising support, Farrell said.

“It’s a good place to be,” he said. “You’ve got to network with these people.”

While Farrell didn’t face a primary, he said fellow Republicans have been impressed that he’s been campaigning while Garcia and Merrill fought it out. That’s a message he hoped to get out while talking to Republicans Tuesday night.

“They know I’m out there working,” he said. “I haven’t rested on my laurels.”

Farrell said he hopes his supporters in the party will spread the word among their friends and family of his merits. He expects to do well in Wallingford, his hometown, but expanding beyond that will take work.

“Party people see there’s an energy there and I’ll keep that up,” he said. “That’s the kind of networking that radio and television can’t buy you.”

New Britain Mayor Timothy Stewart, a Republican, said he’s supporting Farrell and was impressed with his work for consumer protection.

“You can’t say anything bad about the guy,” Stewart said. “He’s what you want in government.”

Foley Declared Winner In Republican Race for Governor; Malloy Takes Win over Lamont for the Democrat Race

These are the results as of 10:55PM EDT on August 8, 2010 as reported on the WFSB website.

ORIGINALLY POSTED: 7:44 pm EDT August 10, 2010

UPDATED: 10:45 pm EDT August 10, 2010

http://www.wfsb.com/news/24585431/detail.html?treets=hart&tml=hart_break&ts=T&tmi=hart_break_1_08360108102010 

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley has been declared the winner in the Republican gubernatorial race.

Greenwich businessman Ned Lamont has conceded to former Stamford mayor Dan Malloy in the Democratic race for governor.

The race for the Democratic spot on the gubernatorial ticket was tight heading into Tuesday's primaries, with a Quinnipiac Poll released Monday showing the race too close to call.

For Malloy, the primary victory was a redemption of sorts for his loss in the 2006 Democratic gubernatorial primary against New Haven Mayor John DeStefano. This time, Malloy said it was easier to differentiate himself from Lamont, a Greenwich businessman best known for challenging Sen. Joe Lieberman in 2006.

Malloy will face the winner of a three-way Republican primary. Lamont spent more than $8.6 million in the losing effort.

Governor - Democrat

Voter turnout at the polls Tuesday was less than expected. In 2006, statewide primary turnout was 43 percent. It was fueled by a contentious Democratic battle between Lamont and U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman. In 2008, turnout for the Democratic presidential primary was 53 percent.

Foley beat out Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele and Hartford-area business advocate R. Nelson "Oz" Griebel for the Republican gubernatorial ticket. Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell is not seeking re-election.

Governor - Republican

Today is Primary Day – Polls are open until 8PM

Make sure you take the time to get out there and cast your votes for who you want on the ballot come election day in November

Wallingford Democrat Ballot as provided in the Record Journal

Wallingford Republican Ballot as provided in the Record Journal