December 8, 2016

CONNECTICUT DEBUTS ELECTRONIC AUDIT OF ELECTION RESULTS

HARTFORD: The Connecticut Secretary of the State launched a new electronic system this week that will allow towns to audit election results. The electronic scanners—which are faster and cheaper than traditional hand counts—will be used to audit seven polling locations this week.

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said, “Every year we randomly draw towns to have polling locations audited and it is the lottery that no one wants to win. The audits are time-consuming and require towns to spend hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars that were not budgeted at the start of the year. The electronic auditing system is exponentially faster than the traditional hand counts and will spare towns the cost of hiring staff. This is a big step forward.”

Vernon registrar of voters, John Anderson, said, “I found this process to be easy and so much faster than hand counting. We processed nearly 3,000 ballots in just over three hours with a 15-minute break along the way. I’ve been involved in hand counted audits with far fewer ballots that took nearly all day and required us to hire as many as six additional staff members. Hand counts also have a high degree of re-counting due to errors. The savings in time and personnel are tremendous. I would highly recommend this process to any town afforded the opportunity.”

The system works by feeding the marked ballots into a scanner that can read the coordinates of the markings to calculate vote counts, which are then compared with the optical scanner’s results. The results of audits will be analyzed by the University of Connecticut, the Secretary of the State’s Office and the State Elections Enforcement Commission.

By law, five percent of the polling places that use optical scan machines are subject to an audit. There were 747 polling places that used optical scan machines on November 8 so last month the Secretary of the State chose 38 primary as well as alternate locations. The towns that were chosen to have selected voting precincts electronically audited were South Windsor, Meriden, Vernon, Washington, Stonington, Danbury and Colchester.

The entire process is open to the public.

The scanners were developed and programmed by the University of Connecticut’s Center for Voting Technology Research. It was funded with a grant from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

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November 23, 2016

ELECTION RESULTS TO BE AUDITED AT SELECTED POLLING LOCATIONS

A hand count of ballots from five percent of all polling places that use optical scanners to be matched against machine totals, which will affirm the integrity of the vote

HARTFORD: Secretary of the State Denise Merrill was joined by fifth grade students from the Glastonbury-East Hartford Elementary Magnet School to randomly select voting precincts to have primary results audited following the November 8 presidential election. Five percent of the polling places that use optical scan machines are subject to the audit, as prescribed by Connecticut General Statutes 9-320f. Those hand counted ballots will be matched against vote totals from optical scan machines.

Secretary Merrill said, “Connecticut should be proud to have some of the most stringent audit laws in the country. In an election year that saw various entities attempt to sow the seeds of doubt in the process, this state can be assured that all possible safeguards are in place to count every vote. Whether it is Election Day Registration, online voter registration or our meticulous audit process, the rights of the voter are our highest priority in Connecticut.”

Glastonbury-East Hartford Elementary Magnet School Principal Ryan Donlon said, “One of the greatest responsibilities of any school is to prepare its students to be active citizens within their communities. Today’s event is an opportunity for students to gain a unique perspective on the entirety of the electoral process, and in turn, to better understand their vital role in shaping the society they will lead into the future.”

There were 747 polling places that used optical scan machines on November 8 so the Secretary of the State chose 38 primary and another 31 alternate locations. The results of audits will be analyzed by the University of Connecticut, the Secretary of the State’s Office and the State Elections Enforcement Commission, and then be made available to the public.

Connecticut boasts one of the strictest audit statutes in the country and was the first state in New England to require a comprehensive audit of primary results.

The offices subject to audit are: President / Vice President, US Senate, and Representative in Congress.

List of polling places to be audited:

Bristol Edgewood School 1 31 77 Colchester Bacon Academy 2 33 48 Danbury War Memorial Gym 5 24 110 Danbury Westside Middle School Academy 5 24 138 East Lyme East Lyme Community Center 2 20 37 East Windsor Town Hall 1 3 57 Enfield J F K Middle School 2 7 59 Fairfield Sherman School 4 28 132 Glastonbury District 4 - Gideon Welles School 1 4 31 Greenwich Greenwich Town Hall 4 36 150 Groton S B Butler School 2 18 41 Hamden Dunbar Hill School 3 17 91 Hartford Annie Fisher School - Gym 1 2 7 Killingly Bd Of Ed Central Office - Cafeteria 2 29 44 Meriden New Life Church 5 13 82 Meriden St. John Lutheran Church 5 13 82 Middletown Spencer School - District 2 3 9 100 Middletown Woodrow Wilson Middle School - District 11 3 13 100 Middletown Fayerweather Beckham Hall - District 14 3 9 33 Montville Fair Oaks School-Gym-3 2 20 38 Naugatuck Cross Street School - B 3 17 70 Norwalk St. Mary's Community Hall 4 25 137 Norwalk Roton Middle School 4 25 141 Norwalk Wolfpit School 4 25 143 Ridgefield East Ridge Middle School - 1 4 26 111 Ridgefield Yanity Gym - 3 4 26 111 Shelton Shelton Intermediate School 3 21 113 South Windsor Philip R. Smith School-Gym 1 3 14 Southington Hatton School 1 16 81 Stamford Saint Bridget Church Hall 4 27 146 Stonington BF Hoxie Engine Company 2 18 43 Stratford Franklin School 121 23 3 23 121 Vernon Skinner Road School 2 35 56 Washington Town Hall 5 32 69 Watertown Watertown Municipal Center 5 32 68 West Haven Surfside Senior Housing 3 14 115 West Haven John Prete Senior Housing 3 10 116 Wolcott Wolcott High School 5 16 80

Alternates:

Hartford Y W C A 1 2 7 Enfield J F K Middle School 2 7 58 Durham Korn School 2 3 12 86 Branford Orchard House 3 12 102 Stafford Stafford Community Center 2 35 52 Danbury Danbury High School Gym 5 24 109 Killingly Bd Of Ed Central Office - Cafeteria 2 29 44 Weston Weston Middle School - 28 4 28 135 Norwalk Ponus Ridge Middle School 4 25 142 Wethersfield Emerson Williams School 1 1 28 Manchester Martin School 1 4 13 Stratford Nichols School 121 21 3 21 121 Stamford Dolan Middle School 4 27 144 New Haven Troup Academy 3 10 93 Killingly Bd Of Ed Central Office - Cafeteria 2 29 44 -30-

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November 4, 2016

A Message from the Secretary of the State Denise Merrill about Election Day Registration

Hartford: “The law in Connecticut is very clear. You cannot vote if you are not registered before 8 p.m. on Election Day. For that reason, if you are waiting until November 8 to register to vote, please get to the Election Day registration site as early as possible. It is the only way you will be guaranteed an opportunity to vote. Applicants will be able to enter their information into the online registration system to expedite the process. However, they will still need to go to the Election Day registration site and wait in line to finalize their applications. Only after they’ve registered, will they be able to cast a vote. People intending to register on November 8 can find their Election Day registration site at myvote.ct.gov. Applicants will need to provide proof of identity and residency. Election Day registration is not available at your polling place, but is available at a designated location in each town, beginning at 6 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m. However, the closer you get to 8 p.m., the more likely you will miss out. We want every vote to count. Please get there early.”

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UPDATED: October 31, 2016

NEW RECORD FOR NUMBER OF PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN CONNECTICUT!

HARTFORD: With time still left to register, Connecticut crossed the 2.1 million threshold and set a new record for the number of people registered to vote in the state.

As of October 31, Connecticut had 2,115,434 registered voters. This number exceeds previous totals.

Secretary Merrill said, “There are many factors that helped push the number of registered voters to a record high. Online voter registration and the streamlined motor-voter system have been gamechangers. However, anyone still unregistered should know that there is still time.

The deadline is November 1. Register today and be sure to vote on November 8!” The deadline for citizens to register online, by mail or in-person is November 1. Election Day registration is in effect on November 8, though lines are expected to be long.

There are more than 36,000 people who have registered to vote through the state’s streamlined motor-voter system, which has been in operation since August, and another 170,000 people who have registered online in 2016.

For more information about registering to vote, locating your polling place or Election Day registration, go to: myvote.ct.gov. TOTAL ACTIVE VO

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October 28, 2016

LIST OF REGISTERED WRITE-IN CANDIDATES NOW AVAILABLE

HARTFORD: Secretary of the State Denise Merrill released the full list of write-in candidates today. The list reveals there are 20 candidates each for president and vice-president, two for U.S. Senate, 10 for U.S. Representative as well as a number of people vying for state offices.

Write-in candidates must register with the Secretary of the State in order to have their votes counted on November 8. The deadline to register their candidacies—or provide consent if they were put forward by someone else—was October 25. Write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot but voting machines are programmed to accept votes for write-ins if they are registered with the Secretary of the State.

Secretary Merrill said, “Democracy is about choices. We want to make sure everyone is aware of the options available to them on Election Day. The most important thing is that no matter which party or candidate you support, show up to vote on November 8.”

On Election Day, November 8, 2016, polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for registered voters in Connecticut. Election Day registration is in effect, however, long lines are likely so voters are encouraged to arrive early. It is also important to note that Election Day registration is not available at polling places, but rather at a designated Election Day registration location in each town beginning at 6 a.m. People utilizing this option will need to provide proof of identity and residency.

Voters can check their registration status online and find the location of their polling place by visiting myvote.ct.gov.

Office Candidate
President of the United States Andrew D. Basiago
Vice Pres. of the United States Karen D. Kinnison

President of the United States Paul E. Blumenthal
Vice Pres. of the United States Patrick Blair

President of the United States Robert L. Buchanan
Vice Pres. of the United States Jason A. Washington

President of the United States Darrell L. Castle
Vice Pres. of the United States Scott N. Bradley

President of the United States Jeffrey A. Cooper
Vice Pres. of the United States Mikael C. Meyer

President of the United States Darryl Cummings
Vice Pres. of the United States John Romanoff

President of the United States Kevin Deame
Vice Pres. of the United States Steven Long

President of the United States "Rocky" Roque De La Fuente
Vice Pres. of the United States Michael Steinberg

President of the United States Ronald Evans
Vice Pres. of the United States Jason M. Fitch

President of the United States Cherunda Fox
Vice Pres. of the United States Roger Kushner

President of the United States Tom Hoefling
Vice Pres. of the United States Steve Schulin

President of the United States Jeffrey John Klojzy Jr.
Vice Pres. of the United States Thomas A. LeMay

President of the United States Laurence Kotlikoff
Vice Pres. of the United States Edward Leamer

President of the United States Gloria La Riva
Vice Pres. of the United States Eugene Puryear

President of the United States Joseph Maldonado
Vice Pres. of the United States Douglas Terranova

President of the United States Evan McMullin
Vice Pres. of the United States Nathan Johnson

President of the United States Marshall Schoenke
Vice Pres. of the United States James Creighton Mitchell, Jr.

President of the United States Peter Skewes
Vice Pres. of the United States Michael Lacy

President of the United States Mike Smith
Vice Pres. of the United States Daniel White

President of the United States Jeffrey Anthony Wu
Vice Pres. of the United States Jeffrey Michael Wu

United States Senator Andrew Rule
United States Senator John M. Traceski

Representative in Congress 01 Charles Jackson
Representative in Congress 01 Mark Stewart Representative in

Congress 02 Elizabeth F. Traceski

Representative in Congress 03 Andrew Rule
Representative in Congress 03 Christopher Schaefer

Representative in Congress 04 Carl E. Vassar

Representative in Congress 05 Ann-Marie Adams
Representative in Congress 05 Mark Greenstein
Representative in Congress 05 John Pistone
Representative in Congress 05 Aaron Sperry

State Senator 02 Charles Jackson
State Senator 02 Martha S. Kelly

State Senator 34 David Bedell
State Senator 34 Andrew Rule

State Representative 02 Ann-Marie Adams

State Representative 05 Charles Jackson

State Representative 50 Ty Perry

State Representative 63 David G. LaPointe

State Representative 89 Stuart R. Korchin

Registrar of Voters - Andover Wallace E. Barton Jr.

Registrar of Voters - East Hampton Jodi Brazal

Registrar of Voters - East Hampton Lori A. Wilcox

Registrar of Voters - New Canaan John Amarilios

Registrar of Voters - Westbrook Colin Bennett

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October 21, 2016

Statement from the Secretary of the State on the Integrity of Connecticut’s Elections

Hartford: In response to recent suggestions that the presidential election could in some way be compromised, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said, “The state of Connecticut goes through every precaution to ensure that elections are administered as freely and fairly as possible. Any claim to the contrary is not just irresponsible, it is destructive to the fabric of our democracy. The hundreds of elections officials in the state—including registrars, moderators, clerks and volunteer poll workers—are working tirelessly to serve the voters. The preparation that these officials go through includes accepting registration applications, confirming addresses, printing voter lists, checking the identity of voters at the polls, tallying votes, responding to complaints, auditing results, and so much more. Mistakes can be made and errors do occur. However, none of these alter the outcome of our elections. At the end of a very long Election Day, it will be the voters who choose the next president of the United States.”