By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
Tuesday, Nov. 4, is Election Day. Both Middlebury voting districts will cast their ballots at Shepardson Community Center between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Voters will choose candidates for local, state and federal offices and also will vote on two questions.
The first question is a statewide question: “Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to remove restrictions concerning absentee ballots and to permit a person to vote without appearing at a polling place on the day of an election?”
The second question is a local question, “Shall the Town of Middlebury adopt the Code of Ethics, as approved by the Middlebury Ethics Commission and moved to ballot by vote of the Board of Selectmen on September 2, 2014?”
The first question would allow anyone who wished to vote absentee to do so. Currently, to vote absentee, one must first fill out an application stating they are unable to vote at the polls for one of the following reasons: active service in the U.S. Armed Forces, being out of town when the polls are open, illness, religious tenets forbidding secular activity the day of the vote, duties as an election official at a location other than their own while the polls are open, or physical disability. Making a false statement on the application is a class D felony punishable by at least one year in prison, but no more than five years, and a fine of up to $5,000. The restrictions will no longer apply if question one passes.
The second question addresses the Code of Ethics developed by Middlebury’s Ethics Commission over the past year or two. The town of Middlebury thus far has been operating without a code of ethics. Copies of the proposed code are available in the Middlebury town clerk’s office for anyone who would like to read it before election day.
The biggest statewide race is for governor and lieutenant-governor: Incumbent Dan Malloy (D, WFP) and his lieutenant governor, Nancy Wyman, are being challenged by Tom Foley (R, IP) and his running mate, Heather Somers, and Joe Visconti (PC) and his running mate, Chester Frank Harris.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D, WFP) is opposed by Mark Greenberg (R, IP) and John J. Pistone (PC).
For state senator, District 1 will choose between incumbent Robert Kane (R) and Donato Orsini (D, WFP). District 2 will have three choices: incumbent Joan Hartley (D, IP), Karl D. Shehu (R) and Blair F. Bertaccini (WFP).
The race for state representative is between incumbent Anthony J. D’Amelio (R) and Raymond E. Rivard (IP). Three candidates are running for secretary of the state: incumbent Denise W. Merrill (D, WFP), Peter Lumaj (R, IP) and S. Michael DeRosa (GP).
Incumbent Denise L. Nappier (D,WFP) is being challenged for the treasurer spot by Timothy M. Herbst (R, IP). For comptroller, incumbent Kevin Lembo (D, WFP) has two challengers, Sharon J. McLaughlin (R, IP) and Rolf W. Maurer (GP).
For attorney general, incumbent George Jepsen (D, WFP) is being challenged by Kie Westby (R, IP) and Stephen E. Fournier (GP). For judge of probate, Peter E. Mariano is unopposed on both the Republic and Democratic Party lines.
Both Middlebury registrars of voters, Nancy S. Robison (R) and Thomas McCormack (D) are up for re-election and voters may choose only one of them.
In parentheses: R = Republican, D = Democratic, WFP = Working Families Party, IP = Independent Party, GP = Green Party and PC = Petitioning Candidate.
