Vote Tuesday, November 8

#Middlebury #Vote

By MARJORIE NEEDHAM

It’s time to head to the polls Tuesday, November 8, between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. to cast our votes for the candidates of our choice. Middlebury voting will be by town district, so voters need to know whether they are in Middlebury’s District 1 or District 2. District 1 will vote downstairs at Shepardson Community Center at 1172 Whittemore Road; District 2 will vote upstairs. If you don’t know your district, go to middlebury-ct.org, click on government, town clerk’s office and elections/referenda to get to the page with a list showing which streets are in which district.

Ballots for the two districts differ for just one race, state senator, with Middlebury’s District 1 voters choosing between incumbent State Senator Eric C. Berthel (R) (32nd District) and challenger Jeff Desmarais (D). In Middlebury’s District 2, incumbent State Senator Joan Hartley (D) (15th District) is running unopposed.

Before we look at the other candidates, please note there also is a question on the ballot: Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to provide for early voting?

TV ads have been reminding voters to turn their ballots over to vote on this question. But Middlebury voters will find the question on the front of their ballots, to the right of the list of candidates.

Ballotpedia.org says Connecticut, as of June 2022, was one of five states that did not allow for early voting in some form. 45 states and the District of Columbia have enacted early voting laws. This includes Delaware, which enacted an early voting law in 2019 that was set to take effect in 2022. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day

The highest state position on the ballot is that of governor. Gov. Ned Lamont (D) is being challenged by Bob Stefanowski (R), who ran against him in 2018, and Independent Party candidate Robert Hotaling. Lamont is running with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, Stefanowski’s running mate is Laura Devlin, and Hotaling’s running mate is Steward “Chip” Beckett. Lamont and Bysiewicz also are endorsed by the Griebel-Frank for CT Party and the Working Families Party.

The highest federal positions on the ballot are for U.S. Senator and U.S. Representative. Incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal (D) is being challenged by Leora R. Levy (R). Blumenthal also is endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Incumbent Representative Jahana Hayes (D) is being challenged by George Logan (R). Hayes also is endorsed by the Working Families Party; Logan also is endorsed by the Independent Party.

Next on the ballot is the state senator position already mentioned. It is followed by a state representative position with only one candidate, William J. Pizzuto (R).

Three candidates are vying for the Secretary of the State position vacated by Denise Merrill. They are Stephanie Thomas (D), Dominic Rapini (R) and Cynthia R. Jennings of the Independent Party. Thomas also is endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Four candidates are competing for the treasurer position following Shawn T. Wooden’s decision not to run for reelection. They are Erick Russell (D), Harry Arora (R), Jennifer Baldin (Independent Party) and JoAnna Laiscell (Libertarian). Russell also is endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Connecticut Comptroller Natalie Braswell was appointed by Gov. Lamont in December 2021 to complete the final year of Kevin Lembo’s four-year term after he retired at the end of the year due to a serious health condition. Lembo, a Democrat, had served as comptroller since 2010.

Braswell is not running for election. The two candidates for that office are Sean Scanlon (D) and Mary Fay (R). Scanlon also is endorsed by the Independent Party and The Working Families Party.

Incumbent Attorney General William Tong (D) is opposed by three candidates: Jessica Kordas (R) A.P. Pascarella (Independent Party) and Ken Krayeske (Green Party). Tong also is endorsed by the Working Families Party.

Judge of Probate is for the four-town probate judge district comprising Middlebury, Naugatuck, Beacon Falls and Prospect. Both candidates, Peter Mariano (D) and Rosa Rebimbas (R), are from Naugatuck. Incumbent Mariano has served in the position as a Republican for 20 years, but this year the Republican Party chose to endorse Rebimbas instead. The Democratic Party endorsed Mariano, and he is running as the Democratic candidate.

The most local office on the ballot is that of Registrar of Voters. Voters may choose either incumbent Nancy Robison (R) or Selma Frohn (D).

Those who won’t be able to cast their ballots in person November 8 can apply for an absentee ballot. Connecticut law allows you to receive an absentee ballot if you cannot appear at your assigned polling place on election day because of active service in the Military, absence from the town, sickness, religious tenets that forbid secular activity on the day of the election, duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own during all of the hours of voting, or physical disability. To receive your absentee ballot please complete and sign an application and return it to your Town Clerk.

You can find an absentee ballot application online at Middlebury-CT.org, under Town Clerk’s Office, Elections/Referenda. Fill out the application and return it to the town clerk. At this time, it’s probably wise to hand deliver the application to the town clerk as all absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on election day.