Voters will head to the polls to vote in this year’s closely watched November 6th elections, with choices from Congress, to Governor, to state legislature and other offices to be made by the voters.
The election is especially closely watched, as the voters have the first real chance to weigh in on the administration of Republican President Donald Trump.
The even-numbered-year election between presidential elections, called a “mid-term” election, is often seen as a referendum on the president, and Trump’s presidency has made this year’s elections of especially keen interest.
While votes received by Republican candidates will largely be seen as validation of Trump, and victories for Democrats as a rebuke to the Republican president and his party, candidates for different offices are also seeking support for themselves individually and based on state and local issues.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
The head of the ticket for each party are their candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. Unlike during party primaries, voters cast ballots in the general election for governor and lieutenant governor, together.
The Democratic candidate for governor is Ned Lamont, and Susan Bysiewicz is the lieutenant governor candidate. They are also the candidates of the Working Families Party.
The Republicans’ candidates are Bob Stefanowski and Joe Markley. The two are also supported by the Independent Party.
The Libertarian Party is running Rodney Hanscomb and Jeffrey Thibeault, the Amigo Constitution Liberty Party is running Mark Stewart Greenstein and John Demitrus and the Griebel Frank for Connecticut Party is running Oz Griebel and Monte E. Frank.
United States Senator
Incumbent Senator Chris Murphy is the Democratic candidate for United States Senate. Murphy is also supported by the Working Families Party.
Murphy’s Republican challenger is Matthew Corey.
The Libertarians are running Richard Lion for Senate and the Green Party is running Jeff Russell.
United States Representative
Jahana Hayes is the Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives. She is also the Congressional candidate of the Working Families Party.
The Republican candidate is Manny Santos, who is also supported by the Independent Party.
All of New Britain is in the Fifth Congressional District. Residents of that district choose one of Connecticut’s five United States Representatives.
State Senator
All of New Britain is also in the Sixth State Senate District.
Incumbent State Senator Terry Bielinski Gerratana is the Democratic candidate. She is also the candidate of the Working Families Party for State Senate.
She is being challenged by Republican candidate Robert Smedley.
24th District State Representative
The Twenty Fourth State Assembly District represents neighborhoods in New Britain from the West End, through Willow Brook to the southern East Side, and it includes a neighborhood in Newington.
Incumbent State Representative Rick Lopes is the Democratic candidate for the Twenty Fourth Assembly district. He is also supported by the Working Families Party.
Lopes is being challenged by Republican candidate Sharon Beloin Saavedra.
25th District State Representative
Incumbent State Representative Bobby Sanchez is the Democratic candidate for the Twenty Fifth Assembly District.
The Twenty Fifth District represents the neighborhoods in the central part of New Britain, including all of the Third Ward, and the northern part of the East Side.
Sanchez faces no Republican challenger, but is being challenged by petitioning candidate Alfred P. Mayo.
26th District State Representative
The Twenty-Sixth Assembly District includes neighborhoods from Little Poland, through Farmington Avenue and Farmingdale, to the Stanley Parks and Batterson Pond area.
Incumbent State Representative Peter Tercyak is the Democratic candidate for Twenty Sixth District. He is also the candidate of the Working Families Party.
Tercyak is being challenged by Republican candidate Tremell J. Collins.
22nd District State Representative
The Twenty-Second Assembly District includes neighborhoods in the north western part of New Britain and all of Plainville.
Richard Ireland, Jr. is the Democratic candidate for the Twenty-Second District.
Ireland is challenging incumbent State Representative William A. Petit, Jr., who is the Republican candidate. Petit is also the candidate of the Independent Party.
Secretary of the State
Incumbent Secretary of the State Denise Merrill is the Democratic candidate and the candidate of the Working Families Party. She is running for re-election to the position that is the state’s chief election official and also responsible for corporate registration and other duties.
She is being challenged by Republican candidate Susan Chapman, who is also the Independent Party candidate.
The Libertarian Party is running Heather Lynn Sylvestre Gwynn for Secretary of the State and the Green Party is running Michael DeRosa.
State Treasurer
Shawn Wooden is the Democratic candidate for State Treasurer. Wooden is also the Working Families Party candidate.
Thad Gray is the Republican candidate and the candidate of the Independent Party.
The Libertarian Party of running Jesse Bohinsky.
The State Treasurer is responsible for managing and investing the state funds and borrowing on behalf of the state.
State Comptroller
Incumbent State Comptroller Kevin Lembo is the Democratic candidate and the Working Families Party candidate.
He is being challenged by Republican candidate Kurt Miller, who is also the Independent Party candidate.
The Libertarian Party is running Paul Passarelli and the Green Party is running Edward G. Heflin.
The State Comptroller is responsible for managing and tracking the expenditure of state funds.
Attorney General
William Tong is the Democratic candidate for State Attorney General. He is also supported by the Working Families Party.
The Republican candidate is Sue Hatfield, who is also the Independent Party candidate.
Peter D. Goselin is the Green Party candidate.
The State Attorney General represents the state in legal matters and is able to wage lawsuits on behalf of the people of the state in what he or she believes is in the public interest.
Judge of Probate
Incumbent Judge of Probate Walter A. Clebowicz is the Democratic candidate and is also nominated by the Republican Party.
New Britain shares a Probate Court with Berlin.
Ballot questions
Two ballot questions give people the opportunity to consider changes to the State Constitution.
One change would restrict the state’s transportation fund to require that money in that fund be used only for transportation purposes.
The other proposed constitutional amendment would make it more difficult for the state to transfer land that is under the management of the state departments on the environment and agriculture.
Voting districts, polling places and hours of voting
Voting in New Britain takes place at seventeen polling places in the city. New Britain has fifteen voting districts, but Voting District 5 has three polling places, including two located senior housing complexes.
| Voting District | State Representative District | Polling Place | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Vance Village School | 183 Vance Street |
| 2 | 24 | VFW Post 511 Hall | 41 Veterans Drive |
| 3 | 24 | Roosevelt Middle School | 40 Goodwin Street |
| 4 | 24 | Gaffney School | 322 Slater Road |
| 5 | 25 | New Britain Senior Center | 55 Pearl Street |
| 5-1 | 25 | School Apartments | 50 Bassett Street |
| 5-2 | 25 | Graham Apartments | 107 Martin Luther King Drive |
| 6 | 25 | Angelico's Restaurant | 542 East Main Street |
| 7 | 25 | Generale Ameglio | 13 Beaver Street |
| 8 | 25 | International Church | 40 Acorn Street |
| 9 | 25 | Chamberlain School | 120 Newington Avenue |
| 10 | 26 | Saint Francis Church Hall | 1755 Stanley Street |
| 11 | 26 | Holmes School | 2150 Stanley Street |
| 12 | 26 | Pulaski Middle School | 757 Farmington Avenue |
| 13 | 26 | St. John Paul II School | 221 Farmington Avenue |
| 14 | 22 | DiLoreto School | 732 Slater Road |
| 15 | 24 | Slade Middle School | 183 Steele Street |
People not already registered to vote can still vote if they are eligible, but go to City Hall at 27 West Main Street instead of their neighborhood polling place. People not registered to vote by election day can register to vote and vote at City Hall.
The election on November 6, 2018 will be held between the hours of 6:00am and 8:00pm.
Editor’s note: Polling locations reported in this article are as they appeared on the city website as of October 23, 2018.
