Election Day Arrives in New Britain

The election between Democrat Bobby Sanchez and Republican Erin Stewart for Mayor and for other city offices will be decided by voters today.

Polls are open today, November 2, 2021, from 6:00am to 8:00pm at various city polling places.

New Britain Voting Districts in 2021

State Rep. Sanchez (D-25) represents the Twenty-Fifth Assembly District in the core of New Britain. He is the Chair of the powerful legislative Education Committee, and is credited for significant increases in state funds for the city’s schools. Sanchez says that his plans as Mayor include reversing underfunding by City Hall of New Britain’s schools, improving the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and investing in economic development, housing and quality of life in all of the city’s neighborhoods.

Incumbent Republican Mayor Erin Stewart is running for her fifth term in the city’s top job. She is campaigning on what she claims about her budget management, public construction and the two percent cut in the mill rate in the most recent city budget. Stewart also has claimed to increase local funding for education, but those claims have been criticized as inaccurate.

Republicans are working to extend the control of New Britain’s City Hall by the dynasty of former Republican Mayor Timothy Stewart and his daughter, Erin Stewart, to eighteen years.

Democrats face the challenge that Stewart has repeatedly eluded political consequences to her own re-elections of unpopular policies and politics of her administration, including low funding for the city’s schools, higher property taxes, increased City Hall spending, floating city annual budgets with long-term taxpayer debt, the failed attempt to allow mining on public watershed land and what many view as the generally uncouth brand of the politics of her political machine.

But the election is not just for office of Mayor, as numerous other offices are up for election this year, including Judge of Probate for the Probate District that New Britain shares with Berlin. Attorney William Rivera, the Democratic candidate for Probate Judge, and Republican candidate Michael Carrier are running for the seat.

Voters will also decide their representatives on the City Council, including Council members elected by neighborhood-based districts and Council members At-Large. Republicans currently control the Council nine to six.

Voters will also have their choices for Board of Education and Board of Assessment Appeals.

Registering to vote on Election Day

People who are eligible to vote, but who have not registered, can still do so today, November 2nd. The deadline is passed for people to register to vote before this Tuesday’s election, but Connecticut gives people eligible to vote one important last chance – on Election Day, itself.

The Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State says,

Election Day Registration permits anyone to register and vote in person on Election Day who meets the eligibility requirements for voting in this state and is not already registered, OR is registered in one town but has moved to another town. By law, a person is eligible to register and vote if he or she is (1) a US citizen, (2) age 18 or older, (3) a bona fide resident of the town in which he or she applies for admission, and (4) has completed confinement and parole if previously convicted of a disfranchising felony.

Election Day Registration is not available at your polling place, but is available at a designated EDR location in each town, beginning at 6 am and ending at 8 pm. You will register and vote at the designated EDR location in your town. Please plan to arrive early in the day as there may be long lines. You must be registered by 8 pm in order to vote. You will need to provide proof of identity and residency.

Election Day voter registration in New Britain is at City Hall, 27 West Main St., 1st Floor, Room 108.

The right to vote for people with past felony convictions

A common misconception in Connecticut is that a felony conviction precludes people from voting permanently. This is untrue in Connecticut. The Secretary of the State’s office says that,

A person who has been:
• convicted of a felony; and
• committed to confinement in a federal or out of state correctional institution or facility shall be eligible to have such person’s voting privileges restored upon release from confinement.

The Secretary of the State’s office also says that,

A person who has been:
• convicted of a felony; and
• committed to confinement in a State of Connecticut correctional institution or facility shall be eligible to have such person’s voting privileges restored upon release from confinement.

The Secretary of the State’s office publishes an information sheet that describes how someone with a previous felony conviction can register to vote.