Primary on Tuesday Will Decide Contested Party Nominations

Democratic and Republican registered voters will choose the nominees for statewide constitutional offices and the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in the Tuesday, August 9th Primary.

Open seats for constitutional officers have been rare in recent history with one party or the other re-nominating incumbents without intraparty opposition. Secretary of the State is on the ballot for both parties this year, and State Treasurer for the Democrats. Secretary of the State is the state’s top election official, an office that has taken on more importance amid groundless Republican innuendos about voter fraud and the false casting of doubt on the election of President Joe Biden in 2020. State Treasurer is the office responsible for state investments and pension funds. Socially responsible investing and equity are key issues for Democrats seeking to succeed Treasurer Shawn Wooden who stepped down after serving one four-year term.

Democrats vying for the open Secretary of the State office are State Rep. Stephanie Thomas of Norwalk, the party-endorsed candidate, and New Haven Public Health Director Maritza Bond, the challenger.

In the race for State Treasurer three Democrats want the job. New Haven Attorney Erick Russell, a former officer of the Democratic State Central Committee, won the endorsement at the May state convention. Dita Bhargava and Karen Dubois-Walton won sufficient delegate support to challenge for the nomination.

Republicans will pick a nominee for United States Senate to challenge U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Former state House minority leader Themis Klarides, endorsed by the Republican State Convention, faces challengers Leora Levy and Peter Lumaj.

For Secretary of the State, endorsed Republican Dominic Rapini is being challenged for the nomination by State Rep. Terrie Wood. Brock Weber, known in New Britain as an aide to Republican Mayor Erin Stewart, appears on the ballot, though he withdrew from the campaign amid a State Elections Enforcement Commission investigation into his campaign finances.

Polls are open at all polling locations from 6:00am to 8:00pm.

The New Britain Registrars of Voters say that people not registered to vote in party primaries, including those whose voter registration is “unaffiliated” and those not registered to vote at all, can still register to vote in the primary. They may do so until 12:00 pm on Monday, August 8, 2022 by registering to vote in either the Democratic or Republican party primaries. Those not registered vote at all as of Monday, the Registrars say, must register to vote in-person.

Registration is to be available at the Registrars of Voters office in City Hall, at 27 West Main Street, in room 507. The phone number for the Registrars of Voters office is 860-826-3310.

In this year’s elections, many voters will be voting in different locations than in the past, due to the reapportionment of state and local legislative districts, done every ten years after each federal census.

The “2022 City of New Britain Voting District Map” shows the voting districts for each New Britain voter, based on their home address where they are registered to vote.

There are seventeen voting districts at polling locations throughout the city.

The Registrars of Voters note that, “17 year olds who will turn 18 on or before November 8, 2022 are eligible to register with a political party and vote in the primary,” and also note that election day voter registration is not available in party primaries.

Editor’s note (8/9/2022): The article was changed to clarify that only the Democrats had a primary for the office of State Treasurer.