4th District Congressman Christopher Shays defeated in the "tsunami" of 2008 by Jim Himes of Greenwich (above, right).  Below:  State Rep John Stripp and Senator Johm McKinney joined by new State Senator Toni Boucher!

Read LWVUS letter on "transparency"
Thursday, September 25, 2008 at the White House, including in this photo (l. to r.) Republican candidate for President, House Minority leader, Speaker of the House,, President Bush, Senate Majority leader, Senate Minority leader, Democrat  candidate for President.  Bail-out package has now passed both houses of Congress (Friday, October 3, 2008).

ELECTION 2008 IN WESTON, CONNECTICUT & U.S.A.: 
New York TIMES link to streaming video of national debates - watch again here.


Turnout in Presidential Elections Hit 40-Year High
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:53 p.m. ET
December 14, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Enthusiasm among blacks and Democrats for Barack Obama's candidacy pushed voter turnout in this year's elections to the highest level in 40 years.

Final figures from nearly every state and the District of Columbia showed that more than 131 million people voted, the most ever for a presidential election. A little more than 122 million voted in 2004.

This year's total is 61.6 percent of the nation's eligible voters, the highest turnout rate since 1968, when Republican Richard M. Nixon defeated Democrat Hubert Humphrey, said Michael McDonald, a political science professor at George Mason University.  States finished certifying their election results this weekend, including California on Saturday. The Electoral College was scheduled to elect Obama president on Monday, with electors meeting in each state to vote in a largely ceremonial procedure.  Turnout increased for the third straight presidential election, encouraging news for those who have warned about voter apathy. Four years ago, 60.1 percent of those eligible voted.

''We seem to have restored the levels of civic engagement that we had in the 1950s and 1960s,'' McDonald said. ''But we didn't break those levels.''

McDonald calculated turnout rates based on the number of eligible voters among adult U.S. citizens. Experts calculate turnout rates in different ways based on whom they consider eligible voters, a process that excludes noncitizens and, in most states, convicted felons.  Regardless of the method, turnout fell short of many predictions, in part because voters in some Republican areas of the country were not as enthusiastic this year with Sen. John McCain as the party's nominee as they were four years ago when President George W. Bush won a second term.

Bush's unpopularity after eight years in office, the nation's fatigue with the Iraq war and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression -- coupled with Obama's message of change -- contributed to the increased turnout for Obama. He was also helped by a surge in black voters, who had the opportunity to elect the first black president.  The number of registered Democrats jumped in many states, helping to propel Obama to a larger share of the vote than Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic nominee, in 44 states and the District of Columbia.

Early voting hit a new high, with about 41 million people -- or more than 31 percent -- voting before Election Day, either by mail or at designated sites, according to returns compiled by The Associated Press. Early voting accounted for 22 percent of the votes cast in 2004.  The Obama campaign invested heavily in early voting, and it appeared to be the difference in several states, though many of those people might have eventually voted on Election Day.

Voter turnout increased substantially in newly competitive states such as Virginia, Indiana and North Carolina, which all went for Obama after decades of favoring Republican presidential candidates. Turnout also increased in some Republican states with large black populations, such as Mississippi, South Carolina and Georgia.  North Carolina, which had competitive elections for president, governor and Senate, had the biggest increase in turnout, from 57.8 percent in 2004 to 65.8 percent this year.

''I don't know that we did anything different than in other states, but the magnitude was so different,'' said North Carolina Democratic Chairman Jerry Meek. ''We were the only state in the country with a nationally targeted presidential race, gubernatorial race and Senate race.''

Obama won North Carolina by 14,177 votes, out of more than 4.3 million cast. In the Senate race, Democrat Kay Hagan beat incumbent Republican Elizabeth Dole. Beverly Perdue was elected the state's first female governor.

Minnesota, with a competitive Senate race that still hasn't been decided, had the highest turnout rate, even though it dropped slightly, to 77.8 percent. It was followed by Wisconsin, Maine, New Hampshire and Iowa.

West Virginia and Hawaii tied for the lowest turnout rate, at 50.6 percent. Arkansas, Utah and Texas came close.

In all, the turnout rate increased in 33 states and the District of Columbia.

Turnout dropped in some states that did not have competitive presidential contests, such as Utah and Oregon. Oregon had been a battleground in previous presidential elections and the state had a competitive Senate race.
BALLOT QUESTIONS!  Results of election were "No" on #1 and "Yes" on #2
VOTE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008, FROM 6A.M. TO 8P.M. AT THE WESTON MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM
For President and Vice President;  Congress;  State Senate and House;  Registrar of Voters;  two ballot questions.  LWVCT has a position on Constitutional Conventions, and has the following to say on the matter:
 
---------------------



 
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut urges you to vote "NO" on the calling of a Constitutional Convention. This question must appear on the ballot every 20 years. 
   
The League believes that our Connecticut Constitution, thoroughly reviewed and revised in 1965, works well as our state's basic framework of government. We do not need a convention to change the constitution. The legislative amendment process, with its public hearings, its televised sessions, and its system of checks-and-balances, has served our state well in developing sound constitutional proposals for specific issues.  In fact, the second question on this November's ballot relating to 17 year-olds voting in a primary if 18 by the general election is an example of a proposed change to the Constitution via this process of deliberation.
 
Special interest organizations are working to convince voters to vote "yes" to a Convention in order to pursue their hot-button issues like banning a woman's right to choose or gay marriage. These supporters wish to change the Constitution to enable direct initiative and referendum to become an accepted way of making laws and amending Connecticut's Constitution.  The League opposes initiative and referendum.  With initiative and referendum, it's too easy for well-funded special interests to sway public opinion on controversial issues. It took us decades to pass a law to provide a system of campaign finance to eliminate special interest money. Let's not let special interest money back into our system again! If voters are dissatisfied with the actions of the General Assembly, they should make their views known during the legislative process or elect new legislators.
 
 We can't think of any serious governance issue that justifies the time, expense and bluster of a Constitutional Convention. We urge you to Vote NO. 
 
For more info, go to:
http://www.lwvct.org/issues/resources/league_says_no_to_constitutional.htm
 
Jara Burnett, President
League of Women Voters of Connecticut 

Presidential ballots are available       
Weston FORUM
Monday, October 13, 2008

Presidential ballots for the Nov. 4 election are now available at the Weston town clerk’s office for unregistered residents.

Presidential ballots are only for residents of Weston or former residents who have moved within 30 days prior to the election to another location after the new location’s cutoff date; they are only for those who are not registered to vote.

The ballots only allow a vote for President and vice president.

The town clerk’s office will be open additional hours for absentee voting by non-registered residents.

Additional and extended hours are Saturday, Oct. 25, 9 to noon; Monday, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 1, 9 to noon.

Applications for absentee presidential ballots are available from the town clerk or online at www.westonct.gov.

Call the town clerk’s office weekdays from 9 to 4:30 with questions regarding absentee ballots. Donna M. Anastasia, town clerk, may be reached at 222-2616, Ellen L. Jones, deputy town clerk, at 222-2617

CCSU: League Must Invite Minor-Party Candidates To Debate
By MARK PAZNIOKAS | Courant Staff Writer
September 27, 2008

Central Connecticut State University wants the League of Women Voters to either open its 5th Congressional District debate to minor-party candidates or move the event off its New Britain campus.

"The league is welcome to do what it wants, but CCSU cannot participate in the event nor serve as the venue if candidates are excluded from the debate," said Mark McLaughlin, a university spokesman.

The league's statewide office notified minor-party candidates this week that they were unwelcome at debates the group is sponsoring in the 2nd, 4th and 5th districts.

The decision prompted an outcry from candidates who qualified for the ballot, yet were deemed insufficiently competitive by the league.

In the 5th, that meant Harold H. Burbank II of the Green Party and Thomas Winn of the Independent Party would be left out of the Oct. 11 debate.

"On behalf of the voters who put me on the ballot, I am very grateful to CCSU for taking a firm stand for free and equal political speech through open debate," Burbank said.

It was unclear Friday if the debate would go forward at CCSU without the league's sponsorship or if the league would find a new location.

"It's a shame," said Pat Donovan, the debate coordinator for the league.

Donovan said the group's debate committee would discuss its options this weekend. One possibility is to ask the minor-party candidates to submit more material to meet the league's criteria.

The criteria include evidence of campaign activity, such as fundraising and position papers.
Minor Party Candidates Excluded From Congressional Debates
By MARK PAZNIOKAS | Courant Staff Writer
September 24, 2008
 
The only thing harder than getting on the ballot for G. Scott Deshefy of the Green Party is getting on the stage of the Garde Arts Center.

On Oct. 7, Deshefy will be the only ballot-certified 2nd Congressional District candidate absent from a televised debate at the Garde in New London.

The League of Women Voters notified all minor-party candidates this week that they are unwelcome at the league's debates in the 2nd, 4th and 5th congressional districts. The league has no debates scheduled for the 1st or 3rd districts.

In the league's view, none of the minor-party candidates met its criteria of broad voter and financial support and a sufficient effort at reaching out to voters.

"I would like to stress that we value the effort these candidates are making to put themselves forth," said Jara Burnett, the league's president. "It is not a repudiation of the their efforts by any stretch of the imagination."

Tell that to Deshefy.

As the only debate scheduled for commercial broadcast, the league's New London forum was Deshefy's best opportunity for matching his views with the Democratic incumbent, Joe Courtney, or Republican Sean Sullivan.

Nearly every day from May 1 to Aug. 5, Deshefy said, he worked four to six hours a day collecting the 2,450 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.

"I met, easily, face to face with well over 10,000 people," Deshefy said. "None of the two major party candidates has done that. That is the ultimate in voter outreach."

The league's decision also affects Richard Z. Duffee of the Green Party and Libertarian Michael Anthony Carrano in the 4th and Harold H. Burbank II, of the Green Party, and Thomas L. Winn, an Independent, in the 5th.

Deshefy is invited to participate in four other debates, but said none will get the exposure of the league's debate.

Burnett said the league believes that voters are best-served by a debate the focuses attention on the major players.

In the judgment of a four-member committee, none of the minor-party candidates made the cut this year, as has typically been the case in past elections.

"That doesn't mean we aren't interested in having their views broadcast," Burnett said. "All of the candidates have been invited to submit an entry" for the league's online voters' guide.
R E A D   L E T T E R S    F R O M     L W V U S    O N     " T R A N S P A R E N C Y "   H E R E
League of Women Voters of Connecticut on YouTube with creative and hip thought: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQSd05ryBkg

DEMOCRATIC PARTY NATIONAL TICKET AT THE LEFT.  REPUBLICAN PARTY NATIONAL TICKET AT THE RIGHT.
Voter Registration by Students Raises Cloud of Consequences
NYTIMES
By TAMAR LEWIN
Published: September 7, 2008

The widespread practice of students’ registering to vote at their college address has set off a fracas in Virginia, a battleground state in the presidential election.

Late last month, as a voter-registration drive by supporters of Senator Barack Obama was signing up thousands of students at Virginia Tech, the local registrar of elections issued two releases incorrectly suggesting a range of dire possibilities for students who registered to vote at their college.

The releases warned that such students could no longer be claimed as dependents on their parents’ tax returns, a statement the Internal Revenue Service says is incorrect, and could lose scholarships or coverage under their parents’ car and health insurance.

After some inquiries from students and parents, and more pointed questions from civil rights lawyers, the state board of elections said Friday that it was “modifying and clarifying” the state guidelines on which the county registrar had based his releases.

Student-registration controversies have been a recurring problem since 1971, when the 26st Amendment lowered the voting age to 18 from 21, and despite a 1979 ruling by the United States Supreme Court that students have the right to register at their college address.

Virginia is not the only state with murky guidelines. South Carolina’s voter-registration site, for example, says students who want to register to vote at their college address must demonstrate “a present intention to remain in the community.”

“There’s no issue for snowbirds who live in Iowa but fly to Florida for the winter,” said Sujatha Jahagirdar, program director of the Student Public Interest Research Group’s New Voters Project. “One demographic group, like students, shouldn’t have to overcome a special hurdle to vote. We impose all the responsibilities of citizenship on students, and we have to provide them with the privileges of citizenship, too.”

Ms. Jahagirdar said Virginia’s warnings were profoundly misleading. “We have been registering young voters for 25 years,” she said. “We registered 500,000 young voters in 2004, the majority on college campuses, and we’ve never heard of a single one who lost health insurance, scholarship or tax status because of where they registered to vote.”

In Virginia, the county registrar first issued an alarming release on Aug. 25, and two days later a slightly toned-down version using language taken directly from the state Board of Elections’ Web site.

That site says students can determine their legal residence, but advises them to consider certain questions. “Are you claimed as a dependent on your parents’ income tax return?” the site asks. “If you are, then their address is probably your legal residence.”

The site also tells students to check whether their coverage under their parents’ health or automobile insurance, or their scholarship, will be affected by changing their residence.

Civil rights lawyers say these guidelines are problematic and could infringe on students’ rights.

“What the state Board of Elections has on its Web site, to me, sounds like it is discouraging students from registering at their school address,” said Jon Greenbaum, director of the Voting Rights Project at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Indeed, the Montgomery County registrar, E. Randall Wertz, said several students had canceled their local registration over their worry about the possible consequences. Mr. Wertz said he had issued the release to try to dispel confusion and explain what he believed to be the consequences of choosing a college address as a primary residence.

“My understanding of state law has been that by declaring you’re voting here, you’re saying this is your primary residence, your domicile, and that while you can have many abodes or residences, you can only have one domicile,” Mr. Wertz said. “And if this is your primary residence, you have to register your vehicle here, charge your driver’s license to here and so on. That’s been the interpretation at state training sessions.”

Kevin Griffis, the Obama campaign’s Virginia spokesman, said the release appeared to be a good-faith effort to convey state guidelines, not a politically motivated effort to stop voting by students.

Mr. Wertz said the initial release had been written by an intern whom he asked to summarize the guidelines. Although the second release used the state’s precise language, he said, it still left room for confusion. In other counties, registrars have refused to accept dormitory addresses as residences. But so far, the state has not set clear standards.

“Different registrars around the state interpret it differently,” he said. “We’ve asked for more guidance from the state legislature, but they haven’t wanted to deal with it.”

Mr. Greenbaum’s Voting Rights Project has been involved in other student-registration cases. Last fall, in Statesboro, Ga., in a hotly contested city council race, there were challenges to the registration of about 1,000 Georgia Southern University students who had used dormitory addresses. “We threatened suit, but the issue went away when they figured out that the challenges weren’t going to affect the results of the election,” Mr. Greenbaum said.

In 2003, in Waller County, Tex., the district attorney wrote a column in a local newspaper threatening to prosecute students at Prairie View A&M, a historically black university, for illegal voting. The project sued, and the district attorney backed down.

In the 1970s, that same county required Prairie View students who wanted to register to fill out a questionnaire asking, among other things, whether they owned property in the county, had an automobile registered there or belonged to any church, club or organization unrelated to the college. A challenge to that practice led the Supreme Court to uphold students’ rights to vote at their college address.
ELECTION CALENDAR 2008, 4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
July 2008
7/22       Absentee ballots become available for primaries.

August 2008
8/7        Deadline for mail-in registration
8/11      Deadline for in person registration
8/12      Primary election

September 2008
9/10        Minor party candidates must file with SOTS.
9/24        LWV 4th Cong. Dist. candidates’ debate, Norwalk Community College

October 2008
10/3        Absentee ballots become available for general election.
10/5        LWV 4th Cong. Dist. candidates’ debate, Clune Performing Arts Ctr., Wilton HS
10/21      Deadline for mail-in registration.
10/28      Deadline for in-person registration.

November 2008
11/4        Election Day

State primaries set for Aug. 12 
DAY
By SUSAN HAIGH, Associated Press Writer 
Posted on Jul 23, 6:15 PM EDT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- There will be one less primary election in Connecticut on Aug. 12.

Matthew Brennan has decided not challenge fellow Winsted resident Michael J. Renzullo, the endorsed Democratic candidate in the 30th state Senatorial District race, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz's office said Wednesday.

Renzullo will now face the Republican incumbent, Sen. Andrew Roraback of Goshen, in the November election.

There are currently 21 primaries scheduled. They include a battle in the 4th Congressional District race between endorsed Democrat Jim Himes and Lee Whitnum, who collected enough signatures to force the primary.

The remaining 20 primaries are for state legislative races - four in the Senate and 16 in the House of Representatives.

Some of the matchups are happening in districts where an incumbent is not seeking re-election. For example, in the 9th House District, held since 1999 by Rep. Christopher Stone, D-East Hartford, there are two primaries.

Three Republicans from Manchester - Michael W. Crockett, Dennis A. Brenner and Clifton E. Thompson, the party-endorsed candidate - are vying for the GOP spot on the November ballot. On the Democratic side, endorsed candidate Jason Rojas of East Hartford is facing a primary challenge from Joseph S. Hachey of Manchester.

A number of incumbents, however, are facing challenges from fellow party members, including Sen. John W. Fonfara, D-Hartford, Rep. Marie Lopez Kirkley-Bey, D-Hartford, Rep. Selim G. Noujaim, R-Waterbury, Rep. Corky Mazurek, D-Wolcott, Rep. Deborah Heinrich, D-Madison, Rep. Terry Backer, D-Stratford, Rep. Christopher Caruso, D-Bridgeport, Rep. Andres Ayala Jr., D-Bridgeport, and Rep. Robert T. Keeley, D-Bridgeport.
4th district debate denied
Greenwich TIME
By Neil Vigdor, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/09/2008 02:30:48 AM EDT

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut has declined a request by congressional candidate Lee Whitnum to sponsor a debate prior to the Aug. 12 Democratic primary in Fourth District.

Jara Burnett, who is president of the statewide nonpartisan organization and a Greenwich resident, said yesterday that the league would have difficulty lining up a moderator and mustering its resources for a summertime debate.

"Frankly, for a lot of suburban people, many people do go away in August," Burnett said. "So we find ourselves with limited people to do the work. Our interest is in doing a very good job of it, and I just didn't have confidence that I could get the right people."

Whitnum, who qualified for the primary by collecting signatures from 2,459, or 2 percent, of the registered Democrats in the district, accepted the league's explanation.

"Don't make it look like a disrespect to me because it wasn't," Whitnum said. "They were very clear to me that they usually don't do primary debates."

Two years ago, however, the league sponsored a debate between Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy and New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr. leading up to the Democratic primary in the governor's race.

Maura Keaney, the campaign manager for Himes, said the party's endorsee hasn't ruled out participating in debate.

"If there's an organization that is interested in hosting a debate, we would certainly consider it," Keaney said. "We haven't heard anything yet, but we're still open to the idea."

David Roberson, chairman of Democratic Town Committee in Greenwich, where both of the candidates live, said it was unfortunate that Whitnum's request was denied.

"I actually think it's too bad," Roberson said. "I know that Jim was willing to debate her if it was a reputable organization such as the league doing it."

Burnett partly blamed a 2003 change in the state's election rules that moved primaries up from September to August for the league's inability to organize a debate. The change was prompted by a lawsuit filed against the state by Greenwich resident Jim Campbell, who argued that the state's primary schedule hampered challengers. The Republican had mounted an unsuccessful challenge of Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., who the winner of the August Democratic primary would face in November.

"I think the problem here, more than anything else, is the primary calendar," Burnett said.

To hold a debate, Burnett said the league would have used a moderator from outside Greenwich with no connections to the candidates.

"Again, we just made a quick assessment of what's out there and it showed us the people that would do a good job as moderator just weren't available," Burnett said.

Burnett said the league's decision to forgo a debate between the primary candidates was not influenced by any outside political forces.

"If we were going to do it, we would do it regardless of who likes it or who doesn't like it," Burnett said.

Whitnum is still holding out hope that she can organize a debate of her own Aug. 4 at Norwalk Community College. She recently sent out letters to about six or seven Democrats in the district who her campaign viewed as neutral in the race, requesting that they serve as moderators for the event. Whitnum doesn't plan to invite Himes to the debate until she gets commitments from the prospective moderators.


WEBSITE TO ELECTION PROCESS 2008: from George Washington University  - good links!

Federal Elections:  important dates...Presidential Primary was Tuesday, February 5th
http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/2008pdates.pdf

 CT State Elections:
Elections Enforcement Commission:
http://www.ct.gov/seec/site/default.asp

 CT Secretary of the State:
http://www.sots.ct.gov/

 Run-up to the November Election in CT...
HOW DID THE NEW VOTING PROCESS AND MACHINES WORK?
Dates for the Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee public hearings around the state (all start at 7:00 p.m.) on this subject:

February 11 -- Norwich City Council Chambers (2nd CD)
February 12 -- Norwalk City Council Chambers (4th CD)
February 21 -- West Hartford Council Chambers (1st CD)
February 25 -- Danbury City Council Chambers (5th CD)
February 27 -- East Haven Senior Center (3rd CD)

You are encouraged to attend and give your feedback and suggestions about the new voting machines in CT -- especially if you participated in the Stop, Look, and Listen Program or if you worked at the polls.  What did voters think?  Did they seem to like the idea of a paper record of their vote?  Was privacy a concern?  Was it easy for them to vote?

Weston Town Clerk will have absentee ballots for primary      
Weston FORUM
Thursday, July 03, 2008

Absentee ballots will be available at the Weston Town Clerk’s office beginning July 22 for the Democratic primary to be held Tuesday, Aug. 12.  Ballots may be picked up Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. until Monday, Aug. 11, the day before the primary.  Those able to vote in the primary are registered Democratic voters and any unaffiliated voter who changes to the Democratic Party (by mail by Aug. 7 or in person by Aug. 11) and any new Democratic voter.

To vote absentee:

Any qualified voter may vote absentee if unable to vote Aug. 12 in person due to:

•    Illness or physical disability

•    Absence from town during voting hours

•    Religious beliefs which forbid secular activity on the day of the Primary

•    Active U.S. military service

No one, including spouses, may handle another person’s unexecuted ballot. The only exception is an emergency absentee application and ballot; call the town clerk at 222-2616 for details.  Immediate family members may return executed absentee ballots with adequate identification. To request an application for an absentee ballot, go to the town clerk’s office in Weston Town Hall, 56 Norfield Road; request by mail, or download forms by going to www.westonct.gov. The town clerk’s office must receive original applications by Aug. 12 at 8 p.m.

Those who return the application in person will be given a ballot and may vote at that time or take the ballot and return it to the town clerk either in person or by mail.  Completed ballots must be received by the town clerk by mail before the polls close on Primary Day, Aug. 12; or in person by the day before the primary, Aug. 11.

Special conditions:

Those who have an unexpected illness or physical disability within six days before the polls close on Primary Day, can still vote. Call the town clerk (222-2616) for the proper procedure to follow or e-mail danastasia@weston-ct.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Anyone who finds he can vote in person after having voted by absentee ballot must go to the town clerk’s office before noon on Primary Day to request the withdrawal of his absentee ballot. The town clerk will issue a signed statement to present to the moderator of the polling place in order to vote in person.

Boy, was the A.P. right!
Democratic race more likely to drag out
By Associated Press
Posted on Sun, Feb 3, 2008
 
WASHINGTON — When it comes to presidential primaries, Democrats and Republicans play by different rules.

One party likes to share. The other, not so much.

Which goes a long way toward explaining why Arizona Sen. John McCain hopes to take control of the race for the Republican presidential nomination in Super Tuesday’s primaries and caucuses.

And why the busiest primary day in history may merely intensify the contest between Democratic rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

 “The delegate selection process is designed to keep the campaign going for as long as possible” among Democrats, said Howard Wolfson, communications director for Clinton’s campaign.

The Democratic rules provide for delegates to be awarded proportionately on the basis of the popular vote. It wasn’t always that way, but a change designed to weaken the control of party bosses was ushered in after the riotous Vietnam War-era 1968 convention.

This year, Wolfson added, the calendar “was designed to pick a candidate as quickly as possible.”

Instead, the result, he said, is “this unbelievable, grueling sprint from the 26th of December to the 5th of February that will not result in a nominee being chosen.”

The sprint has been no less grueling for Republicans. But the GOP’s winner-take-all contests make a difference.

McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and others slogged through several contests, trading victories and dividing delegates.

Then came Florida, in which McCain pocketed all 57 delegates in a breakthrough triumph. Endorsements from numerous party leaders soon followed, including Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Rick Perry of Texas.

“It gives you a chance to end the race earlier,” said Charlie Black, a strategist for McCain. “Theirs is going to drag out.”

In all, Democrats have primaries in 15 states and caucuses in seven states and American Samoa on Tuesday, with 1,681 delegates at stake.

Republicans hold 15 primaries, five caucuses and one state convention, and pick 1,023 delegates.

Nine of the Republican contests are winner-take-all.

McCain is favored in primaries in five of them — his home state of Arizona, as well as Rudy Giuliani’s New York, and New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware. That’s a total of 251 delegates. Losers get none, no matter how close they come.

Romney is the favorite in the primary in Utah, where a large Mormon population gives him an edge for a winner-take-all prize of 36 delegates. He also plans to attend the West Virginia convention on Tuesday in hopes of locking down all 18 delegates there.

Missouri, with 58 delegates, is a winner-take-all battleground among McCain, Romney and Huckabee.

A variation on winner-take-all awards three delegates to the popular vote winner in each congressional district.

California is an example, with 53 congressional districts, three delegates in each. The winner of the statewide vote picks up an additional bonus of 11 delegates.

In a few cases, Republicans award delegates proportionately based on the popular vote.

Unfortunately for Romney, his home state of Massachusetts is one of them. The state has 40 delegates, and an opportunistic McCain scheduled a weekend campaign stop in hopes of winning some.

By contrast, a Democratic candidate who gains 15 percent of the popular vote in a congressional district generally is guaranteed at least one delegate.

In a race with two equally matched rivals — Obama and Clinton are both running well-funded national campaigns — that tends to leave the winner of the popular vote with only a narrow delegate advantage over a loser who runs a strong race.

Multiply that across dozens of congressional districts — 53 in California — and predicting the winner of the delegate struggle is a virtual impossibility.

Then it gets harder.

For the Democrats, in a congressional district with three delegates, two go to the popular vote winner, and the loser gets the third as long as they win 15 percent of the popular vote.

But in a congressional district with four delegates, the winner and loser in a two-way race are likely to divide the spoils evenly. The winner must receive nearly 63 percent of the vote to get a 3-1 split in delegates, and 85 percent of the vote to win all four.

Then there’s the winning by losing scenario.

This can happen in states that award an odd number of delegates in some districts and an even number in others.

Imagine a candidate loses the statewide vote narrowly, but manages to win the districts that have an odd number of delegates.

A version of that happened in Nevada earlier in the year.

There, Clinton had more supporters attend caucuses, but Obama won the delegate contest, 13-12.

Weston is served by two State Senators from...in dark grey, the 26th, just a small part of town, and most of Weston in the 28th (light grey).
C T    S T A T E    S E N A T E    C A N D I D A T E S:    # 2 6    &    # 2 8

Map courtesy of the present State Senator, Hon. Judith G. Freedman

CT SENATE 28TH DISTRICT
28 State Senate District League Debate
Monday, October 20, Fairfield Library Rotary Room, 7:30-9:00 PM
John McKinney (R)
Martin Goldberg (D)
Kiki Karpen, past president of LWVCT, moderator
May 23, 2008
28th District
John McKinney will run for a sixth term in Senate
by Brett Cody
McKinney for Senate

Republicans in the 28th District on Tuesday officially nominated State Senator John McKinney to run for a sixth term in the state Senate, representing the towns of Easton, Fairfield, Newtown and Weston.

Mr. McKinney, who was elected minority leader in June 2007, is the highest ranking Republican in the state Senate and serves as the ranking senator on the legislature’s Environment, Legislative Management and Executive Nominations committees.

The 28th District Republican Nominating Convention was held at Helen Keller School in Easton.

Mr. McKinney was nominated by Tony Hwang of Fairfield, and the nomination was seconded by Will Rodgers of Newtown.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. McKinney thanked his family and supporters, spoke of his accomplishments during the last two legislative sessions, and outlined a series of priorities for the 2009 General Assembly.

“It is both an honor and a privilege to represent the people of Easton, Fairfield, Newtown and Weston,” Mr. McKinney said. “We have made progress on a number of important issues in recent years. Working directly with Governor Rell and legislative leaders from both parties, we have passed legislation to provide tax credits to small businesses that create new jobs, cap greenhouse gas emissions to protect our environment, increase funding for open space and farmland preservation, and create Jessica’s Law for Connecticut, establishing mandatory jail sentences for child sex offenders and predators who use the Internet to harm our kids.”

Mr. McKinney continued, “As your state senator, I plan to build on these successes in the 2009 legislative session. I will continue to fight against tax increases and to advocate for fiscal responsibility, as I did in 2006 when we passed the ‘No Tax Increase Budget,’ and as I did again this year when I proposed a balanced budget that would have reduced the size of state government, lowered gas taxes, repealed the business entity tax and expanded tax incentives to small businesses that create new jobs.”

Mr. McKinney said the challenges that lie ahead are many, but are not insurmountable.

“The General Assembly faces several important challenges as we work to improve public safety, increase access to quality affordable health care, and help Connecticut residents cope with rising fuel costs and a slowing economy. But, in order for state government to achieve its goals in any of these areas, it is vital we take the steps necessary to clean up state government,” Mr. McKinney said.

Comprehensive plan

“I believe establishing an Office of Inspector General should be part of any comprehensive effort to clean up state government,” Mr. McKinney said. “As a part-time legislature, we do not have the time or resources to conduct proper oversight of state agencies. Having a dedicated inspector general would help to improve government accountability, combat government corruption, and eliminate wasteful government spending.”

Mr. McKinney, who has offered legislation to create the Office of Inspector General in each of the last six legislative sessions, noted that the federal government has inspectors general in all executive branch departments and most small agencies. In 2006, with a combined operating budget of $1.9 billion, the 57 federal inspector general offices achieved $17 billion in savings.

Mr. McKinney was named an “Environmental Hero” by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters. This most recent legislative session, he was a co-sponsor and chief proponent of the Global Warming Bill, one of the major bipartisan successes of 2008. When Governor Rell signs the bill, Connecticut will become just the fifth state to establish limits for greenhouse gas emissions. California, New Jersey, Hawaii and Washington state have passed similar measures.

“Connecticut continues to lead the nation on environmental policy,” Mr. McKinney said. “In the absence of a federal energy policy, Connecticut is again setting a positive example for the rest of the country. By capping greenhouse gas emissions, we will reduce our carbon footprint, conserve energy, improve air quality and reduce our dependency on foreign oil.”

Mr. McKinney said he will continue to prioritize housing, education and transportation issues throughout his campaign and into the next legislative session.

Priorities

A leading advocate of supportive housing, Mr. McKinney is the first Connecticut legislator to propose adopting a statewide plan to end homelessness. The plan, which will provide a roadmap for funding 10,000 new units of permanent supportive housing, will be a priority initiative of his 2009 legislative agenda.

“Having a permanent, independent and affordable home combined with support programs and employment services is the most effective way to help the homeless population,” said Mr. McKinney, whose father, the late Congressman Stewart McKinney, crafted the nation’s first federal response to homelessness. “Connecticut has been a role model for this country in providing supportive housing. It is my hope we can set an example for the rest of the nation by ending homelessness in our state.”

Addressing education issues, Mr. McKinney, a parent of three children who attend Fairfield public schools, said he is committed to ensuring every Connecticut student receives a quality education. He is a staunch advocate for local control of school districts.

“Too often, politicians in Hartford think that they have all of the answers — well I don’t,” Mr. McKinney said. “I want our children’s education decisions made at the local level, rather than mandated by politicians in Hartford as part of a ‘one size fits all’ philosophy.”

Mr. McKinney vowed to continue his work to ensure the towns of Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, and Weston receive their fair share of state education funding. “The state’s ECS formula is broken. It’s time we fix it and provide all our towns with their fair share of education dollars,” he said.   

Mr. McKinney talked about his efforts to change the state’s transportation policy to address the long-term challenges of increasing congestion and rising gasoline prices.

He served on the Transportation Committee for nine years and was instrumental in helping to pass major transportation initiatives in 2005 and 2006 that will improve I-95 and replace all 342 Metro-North rail cars.

“The investments that we have made in mass transportation will take cars and trucks off our roads, helping to ease congestion and make our highways safer,” Mr. McKinney said. “A better transportation system is critical to making Connecticut competitive and improving our quality of life.”

On the local level, Mr. McKinney said he is committed to “protecting the character of our communities,” having fought several successful battles in opposition to overdevelopment.

He has also secured more than $2 million in state funding since 2006 for local projects. In March, he helped secure grants to fund a streetscape program in downtown Fairfield, a renovation and conservation initiative at Fairfield Hills in Newtown, and a new Little League Field and expanded senior center in Easton.  

Mr. McKinney, 44, earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He lives in Fairfield with his wife Megen and their three children, Matthew, 12, Graysen, 9, and Kate, 7.  

May 23, 2008
28th District
Democrat Martin Goldberg challenges incumbent McKinney
by Kimberly Donnelly

Democrats from the 28th state Senatorial District nominated Martin Goldberg of Fairfield to be their candidate in November.

Mr. Goldberg will run against Republican incumbent John McKinney, who currently holds the position of Senate minority leader.

The 28th District includes the towns of Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, and Weston.

Mr. Goldberg, an attorney from Fairfield who specializes in taxation and business law, estate planning and probate, was nominated at the Democratic Convention held Monday, May 19, at Roger Ludlowe Middle School in Fairfield.

“We’re thrilled to be contesting the race,” said Weston Selectman Gayle Weinstein.

According to Mr. Goldberg’s Web site, he is running on a platform that includes universal health care, protecting the planet, ethics reform, a sustainable tax policy, and a commitment to education.

“This November, the voters will define the direction they want the country and Connecticut to take. It is my hope that the direction will be towards a long-term plan that reflects our values as a people,” Mr. Goldberg says on his Web site.

Mr. Goldberg is an associate professor at the University of New Haven College of Business. He sits on the Advisory Board of the Connecticut Forum, and is a member of the Fairfield Affordable Housing Committee and the Fairfield Democratic Town Committee.

Mr. Goldberg holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Clark University, a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University School of Communication, a law degree from Connecticut School of Law, and a graduate degree in taxation from New York University School of Law.

He grew up in Stamford, and lives in Fairfield with his wife, Cindi.


CT SENATE 26TH DISTRICT - HON. JUDITH FREEDMAN NOT RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION

26 State Senate District:
Antonietta (Toni) Boucher ( R)
John Hartwell (D)
Jean Rabinow, Administrator for LWVCT, moderator
Wednesday, October 29, Westport Town Hall Auditorium 7-9:00pm

Hon. Toni Boucher, R-143rd, of Wilton, running fir CT Senate 26th District, against...


John Hartwell of Westport.


Hon. John Stripp, R-135th, running for re-election (photo from 2004 "Meet the Candidates"); Green Party opponent, no League debate scheduled.
May 24, 2008
STATE
Stripp seeks ninth term in the House
by Kimberly Donnelly
Hersam Acorn Newspapers
John Stripp

Westonite John Stripp has represented the 135th District in the state legislature for 16 years. With the acceptance of his nomination at the district’s Republican convention last Thursday, he has agreed to run for a ninth term.

Mr. Stripp, at least at this point, is expected to have no Democratic challenger.
“I think I’m uniquely suited to serve because of my attitude as a problem-solver rather than a politician,” Mr. Stripp said earlier this week. “A well-balanced, well-managed government can mitigate most serious problems. That’s the piece of the pie where I feel I fit in.”

The 135th District includes Redding. After being nominated by Dan Gilbert of the Weston Republican Town Committee at the convention in Easton, Mr. Stripp was unanimously chosen as the Republicans’ choice.

The state representative, who is also vice president of commercial lending at Fairfield County Bank, said his decision to run again for office was not automatic by any means.

“I did a lot of thinking about whether to run... I got to the point where I asked myself, ‘What can I bring to table and do for the party if I run?’” What he realized, he said, is he brings quite a bit that’s worthwhile and is needed in today’s political landscape.

“We all want a free lunch, but we ultimately have to ask, ‘Who’s going to pay for it and how...’ I have a way of making things happen,” he said.
Mr. Stripp knows that “free lunches” are never really free, but there are certain things people expect and want their government to help provide: Reasonably priced heath care, public safety, low cost housing, retirement options, and lifelong educational opportunities.

“And anybody with a conscience wants some money put aside for the truly needy,” he said.

The question is, “Can we get all these things without destroying the economic prosperity we’ve come to enjoy?” he asked rhetorically. “We want all these things, but few people are willing to pay for them. How do we deliver a reasonable level of these desires without destroying the system?”

That’s where Mr. Stripp feels his experience as a “problem-solver, as opposed to a politician” can make a difference. Solving problems “is what I enjoy doing... I think I can still be useful, and that’s why I decided to run again,” he said.

Mr. Stripp said part of his “usefulness” comes from being a moderate in what can sometimes be a “radical, left-leaning” House. He knows he is likely looking at working with a Democratic majority in the assembly again next term, and he’s OK with that — to a point.

With Speaker of the House James Amann’s announcement that he will not run for re-election, it looks as if Chris Donovan, a labor organizer, is the “heir apparent” to the position, Mr. Stripp said, and it is he who will set the tone in the House.
“He’s a fine individual and a decent guy, but his philosophy of government is geared toward his love and occupation — a union organizer.”

Mr. Stripp said he will support Mr. Donovan if he puts forward a “moderate program,” but “if he decides to go with a more radical program and expects the 135th District to pay for it, I will fight it with every ounce of energy I have.”

Mr. Stripp remains optimistic. “I hope the tone is one of rational bipartisanship... I’ve always worked well with my moderate Democrat friends,” he said, adding that most of his constituents in Weston, Easton, and Redding — both Democrats and Republicans — are much more willing to “meet in the middle” than many of the politicians in Hartford.

Mr. Stripp earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Pratt Institute and his master’s degree in management from Columbia University. He has completed the Senior Executive Program at Harvard University, and has taken advantage of several continuing education courses at Norwalk Community College.

He and his wife Judy have lived in Weston for 44 years, and they have two grown children, Jeff and Dianne, and four grandchildren.

Mr. Stripp began his public service as a member of the South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA). In Weston, he is a former member of both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance. He also served on the town’s Ethics Committee, and is a former chairman of the Weston Republican Town Committee — a post now held by his wife.

In the legislature, Mr. Stripp is a ranking member of the Commerce Committee, and a member of the Appropriations and the Banks committees.