Races for state legislature to be settled by Aug. 12 primaries
(July 25, 2008) It may be mid-summer, but primaries for major-party candidates seeking to run for the state legislature in November are right around the corner.
Connecticut’s election season kicks off on Tuesday, Aug. 12, when party-registered voters in dozens of cities and towns will go to the polls to settle intraparty races.
In some of the contests, candidates are trying to unseat incumbent state legislators. Most of the primaries, however, are for legislative seats that are now open because the incumbents have decided not to seek reelection.
Only voters registered with the political party holding the primary in their particular district may participate.
Currently, the Connecticut House of Representatives has 107 Democrats and 44 Republicans, and the state Senate has 23 Democrats and 13 Republicans.
However, 22 legislators will not be returning to their seats this fall. Nine Democratic and 9 Republican state representatives are stepping down, and four senators (all Republicans) are doing the same. Two of the incumbent Republican representatives stepping down are seeking Senate seats.
After the primary battles, however, there will be numerous uncontested seats for the state legislature this year. According to the secretary of the state’s office, there are 41 uncontested House races, including 29 Republican and 12 Democratic incumbents. (Still, this is an improvement over two years ago, when there were 62 uncontested House contests.) The Senate has seven uncontested seats, compared with nine in 2006.
Under Connecticut law, there are three ways candidates can qualify for a primary. Candidates can win the endorsement of their party convention for the seat or secure the support of at least 15% of the convention delegates. Failing that, they can become petitioning candidates by collecting signatures from a minimum of 2% of enrolled members of their party in the voting district.
For the latest listing of primary challenges for the state legislature on Aug. 12, visit CTbizVotes.com.
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