Everything you need to know to rock the vote

On Tues., Nov. 3, all of Connecticut's statewide elected offices are up for grabs, as well as its U.S. House of Representatives and one of its two U.S. Senate seats. Here's a rundown of the ballot Yalies will face on election day.

* Governor

Though Connecticut has historically belonged to the Democrats, Rep. Barbara Kennelly (D-Conn.) is trailing incumbent John G. Rowland by 48 percent in the race for governor, according to a recent Quinnipiac College poll. Kennelly has blamed this discrepancy on a lack of financial support from the state Democratic Party: Kennelly has raised only $2.2 million, less than half of Rowland's $5.4 million in contributions. In addition, Rowland's campaign has emphasized traditionally liberal issues such as education and the environment. Meanwhile, even Democrats see Kennelly as a weak candidate who has failed to take an aggressive stand on important issues such as health care.

* U.S. Senate

Gary Franks, a conservative Republican from the 5th District who has served three terms in the U. S. House of Representatives, is battling Democratic incumbent Christopher Dodd for the Senate seat. Recent polls show Dodd leading with 54 percent to Franks' 34 percent. Dodd is co-chair of the Democratic National Committee, but his attempt for a fourth term could be thwarted by Franks' negative ads and his support from the popular Rowland. Dodd has, however, raised about 15 times more money than his opponent.

* U. S. House of Representatives, District 3

Rep. Rosa De Lauro, the incumbent Democrat, has served since 1992 as the 3rd District representative. Polls show that she is heavily favored to win her race against Republican challenger Martin Reust.

* State Attorney General

Richard Blumenthal, the incumbent Democrat, has been Connecticut's Attorney General for eight years. While in office, he intiated one of the first suits against the tobacco companies and joined the group of 40 states suing Microsoft. His Republican opponent, Santa Mendoza, who has never held elected office, argues that Blumenthal has spent too much time involved in national lawsuits and not enough time examining Connecticut's problems. Blumenthal is also known for his struggle against deadbeat dads: the state's total child support has doubled since he took office. Blumenthal is expected to win by a large margin.

* Secretary of the State

Republican candidate Ben Andrews, the former chair of the Connecticut chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has promised that if elected, he will increase awareness of politics in the state, especially among young people. His campaign suffered, however, when it was revealed that he lied about his age when he entered the military and later was involved in a dispute with the IRS. Democrat Susan Bysiewicz is a member of the state legislature who has worked digilently toward campaign finance reform. The race for secretary of the state is probably the closest of any state office.

* State Treasurer

Denise Nappier, an African-American woman--the Democrats' only minority candidate for state office--is relying on her record as Hartford's city treasurer to lead her to victory on Tuesday. If elected, she has promised to fully fund the state's pension program. Republican incumbent Paul Silvester was appointed to the office in 1997. He points to his success with a college savings account system and a satisfactory pension fund. This race appears to be close as well.

* State Comptroller

Nancy Wyman, a Democrat, served as a state representative before she was elected to the office of comptroller, the state's chief accountant. Her Republican challenger, Christopher R. Scalzo, has served as executive director of the state Republican party and as a state representative. Wyman cites her effective handling of the year 2000 computer problem in the state's computers and her income tax rebate intiative, which has met with the governor's and the legislature's approval. Scalzo blames Wyman for Connecticut's $25 million health care deficit. The candidates also differ in their stances toward the privatization of the state's computerized accounting: Scalzo supports privatization, while Wyman thinks it costly and unnecessary. As the incumbent Democrat, Wyman is likely to be elected.

* State Senate, District 10

Rep. Toni Harp is expected to be re-elected due to her support from African-American voters and her strong record in office. Republican challenger Steven Mullins, who has tried to use Harp's husband's tax evasion for his own gain, doesn't seem to have enough support to win the seat.

* State House of Representatives, District 94

Democrat William R. Dyson is running unopposed for his 12th consecutive term in Connecticut's General Assembly. His Republican opponent withdrew from the race earlier this month. Dyson also hopes to become the majority leader in the state House.

Back to News...