Nov 1, 2006
Election Day is on Tuesday
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by KIMBERLY DONNELLY
The eyes of the nation will be on Connecticut next Tuesday as Weston’s
more than 6,000 registered voters participate in a closely watched
congressional race and a strange matchup between an incumbent
Democratic senator and his Democratic challenger.
In addition, Westonites will cast votes for state legislators, governor
and lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, treasurer,
secretary of the state, local judge of probate, and town registrars of
voters.
Those looking to cast a vote for Weston’s registrars might have a few
problems. Because of some missed deadlines, Republican Eileen Buckley
is on the ballot as a petitioning candidate, and Democrat Diane Lofthus
is not on the ballot at all — she is, however, registered as a write-in
candidate. Both are running unopposed.
The registrars have been keeping busy in the weeks leading up to the
Nov. 7 election, however. According to Ms. Buckley, as of Monday, the
number of registered voters in Weston had climbed by about 125 since
the Democratic primary held in August.
As of Oct. 30, Weston has 1,826 registered Democrats, 1,937
Republicans, 2,265 unaffiliated voters, and 11 registered with third
parties such as the Green, Libertarian, or Concerned Citizen parties,
for a total of 6,039 registered voters in town.
Voters had until Oct. 31 to register to vote in the Nov. 7 election.
The only exceptions are those who turn 18, move into town, or become
citizens between now and Nov. 7. They may register at the town clerk’s
office until Election Day.
Voting
The polls will be open at Weston Middle School on Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Under state law, a voter must present identification at the polls.
Acceptable identification is a driver’s license or anything with a
person’s name on it and a picture, address or signature. People without
identification may sign an affidavit declaring under penalty of false
statement who they are.
Absentee ballots may be cast by anyone who will not be in town during
the hours the polls are open, or by anyone unable to get to the polls
because of illness or disability.
A registered voter may pick up an absentee ballot from the town clerk’s
office in Weston Town Hall during regular office hours (9 to 4:30) or
during special extended hours on Thursday, Nov. 2 (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.),
and Saturday, Nov. 4 (9 to noon).
Federal candidates
The two most talked about races during this election are undoubtedly the federal ones.
Republican incumbent Christopher Shays of Bridgeport has been
representing the 4th District, which includes Weston, for nearly 20
years. He is vice chairman of the Government Reform Committee, chairman
of the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats, and
International Relations and a member of the Homeland Security and
Financial Services committees.
He is being challenged for the second time by Democrat Diane Farrell. A
former first selectman of Westport, Ms. Farrell also served on that
town’s Board of Finance. She served for two years as the chairman of
the South Western Regional Planning Agency’s Metropolitan Planning
Organization (SWRPA MPO). She was also a member of the Coastal Corridor
Transportation Investment Area unit of Connecticut’s Transportation
Strategy Board, and served on the National League of Cities
Transportation Infrastructure and Services Committee.
Libertarian Phil Maymin of Greenwich is also vying for the 4th District seat.
Mr. Maymin, a Harvard graduate, is a computer programmer and manages
his own hedge fund, Maymin Capital Management LLC, in his hometown of
Greenwich.
The other race that has garnered much interest across the state is the one for the U.S. Senate.
Democrat Joseph Lieberman is now in his third term representing
Connecticut. A former state senator, state attorney general,
presidential candidate, and Al Gore’s running mate in the 2000
presidential election, Mr. Lieberman lost the Democratic primary in
August, and is running as an independent candidate.
His challenger, Democrat Ned Lamont, is a businessman from Greenwich.
He founded his own company, Lamont Digital Systems, in 1984. He is a
graduate of both Harvard and the Yale School of Management and a former
newspaper editor.
Running a nearly silent campaign for the Senate seat is Republican Alan
Schlessinger, a former state legislator and former mayor of Derby. Also
running for U.S. Senator is Timothy Knibbs, Concerned Citizen Party,
and Green Party candidate Ralph Ferrucci.
State legislators
This year, two of Weston’s three state legislators are being challenged.
Republican Representative John Stripp (135th District) of Weston is
serving his seventh term representing all of Weston, Easton, and part
of Redding. A bank executive, Mr. Stripp serves on the House
Appropriations, Banks, and Commerce committees. He is a former member
of the Weston Board of Selectmen, and is a former chairman of the
Weston Board of Finance, the Weston Land Acquisition Committee, and the
Weston Republican Town Committee. He also served as vice chairman of
Weston’s Ethics Committee.
Green candidate Nancy Burton, who has been most visible for her
simultaneous bid for attorney general, is running against Mr. Stripp.
Ms. Burton, a public interest attorney, is an anti-nuclear power
environmental activist, and co-founder of the Connecticut Coalition
Against Millstone. Ms. Buckley said Weston voters should be aware that
Weston is divided into two state Senate districts. One may vote only
for a candidate running to represent the district in which one lives.
This is often cause for confusion on Election Day, Ms. Buckley said.
Most of Weston lies within the 28th Senatorial District, which also
includes portions of Easton, Fairfield, and Newtown. Those Westonites —
as of Oct. 31, there were 5,107 registered voters in the 28th District
— will see the name of incumbent Republican Senator John McKinney on
their ballots. He is running unopposed.
Those who live in the southwestern corner of Weston (932 registered
voters) are in the 26th District, which also includes all or parts of
Redding, Ridgefield, Wilton, New Canaan, Bethel, and Westport. Those
voters will choose between incumbent Republican Judith Freedman and her
Democratic challenger, Craig Rebecca Schiavone.
Mr. McKinney from the 28th District is now serving his fourth term. He
is the state Senate minority leader pro tempore, and serves as the
ranking member of the Committees on the Environment, Housing and
Transportation.
The 26th District is looking at a contested race this year.
Senator Freedman has served as state Senator for nearly 20 years. She
is a deputy Republican leader and a ranking member of the Committee on
Higher Education/Workforce Development. She serves on the
Appropriations, Government and Elections, Internship, and Legislative
Management committees.
Ms. Freedman is being challenged by Ms. Schiavone, a Democrat. Ms.
Schiavone is an entrepreneur and business executive who co-founded
Schiavone Management Company, a property and real estate asset
management firm, and Sightlines LLC, a management consulting firm
providing colleges, universities and not-for-profit institutions with
strategic planning services.
Others
Other candidates on the ballot include:
For governor and lieutenant governor: Republican incumbent M. Jodi Rell
and her running mate, Michael Fedele; Democrat John DeStefano and his
running mate, Mary Messina Glassman; Concerned Citizen Joseph Zdonczyk
and his running mate, Jose Garcia; and Green Party candidate Clifford
Thorton and his running mate, Jean de Smet.
For secretary of the state: Democratic incumbent Susan Bysiewicz,
Republican Richard Abbate, Libertarian Ken Mosher, Concerned Citizen
Jean Marie Burness, and Green candidate S. Michael Derosa.
For treasurer: Democratic incumbent Denise Nappier, Republican Linda
Roberts, Libertarian Steven Edelman, Concerned Citizen Mimi Knibbs, and
Green candidate S. David Bue.
For comptroller: Democratic incumbent Nancy Wyman, Republican
Cathy Cook, Libertarian Richard Connelly Jr., and Green candidate Colin
Bennett.
For attorney general: Democratic incumbent Richard Blumenthal, Republican Robert Farr, and Green candidate Nancy Burton.
For judge of probate: Democratic incumbent Kevin O’Grady.
© Copyright 2006 by Hersam Acorn newspapers
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