Today is Election Day, where students who have not already voted can vote in eight races at their assigned location from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In addition to the presidential election, there will be seven local races on the ballot including a contested senate race, congressional race, state senate race, state house race, registrar of voters race and a referendum on absentee voting. There will also be a non-contested race for the judge of probate.
The early voting location at the UConn bookstore is now closed and students who have not yet voted can still vote at their assigned location, which Connecticut residents can look up online.
Senate race
A senate election is taking place between Democrat incumbent Chris Murphy and Republican challenger Matthew Corey.
According to his campaign website, Murphy works to provide startups with seed money, fund defense manufacturing in Connecticut, strengthen gun control laws and strengthen the Affordable Care Act.
Corey looks to expand Trump era tax cuts, build a wall on America’s southern border, support law enforcement and rebuild deteriorating infrastructure, according to his campaign website.
Congressional race
A congressional race between Democrat incumbent Joe Courtney and Republican challenger Mike France is taking place in Connecticut’s second district. Courtney has held the 2nd district since 2007.
Courtney is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and ranking member of the House Seapower and Strength Projection Subcommittee, and says he is prioritizing defense manufacturing on his campaign website. His website also says he supports rebuilding aging infrastructure and supporting agricultural workers.
According to his campaign website, France served in the Navy, then worked as senior systems engineer for a local defense contractor. France was the chair of the Conservative Caucus in Connecticut’s General Assembly, a group that describes itself as “dedicated to the principles of limited government, economic freedom, and individual liberty.”
State senate race
The state senate race in the 29th district is taking place between Democrat incumbent Mae Flexer, Republican Chris Reddy and Green Party candidate Alice Leibowitz.
Flexer says she views higher education as her top priority and says she is proud to represent more college students than any other state senator.
Reddy says he is prioritizing affordability and views Connecticut’s bureaucracy as onerous.
Leibowitz says she prioritizes divestment from the military-industrial complex, ranked choice voting and redistricting schools to ensure that schools are of equal quality, according to the Norwich Bulletin.
State House race
In Mansfield’s 1st, 2nd and 4th districts, a contested race between Democrat incumbent Gregg Haddad and Republican Aaron Bowman will take place in Connecticut’s 54th district. In Mansfield’s 3rd district, Democrat incumbent Pat Boyd is running unopposed in Connecticut’s 50th district.
Haddad views higher education as his primary area of influence in Connecticut and says he views stabilizing state funding for higher education as a top priority. He also says he has been a strong advocate for the environment, increasing the minimum wage and paid family and medical leave.
Bowman says his priorities are cost of living issues, accountability and transparency. Bowman previously criticized a perceived lack of oversight of UConn’s spending and housing costs.
Judge of Probate
Democrat Sophia Shaikh is running unopposed to be judge of probate to fill a vacancy. According to a Tolland government website, a judge of probate is elected by residents of Mansfield, Tolland, Coventry and Willington. The Probate Court has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, adoption and guardianship, according to the website.
According to avvo.com, Shaikh has been a licensed attorney for the past 25 years and has sat in over 25 different probate courts. The website lists her practice areas as probate, elder law, juvenile law and real estate.
Registrar of Voters
Democrat Ron Manizza and Republican Alfred E. Fratoni are running to be Mansfield’s registrar of voters. Mansfield currently has Democrat Anne Greineder and Republican Vera Ward as registrars, according to a Mansfield town website.
Absentee voting
Connecticut residents will also get to vote on a ballot question to approve or deny an amendment to Connecticut’s constitution allowing for no-excuse absentee voting.
“Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?” the question reads.
According to the Connecticut General Assembly website, a similar referendum question was on the ballot in 2014, though this was rejected by voters.