Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill

In order to practice social distancing and slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), public access to our building, 165 Capitol Avenue, will be restricted. Although in-person interactions will be limited, our office staff will be available via email as normal. For the Business Services Division email CRD@ct.gov and for the Legislative & Elections Administration Division email LEAD@ct.gov. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to return to normal business as soon as the immediate threat to public health has subsided.

Press Releases

03/01/2019

Secretary Merrill to Award the Democracy Cup to Four Towns With the Highest 2018 Voter Turnout

Washington, Granby, Guilford, and West Hartford win the 2018 Democracy Cup
HARTFORD – Four Connecticut towns earned the coveted Democracy Cup, which is awarded to cities that saw the highest voter turnout in the state in the 2018 midterm election. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill will present titles in four categories based on town size—small, mid-sized, large, and city. The winners were Washington (small), Granby (mid-sized), Guilford (large) and West Hartford (city).

“Record breaking voter registration was followed by record breaking voter turnout in Connecticut!” said Secretary Merrill. “Our democracy is healthy, and I will fight to continue to make both registration and voting convenient and without unneeded obstacles.”

Secretary Merrill will award the Democracy Cups as follows:
Small Town: Washington Town Hall, Main Hall March 11, 2019 1:30pm
Mid-sized Town: Granby Senior Center, Community Room March 4, 2019 6:30pm
Large Town: Guilford Town Hall, First Selectman’s Office March 28, 2019 1:00pm
City: West Hartford Town Hall, Council Chambers March 26, 2019 7:30pm

Under Democracy Cup criteria, cities and towns with fewer than 5,000 people are considered small; cities and towns with between 5,000 and 14,999 people are considered mid-sized; cities and towns with between 15,000 and 49,999 people are considered large towns. Cities and towns with more than 50,000 people are categorized as cities. The competition has been co-sponsored by the East Haddam Civic Association since 2000.

In the 2018 general election, a midterm election record 1,421,953 people cast a ballot out of an all-time high of 2,181,197 registered voters. Total statewide turnout was 65.19%.

Turnout among the four winners was: 87.66% in Washington, 76.79% in Granby; 79.96% in Guilford and 74.94% in West Hartford. Each community awarded the Democracy Cup will be able to host and display a trophy until the 2020 election.

Democracy Cup Winners
2000-2018
Year SMALL TOWN MID-SIZE TOWN LARGE TOWN CITY
2018 Washington Granby Guilford West Hartford
2016 Pomfret Somers Wallingford Greenwich
2014 Cornwall Guilford Glastonbury Fairfield
2012 Bridgewater Granby Middletown Stamford
2011 Hampton Middlebury Trumbull Waterbury
2010 Roxbury Granby Simsbury Stamford
2009 Bridgewater Orange East Haven Stamford
2008 New Hartford Avon Newtown Stamford
2007 East Haven North Haven West Hartford
2006 Union Westport West Hartford
2005 Middlebury Shelton West Hartford
2004 Washington Wethersfield Fairfield
2003 Washington Naugatuck West Hartford
2002 Middlebury Glastonbury West Hartford
2001 Washington Trumbull Waterbury
2000 Essex Westport West Hartford

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