In The Loop – July 29, 2022
The Race is On!
With CT’s August 9th primary election right around the corner, you’ve probably noticed the increase in TV/radio/and social media advertising for those running for statewide office, and maybe a lot more in person meet and greets around your town for candidates seeking their party pick to run in November’s general election.
I started to think, did the change in primary schedule from September to August really make a difference in voter turnout? Or was it just stretching out the campaign messaging and the unknown for a longer period of time?
I did some digging and I had to go way back to 2004 when CT changed primary elections from September to August with the belief that MORE CT registered voters would participate in this intra-party dust up. Interesting – according to the Secretary of State back then in 2004, turn out was at 16.8% for the Republicans and 17.0% for the Democrats. Then fast forward to 2016 and surprise surprise, turn out for the August primaries was 17% for Republicans and 17.39% for the Democrats – not even a full percentage point higher for either party! Even more recent primary voter turn out hasn’t created the buzz folks were looking for back in 2004.
So much for that theory that an earlier primary will result in more voters!
In 2020, under CT’s worst pandemic, we saw only a dozen state house seats and three state senate seats be contested at the primary. BUT, then there were absentee ballots in force as part of the governor’s pandemic action to protect the voters who did vote…KEEP READING.