And the winner is… Stamford. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill on Tuesday presented the 2012 “Democracy Cup” to the city of Stamford, for the highest percentage voter turnout in the 2012 Presidential election in Connecticut (71.6%). The annual award is handed to the small, mid-sized, large towns and city with the highest voter turnout on Election Day. The other winners of the 2012 Democracy Cup for voter turnout are Bridgewater (94.75%), Granby (86.22%) and Middletown (89.86%).
The statewide turnout of registered voters was 74 percent. Stamford’s in the same category as Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven. City turnouts, according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s website:
Bridgeport 52.22%
Hartford 65.14%
New Haven 62.48%
Bridgeport and New Haven have roughly the same number of registered voters, 72,000, while Hartford’s registration is about 20,000 less. There’s a lot of dead wood in the Bridgeport registration: 37,510 registered voters cast a ballot. The turnout in the last presidential election in Bridgeport was 59 percent.
Hey, Bridgeport did not lead the state in votes by absentee ballot. That distinction goes to New Haven.
Check out the statewide stats here.
*** WELCOME TO “ZOMBIELAND!” ***
In addition to the “deadwood” of people not voting, there is a consistent problem of people who no longer live where they are registered. The community is very mobile.
The Bridgeport political system is geared to the idea once we find ’em and register ’em, leave ’em there–and sort it out later, or later, or later.
A state-issued ID would certainly substantiate legal residence. Did Christina Ayala present lawful ID when she established her ‘credentials’ to run for office?