How Are Your AB Muscles? Let Us Vote Early, Plus: Should Lamont Debate Malloy?

Say absentee ballot in Bridgeport, and it was money in the bank. (The question was whose bank account?) Say absentee ballot and you wondered just how many voted from St. Michael’s Cemetery. Hey, what’s wrong with a few dead guys voting?

Ah yes, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz is reminding voters absentee ballots are “available for any Connecticut voters who will be out of town or otherwise unavailable to go to their polling place.” Well, that never stopped a city pol with an AB operation that could dwarf totals on the machines. Democratic Town Chair Mario Testa had one of those operations. How many times Mario (or his candidate) lost on the machines only to croak the opponent when the ABs were counted.

Who could forget Democratic Judge of Probate candidate Kevin Boyle defeating incumbent judge Paul Ganim on the machines by a few dozens votes in 2002. (No, I was not involved in that race.) Then the AB counters counted and counted and counted and well, Paul wins by a few hundred votes. Mario has mellowed his AB operation in recent years. The federals were watching. Who needs the grief?

But don’t despair, AB lovers. City Councilwoman Lydia Martinez has emerged as the new queen of the ABs,  be it City Council race or Town Committee race.

Primaries are just around the corner and ya never know who could be dug up for a vote. But here’s what I say, want folks to vote often? Let them vote early. It’s time for this state to open up the voting process early. If you want to vote one month in advance head over to town hall and cast a ballot (or two or three or four).

Should Ned Debate Dan?

Ned Lamont’s handlers have decided they don’t want him debating Dan Malloy. They have enough confidence in their internal poll giving Ned a lead, and not enough confidence in their candidate to avoid a gaffe. (So far.)

I’ve seen Ned debate several times. Clearly, he’s not as seasoned as Malloy. But in a debate with Joe Lieberman four years ago and several gubernatorial forums this year including one head-on with Malloy it appeared to me no harm, no foul. Ned may not look as comfortable as Dan responding to the complexity of government, but he holds his own. Democratic primary polls can be volatile, especially as serial primary voters settle on a candidate. Channel 3 is prepared to give Malloy one free hour of his own time. If I’m advising Ned (aren’t you glad I’m not?) I say do the debate (and hold your breath). This story is starting to seep into the daily news cycle just weeks before the primary. Plus, this will play with editorial boards of newspapers as they consider a primary endorsement. In a close primary, these things matter. Does Ned look weak by accepting the debate after resistance? Not if he performs well. The good news for Ned, plenty of money to try to drown out debate-duck chatter.

From Channel 3

WFSB-TV Channel 3 and Connecticut Public Television are teaming up to host two gubernatorial debates at Channel 3’s Rocky Hill studios.

Democratic candidates Ned Lamont and Dan Malloy have been invited to debate on Aug. 3. As of Tuesday, Malloy had accepted in invitation and Lamont had declined.

The Democratic debate will be broadcast on Channel 3 and WNPR at 3 p.m. The debate will be rebroadcast at 7 p.m. on Eyewitness News NOW. CPTV and WNPR will rebroadcast the debate at 8 p.m.

The Republican candidates, Michael Fedele, Thomas Foley and Oz Griebel all agreed to debate on Aug. 4. The debate will be broadcast on Channel 3 and WNPR at 3 p.m. The debate will be rebroadcast on Eyewitness News NOW at 7 p.m. CPTV and WNPR will rebroadcast the debate at 8 p.m.

Eyewitness News anchor and host of “Face The State” Dennis House and John Dankosky, WNPR news director and host of “Where We Live,” will serve as debate co-moderators.

E-mail Debatequestions@wfsb.com to suggest questions for the moderator.

From SuBy

Secretary Bysiewicz Reminds Connecticut Voters that Absentee Ballots are Now Available for August 10th Primaries

Secretary of the State also Urging Unaffiliated voters to Enroll with a Major Party by August 9, 2010 in Order to Vote in Primaries

Hartford: Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz today reminded Connecticut voters that absentee ballots are now available for any Connecticut voters who will be out of town or otherwise unavailable to go to their polling place and cast a ballot in statewide primaries on August 10, 2010. At the same time, Secretary Bysiewicz is also urging unaffiliated voters across the state to enroll with the Democratic or Republican Parties by August 9th at 12:00 p.m. so they can vote in the primaries, since only registered Republicans or Democrats can cast a ballot on Tuesday August 10th.

“We are just three weeks away from one of the most competitive primaries Connecticut has seen in many years,” said Secretary Bysiewicz, Connecticut’s chief elections official. “Since this is summer and many people are planning vacations around primary day, I am reminding all of Connecticut’s registered voters to go to their town clerk’s office and apply for an absentee ballot for the primaries Tuesday August 10th. Don’t wait until it is too late – make sure you have a say in who represents you in Hartford and Washington, D.C. If you will be out of town or if there is a reason you cannot make it to your polling place on August 10th – get an absentee ballot so your voice will be heard on Primary Day!”

To receive an absentee ballot, registered Connecticut voters can fill out a simple application at their town clerk’s office or download the application on their town’s website. Applications for absentee ballots are also available on the Secretary of the State’s website www.sots.ct.gov and once an application is completed and turned in, the ballot will be sent to the voter in the mail within days. They can be returned by mail or in-person to town offices up until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday August 10, 2010 and still be counted in the statewide primary.

Secretary Bysiewicz is also urging Connecticut’s 840,000 unaffiliated voters – the largest group of the state’s nearly two million active registered voters – to enroll with the Democratic or Republican parties so they can cast ballots on Primary Day. To be eligible to cast a ballot in the August 10th, 2010 Connecticut Primary Elections, an unaffiliated voter must enroll as a Democrat or Republican in person at his or her local Registrar of Voters office by Monday, August 9th at 12:00 PM. Mail-in registration forms must be postmarked no later than August 5th. New voters face those same deadlines if they wish to register with a party and vote in the primaries.

Since the beginning of the year, more than 4,000 unaffiliated Connecticut voters have switched to the Republican or Democratic parties, making themselves eligible to vote in the August 10th primary. On Primary Day August 10, 2010 polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.sots.ct.gov

From Dick Blumenthal:

ATTORNEY GENERAL URGES ALTERNATIVES TO BROAD LOBSTER FISHING MORATORIUM

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal today urged the American Lobster Management Board to reject a broad moratorium on lobster fishing that could potentially devastate commercial lobster fishermen, wholesalers and retailers in Connecticut.

The board will meet Thursday to consider a five-year moratorium on all lobster fishing south of Cape Cod, including Long Island Sound, after a recent report by the board’s Technical Committee revealed that the region’s lobster population has been “critically depleted.”

Blumenthal said the committee’s own report concludes that increased water temperature — not lobster harvesting — is the primary factor in stock reduction.

“These findings, the welfare of countless lives and the continuation of Connecticut’s rich fishing heritage strongly support rejection of a moratorium,” Blumenthal said. “I strongly urge that you reject any moratorium on lobster fishing in the Long Island Sound — a move that would potentially undercut a key cornerstone of a Connecticut marketplace, beginning with commercial lobster fishermen and reverberating throughout an entire network of wholesalers and retailers.

“At a time of severe recession, more sensible conservation measures are required because our fishermen cannot sustain a broad ban against lobster fishing, as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is considering.

“As a longtime advocate for preserving Long Island Sound, and all of the resources and treasures that it encompasses, I recognize the necessity of encouraging healthy lobster population growth in the region. However, as the Technical Committee’s own findings demonstrate, a moratorium fails to firmly promise the promotion of lobster stock.”

Blumenthal urged the board to consider other conservation measures, including programs to reduce the catch of egg-bearing female lobsters, establishing no-harvest areas and other readily available alternatives that may bolster the lobster population without the devastating impact of a moratorium

Thursday Night Concert

Bridgeport’s own Son 7 is a seven-piece band that will take you back to the days of Hector Lavoe and bring you forward to the sounds of Coldplay with their unique salsa rendition of Clocks. Their electric blend of Latin Rock and Salsa turns heads and makes bodies move!

Downtown Thursdays concerts happen every Thursday after work on McLevy Green (5-7 PM) in July* and August. Come see a new band each week. Cold refreshments are provided by Tiago’s Restaurant. Downtown Thursdays is a family event. Bring yours downtown with you and stick around for dinner. Visit infobridgeport.com to find out more about downtown’s array of exciting restaurants, cafes and delis.