Mark Your Presidential Primary Calendar

2012 will be a hot presidential election cycle including a Republican primary April 24. State statute provides Connecticut’s secretary of the state (Denise Merrill) latitude for choosing what candidates may appear on the ballot such as those “generally and seriously advocated and recognized” by the news media. Eight or so Republican presidential candidates have been appearing regularly in GOP debates. But candidates may also petition for a ballot spot as noted in this news release below from Merrill. The Connecticut Republican Party recently changed its bylaws to allow a proportional sharing of delegates, based on primary results, pledged to candidates at the party’s national convention.

Secretary of the State Must Choose Candidates, Select Order for Those on Ballot for the Presidential Preference Primary on April 24, 2012

Hartford: Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today released the official calendar for the upcoming Presidential Preference Primary to take place in Connecticut on April 24, 2012. Among the events leading up to the April primary, Secretary Merrill must take two critical actions: 1) On February 10, 2012, Secretary Merrill must announce which candidates will appear on the Presidential Preference Primary ballot by virtue of the fact they are “generally and seriously advocated and recognized” in the national or state news media, according to Connecticut general statutes 9-465; and 2) On March 20, 2012 Secretary Merrill, in a public ceremony, must select the order of the Presidential candidates that will appear on the ballot for the primary on April 24th. Candidates can also petition their way onto the ballot for Presidential Preference Primary if they gather signatures of one percent of the enrolled party members in Connecticut.

“Next year will be a very busy one for elections in Connecticut, and we start right away with the Presidential Preference Primary in April,” said Secretary Merrill, Connecticut’s Chief Elections Official. “The excitement of the 2012 Presidential campaign is already being felt in Connecticut, and we have been paying very close attention to the various candidates as we will need to select those who by law should appear on the ballot for voters.”

Connecticut voters can register up to one day before the Presidential Preference Primary on April 24, 2012 in order to cast ballots that day. In addition, unaffiliated voters will have until that same deadline–April 23, 2012–to enroll in a major party in order to cast ballots the following day. Polls will be open for Connecticut voters registered with a major party from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for the Presidential Preference primary. Connecticut will be part of a regional primary, as voters in New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Delaware will also be heading to the polls that day. The complete calendar for the primary is attached and can be found online at www.sots.ct.gov.