Merrill Announces Candidates For CT Presidential Primaries

Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders and Republicans Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump will appear on the ballot for Connecticut’s April 26th presidential primaries.

From Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill:

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill announced the names of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates who will appear on the ballot in Connecticut’s April 26th primary election.

Secretary Merrill said, “This has been a captivating campaign season that has revealed vastly different visions for America’s future. The choices are exciting. With the candidates available to us identified, the most important thing for you to do is to show up and vote on April 26th.”

Secretary Merrill was joined by Chairman of the Connecticut Democratic Party, Nick Balletto, and the Chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, J.R. Romano.

Democratic Chairman Nick Balletto said, “Connecticut will play an important role in selecting our next president, and the Connecticut Democratic Party is thrilled to have two wonderful candidates running for the nomination. Both our state and our parties are stronger when people participate in the democratic process, so I encourage all registered Democrats to vote and have their voices heard.”

Republican Chairman J.R. Romano said, “We look forward to Connecticut playing a large role in the selection process as Republican voters carefully vet and choose our nominee for President. This year, the Connecticut Republican Party has taken a direct outreach approach to registering new Republicans to vote with our “Have A Say” campaign, targeting tens of thousands of previously unreached Connecticut residents to register as Republicans and have their say in our nominating process. We have already welcomed thousands of new Republicans to our party and look forward to registering even more looking ahead to our April 26th Primary election.”

The following Democratic candidates will have their names on the ballot (with the order to be randomly selected in March):
· Hillary Clinton; Bernie Sanders

The following Republican candidates were selected to appear on the ballot (also with the order to be randomly selected in March):
· Jeb Bush; Ben Carson; Ted Cruz; John R. Kasich; Marco Rubio; Donald J. Trump

Each candidate selected will be notified by registered mail with return receipt requested, as required by law. Candidates may request that their names be omitted from the ballot as long as they make a written request, “not later than twelve o’clock p.m. of the thirty-sixth day before the primary.”

According to state statutes, a candidate’s name may be placed on a party’s primary ballot in one of two alternative ways:
(1) by the Secretary of the State, if she determines that the “candidacy of such person for such party’s nomination for President is generally and seriously advocated or recognized” or
(2) by petition signed by at least one per cent of the enrolled members of the party in the state according to the most recent active-list enrollment records on file in this office.

The approximate minimum signature requirements would be more than 7,100 Democrats and upwards of 4,000 Republicans (estimated using an enrollment compilation from February 2016). Petitions became available today, February 16th, at noon and must be submitted to local Registrars of Voters by March 4, 2016.