Post Your Predictions, Plus: Stinky’s Gonna Vote

Okay boys and girls, the weekend before November Neurosis. That means it’s time for predictions, for candidates you support, for those you don’t, even for those you would vote for (or against) even though you cannot.

I don’t know what kind of madness to expect Election Day and night. I’m just hopeful the polls close on time and I can post some quick results for Shays-Himes and Russo-Musto while (fingers crossed) Barack croaks the dinosaur and diva.

Speaking of the state senate race, Republican Rob Russo picked up the endorsements of the Connecticut Post, Bridgeport News and Trumbull Times. Every little bit helps. Russo and his opponent Anthony Musto (kudos to both) have run, by and large, positive campaigns. From CT Post:

Although he’s only served in the state Senate for seven months, Russo wisely selected a few issues to champion and found success with each. He aided in the fight to delay implementation of an in-school suspension law that would have been costly to all three towns, he gained state aid for a much-needed operations audit of the Bridgeport public school system and he worked with Gov. M. Jodi Rell for a loan to keep Lacey Manufacturing and its 250 jobs from leaving Bridgeport.

Russo has a solid background in government, having worked as deputy chief of staff for Congressman Christopher Shays in Washington and as director of the governor’s Fairfield County office.

In addition, by virtue of his being a Republican whose district includes an overwhelmingly Democratic city, his advocating for Bridgeport can have a greater impact at the state Capitol.

As for Democrat Jimmy Himes’ attempt to knock off 21-year incumbent Chris Shays, here’s my prediction: Himes needs a plurality out of Bridgeport of more than 20,000 to win, something that hasn’t happened for a congressional Democrat in nearly 40 years. Barack who has cut a radio spot for Jimmy will get that number in Bridgeport–but will Himes?

By the way, my legitimate questioning of what Himes will do for Bridgeport has apparently gotten under the thin skin of Jimmy’s campaign. OIB has been dropped from the Himes email list. Okay, one more time, can Himes please give us one reason he’ll be better for Bridgeport than Shays? I’m still waiting! Five votes in my household, plus my cat Stinky and dog Jeter. I’m bringing them to vote too!

As for a candidate I would vote against if I could (and did when I lived in Monroe) Republican DebraLee Hovey’s stomach turned to maggots on Thursday upon learning her opponent Michele Mount (OIB friend MCAT) received the endorsement of the Newtown Bee, an old Yankee Republican pub. Get a load of this from The Bee:

In the 112th District, we are backing Democrat Michele Mount, who should bring new vigor to the representation of Newtown and Monroe. Her work in Bridgeport has earned her a network of connections and relationships in Hartford on the majority side of the aisle that should complement the work done by Republicans McKinney and Rodgers on our behalf. Her positions on property tax relief, state aid to municipalities, and open space preservation align with the interests of Newtown.

That endorsement is a total repudiation of Hovey’s trashy campaign. That’s got to be eating away at “I-hate-Bridgeport” Hovey, even though her husband, a city firefighter, works for city taxpayers. Hovey has crapped on Bridgeport in her campaign, in her speeches, during debates, in her mailings, claiming that the voters of Monroe and Newtown must castigate MCAT because she dared to work as legislative liaison for big, bad Bridgeport.

Turns out The Bee praised MCAT’s legislative contacts on behalf of the city to help Newtown. Hovey’s campaign is straight out of the Marxist, Socialist, Communist, Fascist (what did I forget) crap the GOP has heaped on Barack.

If you have friends in Monroe and Newtown, urge them, call them, beg them to vote against Hovey’s demonizing of a city we love.

New release from CT Secretary of the State

Bysiewicz: Hundreds of New Poll Workers Trained and Ready for 2008 Elections; Will Be Deployed Statewide

Secretary of the State leads efforts to engage new corps of poll workers for communities most in need

Hartford: Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz announced today that hundreds of new poll workers have completed training for the 2008 General Election and will be deployed in precincts throughout the state on Election Day, November 4th. Workers will be assigned primarily to the cities of Bridgeport and Hartford but also to other communities statewide. At least 250 of the poll workers are students trained at 6 colleges in a program led and organized through Secretary Bysiewicz’s office.

“In just 4 days, Connecticut voters will go to the polls to cast ballots in record numbers,” said Bysiewicz. “We are ready and polling places will be staffed by well-trained poll workers. These workers will get a fantastic learning experience about how the democratic process works and will be helping to oversee its basic function – the vote.”

Students at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport , Capitol Community College in Hartford , the UCONN School of Social Work in West Hartford, Manchester Community College , Middlesex Community College in Middletown and Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven all participated in the poll worker training programs. With the exception of Middlesex Community College and Southern Connecticut State University, the training classes for student poll workers were all organized and led by local registrars and the Secretary of the State’s office.

Middlesex Community College and Southern Connecticut State University received federal grants totaling $40,000 from the Election Assistance Commission to conduct poll worker training programs for students who attend those institutions.

Bysiewicz added, “Recruiting poll workers is a challenge, and there is a perennial shortage of motivated, qualified poll workers in our state. I like to call the college poll-worker training program a win-win-win. First, it engages our young people in the Democratic process; second, it provides highly competent, energetic young poll-workers for communities throughout our state; third, cities or towns will be reimbursed by state and federal dollars for the cost of hiring those poll-workers on Election Day who participated in the college training program.”

As part of their preparation to be poll workers, the students were trained on:

· How to set up a polling place and run the optical scan ballot tabulators

· Correct Voter ID requirements

· Voter rights, responsibilities and privacy protections

· How to operate and administer the vote-by-phone system

· The different types of poll workers and their responsibilities (Ballot Clerk, Registrar, Assistant Moderator, Tabulator Tender, Demonstrator, Official Checker)

· How to manage the expected large turnout

· Assisting and managing voter inquiries

· Proper procedures for closing the polling place and counting the ballots

Polls will be open on Election Day from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and the poll workers start their shifts at 5:15 a.m. Poll workers are expected to stay at the polling place until the equipment is closed down at the end of the night and all the ballots are counted and reported to local officials. Poll workers are paid according to the task they are assigned and that pay varies in different communities. For instance, a “Demonstrator” in Hartford is paid $145 for working on Election Day.

“I applaud the leadership shown by registrars teaming up with local colleges to train more poll workers for Election Day,” said Bysiewicz. “I would encourage any towns who have not taken advantage of that program to get in touch with schools in your area because we could always use more poll workers. If you are a student, think about the incredible civics lesson in managing real ballots cast by real voters – and getting paid for it!”

Professor Joanne Anzelberger, who teaches Criminal Justice and American Government and organized the training program at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport said, “My students are enthusiastic about becoming poll workers and are eager to get a ground floor look at how democracy really works. I applaud the Secretary of the State’s office for having the vision and leadership to encourage our state’s young people to participate in true public service.”

Bridgeport Registrar of Voters Sandi Ayala said, “It is essential to have well-trained, highly motivated, reliable poll workers that will result in a successful election on November 4th. Poll workers are the foundation in how our ballots are cast. The college student poll worker training program is an investment in our future; it goes a long way towards ensuring we will have a good supply of competent poll workers for years to come.”‘