The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
LaPointe officially a write-in candidate
HARTFORD >> David G. LaPointe is officially registered as a write-in candidate for the 63rd House District for the Nov. 8 election, officials said Friday.
Write-in candidates must register with the Secretary of the State in order to have their votes counted on Election Day.
There are 20 write-in candidates each for president and vice-president, two for U.S. Senate, 10 for U.S. representative and a number of people vying for state offices, according to a release from Secretary of the State Denise Merrill.
LaPointe announced in June that he would force a primary for the Republican seat in the 63rd District against incumbent state Rep. Jay Case. LaPointe lost the primary in August as Republican voters chose Case by a margin of 689-336 votes.
Ann-Marie Adams, Mark Greenstein, John Pistone and Aaron Sperry are registered as write-in candidates for the 5th Congressional District, which covers a majority of Litchfield County. The seat is currently held by Democrat Elizabeth Esty.
Andrew Rule and John M. Traceski are registered as write-in candidates for U.S. Senate. The seat is currently held by Democrat Richard Blumenthal.
The deadline for writein candidates to register their candidacies—or provide consent if they were put forward by someone else— was Oct. 25. Write-in candidates do not appear on the ballot but voting machines are programmed to accept votes for write-ins if they are registered with the Secretary of the State.
“Democracy is about choices,” Merrill said in the release. “We want to make sure everyone is aware of the options available to them on Election Day. The most important thing is that no matter which party or candidate you support, show up to vote on Nov. 8.”
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. for registered voters in Connecticut. Election Day registration is in effect, but long lines are likely so voters are encouraged to arrive early. It is also important to note that Election Day registration is not available at polling places, but rather at a designated Election Day registration location in each town beginning at 6 a.m. People utilizing this option will need to provide proof of identity and residency.