Voter Turnout Tops 9% 2 Hrs Before Dem Primary Ends

Check back with Middletown Patch after 8:30 p.m. for the full Democratic primary results.

Update 6:52 p.m.

With just two hours remaining before Middletown's Democratic primary election numbers are final, 946 voters have cast their ballots for planning and voting board seats — or 9.11 percent — nearly double the turnout at the halfway mark.

The highest number of voters by district at 6 p.m., according to the Republican Registrar of Voters Janice Gionfriddo, was at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, with 232. Ballots cast at each location ranged from 49 at Spencer School to 160 at Wesley School.

Polls are open until 8 p.m.

Original Story

Halfway through Tuesday’s primary election, only five percent of the city’s registered Democrats have turned out at the polls.

At the 1 p.m. count, according to Republican Registrar of Voters Janice Gionfriddo, 520 of Middletown’s 10,383 registered Democrats have voted.

“I did hope for more turnout but it’s an important election so I’m hoping more people will vote after work,” said Wesleyan Professor Stephen Devoto, whose petition drive forced Middletown’s planning and zoning commission primary.

“Headquarters is filling up with volunteers making Get Out The Vote calls to our list of supporters and will continue through to 8 p.m.,” said Democratic Town Committee Chair Dan Pickett.

“We expected a low turnout of voters and know this election, like every election, will be decided on turning out our respective supporters and making sure they vote for the Democratic-endorsed slate of candidates,” he said.

Devoto, who posted on his Facebook page that he showed up at his polling station before 6 a.m., surprising workers, is vying for one of three Democratic P&Z spots against party-endorsed candidates incumbent commissioner and former DTC Chair Dan Russo, newcomer Robert Blanchard and Paul Turenne, associate registrar at Wesleyan.

Middletown’s Democrats have pulled in the big guns to rally party members. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, state Sen. Paul Doyle, D-9th, Mayor Dan Drew, Deputy Mayor Robert Santangelo and even Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen called voters over the weekend. The legislators stopped by headquarters to urged voters to turn out at the polls and vote for all three endorsed candidates in Row A on the primary ballot, shown in photographs on the DTC Facebook page.

“Making calls for tomorrow's Planning & Zoning primary: Vote the endorsed slate, Row A: Rob Blanchard, Dan Russo and Paul Turenne. GO! FIGHT! WIN!” the Facebook post read.

On Sept. 6, Pickett posted a call for members to attend the call bank on its Facebook page. For that reason, the annual picnic was moved from its usual location — Crystal Lake — to headquarters above Main Street Market on Sunday.

Have you voted? Are you waiting until after work or dinner? Let us know who you're supporting in the comments below!