KENT, Conn.—Seven days of early voting for the state primaries has been viewed as expensive and unnecessary in many rural Connecticut towns, but this year saw an increase in those taking advantage of it.
The CT Mirror reported that across the state, 55,000 Connecticut voters cast their ballots early and another 12,410 persons submitted absentee ballots for Tuesday’s primaries.
Towns in the Northwest Corner and suburbs of Hartford also saw returns above average. In Kent, 10.4 percent of the town’s 1,394 registered Republicans and Democrats availed themselves of the opportunity.
Early voting percentages were similar in other Region 1 towns, with Cornwall and Sharon leading the way at 11.5 and 11.2 percent. Salisbury saw 9.3 percent of its party-affiliated voters come out early, while the two Canaan’s had the lowest percentage, at 6.5 percent in Canaan and 4.5 percent in North Canaan.
In early and day-of primary voting, 31.9 percent of the Kent’s 978 Democrats cast ballots, as did 16.59 percent of the 416 Republicans, according to Democratic Registrar of Voters Therese Duncan.
With none of its sitting legislators facing primaries, Kent Democrats had an easy ballot to address. They followed the statewide trend by heavily favoring incumbent Governor Ned Lamont, 240 to 70, over his liberal challenger, state Representative Josh Elliot.
Local Republicans faced a choice between Chris Shea and Jonathan DeBarros for Connecticut’s Fifth Congressional District. Shea, a retired Navy SEAL and local firefighter trounced his opponent, 10,263 to 2,411. The margin was closer in Kent, with 45 votes cast for Shea and 24 for DeBarros.
Shea will face Democratic incumbent Jahana Hayes in the November general election.
