Bridgeport Electoral Structure 101
May 21, 2007 by Gail Robinson commentBRIDGEPORT ELECTORAL STRUCTURE 101
POLITICAL DISTRICTS: There are 10 City Council Districts, 2 Councilpersons per district (Donna Curran and Tom Mulligan represent Black Rock).
TWO OFFICIAL PARTIES: Democrats and Republican (“The Machines”). There is no official “independent” party, only Democrat or Republican. You must be registered in one of the two parties to vote in the primary. If you are registered “unaffiliated”, you cannot vote in the primary on September 11, only in the general election, November 6. You can legally change your registration affiliation as often as you want provided deadlines below are met. Each party has a Town Committee that conducts the business of the party. Democrat Town Committee: 90 members (+/-80 of which hold City jobs, or are commission members, or have relatives with city jobs, or are major provider of services to the City). Republican Town Committee: 70 positions, 50 are currently filled.
Registered Voter breakdown:
Democrat: 34,407
Unaffiliated: 18,248
Republican: 4,787.
NOMINATION PROCESS: Within each Town Committee, a candidate is selected and is the official party candidate. In recent memory in Bridgeport, the person selected by the Democrat Town Committee has been the presumptive mayor because of the registered voter breakdown. This does not have to be as explained below.
PRIMARY PROCESS: In addition to a Town Committee candidate, any one can run under one of the two parties in the primary provided they get the required number of signatures. Currently, Democrats Caruso, Coviello, Walsh, Finch have declared their interest in running. No republican has yet declared their interest in running for mayor. As of today, no Republican has declared a run. Rick Torres, Republican Town Committee Chairman, has endorsed candidate Chris Caruso, a Democrat.
Democrat Town Committee official candidate is selected in July. Caruso among others will not accept a “machine” nomination.
PRIMARY IS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2007
Anyone changing party registration from REPUBLICAN TO DEMOCRAT or DEMOCRAT TO REPUBLICAN MUST register in the respective party by: June 10
September 10, noon, is the deadline for any one who is new to town or for an “unaffiliated” voter to register as Democrat or Republican in order to be able to vote in primary of respective party.
Compiled by Gen Barthe: genbarthe@yahoo.com 5/20/07
