Connecticut’s major 2022 elections: updates and voter involvement

Along with many other states across the United States., Connecticut is holding a general election this fall to elect new representatives for multiple positions. For Connecticut, these include electing a new governor and lieutenant governor, as well as five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and one seat in the U.S. Senate. These elections are scheduled for Nov. 8, 2022.

Connecticut’s gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial elections will be one of 36 taking place in 2022. The primary election scheduled for Aug. 9, to choose the Democratic and Republican governor candidates for the election in November, was canceled. Both the Republican candidate Bob Stefanowski and the incumbent Democratic candidate Ned Lamont ran unopposed. Michelle Louise Bicking of the Green Party, Independent Robert Hotaling, and Libertarian Aaron Lewis will also be running for the position.

The primary elections for Connecticut’s Lieutenant Governor were also canceled, as both the Republican and Democratic candidates ran unopposed. Incumbent Susan Bysiewicz of the Democratic party and Laura Devlin of the Republican party will be on the general election’s ballot in November.

As for the U.S. House of Representatives, voters will elect five candidates, one from each of Connecticut’s five U.S. House districts. Currently all of the incumbent candidates are from the Democratic party. To represent District 1, incumbent John Larson will be facing Republican Larry Larson. Incumbent Joe Courtney is facing Republican Mike France in District 2, while Republican Lesley DeNardis and Independent Amy Chai are running against incumbent Rosa L. DeLauro. In District 4, Republican Jayme Stevenson is running against incumbent Jim Himes, while in District 5 both incumbent Jahana Haynes and Republican George Logan are running for a seat.

For the U.S. Senate voters will elect one candidate to represent Connecticut. This election will fill the seat held by Democrat Richard Blumenthal, who first took office in 2011. The outcome of this election will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate, with 35 of 100 seats currently being up for election across the country this November. Fourteen of the seats being put up for election are currently held by Democrats while the other 21 seats are held by Republicans.

In Connecticut, Leora Levy defeated Themis Klarides and Peter Lumaj in the Republican primary, with 46,665 of the 92,325 votes. The Democratic primary was not held as incumbent Blumenthal ran unopposed. John Flynn of the Independent Party, as well as Independents Andrew Hyduchak and Kristi Talmadge, are also running for the position.

Connecticut’s upcoming general election is just one of many occurring around the country. Those who are eligible to vote can check their registration status online to make sure they are ready for this November. Voters can also look up key election information, per state, in order to prepare for the general election. Out-of-state students who are interested in voting can also register for an absentee ballot in order to participate in elections by mail. Students should check if their home state allows for absentee voting and review the registration deadlines.

University of New Haven students who are interested in getting more involved with politics may be interested in organizations such as the University of New Haven College Republicans or the College Democrats of America.