Super Turnout
Last week, Connecticut Republicans endorsed Sen. John McCain, and the state’s Democrats gave Sen. Barack Obama a small lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton.
While the results of the Super Tuesday primary are obviously important in regard to delegate counts, even more significant was the record number of citizens who cast their votes that day.
Notably, in some towns about 90 percent of the eligible Democrats showed up at their neighborhood polling places, easily beating the previous primary record in recent history of a nearly 46 percent turnout for the Leiberman-Lamont Democratic primary in 2006. According to the office of Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, many towns saw nearly three-quarters of its registered Democrats vote in the primary election.
The considerable turnout is a clear indication that voter enthusiasm swept Connecticut on Super Tuesday, as it did in most of the 23 other states that also held primary elections on that day.
Voters turned out in droves, to the surprise of some local election officials. While officials expected a larger than normal turnout, they did not expect such an impressive number of citizens would exercise their right to vote.
As a result, some officials reportedly ran out of ballots and were forced to photocopy extra ones while voters waited.
The long lines and voter excitement are reminiscent of the 1960s when many citizens had a different mindset about the presidential primaries.
During the tumultuous 1960s, it was a time of vigorous citizen activism and voter participation.
It was a time when campaign staffs were filled with young people who rallied behind their chosen candidates for countless hours.
It was a time when intensive voter registration drives were conducted to ensure that everyone — especially the poor and disenfranchised — had a voice at the ballot box.
It was a time when many United States residents believed that their votes really mattered.
The large turnout of Connecticut’s Super Tuesday primary harks back to that era, and signals that voters once again believe that their votes can make a difference, that they want to make a difference.
Engaging presidential candidates and growing concerns about the Iraq war, the economy, global warming and health care are motivating voters to go to the polls in historic numbers.
Working families and small business owners are feeling the financial pinch of rising fuel, utility and health care costs. They want to have a say in how a number of issues affect not only themselves, but also the nation and the world.
Mostly, the recent voter turnout signals that Connecticut citizens — the young and old, black and white, men and women, rich and poor — really care and believe that their vote matters. The voter diversity further illustrates the power and success of our nation’s democratic process, that each vote matters, that each vote counts.
Last week’s voter turnout is a tribute to our state and election process.
Super Tuesday should make us proud as a state and a nation.
WBJ Web Partners
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