Newtown’s two registrars of voters were unable to catch the “Checks and Balances Express,” a bus full of Fairfield County registrars and voting rights supporters, as it carried opponents of a proposal to eliminate elected registrars to a hearing on Monday, March 9, in Hartford.

But Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton and Republican Registrar Joanne Albanesi stood with their colleagues in spirit, while providing written testimony against SB1051, legislation proposed by Secretary of the State Denise Merrill which eliminates the balance of power between two registrars of opposite parties, in favor of an appointed administrator.

According to a release issued the Monday, registrars from Danbury, Ridgefield, Brookfield, Shelton, Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, New Canaan, and Fairfield boarded their rented bus to head to Hartford.

Fred DeCaro, Greenwich Republican registrar and chairman of the Fairfield County Chapter of the Registrars of Voters Association of CT (ROVAC), called the bill “a hasty and ill-conceived overreaction which forces a statewide change due to mistakes made in Hartford, Denise Merrill’s backyard.”

“Having individuals of opposing parties jointly administer elections doesn’t just benefit those parties, it benefits all voters, including those unaffiliated with any party,” Mr DeCaro said. “You want multiple pairs of eyes looking critically at every decision made in preparation for an election.”

That sentiment was echoed by Newtown’s top voting officials in their appeal against the proposal to lawmakers including State Senator Tony Hwang.

“As elected officials you are probably well aware of the false statements made against elected officials,” the Newtown registrars stated. “No elected official or appointed official does everything perfectly every time, but with the help of ROVAC and the training we get through our self-funded organization we are making every effort to have fair, accurate, legal elections.”

Ms Frampton said that as a deputy registrar she attended classes at Briarwood College through a certification program.

“Many of us attended and learned a lot then the SOTS would not accept the certification program,” Ms Frampton said in her testimonial. “We have been trying to have a certification program that they would approve since that time.”

Beside regular statewide registrars conferences, the local officials stated that they attend county meetings to go over best practices and to support each other.

“If we have a question or problem we can pick up our phone and another registrar will help us,” the testimonial states.

“While the two-elected Registrar system is unique to our state, that does not mean that it is wrong. [We] love the checks and balances,” the local officials continued. “[We] love the idea that two people can use their strengths to make sure each election is the best it can be. What matters is that the work is done and we have a checks and balance system so that no party can have all the influence over any election.”

Ms Frampton and Ms Albanesi said when elected officials appoint people to jobs, there can be a number of unwanted or unexpected issues.

“I have heard of people voting for incumbents even if they are not the best choice so that their appointees do not lose their jobs. I have heard of appointees being pressured to campaign for elected officials if they want to be reappointed,” the statement reads. “When the staffing changes, especially locally, the office suffers during the transition and dollars are wasted on retraining all because of what party they [represent].

“Typically it seems that elected officials like to have their appointees be the same party,” the testimony continues. “They are less likely to challenge them for their position and less likely to sabotage them.”

The memo closes reminding lawmakers, “We are not the stereotypic blue haired old ladies with a clipboard that come out once a year. We are dedicated, professionals passionate about our responsibility as the Gatekeepers of Democracy.”

Danbury Registrars Margaret Gallo and Mary Ann Doran testified they “work in a completely impartial manner to ensure a smooth election process. Our primary purpose is to service our voters and the integrity. Changing the system will not guarantee error-free elections.”

Ridgefield Democratic Registrar of Voters Cynthia Bruno supported the need for “two sets of eyes that has increased with the testing of memory cards, proofing ballots and conducting supervised absentee ballots. Having two registrars with equal accountability is the best system for our voters. It is the voter’s rights that are at stake in every election and the current system protects those rights.”

An official ROVAC statement points out that, “If the plan for a single appointed registrar is adopted, the minority party would have no voice in elections or town government — in many towns the registrar is the only minority party official working in a town or city hall. In the large cities, the Republican voice would be lost, and in many smaller towns, the Democratic voice would be lost.”