While only a handful of local and state officials gathered to mark the occasion, Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill reminded those who gathered in the Municipal Center lobby at noontime, April 20, that the 2020 Connecticut Democracy Cup belongs to every Newtown resident who cast a ballot in last November’s presidential election.

With better than 90% participation, Newtown was recognized for that benchmark as well as its overall voter turnout per capita among all state municipalities in its population class — winning local voting officials two years of bragging rights and quietly conveying to the entire state that, when motivated, Newtown voters can really rally.

Merrill was joined by State Senator Tony Hwang, State Reps Mitch Bolinsky and Tony Scott, and First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, as she and two of her staff presented the nearly three-foot-tall trophy to Newtown registrars LeReine Frampton and Erica Canfield, along with Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead.

“Every year for 20 years now, we have awarded the Democracy Cup to cities and towns that get the highest voter turnout,” Merrill said. “We do it because it’s a symbol of community pride, and of course it’s a symbol of the hard work [of voting officials and volunteers], especially this year with an election to end all elections. My hat’s off to Newtown’s registrars, the town clerk, and the many people who helped make this happen — it was tough!”

At the same time, and despite the overwhelming challenges foisted on voters and officials by COVID-19 restrictions and the widespread introduction and use of no excuse absentee balloting for the 2020 primaries and general election, Merrill said 2020 marked “one of the most successful in our elections history.”

That success was not only measured in voter turnout leading up to and on election day, but also in the number of new voters who registered to cast those ballots, Merrill noted.

The SOTS looked back two decades when a donor from the East Haddam Civic Association sought to highlight civic-minded communities and donated the massive silver trophies that have made their way around Connecticut every two years since.

The ceremony and honor marked the second time since its inception that the Democracy Cup was awarded to Newtown. The first came in 2008, when the SOTS and now Lt Governor Susan Bysiewicz conveyed the cup in recognition of the community’s 88.97% voter turnout.

Frampton recalled the event, as she was already a seasoned voting official at that time.

“That ceremony was held in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall, when the town clerk and registrars offices occupied that building. Coincidentally, in 2008 and in 2020, Stamford shared the honor with Newtown, albeit in its own population class.”

Déjà Vu Again

Similarly, in 2008, the town clerk’s office reported the record for the most absentee ballots was broken that year. That 2008 record was shattered in 2020 when in excess of 6,000 absentee ballots were filed and processed. In advance of her visit, Merrill said in a release that “more than 650,000 voters cast their vote by absentee ballot.”

“Voters across the state want to be able to have this option in every election,” said Merrill. “The people of Connecticut have made their voices heard, in spite of the obstacles caused by the pandemic, and I will fight to continue to make both registration and voting convenient and accessible for every Connecticut voter.”

This year, along with Stamford, Glastonbury and Burlington also took Democracy Cup honors.

Under Democracy Cup criteria, revised this year, cities and towns with fewer than 10,000 people are considered small; cities and towns with between 10,000 and 30,000 people are considered mid-sized; cities and towns with between 30,000 and 65,000 people are considered large. Cities and towns with more than 65,000 people are categorized as cities. The competition has been co-sponsored by the East Haddam Civic Association since 2000.

In the 2020 general election, a record 1,861,086 people cast a ballot out of an all-time high of 2,334,979 registered voters. Total statewide turnout was 79.70%. More than 650,000 voters cast their vote by absentee ballot; 93% of absentee ballots issued were returned, 35% of votes cast were cast by absentee ballot, and the absentee ballot rejection rate was less than 1%.

Turnout among the four winners was: 91.94% in Burlington, 90.17% in Newtown; 88.66 % in Glastonbury, and 79.68 % in Stamford. Each community awarded the Democracy Cup will be able to host and display a trophy until the 2022 election.

Secretary Merrill also recognizes towns with the highest number of new registered voters across the state.

For small towns, there were 1,069 in Burlington, 914 in Hebron, and 909 in Woodbury. For mid-sized towns, there were 3,066 in Vernon, 2,635 in Westport, and 2,531 in New Milford. For large towns, there were 5,423 in West Hartford, 5,311 in Manchester, and 5,206 in Hamden. For cities, there were 9,831 in Stamford, 8,219 in New Haven, and 7,033 in Hartford.

In addition, Secretary Merrill recognizes towns with the highest number of absentee ballots received across the state.

For small towns, there were 2,666 in Woodbridge, 2,642 in Portland, and 2,624 in Old Lyme. For mid-sized towns, there were 9,234 in Westport, 7,539 in Cheshire, and 7,537 in Branford. For large towns, there were 18,434 in West Hartford, 15,827 in Greenwich, and 14,467 in Fairfield. For cities, there were 23,557 in Stamford, 16,761 in Norwalk, and 14,444 in New Haven.

Second Milestone Noted

Finally, Secretary Merrill recognizes the towns that had more than 90% voter turnout: Burlington, with 91.94%, Cornwall, with 90.22%, and Newtown, with 90.17%.

“Only three towns in the state managed that level of voter turnout,” Merrill said during her visit. “So congratulations to all, it was an extraordinary job that everyone did.”

Frampton said the honor is shared with around 120 volunteers and poll workers who helped in the weeks leading to and on election day — as well as in the days following as votes were tabulated and verified.

“And most of those volunteers were new,” Frampton said. “Hiring by e-mail and Zoom was one thing — but training them by Zoom was another,” she added, referring to the meeting platform popularized during the pandemic.

Sen Hwang complimented both local and state officials for the effort and collaboration required to deliver during the difficulties and challenges posed by the pandemic and various health restrictions that had to be administered.

“I came in and saw how hard everybody was working on election day,” Hwang said. “We have both Democratic and Republican registrars, and I can’t imagine two more cohesive individuals working together,” he observed about Canfield and Frampton.

“Their ultimate goal was protecting the sanctity of the vote, and making sure every vote was counted properly. But the biggest credit goes to the people of Newtown and Sandy Hook who came out even in the most dramatic and challenging of times — they came out to vote and be part of the process,” Hwang said.

Rosenthal said 2020 marked “an election that none of us want to soon repeat.”

“A lot of doubt was cast on the voting process across the country, but I know we have free and fair elections in Newtown, and the credit goes to Erica, LeReine, and Debbie, and all the people who worked really hard for this,” the first selectman added. “There was never a doubt in my mind that they did everything they had to, to be sure every vote was counted, to be sure only eligible people voted, and dealing with the added burden of all the absentee voting that occurred.”