Connecticut

How will ranked-choice voting work in Connecticut?

Published

2 years ago

June 14, 2024

How will ranked-choice voting work in Connecticut?

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A new working group convened by Gov. Ned Lamont will craft a proposal for the state legislature to introduce ranked-choice voting in some Connecticut elections.

Currently, 29 states allow for ranked-choice voting, mostly in party primaries and municipal elections.

The most common type of ranked-choice voting is a system known as instant-runoff ranked-choice voting. In an election utilizing instant-runoff ranked-choice voting, voters are able to rank each candidate in order of preference. Voters are not required to rank all of the candidates if they do not want to. If no candidate receives a majority of first choice votes, the candidate with the lowest number of first choice votes is eliminated. Voters who listed the eliminated candidate as their first choice then have their second choice counted as part of a second round of vote counting. This process repeats until one candidate has a majority.

For advocates of ranked-choice voting, the process represents something of a remedy for political polarization that they attribute largely to the current system of primary elections.

“The current system rewards factions and it rewards the fringes of a party,” said Monte Frank, an attorney and the vice chair of the working group. “So, the more polarizing you are, the better you do in a partisan, winner-take-all primary.”

Frank sees ranked-choice voting as a way to encourage candidates to court a wider base of support on the theory that being a voter’s second, third or even fourth choice gives them a better chance to win if multiple rounds of vote counting are required.

Frank is the former running mate of the late Oz Greibel, the third-party candidate for governor who captured just under 4% of the vote in the 2018 gubernatorial contest that pitted Republican Bob Stefanowski against Lamont.

“It not only drives voter participation, increases voter choice, but it produces a better candidate, a more consensus-driven candidate, and that improves our democracy,” Frank said.

The governor’s working group includes representation from both political parties and is co-chaired by one state senator from each side of the aisle. Any potential recommendation to the legislature would apply only to the use of ranked-choice voting in primaries, certain municipal elections, caucuses and conventions. Political parties and municipalities would have the choice of whether to adopt ranked-choice voting.

“My hope is that this working group will collect the information necessary to make specific recommendations and hopefully improve voter turnout in Connecticut,” Sen. Cathy Osten (D-District 19) said in a statement announcing the working group.

Osten, who also chairs the legislature’s influential appropriations committee, is sharing leadership of the ranked-choice voting working group with Republican Sen. Tony Hwang (District 28).

“We hope to learn how ranked-choice voting can give the voters of Connecticut a stronger and more representative voice in their local elections,” Hwang said in a statement.

Despite bipartisan interest in exploring the use of ranked-choice voting in Connecticut primaries and municipal elections, concerns remain about the wisdom of making major changes to the voting process.

“One of my concerns globally is that we’ve done a lot of changes to our election laws,” Rep. Vincent Candelora (District 86), the House Republican leader.

Candelora was referencing the introduction of early voting, which Connecticut is implementing for the first time this year. Local elections officials, he said, are challenged by the expanded in-person voting periods and would be further burdened if they had to adapt to the process of tabulating ranked-choice ballots.

Candelora also questioned how many races would actually draw more than two candidates.

“I just think that’s rare when it happens,” he said, “So, you know, to me it’s more of an academic exercise versus something that will really have a practical impact on Connecticut voting.”

The inaugural meeting of the Governor’s Working Group on Ranked-Choice Voting is on June 14.

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Connecticut

Creighton beats No. 5 UConn 91-84 for the Huskies’ first home conference loss

Published

12 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Press Room

Creighton beats No. 5 UConn 91-84 for the Huskies’ first home conference loss

Josh Dix scored 13 of his 21 points in the second half, Nik Graves added 18 points and Creighton beat No. 5 UConn 91-84 on Wednesday night to spoil former Huskies star Emeka Okafor’s number retirement.

Creighton (14-13, 8-8 Big East) handed UConn (24-2, 14-2) its first conference home loss of the season. Creighton coach Greg McDermott became the first coach to beat a Dan Hurley-coached team four times on the road.

Okafor became the third UConn men’s basketball player to have his number retired, with the Huskies honoring the 2004 NCAA champion and national player of the year at halftime. Ray Allen and Richard Hamilton are the only players to have their numbers retired.

The Huskies led by seven points early in the second half, but shot 34% in the half.

Braylon Mullins led UConn with 25 points. Silas Demary Jr. added 17 points and nine assists. Tarris Reed Jr. had 15 points and 11 rebounds, but had just two points in the second half.

Fedor Zugic added 14 points for Creighton, which outscored UConn 27-11 at the foul line.

Mullins hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to tie it at 45. After Mullins hit consecutive 3s to put the Huskies up 63-59, UConn missed 10 of its next 11 shots during Creighton’s 14-2 run that put the Bluejays up by seven.

Up next

Creighton: At No. 17 St. John’s on Saturday.

UConn: At Villanova on Saturday.

___

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ICE arrests alleged child sex offender released under Connecticut sanctuary laws

Published

24 hours ago

February 18, 2026

Press Room

ICE arrests alleged child sex offender released under Connecticut sanctuary laws

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An illegal immigrant from Ecuador charged with sexual abuse of a child was arrested last week by federal authorities after he was previously released back onto the street because of Connecticut sanctuary policies, officials said.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers took Christian Espinosa-Sarango into custody on Feb. 13 in North Haven.

Espinosa-Sarango was charged on Dec. 19, 2025 with sexual assault, illegal sexual contact with a child, and enticing minors with a computer in North Haven, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

“These are the types of monsters Connecticut sanctuary politicians are releasing from their jails and onto the streets to perpetuate more crimes against children,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

‘WORST OF THE WORST’: ICE ARRESTS CHILD PREDATOR, VIOLENT CRIMINALS AMID SURGE IN ANTI-AGENT ATTACKS

Christian Espinosa-Sarango an alleged child sex predator, was arrested by ICE agents last week after he was released back onto Connecticut streets because of sanctuary policies, officials said. (Getty Images; Department of Homeland Security)

Espinosa-Sarango was reportedly conversing with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as the aunt of a 13-year-old girl through an “online casual encounter platform,” the New Haven Independent reported, citing court records.

After finding out the girl’s age, he allegedly asked for photographs of the young girl and sex, and made plans to meet with the child at a hotel room, where he was arrested.

Espinosa-Sarango attempted to flee in his vehicle and refused to roll his window down, prompting officers to break the glass, DHS said.

SANCTUARY POLICIES LET ALLEGED CHILD PREDATOR ROAM FREE UNTIL DHS MADE PORTLAND, OREGON, AIRPORT ARREST

During an interview with police, Espinosa-Sarango allegedly claimed he was intending to “save” the girl, the news report states. He said he didn’t call the police department because he wanted to see her first, according to the newspaper.

ICE lodged a detainer request with local law enforcement on Dec. 23, but it was ignored. Consequently, Espinosa-Sarango was released back into the community, DHS said.

DHS specifically criticized the Connecticut Trust Act, which limits information-sharing between local and state police and federal immigrant agents.

In April, the Trump administration listed Connecticut among states that have laws that impede the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

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“We need local law enforcement to cooperate with us to get these heinous criminals out of our neighborhoods,” McLaughlin said. “Seven of the 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE. This is a perfect example of why sanctuary policies make Americans less safe.

“Thankfully, because of our brave ICE agents, Christian Espinosa-Sarango, a pedophile, will never walk American streets again,” she added. “Sanctuary politicians must stop releasing pedophiles, murderers, rapists, and kidnappers into our neighborhoods.”

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CT Lottery headquarters closed Tuesday over hazardous substance investigation

Published

1 day ago

February 18, 2026

Press Room

CT Lottery headquarters closed Tuesday over hazardous substance investigation

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) said they received a letter with an unknown powder-like substance at its headquarters Tuesday.

According to lottery officials, local, state, and federal law enforcement responded. There were no hazardous materials found during environmental testing and no employees were injured.

The CT Lottery claims center was closed for the remainder of the day but will reopen on normal hours Wednesday.

“The Connecticut Lottery Corporation is grateful for the swift response and coordination of its law enforcement and public safety partners. The safety of employees, players, and the public remains the organization’s highest priority,” the company said in a statement.

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