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STORRS, Conn. — Three candidates who were dead-locked in a Democratic primary last fall and Secretary of state Susan Bysiewicz will participate in a panel discussion on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 12:30 - 2 p.m. in the Zachs Community Room at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.
Elissa Wright, Rita Schmidt and Michael Kindle were candidates for the General Assembly in Groton (41st House District) last fall and, after the ballot count was a draw, the winner, Wright, was determined by the flip of a coin.
Wright went on to defeat her Republican opponent, Heather Bond, in the general election.
The discussion titled Who Decides: You or the Flip of a Coin? will explore the process and outcome of the election and demonstrate that every vote counts.
Each candidate will discuss their role in the election, and Bysiewicz will comment on election law and how it was used to resolve the three-way tie.
Intrigued by the election, interns at the school’s Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work last fall created a campus voter registration exhibit.
The exhibit challenged students, faculty and campus visitors to consider whether important social policy issues and elections for public office should be determined by a coin flip.
The exhibit demonstrated the importance of every vote and encouraged the campus community to engage in voter registration activities.
The exhibit elicited an overwhelming response. Voter registration drives completed by the school’s student body increased significantly. The number of new voters registered during the annual drive tripled.
Light refreshments will be served at the panel discussion.
The event is free and open to the public but participants are asked to RSVP to Urania Petit at 860 570-9262. Visitors are required to park in the Visitor Parking Lot on Trout Brook Drive.
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