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Denise Merrill

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Denise Merrill
73rd Secretary of the State of Connecticut
In office
January 5, 2011 – June 30, 2022
GovernorDan Malloy
Ned Lamont
Preceded bySusan Bysiewicz
Succeeded byMark Kohler
Majority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives
In office
January 7, 2009 – January 5, 2011
Preceded byChristopher Donovan
Succeeded byBrendan Sharkey
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 54th district
In office
November 10, 1993 – January 5, 2011
Preceded byJonathan Pelto
Succeeded byGregory Haddad
Personal details
Born (1948-10-08) October 8, 1948 (age 76)
San Mateo, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Connecticut (BA)
Alliant International University, San Francisco
WebsiteGovernment website

Denise W. Merrill (born October 8, 1948) is an American politician who most recently served as the Connecticut Secretary of the State from 2011 to 2022.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, Merrill was previously a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Education

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Merrill graduated from the University of Connecticut.[2] She attended but did not graduate from the San Francisco Law School, now merged with Alliant International University, and was admitted to the State Bar of California.[3]

Career

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Connecticut House of Representatives

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Merrill was first elected to office in 1993 in a special election[4][5] and served as the House Majority Leader after being elected to that position prior to the 2009 legislative session and until becoming Secretary of the State. Previously, Merrill had served as the House Chair on the Appropriations Committee from 2005 to 2008. In the State House she represented Fifty-Fourth Assembly District, which includes the towns of Mansfield and Chaplin.

Secretary of State

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Following the state Democratic primary held on August 10, 2010, Merrill became her party's nominee for Secretary of the State for the November 2010 election.[6] She went on to defeat Republican candidate Jerry Farrell Jr. on November 2. As a serving Secretary of State, she is a part of the National Association of Secretaries of State and was also elected its president for the 2016–2017 term.[2]

On June 23, 2021, she announced her intent not to seek re-election in 2022.[7]

On June 28, 2022, Merrill announced her resignation effective June 30, in order to spend more time caring for her ailing husband.[8]

Other work

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She currently serves on the Board of Advisors of Let America Vote, an organization founded by former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander that aims to end voter suppression.[9]

Personal life

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Merrill is also a classically trained pianist. She has three grown children and five grandchildren.

Electoral history

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Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 1994
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic* Denise Merrill 3,843 77.01
Republican David Dyer 1,147 22.99

*Merrill was also nominated on A Connecticut Party line.

Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 1996
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill (inc.) 4,748 100.00
Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 1998
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill (inc.) 3,384 100.00
Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill (inc.) 4,506 100.00
Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill (inc.) 3,959 76.95
Republican John Thatcher, III 1,186 23.05
Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill (inc.) 6,312 94.51
Working Families Magdalena Russell 367 5.49
Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic* Denise Merrill (inc.) 5,916 100.00
Write-in James Sargent 2 0.00

*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line.

Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill (inc.) 8,781 100.00
Connecticut Secretary of State Democratic Primary Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Denise Merrill 107,003 62.95
Democratic Gerry Garcia 62,978 37.05
Connecticut Secretary of State Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic* Denise Merrill 584,313 52.87
Republican Jerry Farrell, Jr. 484,163 43.81
Independent Michael Telesca 14,530 1.31
Green Michael DeRosa 13,566 1.23
Libertarian Ken Mosher 8,631 0.78

*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line.

Connecticut Secretary of State Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic* Denise Merrill (inc.) 533,543 50.95
Republican* Peter Lumaj 489,515 46.75
Green Michael DeRosa 24,038 2.30

*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line; Lumaj was also listed on the Independent Party line.

Connecticut Secretary of State Election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic* Denise Merrill (inc.) 764,067 55.87
Republican* Susan Chapman 580,779 42.47
Green Michael DeRosa 12,469 0.91
Libertarian Heather Lynn Sylvestre Gwynn 10,361 0.76

*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line; Chapman was also listed on the Independent Party line.

References

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  1. ^ "News From The Associated Press". Hosted.ap.org. November 5, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "SOTS: The Biography of Denise Merrill". Sots.ct.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Lender, Jon (October 10, 2010). "Merrill: Once an Attorney, Always an Attorney?". Hartford Courant. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - CT State House 054 - Special Election Race - Nov 02, 1993".
  5. ^ "Hartford Courant 03 Nov 1993, page Page 95".
  6. ^ "Connecticut Primaries: Results". Hartford Courant. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  7. ^ Altimari, Daniela. "Secretary of the State Denise Merrill won't run for reelection after three terms in office. She was at the forefront of expanding voting access and modernizing elections". courant.com. Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Pazniokas, Mark (June 28, 2022). "Denise Merrill, CT Secretary of the State, resigning to care for her husband". The Connecticut Mirror. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  9. ^ "Advisors". Let America Vote. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denise Merrill.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Secretary of the State of Connecticut
2010, 2014, 2018 		Succeeded by
Connecticut House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 54th district
1993–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Majority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Connecticut
2011–2022 		Succeeded by
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