Ranked Choice Voting Working Group Formed, Canton Has Got It Going On This Weekend

June 12, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,

It’s hard to believe we are already in the middle of June. Congratulations to all of the graduates of Avon and Canton High School. It’s thrilling each year to see the children of friends and neighbors get ready to end one chapter and begin another and especially fun to see so many familiar names come through on new voter registration cards as these children turn into full-fledged adults!
 
It’s already been a busy week starting with an Eagle Scout Celebration this past Sunday and continuing with speaking on a legislative panel yesterday at the 21st Annual Training Institute put on by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. Juneteenth celebrations will start this weekend and carry into next week.
 
Summer is in full swing in Collinsville and the Farmer’s Market is back plus Music on Main. Perhaps a great way to celebrate Father’s Day weekend.
 
Like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day can certainly be complicated and I hope that for those of you who are able to celebrate fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, and like-a-fathers, it’s a wonderful celebration for you. I’ll be thinking of those missing someone this year.
 
Have a great week,


 
Eleni
 
RANKED CHOICE VOTING WORKING GROUP FORMED
Governor Lamont has established a working group of members representing various political affiliations and has tasked them with exploring options and developing a comprehensive legislative proposal to create a system that enables municipalities and political parties in Connecticut with the ability to use ranked-choice voting in caucuses, conventions, primaries, and certain municipal elections.
                                                              (Photo credit: Rock The Vote)
Twenty-nine states use ranked-choice voting in certain primaries and elections, and in recent years its use was implemented broadly and successfully in Maine and Alaska.

In 2023, legislation drafted by bipartisan co-sponsors was introduced in Connecticut that, among other things, would have given municipalities the option of using ranked-choice voting in municipal elections for single-winner offices and would have given political parties the option of using ranked-choice voting in presidential preference primaries.

That bill –

Senate Bill 389 – received a public hearing in the Government Administration and Elections Committee, however, the committee did not take a vote to advance the bill before its deadline.

The members of the working group include:

  • Co-Chair: State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague)
  • Co-Chair: State Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield)
  • Vice Chair: Monte Frank (Attorney at Pullman & Comley, past present of the Connecticut Bar Association, and 2018 candidate for lieutenant governor under the Griebel-Frank for CT Party)
  • Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz or designee
  • Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas or designee
  • State Representative Hilda Santiago (D-Meriden)
  • Annalisa Stravato (Republican registrar of voters for the Town of Wilton, executive vice president of the Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut, and former vice chair of the Connecticut Republican Party)
  • Alexander Russell (Director of the UConn Center for Voting Technology Research)
  • Dan Rosenthal (Former Democratic first selectman for the Town of Newtown)
  • Lindsay Farrell (Senior political strategist for the national Working Families Party)
  • Ann Reed (Vice president of advocacy for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut)
  • Patricia Spruance (Town clerk for the Town of Windham and president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association)
  • Cheri Quickmire (Executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut)
 
21st ANNUAL TRAINING INSTITUTE WORKSHOP
Yesterday was an impactful day at the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness event 21st Annual Training Institute: Elevating Foundations and Reimagining Our Impact. I spoke on the panel entitled, “Shaping the Agenda: Elevating Homelessness as a Legislative Priority” with my colleagues Senator Saud Anwar, Representative Jillian Gilchrest, and Representative Tony Scott.
 
We talked at length about how the people working with our homeless population in Connecticut can advocate better for their clients, how we all see it as a truly bipartisan issue of humanity, and how we cannot have a conversation about homelessness without talking about the need for more housing.
I attended an afternoon session called, “Sleeping Outside is not a Crime: Decriminalizing Homelessness” presented by Ann Oliva from the National Alliance to End Homelessness and Nichele Carver, from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. The topic was primarily regarding the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case that will look at the constitutionality of an ordinance in an Oregon town preventing homeless people from using pillows, blankets, etc. while sleeping outside within the city limits. To learn more about the case and its potential consequences see this article.
 
 WATCH OUT: EBT SKIMMING SCAM
As you are likely aware, this EBT skimming scam is a nationwide issue. It is also a technology-driven crime committed, at times, by organized rings in which the criminals steal Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card information by installing electronic devices on ATMs or store point-of-sale (POS) terminals to capture card information, which is commonly referred to as skimming.
 
Connecticut, through DSS, was one of the first states in the nation to implement a replacement benefit plan, having done so in June 2023.There are some tips below for recipients to keep their benefits safe.
 
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION IN SIMSBURY ON SATURDAY
The five towns that make up the Farmington Valley -  Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby, and Simsbury - are coming together to host a Juneteenth Rhythm & Blues Celebration on Saturday, June 15th, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center. 
The celebration will feature the music of Nekita Waller, Magic Soul Academy, and Damian Curtis Afro-Cuban Jazz Project, and much more. There will also be a variety of beers to try, featuring CTs first black female brewmaster. For more details, please click HERE. I'm looking forward to this one. I hope to see you there!
 
JUNETEENTH PANEL DISCUSSION AND FLAG-RAISING JUNE 19TH
The Connecticut Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity (CWCSEO), along with the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, and ACCESS Health CT, will be hosting its annual "Juneteenth Panel Discussion & Flag Raising Ceremony " at the State Capitol on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM in Room 310 and the north lobby of the State Capitol. This event is free and open to the public. State Officials, Legislators, Community Leaders, and Families will be among the guests.

State Representatives Corey Paris and Bobby Gibson are guest speakers. Three students, Tristan Velez, Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Meriden; Aria Campbell, Henry James Middle School, Simsbury; and Harry Johnson, Jr., Connecticut River Academy, East Hartford will present their essays on "Why We Celebrate Juneteenth," followed by a panel discussion moderated by CWCSEO Executive Director, Melvette Hill. Panelists include, Nkwa Asonye, Howard K. Hill, Nicole Maddox, Esq, Dr. Tayarisha Batchelor, and Cynthia Griffin.

After the panel, the Caribbean American Dance Company (CADC) will perform. We will then gather outside for the ceremonial raising of the Juneteenth flag above the State Capitol, accompanied by saxophonist Charles Taylor performing the Negro National Anthem.

The day will conclude with a gathering in the Capitol's north lobby, where everyone is invited to enjoy food courtesy of Sunsplash Bar and Grill and Destiny Awaits Restaurant & Catering.

I hope to see you!
 
CITATION TIME FOR BOY SCOUT TROOP 274 EAGLE SCOUTS
What a pleasure to be able to present citations to Boy Scout Troop 274’s latest Eagle Scouts on Sunday.
The ceremony began beautifully with a prayer to Ganesh and Saraswati followed by the usual Eagle Scout Court of Honor. Aadarsh Senthil, Talin Jindal, Teja Lakamraju received their honors with family and friends.

I have to say, these three young men are frankly, extraordinary. Their public speaking, Eagle Scout projects, and future college plans are a parent’s dream—this mom and fellow scout parent was truly impressed.
Congratulations to their families, friends, and all of the mentors and scout leaders who helped them on their path to Eagle. 
 
CANTON HAS GOT IT GOING ON THIS WEEKEND 
The Collinsville Summerfest will be held on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. This historic town event includes live music, Chalk Walk on Main, Axe Throwing, Dad Games, Food, and. Music on Main begins at 6 p.m. through 9.m. This event will take place every Saturday through Sept. 7.

Last but certainly not least, the

Canton Main Street Farmer's Market, which features a lot of fresh, local food, opened on Sunday and will remain open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through October 20th. for more details, please click on the image below.
 
DAVE PORTNOY AND A BARSTOOL PIZZA REVIEW IN AVON 
Dave Portnoy, the owner and founder of Barstool Sports, is very popular for his nationwide critiques and ratings of pizza, and he has quite a following. The Massachusetts native has been in Connecticut lately and stopped by several restaurants in Avon this week including DeCapo of Avon this week!
I would have given DeCapo a much higher rating than Portnoy did. Anyway, watch and listen to what he had to say below, and see if you agree. By the way, the first perfect score he gave, a 10, was to Monte's Restaurant in Lynn, Mass., in 2023.
Barstool's Dave Portnoy came to town for a bite and review of DeCapo of Avon.
 
PRIDE FOR PRIDE MONTH
Our state has always been a leader in the fight for equality and we continue to pave the way today. While there is more progress to be made, PRIDE month is a great time to reflect on our progress.
 
REMEMBERING PULSE
The tragedy at PULSE, a gay nightclub in Orlando, was the second-worst mass shooting by a single shooter in US history, and it was also the second deadliest terrorist attack on US soil since September 11th.
 
My thoughts are with the 49 lives lost eight years ago today, and the many lives that have never been the same since.
 
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
Wishing all of the fathers, dads, stepfathers, and like-a-fathers a very relaxing Sunday.

Sincerely,

Eleni Kavros DeGraw
State Representative
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