"There's a lot of conflict in these offices because they are both co-equal partners."
Denise Merrill
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill wants to change the way Connecticut runs its elections, having one professional registrar oversee elections in each city and town.
Current state law provides for two registrars in every town: one Republican, one Democrat. But Hartford's failure last year to get all of the polls open in time for voting enraged officials across the state.
Merrill said there was no accountability, so now she's looking to make a change.
"I am proposing that instead of two partisan elected officials, that we have one appointed person doing this job and that we allow the towns to have more flexibility to manage," Merrill said.
Merrill added that while most registrars work hard and do a good job, recent problems at the polls prove the system needs modern, professional standards. "The problem is that they fight with each other," she said. "There's a lot of conflict in these offices because they are both co-equal partners."
Melissa Russell, president of the Registrars of Voters Association of Connecticut, has said she's worried polling problems in Hartford have tainted people's opinions of all registrars. In a statement, her association called it vital to preserve the current, two-party elected registrar system, and maintain checks and balances.
So Merrill knows that she'll face some pushback -- her plan would essentially cut the number of registrars in half.
"Don't be fooled," Merrill said. "It will be a difficult change to make because there are people who are appointed in every town by their respective town committees and they have a lot of political connections in Hartford."
A public hearing on her proposal is scheduled for March 9.
