Denise Merrill
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.
Denise Merrill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 73rd Secretary of the State of Connecticut | |
| In office January 5, 2011 – June 30, 2022 | |
| Governor | Dan Malloy Ned Lamont |
| Preceded by | Susan Bysiewicz |
| Succeeded by | Mark Kohler |
| Majority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives | |
| In office January 7, 2009 – January 5, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Christopher Donovan |
| Succeeded by | Brendan Sharkey |
| Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 54th district | |
| In office November 10, 1993 – January 5, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Jonathan Pelto |
| Succeeded by | Gregory Haddad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 8, 1948 San Mateo, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Connecticut (BA) Alliant International University, San Francisco |
| Website | Government website |
Education
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
Connecticut House of Representatives
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
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
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
Merrill is also a classically trained pianist. She has three grown children and five grandchildren.
Electoral history
| 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
- "News From The Associated Press". Hosted.ap.org. November 5, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- "SOTS: The Biography of Denise Merrill". Sots.ct.gov. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- Lender, Jon (October 10, 2010). "Merrill: Once an Attorney, Always an Attorney?". Hartford Courant. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- "Our Campaigns - CT State House 054 - Special Election Race - Nov 02, 1993".
- "Hartford Courant 03 Nov 1993, page Page 95".
- "Connecticut Primaries: Results". Hartford Courant. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
- 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.
- 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.
- "Advisors". Let America Vote. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
External links
