Himes-Debicella Update: Candidates, Constituents Fume and Wait

Update 10:05 p.m.

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes held a brief press conference for the second time tonight to address the Bridgeport ballot boondoggle.

Himes said the extended hours gives an opportunity for those turned away from the polls to go back to their precincts to have their voice heard.  

"At the end of the day if someone is turned away because of an administrative problem is not a good thing," Himes said. "It's not optimal."  

The campaign of state Sen. Dan Debicella, the Republican challenger, is unhappy about the court order to keep polls open. Multiple calls to Ashley Maagero, Debicella's spokeswoman were not returned.

Whether further litigation will ensue remains unclear. And Himes said he would not predict whether the issue will end in the courts. 

Update 9:29 p.m.

As supporters and volunteers begin gathering at Bridgeport Holiday Inn's Park City Grill discussion invariably turned to the ballot situation.

"I was there at 6:10 am so there was no problem," said Petrina Cash, a Bridgeport resident.

Cash is one of many Himes volunteers and supporters assembling at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn in what they hope will be a victory party later tonight. Blue and white crepe paper, campaign signs and red, white, and blue balloons adorn the space.

"I have never seen anything like this in 31 years. Running out of ballots?" said Lisa Woodson, who spent the day at Himes' campaign headquarters telephoning voters.   Several supporters said the situation is cause for both dismay and concern.

"This is outrageous," June Getraer of Westport. "It's very scary for Connecticut. It's very scary for Bridgeport."

In the meantime, Himes campaign staffers are asking any volunteers present to make some final calls to get people to the polls before they close at 10 p.m.

Because of tremendous voter turn out, 11 polling places, but 15 precincts will remain open. They are: JFK Campus, Beardsley School, Thomas Hooker School, Halland School, Park City Magnet School, Read Middle School, John Winthrop School, Central High school, Longfellow School, Blackham School and the Black Rock School. 

Update 8:52 p.m.

"Setting aside all partisanship and outcome I am urging voters to get back to your district and vote," said U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-4) in a press conference at the Bridgeport Holiday Inn.

Himes said he had just returned from visiting several polling places and wasn't sure what caused the massive ballot shortage.

"I've been given no explanation as to why that happened," Himes said.

The legal system is now involved. There is a discrepancy in the number of polling stations that will remain open until 10pm. Although Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz said 12 polling places in Bridgeport will remain open until 10pm, the court order said 9 will remain open.

"There must be a perception that the process is fair," Himes said.

Despite what he called a "technical snafu," Himes said voters should return to the polls so they feel like their voices have been heard. 

Update 8:07 p.m.

Many Bridgeport polls reportedly will remain open two extra hours. Pollsters at the locations ran out of ballots earlier today.

Moments ago, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said the following before a live audience in Hartford:

OK, well, good evening ladies and gentlemen, and I have just come from the court house at 95 Washington Street and our office went to support a lawsuit that was brought this evening at 7:15 p.m. to keep the polling hours in Bridgeport open for an additional two hours, and this was based on information that we had received this afternoon that unfortunately, election officials in the city of Bridgeport had ordered 21,000 ballots and this was significantly short of the 69,000 registered voters in the city of Bridgeport. In the afternoon at 3:40 p.m. we advised the election officials to get more ballots printed by a printer that prints ballots in New Britain and they were able to receive an additional 10,000 but as you can see that is this is short of the number necessary. So after I spoke to the mayor of the city of Bridgeport, our office decided to support the lawsuit to keep the polling places open because of the grave potential for people to be disenfranchised in Bridgeport. 

Twelve polls in Bridgeport will stay open the extra two hours, according to Liz Kerr, a spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, a Cos Cob Democrat who is defending his seat in Congress from Shelton Republican and state Sen. Dan Debicella.

Those polls are: Park City School, Longfellow School, Beardsley, Reed, Central High School, Winthrop, Haland, Hooker, Blackum Black Rock, JFK, and City Hall.

"We're very pleased," Kerr said. "We're doing everything we can to get voters to vote."

Because stations ran out of ballots, people were turned away from the polls earlier today, said the Himes campaign.

According to Connecticut law, any voter showing up at a polling station must be allowed to vote, said Kerr.

"Registrars were providing photocopied ballots in a constant effort to keep up," Kerr said.

Update 7:37 p.m.

Connecticut Fourth Congressional District constituents are following a developing story today that some polling places in Bridgeport — a critical city for this race — ran out of ballots.

A higher-than-expected turnout reportedly led to the shortfall.

Liz Kerr, communications director for U.S. Rep Jim Himes — a Cos Cob Democrat who is facing a strong challenge today from state Sen. Dan Debicella of Shelton — called turnout in Bridgeport strong because "people are exercising their right to choose the direction of this country."

"It is unfortunate that Dan Debicella is  again engaging in deceptive tactics. Any voter who goes to a polling place must be allowed to cast a ballot," Kerr said. "If no official ballots are available due to high turnout, photocopied ballots, which will be hand-counted, must be provided by election officials." 

Repeated calls to Debicella spokesperson Ashley Maagero have not been returned.

Stay here on Patch for developments.

Original Story

After six debates and scores of candidate meet-and-greets, the race for the Fourth Congressional District — betweeen incumbent Democrat U.S. Rep. and his challenger, Republican state Sen. — appears to rest with Bridgeport, experts say.

"All three urban areas are in play, but Bridgeport is the key," said Professor Gary Rose, chair of government and politics at , referring to Bridgeport, Stamford, and Norwalk.

Yet, for Debicella to win he must substantially take the towns, Rose said.

 "We say the urban area is going to determine this. But we shouldn't discount the suburban towns that are transforming," Rose said.

Of the district's 17 towns and cities, Bridgeport may indeed decide whether Himes returns to Washington for another term or whether Debicella heads to Congress. But no matter the outcome, the economy clearly dominated the race from the start.

And with a national unemployment rate of 9.6 percent and a $1.4 trillion federal deficit, the race quickly evolved into a referendum on the Obama administration.

"I don't think it's so much about how Himes is doing as a Congressman," Rose said. "Instead the Republicans really have nationalized the election like they did in 1994 when Bill Clinton was president."

The race gained national attention both after the National Republican Congressional Committee named Debicella one of its 'Young Guns,' for proving he could be a serious contender on the campaign trail.

And it also attracted national attention when Fox News' Greta VanSusteren defended Himes on his position regarding the 2001 and 2003 Bush-era tax rates.

Both candidates favor extending the tax rates. But while Himes said the nation can only afford a temporary extension, Debicella favors making the rates permanent. According to the Pew Research Center, should the cuts remain it will cost $3.3 trillion over the next 10 years.

Aside from the tax rates, the candidates debated the federal bailout of the banks and the auto industry, and whether the newly passed healthcare legislation has merit.

Throughout the campaign voters expressed concern about Medicare and Social Security, as well as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Of the 391,229 registered voters in the Fourth Congressional District, 139,784 are Democratic, 100,275 are Republican, and 148,496 are unaffiliated, according to the Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz.

"As of eleven o'clock this morning, we're seeing very strong turnout in towns that we think we're going to win by significant margins," Dan Debicella. "The turnout was above 20 percent in towns like New Canaan, Darien and Shelton."

Indeed voter turnout throughout the district has so far been high today, according to Bysiewicz.

"People are enthusiastic," Himes said in a telephone interview with Patch. "In the past 48 hours I have been in Democratic offices around the district. If there is any unenthusiasm, I don't see it."

If Himes wins tonight he will face a very different House in the morning.

The Republicans are predicted to gain control of the House. Should that happen Republican Rep. John Boehner of Ohio would likely emerge as the new Speaker of the House. Boehner has often said he doesn't intend to work with the White House.

"I don't want to see it change hands, it will change the way things worked the past 23 months," Himes said.

Himes sits on several committees including the House Finance and Homeland Security Committees. While he'll retain his seat, his party won't head the committee. All the standing and sub-committees will change leadership, as will the rules committees.

In turn that will determine which bills make it to the floor.

"It will determine the flow of business," Rose said. "Yet most voters don't think about committee composition when they vote."

Most voters are thinking about government spending. But voters have different views on how the government should spend money.

"The government should spend more stimulus, not less," Vijay Kumar, a Wilton resident said after he voted. "We should spent time and money on our infrastructure. We should be building roads, dams, and bridges. It would put people to work."

In the past couple of days both candidates claimed the lead.

Yesterday the Himes' campaign said it led 52-36, while Debicella's campaign said it lead 48-42.

As for number claim, Al Alper, chair of Wilton's Republican Town Committee said both camps are claiming the independent women voters.

"They control the household finances," Alper said, "and this election is about the pocketbook."