Know before you vote in Eastern Conn.: From local ballot questions to candidate stances

Election Day is here.

From local spending and rule changes to state and federal representatives, Eastern Connecticut residents have many decisions to make as they head to voting booths Tuesday. Polls open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 8, and anyone standing in line as of 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

In addition to the statewide ballot question on early voting, Plainfield and Norwich residents will decide the fate of local questions.

Here is a breakdown of the questions and candidates voters in Griswold, Killingly, Norwich and Plainfield will see on ballots Tuesday, as well as candidate responses to Bulletin questionnaires, debate coverage, ballot questions and links to state information.

What is on the ballot?

Sample ballots provide a preview of what you'll be looking at in the voting booth.

Griswold: Griswold-2-18-45.xls (ct.gov)

Killingly: Killingly.pdf (ct.gov)

Norwich: NORWICH.pdf (ct.gov)

Plainfield: Plainfield.pdf (ct.gov)

Find sample ballots for other Connecticut cities and towns at 2022 November Town Election Ballots.

Where do candidates for U.S. Representative stand on the issues?

Coverage of the Oct. 12 debate with candidates for U.S. Representative of Connecticut's Second District, featuring Democrat Joe Courtney, Green Party candidate Kevin Blacker and Republican Mike France. The fourth candidate, Libertarian William Hall, did not participate: Courtney, France, and Blacker debate for Second Congressional Rep seat (norwichbulletin.com)

The Bulletin asked candidates for U.S. Representative a few more questions: Nov. 8 election: Blacker, France, Courtney, Hall for U.S. Rep. seat (norwichbulletin.com)

The Second District includes Andover, Ashford, Bolton, Bozrah, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Chaplin, Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Columbia, Coventry, Deep River, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Lyme, Eastford, Ellington, Enfield, Essex, Franklin, Glastonbury (part), Griswold, Groton, Haddam, Hampton, Hebron, Killingly, Killingworth, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Lyme, Madison, Mansfield, Marlborough, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Plainfield, Pomfret, Preston, Putnam, Salem, Scotland, Somers, Sprague, Stafford, Sterling, Stonington, Suffield, Thompson, Tolland, Union, Vernon, Voluntown, Waterford, Westbrook, Willington, Windham and Woodstock.

State Senate District 18 - Heather Somers and Farouk Rajab

Both candidates running to represent District 18 in the state Senate responded to the Bulletin's questionnaire. The district includes Griswold, Groton, North Stonington, Plainfield, Preston, Sterling and Stonington.

Democrat Farouk Rajab: Farouk Rajab Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT Senate District 18 (norwichbulletin.com)

Republican Heather Somers: Heather Somers Q&A: Republican candidate for CT Senate District 18 (norwichbulletin.com)

State Senate District 19 - Catherine Osten and Pietro Camardella

District 19 includes Columbia, Franklin, Hebron, Lebanon, Ledyard, Lisbon, Marlborough, Montville, Norwich and Sprague.

Democrat Catherine Osten and Republican Pietro Camardella, vying to represent District 19, debated Oct. 19: Cannabis, taxes, education, business: Camarella, Osten debate at NFA (norwichbulletin.com)

Osten replied to the Bulletin's questionnaire: Catherine Osten Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT Senate District 19 (norwichbulletin.com). Camarella did not return his questionnaire.

State Senate District 29 - Susanne Witkowski, Mae Flexer, Jean de Smet

All three candidates running for the District 29 state Senate seat responded to the Bulletin's questionnaire. The district includes Brooklyn, Canterbury, Killingly, Mansfield, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson and Windham.

Republican Susanne Witkowski: Susanne Witkowski Q&A: Republican candidate for CT Senate District 29 (norwichbulletin.com)

Democrat Mae Flexer: Mae Flexer Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT Senate District 29 (norwichbulletin.com)

Green Party candidate Jean de Smet: Jean de Smet Q&A: Green Party candidate for CT Senate District 29 (norwichbulletin.com)

Who are the candidates running for state representative in Eastern Connecticut?

Candidates for the 46th and 139th districts debated Oct. 19: Taxes, housing and more as state rep. candidates debated Oct. 19 (norwichbulletin.com)

Democrat Dave Randall is running against incumbent Republican Anne Dauphinais for District 44, which includes Killingly and Plainfield. Dauphinais did not respond to the Bulletin's questionnaire. Randall's response is here: Dave Randall Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT House District 44 (norwichbulletin.com)

For the 46th district, which is entirely in Norwich, both candidates responded to Bulletin questionnaires.

Republican Robert Bell: Robert Bell Q&A: Republican candidate for CT House District 46 (norwichbulletin.com)

Democrat Derell Wilson: Derell Wilson Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT House District 46 (norwichbulletin.com)

Democrat David Nowakowski, running to represent the 47th district, which includes Canterbury, Chaplin, Franklin, Hampton, Lebanon, Lisbon, Norwich, Scotland and Sprague, responded to the Bulletin's questionnaire:David Nowakowski Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT House District 47 (norwichbulletin.com). His challenger, incumbent Republican Doug Dubitsky, did not return his questionnaire.

Only Democrat Pat Boyd responded in the race for the 50th district, which includes Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Union and Woodstock: Patrick Boyd Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT House District 50 (norwichbulletin.com)

Both candidates running for District 139, which includes Bozrah, Montville and Norwich, responded.

Democrat Mark Adams: Mark Adams Q&A: Republican candidate for CT House District 139 (norwichbulletin.com)

Republican Kevin Ryan: Kevin Ryan Q&A: Democratic candidate for CT House District 139 (norwichbulletin.com)

What is Norwich's ballot question Nov. 8?

The city is asking residents if they want to approve $385 million to replace and renovate Norwich's elementary schools. The plan calls for building four new schools. All are decades old. At least two are nearing 100 years old.

More:Leaky ceilings and cramped offices: Here's why Norwich wants to buy four new schools

More:Norwich City Council approved multimillion dollar school reno bond. What does that mean?

More:Norwich sends school building vote to referendum. When's the vote?

Norwich ballot question language: Shall the $385,000,000 appropriation and bond authorization for the City of Norwich School Construction Program (2022), which consists of (i) the construction of four new elementary schools in the City of Norwich on the grounds of the Moriarty Environmental Sciences Magnet School, the John B. Stanton School, the Uncas School and the former Greeneville School, (ii) the renovation to “as new” of the existing Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School or the construction of a new middle school on the site of the existing Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School, and (iii) the conversion and renovation of the Samuel Huntington School to accommodate central offices, including school administration, transportation and facilities offices, and adult education, and other costs related thereto as may be accomplished within said appropriation, pursuant to the ordinance adopted by the City Council on August 1, 2022, be approved?

What are Plainfield's ballot questions Nov. 8?

Plainfield voters have five total questions to answer on the ballot. In addition to the statewide early voting question, they will also face four decisions written for Plainfield voters alone.

The questions concern whether Plainfield should have an elected or appointed town clerk and tax collector, and how much local government can spend before requiring town-wide approval in a referendum.

More:There are four questions on the Nov. 8 election ballot just for Plainfield residents. What to know.

Plainfield question language:

Shall the dollar amount of non-budgeted appropriations be updated from $10,000 to $50,000 minimum, and from $50,000 to $200,000 maximum, before a town meeting is needed?

Shall the minimum dollar amount for shared grants be increased from $10,000 to $50,000 before a town meeting is needed?

Shall the office of the town clerk be changed from an elected to an appointed position?

Shall the office of tax collector be changed from an elected to an appointed position?

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Election Day in CT: Polling hours, candidate stances, ballot questions