Republican Registrar Seeks To Challenge Bysiewicz

HARTFORD (AP) — Former race car driver Richard Abbate entered another race Tuesday, May 9, announcing plans to challenge Democratic Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz this fall.

Mr Abbate, the Republican registrar of voters in Cheshire and president of the Registrars of Voters Association of Connecticut, said he believes Connecticut needs a secretary of the state who will focus full-time on the job.

“Too often we have seen this office used as little more than a stepping stone for higher political ambitions. That trend needs to change,” said Mr Abbate, 61.

Ms Bysiewicz, first elected in 1998, initially planned to seek the Democratic nomination for governor this year. She dropped out of the race last September, saying the timing was not right.

She said she would instead be a candidate for reelection.

Mr Abbate, who will seek the Republican nomination at the party’s May 20 convention, criticized Ms Bysiewicz for her handling of the state’s purchase of voting machines to comply with federal voting requirements.

In January, Ms Bysiewicz scrapped longstanding plans to buy thousands of high-tech voting machines because no company could meet Connecticut’s requirements.

State officials discovered that one of the requirements never existed in state law. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said there was nothing in state statutes or regulations that require a voting machine to show a full ballot on the screen.

Ms Bysiewicz has since issued a second request for proposals for the machines.

Mr Abbate said he and other registrars warned Ms Bysiewicz they could not find the full-faced ballot requirement in state law. The state now risks US Justice Department requirements that Connecticut comply with federal law, he said.

“Crossing your fingers and hoping that the Justice Department does not force an action against us is not my idea of effective management,” he said.

Messages were left seeking comment with Ms Bysiewicz on Tuesday.

Mr Abbate, a native of New Haven, has worked in various businesses. For many years he owned an automotive repair business and was general manager and lead driver for the American Spirit Racing Team.

He teaches race car driving at Lime Rock Park in Salisbury.Mr Abbate also has worked in the mortgage banking business and headed the Connecticut Sports Development Group, an organization dedicated to securing a national franchise for the old New Haven Coliseum.