Hartford, CT — Today, Connecticut Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo released the following statement regarding the reelection campaigns for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill and Comptroller Kevin Lembo:

“I would like to congratulate Secretary of the State Denise Merrill on filing paperwork to run for re-election in 2014. She joins State Comptroller Kevin Lembo who announced in November.  Both Comptroller Lembo and Secretary Merrill have many accomplishments to be proud of in their first terms.

“Secretary Merrill has been a champion of modernizing our elections to meet the needs of an increasingly mobile electorate.  Starting in January, Connecticut’s citizens will be able to register to vote online.  She is also the state’s leading proponent for Connecticut to adopt early voting methods, which will help increase voter participation and alleviate long lines on Election Day.

“In addition to her role as the state’s chief elections official, Secretary Merrill is the first Secretary of  the State to convene a meeting to conduct an in-depth study of civic participation in Connecticut.

“Comptroller Lembo’s innovative approach to open government has created new avenues for residents to connect with state government – starting with the launch of ‘Open Connecticut,’ that simplifies public access to important information about the state’s budget and financial future.

“As the state’s chief fiscal officer, Lembo has modernized state business practices to operate more efficiently, including the transition of tens of thousands of employees, retires, vendors and municipalities to an electronic payment system that saves dollars and resources.”