HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill announced she will not be running for reelection in 2022.
"It has been the honor of my life to serve three terms as the secretary of this great state," Merrill said.
In 2011, Merrill took on the position with a promise to modernize Connecticut's election system and to implement easier ways for businesses to interact with state government.
During her time as Secretary of State, Merrill helped expand voter registration options with online, Election Day and DMV automatic voter registration. She also upgraded the election system with new tools to help keep the voter rolls more accurate and to improve election cybersecurity.
On the business front, Merrill and her team worked with the governor's office and other agencies to provide online resources for business owners through a one-stop online shop.
After 30 years in elective office, Merrill said it's time to allow a new generation to step in with new and innovative ideas.
"I think it's time that another group of people who have different and newer ideas about technology and all kinds of things about elections needs to come step up, and I'm looking forward to that, personally," Merrill said.
However, with a year and a half left in her term, Merrill made it clear that she will continue working on improving the election system.
Merrill plans to continue expanding access for every eligible voter and fighting the spread of misinformation about U.S. elections through civic engagement and education, she said.
"I will be lending my efforts to passing the constitutional amendments that will allow voters to vote by their method of choice: by absentee ballot without needing an excuse, in person before Election Day or at their local polling places in Connecticut," Merrill said.
As for who she would like to see take up the position, Merrill said it would be great to see a woman or a person from a minority community as Secretary of State.
Though Merrill currently has no specific plans for what comes next in her career, she said she plans to continue advocating for voting rights nationwide and to continue encouraging more women to get involved in politics.
Governor Ned Lamont commended Merrill in a written statement, saying she undoubtedly left her mark on Connecticut.
“At a time in history when some of her counterparts across the nation are working to enact provisions that block access to voting, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that every eligible adult has the ability to cast a ballot with ease and not need to jump through endless bureaucratic hoops to practice their democratic rights," he wrote.
Attorney General William Tong said in a statement that Merrill is a national leader for the nation's election system. "Especially during this last year, through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, she ensured that every Connecticut voter had the ability to cast their ballot safely. In doing so, Secretary Merrill protected all of us and our right to vote, at a time when our democracy was at grave risk."
"I began in 1991 serving on the Mansfield Board of Education," Merrill said, "and all I can say is, in the end, I hope I've made a difference."