2018 Connecticut Secretary of the State election

2018 Connecticut Secretary of State election

←  2014 November 6, 2018 2022  →

Nominee Denise Merrill Susan Chapman Party Democratic Republican Alliance Working Families Independent Party Popular vote 764,067 580,779 Percentage 55.9% 42.5%

County results Municipality results Congressional district results Merrill:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90–100% Chapman:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Secretary of State before election Denise Merrill Democratic Elected Secretary of State Denise Merrill Democratic

The 2018 Connecticut Secretary of the State election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Incumbent Democrat Denise Merrill won re-election to a third term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Denise Merrill, incumbent secretary of the state (2011–2022) ^[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Susan Chapman, candidate for first selectman of Fairfield in 2017 ^[2]

Third-party candidates and independent candidates

Working Families

The Working Families Party endorsed Merrill, giving her access to a second ballot line.

Official designee

• Denise Merrill, incumbent secretary of state (2011–2022)

Independent Party of Connecticut

The Independent Party of Connecticut endorsed Chapman, giving her access to a second ballot line.

Official designee

• Susan Chapman, candidate for first selectman of Fairfield in 2017

Green Party

Nominee

• S. Michael DeRosa, nominee for secretary of the state in 2006, 2010, and 2014, U.S. House of Representatives from CT-01 in 2012 and 2016, and perennial candidate for state senator from the 1st district ^[3]

Libertarian Party

Nominee

• Heather Lynn Sylvestre Gwynn ^[4]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Governing [5]	Likely D	October 11, 2018

Results

2018 Connecticut Secretary of the State election ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Denise Merrill	735,743	53.80%	+5.71%
	Working Families	Denise Merrill	28,324	2.07%	−0.79%
	Total	Denise Merrill (incumbent)	764,067	55.87%	+4.91%
	Republican	Susan Chapman	557,616	40.77%	−3.36%
	Independent Party	Susan Chapman	23,163	1.69%	−0.93%
	Total	Susan Chapman	580,779	42.46%	−4.29%
	Green	S. Michael DeRosa	12,469	0.91%	−1.39%
	Libertarian	Heather Lynn Sylvestre Gwynn	10,361	0.76%	N/A
Total votes			1,367,668	100.0%
	Democratic hold

By congressional district

Merrill won all five congressional districts. ^[7]

District	Merrill	Chapman	Representative
1st	60%	38%	John B. Larson
2nd	53%	45%	Joe Courtney
3rd	58%	40%	Rosa DeLauro
4th	57%	42%	Jim Himes
5th	52%	46%	Elizabeth Esty (115th Congress)
			Jahana Hayes (116th Congress)

References

1. Pazniokas, Mark (August 18, 2017). "Merrill is first constitutional officer to declare for re-election". CT Mirror . Bruce Putterman. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
2. "Susan Chapman files paperwork to run for Secretary of the State". twitter.com. January 30, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
3. "Candidate: S. Michael DeRosa - Election Results". electionhistory.ct.gov. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
4. "Candidate: Heather Lynn Sylvestre Gwynn - Election Results". electionhistory.ct.gov. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
5. Jacobson, Louis (October 11, 2018). "Democrats Maintain the Edge in Secretary of State Races" . Retrieved October 20, 2025.
6. "2018 General Election - Secretary of State". Connecticut Secretary of State.
7. "Statement of Vote" (PDF). Secretary of the State of Connecticut . Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.