Denise Merrill


Denise W. Merrill is a Democratic politician and the current Connecticut Secretary of the State. Merrill was previously a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

Education

Merrill graduated from the University of Connecticut. She attended but did not graduate from the San Francisco Law School, now merged with Alliant International University, and was admitted to the State Bar of California.

Career

Connecticut House of Representatives

Merrill was first elected to office in 1994 and served as the House Majority Leader after being elected to that position prior to the 2009 legislative session and until becoming Secretary of the State. Previously, Merrill had served as the House Chair on the Appropriations Committee from 2005–2008. In the State House she represented Fifty-Fourth Assembly District, which includes the towns of Mansfield and Chaplin.

Secretary of State

Following the state Democratic primary held on August 10, 2010, Merrill became her party's nominee for Secretary of the State for the November 2010 election. She went on to defeat Republican candidate Jerry Farrell Jr. on November 2. As a serving Secretary of State, she is a part of the National Association of Secretaries of State and was also elected its president for the 2016–2017 term.

Other work

She currently serves on the Board of Advisors of Let America Vote, an organization founded by former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander that aims to end voter suppression.

Personal life

Merrill is also a classically trained pianist. She has three grown children and five grandchildren.

Electoral history

*Merrill was also nominated on A Connecticut Party line.
*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line; Lumaj was also listed on the Independent Party line.