Danbury Awarded Democracy Cup By Secretary Of The State

**News Release Submitted by Connecticut House Republicans**

Jan. 31, 2024

State Representative Rachel Chaleski (R-138) joined other members of the Danbury state legislative delegation, Mayor Roberto Alves, and City Councilmembers at City Hall Tuesday as Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas presented a 2023 Democracy Cup to the city.

The Democracy Cup is awarded to municipalities that saw the highest voter turnout in the state in the 2023 municipal election. Danbury secured the “city” division – municipalities with over 65,000 people – with a voter turnout of 34 percent.

According to the Secretary of the State’s office, cities and towns with fewer than 10,000 people are considered small; cities and towns with between 10,000 and 30,000 people are considered mid-sized; cities and towns with between 30,000 and 65,000 people are considered large. Cities and towns with more than 65,000 people are categorized as cities. Danbury beat out Stamford, which had 29 percent turnout in 2023, a city that won even year Democracy Cups for the last three or four cycles.

“Everyone, on both sides of the aisle, can get behind additional public participation in our elections. As someone who's knocked on thousands of doors over several election cycles, it's disheartening when we're celebrating about a third of registered voters exercising this fundamental right. I'm happy to put my support behind any civic engagement we as a community can do to engage more voters," said Chaleski.

Noting the original Democracy Cups were privately purchased in 2000 and donated to the state for rotating display following a Presidential Election and even-year elections, Secretary Thomas said this is the first time in more than a decade that the awards were presented during municipal election years.

"I want to thank Secretary Thomas for honoring our city and coming all the way to Danbury for this presentation," added Chaleski.