New Haven Independent

That was no easy task. It reflected the toughest challenge civil-rights proponents faced on election day in Connecticut — given that the state’s vote is solid for the candidacy of the would-be first-ever black president.

The question in question: Whether Connecticut should have a constitutional convention. That’s Question #1 on the ballot.

Walker had a tough sell outside New Haven’s Troup School polling place for two reasons.

Reason #1: Her position is complicated to explain.

The ballot question sounds simple, and harmless: Why not have a constitutional convention and allow citizens to institute initiative and referenda on future state ballots? Sounds like democracy.

To opponents like Walker, a Democratic state representative and daughter of New Haven’s leading civil-rights figure of the second half of the 20th century, the ballot question masks two dangerous agendas. They see the question as opening the door to special-interest right-wing activist groups to overturn civil-rights court victories. And they recognize who’s largely behind the movement to approve this question: groups opposed to same-sex marriage and abortion. Those forces particularly want to overturn a recent Connecticut Supreme Court decision allows gays and lesbians to marry.

Reason #2: She was talking to poll worker Phoenix Rumley. Rumley is active in her church. She said knew Barack Obama will win Tuesday’s election because she prayed and God told her. And she adamantly opposes same-sex marriage.

Click on the play arrow above to watch how Walker made the case.

“Women got the right to vote not by the constitution, but by the courts,” Walker argued in part. “We desegregated schools not by the constitution, but by the courts…. We’ve got to keep the courts in the process to help us get our voice heard.”

“Oh,” Rumley said. “OK.”

Walker had a sign in her car urging a “no” vote. She asked Rumley for permission to retrieve it and post it by the Obama/Biden stand Rumley was overseeing outside the polls. Rumley gave her the OK again.

Asked afterwards, Rumley said she most certainly opposes same-sex marriage. And she was happy to help Walker with the “no” vote.

At East Rock Magnet School, David Werner, 24, voted early Tuesday evening.

“I voted yes” on the ballot question, said Werner, who sported a McCain/Palin shirt. “What does that mean?”

Caroline Berson contributed to this story.