Maritza Bond’s Public-Financing Grant Approved

With hours to spare, Maritza Bond won approval Friday afternoon to receive $484,125 in public money to compete in the Aug. 9 Democratic primary for secretary of the state. 

The approval came in the form of a unanimous vote by the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) at a special meeting held over Zoom.

The meeting was the last chance for primary candidates to win approval for grants under the Citizens’ Election Program.

SEEC Executive Director Michael Brandi reported at the meeting that his agency had confirmed that $85,128.88 in in-state contributions to Bond’s campaign qualify for the match, enough to release the grant.

Bond, New Haven government’s health director, faces Norwalk State Rep. Stephanie Thomas in the Aug. 9 Democratic primary for secretary of the state, Connecticut’s top elections official. Thomas has already won SEEC approval for her public-financing grant, as have Republican secretary of the state primary candidates Dominic Rapini and Terrie Wood. 

“Qualifying for the grant shows that Democrats across Connecticut are ready for a fresh perspective and new ideas in the next secretary of the state,” Bond stated in a release issued after the SEEC vote. ​“I am excited to spend the next three weeks speaking with voters across the state about what matters most to them and my vision for the office. I have been fortunate enough to receive the endorsements of major unions, elected officials, and Democratic Town Committees across this state, and I am looking forward to campaigning hand-in-hand with them to tell voters exactly what I stand for.”