Denise W. Merrill (born October 8, 1948) 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.
State House
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.
Personal
Merrill is also a classically trained pianist. She has three grown children and one grandchild.
Electoral history
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 1994 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic* | Denise Merrill | 3,843 | 77.01 |
| Republican | David Dyer | 1,147 | 22.99 |
*Merrill was also nominated on A Connecticut Party line.
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 1996 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 4,748 | 100.00 |
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 1998 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 3,384 | 100.00 |
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2000 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 4,506 | 100.00 |
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2002 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 3,959 | 76.95 |
| Republican | John Thatcher, III | 1,186 | 23.05 |
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2004 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 6,312 | 94.51 |
| Working Families | Magdalena Russell | 367 | 5.49 |
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2006 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic* | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 5,916 | 100.00 |
| Write-in | James Sargent | 2 | 0.00 |
*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
| Connecticut House of Representatives 54th District Election, 2008 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 8,781 | 100.00 |
| Connecticut Secretary of State Democratic Primary Election, 2010 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic | Denise Merrill | 107,003 | 62.95 |
| Democratic | Gerry Garcia | 62,978 | 37.05 |
| Connecticut Secretary of State Election, 2010 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic* | Denise Merrill | 584,313 | 52.87 |
| Republican | Jerry Farrell, Jr. | 484,163 | 43.81 |
| Independent | Michael Telesca | 14,530 | 1.31 |
| Green | Michael DeRosa | 13,566 | 1.23 |
| Libertarian | Ken Mosher | 8,631 | 0.78 |
*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line.
| Connecticut Secretary of State Election, 2014 |
|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Democratic* | Denise Merrill (inc.) | 533,543 | 50.95 |
| Republican* | Peter Lumaj | 489,515 | 46.75 |
| Green | Michael DeRosa | 24,038 | 2.30 |
*Merrill was also listed on the Working Families Party line; Lumaj was also listed on the Independent Party line.
