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Connecticut, State Senate, District 1

Connecticut State Senate District 1
Current incumbentJohn Fonfara Democratic Party

Connecticut’s first state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator John Fonfara.

Connecticut state senators represent an average of 99,280 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 94,599 residents.

About the office

Members of the Connecticut State Senate serve two-year terms without term limits. Connecticut legislators assume office the Wednesday following the first Monday of the January next succeeding their election.

Qualifications

Article III, Section 3 of the Connecticut Constitution states: "The senate shall consist of not less than thirty and not more than fifty members, each of whom shall be an elector residing in the senatorial district from which he is elected. Each senatorial district shall be contiguous as to territory and shall elect no more than one senator."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$28,000/yearNo per diem is paid.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, a special election must be conducted to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election no later than 10 days after the vacancy happened. All special elections must be held no later than 46 days after a Governor's declaration. If the vacancy happened with less than 125 days left before the general election, the special election must be held on the same day as the general election. No election can be called by the Governor if the vacancy happened with less than 49 days before the general election.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Connecticut State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 11, 2020. The filing deadline is June 9, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for Connecticut State Senate District 1

Incumbent John Fonfara (D) defeated Barbara Ruhe (R) and Barbara Barry (G) in the general election for Connecticut State Senate District 1 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

John Fonfara (D)
74.0
15,612

Barbara Ruhe (R)
23.9
5,044

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

Barbara Barry (G)
2.1
447

Total votes: 21,103
Democratic primary election

The primary elections were canceled.

Republican primary election

The primary elections were canceled.

2016

Elections for the Connecticut State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 9, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.

Incumbent John Fonfara defeated Barbara Ruhe and Barbara Barry in the Connecticut State Senate District 1 general election.

Connecticut State Senate, District 1 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png John Fonfara Incumbent 74.81% 20,437
Republican Barbara Ruhe 22.15% 6,052
Green Barbara Barry 3.03% 829
Total Votes 27,318
Source: Connecticut Secretary of the State

Incumbent John Fonfara ran unopposed in the Connecticut State Senate District 1 Democratic primary.

Connecticut State Senate, District 1 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png John Fonfara Incumbent (unopposed)
Barbara Ruhe ran unopposed in the Connecticut State Senate District 1 Republican primary.

Connecticut State Senate, District 1 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Barbara Ruhe (unopposed)

2014

Elections for the Connecticut State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 12, 2014, and a general election on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 10, 2014. Incumbent John W. Fonfara was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Barbara J. Ruhe was unopposed in the Republican primary. Fonfara defeated Ruhe, Barbara A. Barry (G) and Alyssa S. Peterson (nonpartisan) in the general election.

Connecticut State Senate, District 1 General Election, 2014

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Fonfara Incumbent 67.1% 11,097
Republican Barbara J. Ruhe 25% 4,135
Working Families John Fonfara Incumbent 4.9% 811
Green Barbara A. Barry 2% 335
Nonpartisan Alyssa S. Peterson 0.9% 156
Total Votes 16,534

2012

Elections for the office of Connecticut State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 14, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 12, 2012. A total of 36 seats were up for election in 2012. Incumbent John Fonfara defeated Barbara Ruhe (R) and Jeffery Russell (G) in the general election. Neither candidate faced opposition in the August 14 primary elections.

Connecticut State Senate, District 1, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Fonfara Incumbent 80.7% 20,648
Republican Barbara Ruhe 17.4% 4,447
Green Jeffery Russell 1.9% 488
Total Votes 25,583

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Connecticut State Senate District 1 raised a total of $966,503. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $40,271 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Connecticut State Senate District 1

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $112,745 3 $37,582
2014 $113,890 4 $28,473
2012 $109,320 2 $54,660
2010 $268,309 3 $89,436
2008 $271,859 4 $67,965
2006 $36,586 1 $36,586
2004 $12,823 2 $6,412
2002 $25,677 3 $8,559
2000 $15,294 2 $7,647
Total $966,503 24 $40,271