Fifty-four of the 187 state Senate and House of Representatives campaigns this year lack a Republican or Democratic candidate, leaving a major-party candidate either unopposed or with only a minor-party opponent.
That's 29 percent, which may sound like a lot, but Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, the state's chief elections official, said Monday that it's actually less than in 2008, when 60 Senate or House districts, or 32 percent, had candidates who ran without either a Republican or Democratic opponent.
Bysiewicz said that this year's percentage is the lowest since 1998's 27 percent.
"This decline in uncontested General Assembly races means more Connecticut citizens are interested in the electoral process and running for office," said Bysiewicz. "One factor that appears to be encouraging more candidates to run for office is the Citizen's Election Program and the availability of public campaign funds."