Sec. of the State tours polling places

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH/AP) — Election Day is just four days away now and the push is on to get polling stations back up and running.

There are a handful of stations without power and election officials want folks to know they're ready for Tuesday.

Polling places were not immune to Sandy. The Longfellow school is flooded in Bridgeport. Over in Greenwich, the Julian Curtiss School doesn't have power. It's where Joan Stewart Pratt always casts her ballot.

"I've always voted here and I just want to be clear with the communication on where I need to vote," Pratt said.

"Looking at this map it's quite stunning looking at this tree damage," Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said.

Merrill sat down with voter registrars in Greenwich, Trumbull, and Bridgeport. She says the storm may damage voter turnout, especially because some polling places will be forced to move.

"There will be a few," Merrill said. "I'm hoping as few as possible because people get so confused and they're already under all this stress, so that I think would help depress turnout."

About 50 polling places across the state don't have power. She says it's high priority for the electric companies and generators are an option.

"Were hoping to avoid as many point changes as possible," Merrill said.

Pratt says nothing will deter her and she'll help others get out to the polls.

"I'm concerned about people who are staying in shelters that might not be able to get to the polls, I and others are hopefully willing to transport people if they need it," Pratt said.

On Thursday afternoon, Merrill said about 95 or so polling locations across the state remained without electricity. She said her office has been assured by the state's two largest electric utilities — Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating — that the polls are a high priority for power restoration.

A CL&P official said Thursday that if electricity cannot be restored in time for Election Day, the utility is considering options such as installing backup generators.