Merrill Will Not Seek 4th Term as Secretary of the State.

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, a Democrat, will announce Wednesday morning that she will not seek a fourth term in 2022. Merrill was elected in 2010 on the ticket that saw Dannel P. Malloy become the state’s first Democratic governor in 20 years.

Merrill served in the state House of Representatives for nearly 20 years, rising to become the majority leader. She was first elected in a special election to fill a Mansfield seat.

Merrill’s announcement is expected to cause a stampede among Democrats to win the party’s nomination for the rare open spot on the state ticket.