CHESTER — Christine Palm, candidate for state representative in the 36th Assembly District (Chester, Deep River, Essex and Haddam) has qualified for public financing under the voluntary Citizens Election Program (CEP). CEP is the “clean money” initiative created by the General Assembly in 2005 in the wake of the Rowland scandal to limit the influence of private money in the Connecticut political process. To qualify for the one-time public financing grant, candidates for state representative must meet two thresholds: raise $5,100 (in amounts between $5 and $250) and have at least 150 individual in-district constituents donate to the campaign.

“Since announcing my candidacy a little more than a month ago, I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of enthusiasm, generosity and offers of help,” Palm said. “Our towns are clearly ready for a change in the Legislature and my qualifying quickly is proof of that. The voting population is newly engaged, and I’ve gotten support from people who are very new to the political process as well as from long-time activists.”

Palm is challenging the incumbent, Republican Robert Seigrist, who was elected in 2016.

According to Palm’s treasurer, Dianna Kulmacz of Haddam, support for the campaign has come from a wide variety of sources, including small business owners, teachers, police officers, doctors, retail sales people, artists, engineers, computer/IT professionals.

“The breadth of contributors speaks volumes,” Palm said. “And while these donations are evidence of wonderful civic engagement in our towns, they also speak to people’s anger over the state budget, partisan gridlock, and concerns over how national politics will affect them personally: I have received donations from retirees worried about what the Republican agenda is doing to their security, and young women just starting their first job concerned about pay inequity. Even teenagers too young to vote who are sick of school gun violence have donated, and a 92-year-old woman who thought we’d never have to fight again for basic human rights.”

Palm is principal of Sexual Harassment Prevention, LLC, which gives trainings to the corporate, academic and non-profit workplace. She was women’s policy analyst for the General Assembly’s Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, and served as communications director for its predecessor agency, the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women. She is a former newspaper reporter, high school teacher, and small business owner.