Election Day Bake Sales Back for Trumbull Schools

Schools can hold bake sales, considered by some to be major fundraisers for students, on election day as long as they don't interfere with voters.

The issue arose late last week when the Trumbull Registrar of Voters Office prohibited them.

But Schools Supt. Ralph Iassogna said Tuesday afternoon that "they're going forward" after discussions with the Registrar's Office.

"We agreed that nothing should disrupt the electoral process," he said. He suggested "very specific" locations for bake sales, out of the way of the voters.

Schools are closed for students but open for teacher development Tuesday, Iassogna said.

Parent Teacher Student Association Council President Lainie McHugh said the annual bake sales at and schools are major fundraisers that pay for class activities. They have been held as far as she can remember.

The Tashua event raised $1,500 last year, which helped pay for fifth-grade end-of-the-year activities, McHugh said.  

"We're a nonprofit group. It's really about raising funds for the kids," she said.

Iassogna noted that some years there were no problems and some years there were with scheduling the bake sales on election days. 

First Selectman candidate Mary Beth Thornton had said earlier in the day that,

"I just heard that registrars of voters will not allow the PTAs to hold bake sales in our schools this election day. I am asking them to reverse this decision and permit this time-honored community activity to go forward this year as it has for many years.

“We all talk about the tough times our schools face, but when our kids and parents try to help themselves the town stops them. These bake sales are not only great fundraisers for the schools but part of the small-town election day tradition. They teach our children self reliance and the how important elections are. They should be allowed. 

“As a candidate, I want elections to be run well and make the voting process as easy and efficient as possible. If the sale or the kids get unruly and disrupt voting then they should be asked to settle down or leave. But to just keep our families and children out of schools on election day is wrong."