Victory by a single vote

On election night in November 2022, Chris Poulos, ’97, watched a tug-of-war for his bid to represent Connecticut’s 81st District in the statehouse. In the first tally, he led by six votes. A recount confirmed his victory by a single vote.

“I’ve gotten 300 texts, emails, and phone calls,” Poulos says. “People keep telling me, ‘I was your one vote.’”

That vote could also have come from any of the people behind the 5,300 doors he knocked on during his campaign, reflecting a tenacity with voters he learned young. He was treasurer of his junior high school student council, class president for three years in high school, and a senator in the Richmond College Student Government Association. His roots in public service run deep.

“When I was a kid, my father would share with me that public service was an obligation and a privilege,” he says.

He also serves his community as a high school Spanish teacher, a role that influences his work on the education committee in Hartford. He views himself as a “translator between policy and practice.” He offers policymakers a perspective from the classroom, and he shares with teachers the rationale behind the education policies.

This dual role can be challenging. He must be present for his students and also commits to being at the Capitol for meetings and votes. He balances both roles by working with a retired teacher who covers his classes during the legislative session, and he meets with legislators to review what he misses while at school. “I am fortunate to have a tremendous amount of support at my school and with my family,” he says.

U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, who once held Poulos’ seat, advised him during an interview to “keep knocking [on] doors” and stay connected to the people he represents. Poulos agrees. “You have to talk with people and listen in order to know what’s important to them,” he says.