Comptroller of Connecticut · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Connecticut comptroller race?
Sean Scanlon has the strongest record in the Connecticut comptroller race. Sean Scanlon scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jennifer Tooker at 63, as of October 6, 2026. Sean Scanlon's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jennifer Tooker's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Sean Scanlon
69 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 69
Republican
Jennifer Tooker
On the ballot as Jennifer S. Tooker
63 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 70
- Performance
- 50
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Sean Scanlon
- On the record2026-09-08
State auditors reported three findings for his office for fiscal 2023 to 2025, one repeated, on outdated statewide accounting guidance and agency asset inventories.
Source: Auditors of Public Accounts, Office of the State Comptroller, FY2023 to 2025
- On the record2026-06
Took a middle position on changing the fiscal guardrails' volatility cap formula, which his opponent opposes changing.
- Credit2026-07
Completed a first-term listening tour with stops in all 169 Connecticut cities and towns, ending with a public town hall forum in Lyme.
Source: LymeLine, July 14, 2026
- Credit2016
Wrote and sponsored a 2016 law making Connecticut the second state to limit first-time opioid prescriptions to a seven-day supply.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker
- On the record2026-06-25
Argued the state should pay down long-term liabilities faster, including from general operating funds, and keep the guardrails' volatility cap formula.
- On the record2021 to 2025
Served one term as Westport's first selectwoman after earlier posts as second selectwoman and on town finance, education and conservation boards.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
- On the record2021 to 2025
Her campaign says her administration fully funded Westport's retiree medical benefits; Patch attributes the claim to the campaign.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Sean Scanlon. Comptroller since Jan. 4, 2023. No ethics, campaign finance or court finding naming him was found.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Sean Scanlon. No public record found.
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Sean Scanlon. Held open town hall forums on a 2026 statewide listening tour that reached all 169 cities and towns, ending at Lyme Public Hall. No 2026 debate record found.
Source: LymeLine, July 14, 2026
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Sean Scanlon. State representative 2015 to 2023, Tweed New Haven Airport executive director and comptroller since 2023 with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. Fourteen years in Westport elected office, most recently first selectwoman (2021 to 2025), with no formal censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Sean Scanlon. Sworn state representative and comptroller since Jan. 4, 2023 with no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. Served as Westport's first selectwoman, an elected office, with no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Sean Scanlon. Four terms in the state House for the 98th District (2015 to 2023) and comptroller since 2023; earlier executive director of Tweed New Haven Airport.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. Former first selectwoman of Westport after earlier service on its finance and education boards; about 25 years as a reinsurance executive at Gen Re.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Sean Scanlon. Sitting comptroller who earlier chaired the legislature's Insurance and Real Estate and Finance, Revenue and Bonding committees.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. Publishes positions in general terms: faster paydown of the state's long-term liabilities and keeping the fiscal guardrails' volatility cap formula unchanged.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Sean Scanlon. Two channels documented: town hall forums across all 169 towns and broadcast interviews. No campaign site listed; has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Jennifer Tooker. Three channels documented: campaign issue pages, campaign newsletters and a 2026 radio interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.
Sources: Jen Tooker for Comptroller, New Haven Independent, June 26, 2026, Ballotpedia, Jennifer Tooker
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Sean Scanlon. Born in New Haven and represented the 98th District (Guilford area) for eight years. In-state share of contributions not available.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. Westport resident with 14 years in town elected office. In-state share of contributions not available.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Sean Scanlon. Heads the Office of the State Comptroller, which runs state accounting, payroll and employee benefits; auditors' FY2023 to 2025 review reported three findings, one repeated, no penalty.
Source: Auditors of Public Accounts, Office of the State Comptroller, FY2023 to 2025
Jennifer Tooker. Led Westport's town government as first selectwoman, overseeing annual municipal budgets and long-term financial planning; town size and staff not stated in sources opened.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Sean Scanlon. As a legislator wrote laws including a seven-day limit on first-time opioid prescriptions (2016) and a $25 monthly insulin co-pay cap.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Sean Scanlon. No public record found.
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Sean Scanlon. Ran a listening tour with in-person stops in all 169 Connecticut cities and towns in his first term.
Source: LymeLine, July 14, 2026
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Sean Scanlon. Worked with Republican constituents on Ethan's Law, described as bipartisan gun safety legislation, and as Finance chair helped negotiate a bipartisan state budget.
Source: Wikipedia, Sean Scanlon
Jennifer Tooker. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Sean Scanlon. State auditors' review of the office he heads (FY2023 to 2025) reported three findings, one repeated, on statewide accounting guidance and asset inventories; no penalty.
Source: Auditors of Public Accounts, Office of the State Comptroller, FY2023 to 2025
Jennifer Tooker. Oversaw Westport's annual municipal budgets as first selectwoman; no audit finding found. Full funding of town retiree medical benefits is her campaign's claim.
Source: Patch, Jan. 2026
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Connecticut comptroller race?
Sean Scanlon has the strongest record in the Connecticut comptroller race. Sean Scanlon scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jennifer Tooker at 63, as of October 6, 2026. Sean Scanlon's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jennifer Tooker's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Connecticut comptroller race in 2026?
Sean Scanlon (Democratic, incumbent), Jennifer Tooker (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Sean Scanlon a good candidate for Comptroller?
Sean Scanlon scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Jennifer Tooker a good candidate for Comptroller?
Jennifer Tooker scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 70 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Connecticut race scored, and the Connecticut 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.