Voting Rights

"Several Democrats and an independent running for the open seat of Secretary of the State are divided on how far Connecticut should expand access to voting. During an online forum organized by the liberal advocacy group Common Cause, the candidates were asked if they would support ballot access for people behind bars..."

"All the candidates supported the Voting Rights Act bill that moved out of committee this week. The bill aims to remove barriers to voting that impact people of color and other social-equity impediments. 'Voter suppression is not just a problem in Georgia, Alabama and Texas,' said Lesser, who wrote the bill. 'Some municipalities have problems, they run out of ballots, there are inadequate instructions on voter requirements, and redistricting. This bill will change a lot and provide a real opportunity.'"

Issues covered during the forum included: a Ban on Foreign Spending on State Ballot Referendums; a Connecticut Voting Rights Act; legislation to create a task force to study the implementation of Ranked Choice Voting in Connecticut; implementation of Early voting if approved by voters on November 8, 2022; Risk-Limiting Audits; and Restoration of Voting Rights to Incarcerated Voters.

The state Senate gave final passage Wednesday to a bill expanding the conditions under which Connecticut voters can qualify for an absentee ballot, making mail-in voting easier for commuters and residents worried about illnesses. The Senate sent the bill to the governor’s desk on a 30 to 4 vote Wednesday afternoon. The House approved the legislation on a bipartisan basis last week. Although Connecticut’s constitution contains language explicitly outlining a handful of excuses a voter must use in order to obtain an absentee ballot, the bill eases the restrictions previously written into state law. It removes a requirement that commuters be out of town for all hours in which polls are open. It deletes language requiring a voter to be personally ill in order to qualify for a ballot based on sickness.

Support legislation to Ban Foreign Spending on State Ballot Referendums! The question on Connecticut’s November 8, 2022 statewide ballot where voters will decide if our state will finally allow Early Voting could become a target of anti-democratic foreign actors. We cannot allow this to happen. Submit written testimony and/or speak on Zoom to the Government Administration and Election Committee on Friday, March 18th, 2022 beginning at 11:00AM.

“Connecticut voters deserve the absolute best version of democracy; that’s why we – a coalition of good government groups and other organizations who share this vision – are writing today to strongly urge our legislative leaders to prioritize these three ‘freedom to vote’ reforms from day one of the 2022 regular legislative session.”