News Clips

“Based on the information I have so far, I would expect us to be somewhere in that few-days to five-days-window,” [Connecticut Secretary of the State Elect] Thomas said. “I expect to start Day 1 in January with a plan in hand and I will be speaking with legislators… before January so that we can hit the ground running with something that can be implemented here in Connecticut.”

I have an ID. I could have shown it. But what about the person who comes in during their lunch break, who doesn’t have an ID, and who doesn’t have 20 minutes to wait around for the poll worker to locate the proper form? Or who feels so intimidated they simply give up? Their vote—which they are just as entitled to cast as I am, and as you are—wouldn’t be counted. And that is wrong.

Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause Connecticut, a voting advocacy group, said Wednesday that she's pleased with the victory. "When faced with the opportunity to strengthen our freedom to vote, people are resoundingly answering in the affirmative," Quickmire said. "We will continue to wait for every vote to be counted and for every voice to be heard, but we are pleased to see such strong support for early voting. These early returns show people from all corners of this state believe everyone should have options when it comes to casting our ballots."

“Voter approval of the early voting amendment is a huge win for Connecticut. Voting should never be an ordeal for any citizen; on November 8 Connecticut made it much easier for citizens to exercise their most fundamental democratic right,” Diana Evans, Common Cause in Connecticut Advisory Board member, said.

“If you go after work, be prepared to wait in line,” said Foster in her soft Jamaican accent, near picnic tables topped with sorrel, ginger beer and palm-sized coconut pies — all of which she made herself. The well-regarded vendor has stayed civically active during her 35 years living in the predominantly Black and Latino city, often finding it helpful to plan in advance for Election Day. Foster, who assists her 96-year-old father to the polls, knows first-hand the difficulties people experience trying to cast ballots, many of which might keep voters away altogether. Some folks work multiple jobs. Trains get delayed. Rush hour traffic clogs the highways. Anything can happen, she said. But Foster didn’t know that early voting was on this year’s ballot — a measure which, if approved, could give people more time to vote in person before Election Day.

"Folks in Connecticut like to brag that their state is one of the leaders in the nation in voter turnout. But those bragging rights belong to others instead. In fact, Connecticut’s voter turnout lagged behind 15 other states in 2020 despite the state’s having the fifth highest level of educational attainment in the U.S. A likely reason for this underperformance: voting is considerably easier in almost every other state than it is here. The good news is that we will soon have a chance to make it much easier for everyone in Connecticut to vote in future elections. On November 8, voters can choose to expand voting access and bring our elections into the 21st century by voting yes on ballot question 1: 'Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to provide for early voting?'" --Diana Evans, State Advisory Board Member, Common Cause in Connecticut