News Clips

"Rep. Stephanie Thomas got the endorsement for secretary of the state after several frantic hours of lobbying and vote-swapping at the Democratic convention in Hartford on Saturday. (...) She defeated an accomplished list of candidates including Sen. Matt Lesser of Middletown, Rep. Hilda Santiago of Meriden, Rep. Joshua Elliott of Hamden and New Haven’s Health Director Maritza Bond. (...) All three Democratic candidates for state treasurer, and four of the five candidates for secretary of the state, earned a spot on the primary ballot..."

HARTFORD, Conn — With about two weeks left in the general session, voter advocate organizations and leaders gathered outside the state Capitol on Thursday to urge lawmakers to pass a voter's rights act in Connecticut. "This bill gives Connecticut the strongest protection against voting discrimination of any state law ever," explained Steven Lance, Policy Counsel with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Advocates explained that SB 471 could be a huge step forward, especially for communities of color.

"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.'"

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.

“We do have a right to vote that’s constitutionally guaranteed, but the state constitution prevents early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, reducing the ability of a lot of eligible voters to vote,” said Cheri Quickmire, executive director of the Connecticut chapter of Common Cause, a nonprofit watchdog group that works to promote equal access to government and the vote. “This is really an opportunity for the state to extend that opportunity for more people to actually be able to vote—it is really about securing our democracy.”