Press Release
Connecticut Director to Retire After Strengthening Voting Rights
National government watchdog, Common Cause, announced the retirement of Cheri Quickmire, who led the Connecticut office for 18 years.
Press
Media Contacts
Katie Scally
Communications Director
kscally@commoncause.org
408-205-1257
Common Cause’s network of national and state democracy reform experts are frequent media commentators. To talk with one of our experts, please reach out to any member of the press team above.
News Clip
CT Voters Adopt Early Voting Amendment
Helen Humphreys, communications coordinator for the Connecticut Citizen Action Group, noted the biggest drawback of single-day voting is lack of access. She thinks cities will see direct benefits to adding early voting.
"I've voted in Suffield, and I've voted in Bridgeport, and the experience was very different," Humphreys recounted. "In Suffield, you walk in and out; in Bridgeport, I waited in line for over an hour to vote. So, I think especially for those in cities and high population areas, this is going to be a huge benefit,...
"I've voted in Suffield, and I've voted in Bridgeport, and the experience was very different," Humphreys recounted. "In Suffield, you walk in and out; in Bridgeport, I waited in line for over an hour to vote. So, I think especially for those in cities and high population areas, this is going to be a huge benefit,...
News Clip
Early Voting Policy Goes to Legislature Following Passage of Ballot Question
“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.”
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Opinion: I never show my ID to vote. Here’s why.
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.
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.
News Clip
CT Insider: Connecticut residents approve early voting ballot question
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 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...
News Clip
CT News Junkie: Voters Say ‘Yes’ To Early Voting
“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.
Press Release
Voting Rights Advocates Celebrate Early Lead on Question 1
Common Cause Connecticut and a coalition of voting rights advocates celebrated the positive first round of election results for Question 1, a major step in establishing early voting in the state.
News Clip
Early voting is on the ballot in CT, a key issue for Black and Latino residents
“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,...
Foster, who assists her 96-year-old father to the polls, knows first-hand the difficulties people experience trying to cast ballots,...
News Clip
We can make it easier to vote in Connecticut
"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...
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...
News Clip
Letter to the Editor
I am writing in support of voting YES on the following referendum question on the ballot in Connecticut on November 8, 2022: “Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to provide for early voting?”
Without amending the Constitution, voters who want to vote in person will continue to be restricted to voting on Election Day only. Voting YES results in giving the General Assembly the ability to pass legislation on voting in person on days prior to Election Day. Voting YES does not implement,...
Without amending the Constitution, voters who want to vote in person will continue to be restricted to voting on Election Day only. Voting YES results in giving the General Assembly the ability to pass legislation on voting in person on days prior to Election Day. Voting YES does not implement,...
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Their claims of voter fraud were denied. Now this CT group is looking to delete dead registered voters.
Timothy DeCarlo, the Republican registrar for the city of Waterbury, recently warned top election officials in the secretary of the state's office that Fight Voter Fraud is demanding the removal of voters from the rolls on the basis of sometimes flimsy pretenses. "The information that they are including on each voter lacks a great deal of information, especially the 'obituary' that they are including on each voter," DeCarlo wrote during the summer, adding that he was concerned people who are alive could be scrubbed from the rolls because there...
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On the ballot: early voting
Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause Connecticut, a nonprofit that works for "open, honest and accountable government," said early voting is long overdue in Connecticut.
“When we talk with people about this it always sounds to them like a real no-brainier: ‘Of course we should do this,’ and ‘why in the world don’t we have it,’” she said. “We are anticipating that being the case this time at the polling place. People are ready to say that they think we should have early voting.”
“When we talk with people about this it always sounds to them like a real no-brainier: ‘Of course we should do this,’ and ‘why in the world don’t we have it,’” she said. “We are anticipating that being the case this time at the polling place. People are ready to say that they think we should have early voting.”
News Clip
OP-ED | 46 States Allow Early Voting And Connecticut Should, Too; Vote Yes On Ballot Question 1
"Life is complicated. Stuff happens. Cars break down. People get sick. Traffic is heavy. The caregiver doesn’t show up. The train from Grand Central is running late. Sleet has made driving hazardous. A ride promised to a frail person doesn’t materialize. Unforeseen problems can and do occur.
Then there are folks who, when they see lines snaking out the door, turn around and leave because they can’t afford to wait. Unlike in countries where Election Day is on a weekend or is a national holiday, in this country Election Day...
Then there are folks who, when they see lines snaking out the door, turn around and leave because they can’t afford to wait. Unlike in countries where Election Day is on a weekend or is a national holiday, in this country Election Day...