Press Releases
02/22/2021
Secretary Merrill to Testify in Support of Constitutional Amendments to Allow Early Voting and Expanded Access to Absentee Ballots
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Public Hearing Scheduled for 10:30am
HARTFORD – Connecticut Secretary of the State will testify today in support of her two proposals to amend the Connecticut Constitution to allow Early Voting and to expand access to absentee ballots to all voters without an excuse.
“Connecticut voters deserve the opportunity to vote by the method of their choice – in-person in a polling place, in-person before Election Day, or by absentee ballot without needing an excuse – just like the voters in 43 other states,” said Secretary Merrill. “In 2020, through the hard work of local election officials of both parties, Connecticut proved that we can allow our voters to choose to vote conveniently. It is time to remove the remaining obstacle from the constitution to make this a reality for future elections.”
House Joint Resolution 59 RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW FOR EARLY VOTING passed both chambers of the General Assembly in 2019 and requires a simple majority vote of each chamber in order to be placed on the ballot for voters to approve in 2022. House Joint Resolution 58 RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO ALLOW NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING is before the General Assembly for the first time and would go before the voters for approval on the 2022 ballot if it passes with a 75% supermajority. If it were to pass each chamber but without a supermajority, it would have to pass each chamber again after a new legislature is seated in 2023 and could go on the 2024 ballot for voters to approve.
The public hearing will be streamed live here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzakPMlj0LigvokDrkgiDVw. Secretary Merrill’s testimony is attached and will be found here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CommDocTmy.asp?comm_code=gae&date=02/22/2021.
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