CT Reveals Election Plan Amid Coronavirus Concerns

CONNECTICUT — Secretary of the State Denise Merrill has released her plan on how to conduct the 2020 primary and general election amid coronavirus concerns.

“No Connecticut voter should ever have to choose between their health and their right to vote,” Merrill said. “This plan is designed to ensure that Connecticut’s elections will be safe, secure, and accessible to every eligible voter who wants to participate. Connecticut’s elections must go on, so I urge everyone who can to participate.”

All municipalities can submit a plan to the SOTS office detailing their poll location, staffing levels, and cleaning regimens. Municipalities that complete the plan will be eligible for a grant from the state, which will help cover additional costs caused by the pandemic.

The federal CARES Act included $400 million in funding to help states run elections during the pandemic. Connecticut will receive around $5.3 million in federal dollars, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

SOTS office will contract with a service to mail absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters for the 2020 primary and general election. Voters who request an absentee ballot will be provided with the ballot through the mail.

Secure drop boxes will be provided for every municipality for voters to deposit absentee ballots. The state is also offering a grant program to cities and towns to absorb the extra costs of processing absentee ballots.

Pre-paid postage will be provided for absentee ballots and applications.

The Department of Homeland Security is providing physical barriers for five high-volume polling places in the state.

SOTS office will also provide 50 percent matching grants to cities and towns that invest in upgrading outdated hardware and software that make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. The state has also pilot-tested a virtual desktop infrastructure that will allow state technicians to have remote access to local election workstations to check for proper security, Merrill said.

Read Merrill's full plan here.