CT State Legislators Will Push Early And Absentee Voting

CONNECTICUT —On the agenda in the new session of the state legislature will be an examination of how to make voting "more convenient for every eligible voter," according to Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill.

"Following Connecticut's successful election that allowed voters to choose to vote by absentee ballot, the Government Administration and Elections Committee is planning public hearings on resolutions to amend the state Constitution," Merrill tweeted Monday.

The Committee is planning public hearings on an amendment that would normalize no-excuse early and absentee voting.

Since the Early Voting amendment bill has passed the General Assembly once, if it passes again it would go on the 2022 ballot for the voters to decide. As this year will be the first for the amendment to expand access to absentee ballots to all voters without an excuse, it would need to pass with a 75 percent super majority in order to go on the 2022 ballot. If it passes with a simple majority, it would have to pass again in 2023 or 2024 and then be on the 2024 ballot for voters to decide.

Democrats have a 97-54 majority in the House and a 24-12 margin in the Senate.