​Lamont Creates Working Group To Explore Ranked-Choice Voting In CT

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday that he is establishing a working group of members representing various political affiliations to explore options expanding ranked-choice voting in the state.

The group will be tasked with developing a legislative proposal to create a system that enables municipalities and political parties in Connecticut to use ranked-choice voting in caucuses, conventions, primaries, and certain municipal elections.

Current state law does not allow the use of ranked-choice voting in any primaries or elections.

The Governor’s Working Group on Ranked-Choice Voting will have until the end of the year to make its recommendations so that its findings can be considered by the Connecticut General Assembly during the 2025 regular session, beginning Jan. 8, 2025.

A ranked-choice balloting system enables voters to have all their preferences fully considered when choosing candidates. There are currently 29 states that use ranked-choice voting in certain primaries and elections.

According to Lamont, "there is a growing consensus in Connecticut that enacting this system here will benefit our voters."

The governor has appointed State Senator Cathy Osten, a Democrat, and State Senator Tony Hwang, a Republican, to serve as the group's co-chairs.

"Voters across the state are calling for an electoral process that allows for more viewpoints, without feeling like voting for a third party is a throwaway," Hwang said. "The ultimate goal is more electoral participation that reflects voters' representative will and democratic governance."

Last year, legislation was drafted which would have given municipalities the option of using ranked-choice voting in municipal elections for single-winner offices and would have given political parties the option of using ranked-choice voting in presidential preference primaries. Senate Bill 389 was not advanced before its deadline.

The new legislative working group will initially consist of the following members, and its membership may be expanded to include representatives of other major political parties and others, as appropriate, according to a news release issued Thursday by the Governor's Office:

• Co-Chair: State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague)
• Co-Chair: State Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield)
• Vice Chair: Monte Frank (Attorney at Pullman & Comley, past present of the Connecticut Bar Association, and 2018 candidate for lieutenant governor under the Griebel-Frank for CT Party)
• Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz or designee
• Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas or designee
• State Representative Aundré Bumgardner (D-Groton, Stonington)
• State Representative Hilda Santiago (D-Meriden)
• Annalisa Stravato (Republican registrar of voters for the Town of Wilton, executive vice president of the Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut, and former vice chair of the Connecticut Republican Party)
• Alexander Russell (Director of the UConn Center for Voting Technology Research)
• Dan Rosenthal (Former Democratic first selectman for the Town of Newtown)
• Lindsay Farrell (Senior political strategist for the national Working Families Party)
• Ann Reed (Vice president of advocacy for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut)
• Patricia Spruance (Town clerk for the Town of Windham and president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association)
• Cheri Quickmire (Executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut)

The Governor’s Working Group on Ranked-Choice Voting is tentatively planning to hold its first meeting on June 14. Its meetings will be open to the public.