October 30th Updates: 2020 Election & More

Rep. Gilchrest speaking at press conference
October 30, 2020

I hope you and your family are healthy and well.

Below you will find important updates regarding voting in the 2020 election, as well as information on a variety of other topics.

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

2020 Election

On Tuesday, I participated in a press conference in West Hartford with Governor Lamont, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, and other officials to discuss important updates on voting in the 2020 election. Click on the video HERE to hear my remarks.

Every Connecticut resident of voting age deserves to have the opportunity to have their voice heard in this election. To ensure that that happens, here is some information from Governor Lamont's office on Election Day registration and how to check on the status of your ballot if you voted absentee:

  • Election Day Registration: Anyone who misses the deadline to register has the ability to both register and cast a ballot on the same day as the election. However, anyone doing this must register in person, and they cannot do it at their polling place. Rather, Election Day Registration is available at only one specific location in each town, beginning at 6AM and ending at 8PM. Click here for a list of Election Day Registration locations.
     
  • Town-by-Town Sample Ballots: Sample ballots for every town in the state have been published on the state's website. Take a look at what the ballots for your town will look like before you step into the voting booth.
     
  • Polling Place Locator: To find where your polling place is located, just enter your information into this locator.
     
  • Check the Status of Your Absentee Ballot: If you've requested an absentee ballot or already filled it out and sent it back, you can check the status of that information by simply entering your details into this useful tool.

For other resources, check out Connecticut's voting headquarters at myvote.ct.gov. The hours of in-person voting on Tuesday, November 3 are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Consent and Connecticut Law
 
Our cultural understanding of sexual assault has grown exponentially in light of the #MeToo movement, but Connecticut's laws have not kept pace. Survivors of sexual assault who seek criminal justice should not be denied because of antiquated laws based on resistance, not consent.
 
To that end, last week I held a joint event with the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence where we heard from Erin Murphy, the Associate Reporter to American Law Institute (ALI) Project on Sexual Assault and Related Offenses on examining Connecticut’s standard of consent and imagining how the law might change to protect every person’s basic right to decide when and whether to engage in sexual activity.
 
To learn more about the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, click HERE.
CT Cares Small Business Grant Program
 

Last week, a grant opportunity was announced that will soon be available for small businesses.

The grants, run by the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), will aid local businesses and nonprofits, and can be used for nearly all regular business expenses, including new costs associated with COVID-19 compliance.

To fund the program, Governor Lamont is committing $50 million from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which utilizes federal CARES Act funding.

Businesses and nonprofits in Connecticut that have fewer than twenty employees or a 2019 payroll of less than $1.5 million will qualify for a one-time grant of $5,000.

Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with half of the funds dedicated to small businesses and nonprofits located in designated distressed municipalities.

The grants can be used for the following:

  • Payroll
  • Rent/Mortgage
  • Utilities
  • Inventory
  • Purchase of Machinery and/or Equipment
  • Cost associated to ensure compliance with CT Reopen Business Sector Rules

More information can be found HERE.