House adopts no-excuse absentee voting resolution
May 11, 2021Tonight I voted in favor of a resolution for a constitutional amendment to permit no-excuse absentee voting. HJ 58 Resolution Proposing a State Constitutional Amendment to Allow No-Excuse Absentee Voting passed 104-44.
Unfortunately, we didn’t meet the 3/4 margin required to put it on the 2022 ballot. The legislature will have to approve it again in 2023 to get it on the ballot in 2024. It is disappointing that there wasn’t more bipartisan support to let the voters decide this issue next year.
Connecticut is one of only 16 states to require an excuse in order to vote by absentee ballot. Instead of shutting people out, we should be expanding and improving access. Absentee voting works. We saw its effectiveness and safety this past year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Voting is a fundamental American right that shouldn’t be foreclosed due to external circumstances. All eligible voters in Connecticut should have the freedom to choose how they vote whether it’s in-person on Election Day, in-person prior to Election Day (Early Voting), or by absentee ballot without needing to provide an excuse.