Senate Leadership
May 1, 2008
Senate Democrats Lead Opposition to GOP Attempts to Change Constitution and Disenfranchise Voters
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz join in opposition
State Senate President Donald Williams, Senator Gayle Slossberg were joined at a news conference this afternoon by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, members of the Black and Latino caucus, and representatives from the AARP to voice their opposition to an attempt by legislative Republicans to change the state constitution and require citizens to have a photo ID in order to vote.
"Voting is a basic right of citizenship and we should not be enacting barriers that make it more difficult for more people to exercise that right," said Senator Williams. "It is sad that some Republicans in the legislature want to turn back the clock on voting rights--this is Connecticut in 2008, not Alabama in 1963. Senate Democrats are committed to fighting back this amendment and passing the underlying bill."
Republican legislators want to amend the state constitution and require voters to show a valid form of photo identification before they would be able to vote. The proposal was filed as an amendment to House Joint Resolution No. 21 which proposes an amendment to the state constitution to allow seventeen-year-old persons who will be eighteen years of age at the next regular election to vote in primaries related to such election.
If the resolution passes by a three-quarters majority in the Senate, the following question would be presented at this November's general election: "Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit any person who will have attained the age of eighteen years on or before the day of a regular election to vote in the primary for such regular election?"
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Senator Williams’ Derek Slap |
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Senator Looney’s Derek Slap |
