Saud Anwar

SENATOR ANWAR JOINS SENATE PASSAGE OF NO-EXCUSES VOTING RESOLUTION

HARTFORD – State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) this evening joined the Senate’s final passage of a bill removing the Connecticut constitution’s current, multiple restrictions on absentee voting and allowing for “no-excuses” absentee voting if Connecticut residents approve of that when the question is placed on the 2024 general election ballot.

This same resolution was approved by Democrats in both the House and Senate in 2021, but with enough opposition from Republican legislators to require an additional vote in the General Assembly this year.

“More than half of the country can do what this bill would allow upon its passage and final approval by voters next year. That’s indicative of the step forward this resolution means for the people of Connecticut – we are aligning our voting standards with much of the country,” said Sen. Anwar. “This bill directly supports our democracy and provides increased access to casting ballots how one chooses. I’m looking forward to its becoming law – state residents showed their support last year and I’m sure they’ll follow suit next year.”,

Under current Connecticut law, voters can only vote by absentee ballot if they’re going to be out of town on Election Day, sickness, if they’re on active military duty, because of a religious prohibition, or if they are poll workers who will be working all day in another town.

But 27 other U.S. states already allow for no-excuse absentee voting, including the deep Red Republican states of Arizona, Florida, Idaho, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming.

On a related matter, last fall, 60% of Connecticut residents voted to amend the state constitution to allow for early voting.