HARTFORD – Democrats in the state Senate spearheaded a much-needed and long-awaited constitutional amendment which – if approved by a majority of residents in November 2022 – would bring Early Voting to Connecticut. State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport), Vice Chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, joined the Senate in approving the resolution.
Currently, Connecticut’s state constitution limits voting to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Connecticut is one of just seven states in America that does not allow for early, in-person voting.
“Regardless of which candidate or party you support, surely we all believe that elections should be accessible and convenient,” said Sen. Haskell. “Frankly, it’s embarrassing that Connecticut finds itself on a list with just six other states that deny their citizens the right vote on a date that is convenient for them. For commuters, students, seniors, people with disabilities and so many others, bringing Early Voting to Connecticut will make our democracy more accessible. My constituents frequently ask me why our laws are so outdated. Now, they have a chance to improve our electoral process and weigh in on referendum in the 2022 election.”
Connecticut is in a small and shrinking group of states – along with Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and South Carolina – that require all voters to vote in person at a polling place on Election Day unless they present a specific reason why they can’t appear. In 2016, a third of all American voters – nearly 50 million people – voted early; in 2020, that number doubled to more than 100 million, and early voting represented more than two-thirds of all votes cast.
Recent public polling in Connecticut shows that about 80% of Connecticut voters support in-person early voting, including 70% of Republicans, 80% of unaffiliated voters, and 85% of Democrats.
The resolution passed the Senate today on a 26-9 vote. The ballot question will appear on the November 2022 ballot.