CONNECTICUT — Connecticut legislators approved a bill that would expand absentee ballot voting, though it falls short of no-excuse absentee ballot voting.
The bill allows greater flexibility for commuters. Current state law only permits absentee ballot voting if a person is fully out of town from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of an election. The bill also expands the definition of illness to include care taking duties.
The bill passed the state Senate 30-4 and the House 126-16. Republican Senators John Kissel (Enfield), Rob Sampson (Waterbury), Dan Champagne (Vernon) and Henri Martin (Bristol) voted against the bill.
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What happened with COVID-19 absentee ballot voting?
State legislators specifically voted to include COVID-19 sickness as a valid reason for any Connecticut voter through the November 2021 election. Connecticut has now reverted to its limited absentee ballot qualifiers.
How many states have no excuse absentee voting?
Connecticut is in the minority when it comes to no excuse absentee voting; 26 states offer no excuse absentee voting and eight others conduct elections by U.S. mail, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
What about no excuse absentee ballot voting?
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No-excuse absentee ballot voting would require a change to the state’s constitution, which is a more onerous process. Constitutional amendments are put before voters as a referendum, but first require a vote in the state legislature.
An amendment can be put before voters after a single legislative session vote if it reaches 75 percent of support in both chambers; another path requires a simple majority vote in both chambers, but needs to have during two legislative sessions.
Connecticut legislators voted on the measure in 2021, but it didn’t meet the 75 percent threshold in both chambers. Another majority vote in the legislature would put it on the 2024 ballot. Amendments need the support of a majority of voters to pass.
