Submit Testimony for March 10 Public Hearing

Submit Testimony for March 10 Public Hearing

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Time Range For Action Alert: 
March 5, 2021 to March 10, 2021

This Action Alert has 2 parts:

  1. Submit testimony and sign up to testify for the upcoming Public Hearing.
  2. Thank  legislators who wrote or spoke in support of Early Voting and No-Excise Absentee Voting during the last public hearing on Februrary 22.
Resources for Writing and Giving Testimony at Public Hearings:

1. Submit testimony for the next Government Administration Elections (GAE) Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 10 at 1:00 PM.

Please email your written testimony to GAEtestimony [at] cga.ct.gov in support of one or each of the 4 bills below AND/OR sign up to testify in person via Zoom using the On-line Testimony Registration Form. Registration for in-person testimony closes at 3 PM on March 9. For full Public Hearing information, including links to watch live, visit the CGA Bulletin.

Two Bills Concerning Voting Rights of Incarcerated or Formerly Incarcerated Persons

  • SB 753 An Act Counting Incarcerated Persons for Purposes of Determining Legislative Districts. To provide for the adjustment of population data so as to count incarcerated persons as residents of their last town of residence rather than as residents of the town in which the correctional facility is located. SB 753 aligns with our People Powered Fair Maps campaign to end prison gerrymandering. LWVCT has strongly supported this bill in the past, and will send testimony in the name of the LWVCT supporting it in 2021. The League of Women Voters is dedicated to maximizing voter participation and civic engagement. Incarcerated individuals are not members of the community that hosts the prison. Their family, friends and coworkers are all in their home community and incarcerated persons cannot take advantage of schools, roads, jobs or other opportunities in the prison location. LWVCT Supports this bill and Patricia Rossi, Board member and People Powered Fair Maps/Redistricting Specialist will be testifying in person on March 10.  Read more about prison gerrymandering here.

  • HB 5318 An Act Restoring Electoral Privileges to Convicted Felons Who are on Parole. Engaging formerly incarcerated persons into their communities as voters is a powerful way of re- connecting to civic life. LWVCT supports this bill and is dedicated to maximizing voter participation and civic engagement. 

Sample short letter to adapt:

Subject Line of Email: Support [SB 753 / HB 5318]
Honorable GAE Committee Members:
I am [Your Name] from [Town or Zip Code] and I write in enthusiastic support of [Bill Number]. Please count incarcerated persons at their last home address. [OR for HB 5318] Please give persons returning from prison every opportunity to register to vote or vote at the earliest possible time, so their voices may be counted at the polls.
Please pass this bill and send it to the House and Senate for a vote.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Town or Zip Code]
 

OR

Two Bills Concerning Election Administration 

  1. SB 1017 Concerning Election Administration.This bill makes the absentee ballot drop boxes permanent. It also allows the Secretary of State to create digital systems to apply for absentee ballots and other forms, like endorsement forms. It also empowers the Secretary of State to check that towns have correctly implemented their redistricting plans. LWVCT heartily supports SB 1017. Very important to maintaining accessibility and safety for voters and for the security of our ballots.

  2. SB 1014 An Act Concerning a Municipal Election Monitor for the 2021 Municipal Election and the 2022 State Election. The LWV of Greater Bridgeport  and many Bridgeport civic organizations have been asking for a legislative monitor over several years. The time is now. 

Sample short letter to adapt:

Subject Line of Email: Support [SB 1014 / SB 1017]
Honorable GAE Committee Members:
I am [Your Name] from [ Town or Zip Code] and I write in enthusiastic support of SB 1017 that modernizes election administration in important ways to assure accessibility and safety for voters and accuracy and security of our ballots, especially after redistricting. Please pass SB 1017 and send it to the House and Senate for a vote.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Town or Zip Code]

 

2. Thank Legislators who wrote and/or spoke in support of HJ 58 No-Excuse Absentee Voting (NEAV) and HJ 59 Early Voting (EV) at the marathon hearing on February 22, 2021.

If the Connecticut General Assembly passes these two resolutions in 2021, it means that CT voters will get to vote on it in 2022 and decide whether or not to amend the CT Constitution to allow Early Voting and No-Excuse Absentee Voting in future elections. Read more about the process required to allow EV and NEAV.

You can also check to see which legislators are currently co-sponsors of each bill: 

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Issues referenced by this action alert: 
Voting Rights
Voting Rights Laws
Voting rights are under attack.
Expanding Voter Access
Elections
Redistricting