No one should have to choose between voting safely and their health. Please contact your Connecticut Legislators today and urge them to remove all barriers to the use of the absentee ballot by eligible voters in November.
Absentee Ballot Use in November
*UPDATE* The CT State House of Representatives passed the “no excuse” absentee voting bill for the November Election. The vote on July 23rd on H.B. 6002 was 144-2. The CT Senate voted 35-1 to pass the bill on Tuesday, July 28th.
These times demand ACTION of our duly elected legislators. And that time of ACTION has arrived in the special session called by the Governor to begin Tuesday, July 21,2020.
1. The Connecticut General Assembly's Government Administration and Election Committee (GAE) is sponsoring a “Listening Webinar ” on Tuesday, July 21, in anticipation of a House vote on Thursday July 23, 2020. Information about public input and link to the bill can be found HERE. LWVCT will testify on behalf of the State League. Any member who wishes to sign up to testify as an individual or representing another organization may do so using the link above. (Note: the cuttoff for signing up to testify is 10:00AM on July 21, 2020, and anyone who signs up after that is not guaranteed a slot). Watch online at Connecticut Network Web Live Stream.
2. A KEY function of bill and our KEY concern is permitting any eligible voter to vote by absentee ballot in November because the “sickness of COVID” could easily continue to be a threat to their health. No one should have to choose between voting safely and their health.
If you have not already contacted your legislators, NOW would be the time! And to find out who represents you: CLICK HERE.
We have prepared these "talking points" that reflect some of the questions we hear from a few legislators about the need to remove all barriers to use of the absentee ballot by eligible voters in November
3. Special Session dates: The Connecticut House will be in session on Thursday, July 23 to vote on the Absentee Ballot question. The Senate may be in session as early as this Friday, July 24, but this has not yet been confirmed as of the writing of this action alert.
4. The decision on Absentee ballots must be made no later than July 29 or possibly July 30, 2020 at the latest.
5. Another concern: The cost of postage to mail Absentee Ballots varies and is prohibitive. For more info, read this AP News article: Cost, hassle of stamps questioned as mail-in voting surges.
Contact: advocacy [at] lwvct.org
