League members: Help get the word out about the Early Voting ballot question!  Feel free to use this as a template for submission to your local newspaper.

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April 27, 2022

There’s a special feeling one gets from voting in person. 

And, many folks strongly believe that voting in-person on Election Day is nothing less than fulfilling one’s “civic duty” as an American citizen.  While there is certainly something to be said for voting in-person on Election Day, the idea that everyone can easily find the time on a Tuesday between the hours of 6 am – 8 pm to vote seems like a quaint notion.

In fact, it is quaint. 

The selection of the “first Tuesday after the first Monday in November” harkens back to 1845 when most people lived and worked on farms and were finished with the harvest by that time.  Most polling locations were miles away, sometimes requiring overnight travel; a Tuesday election day meant that voters could attend church on Sunday, travel on Monday if necessary, vote Tuesday, and make it back for Wednesday market.

And yet in 2022, while most of us in Connecticut do not schedule our lives around agricultural cycles, we are still acting as if we do.  Many other states, (including ones where farmers still dominate), have additional days of in-person Early Voting.

It is time for our state to offer more opportunities for eligible voters to cast their ballot in person―and not just on Election Day.This November 8, Connecticut voters will get a chance to vote for that change. Voters will see this question on their ballot:

Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to provide for early voting?

Since our election laws are written in our state’s constitution, we, the voters, must vote to amend it so that the Connecticut General Assembly has the permission to change our laws and make voting more convenient and accessible for all eligible voters. A “yes” vote on this question will start the process toward offering more opportunities for Connecticut citizens to cast their ballot. And the state is ready for change: when the pandemic made it difficult for folks to vote in person, an emergency order by the Governor allowed people to use Covid 19 as a legitimate excuse to obtain an absentee ballot. Drop boxes in every municipality also made it easier for people to securely return their applications and their absentee ballots. The result? Voter turnout of almost 80% for the 2020 election! Clearly, Nutmeggers are eager for more convenient ways for folks to vote in our state.

In addition to giving voters an additional in-person voting opportunity, Early Voting has other benefits:

• Shorter lines on Election Day - Allowing people to vote early means that there will be less wait time on Election Day itself.
• Election security, accuracy, and faster results - Fewer people voting on Election Day means fewer mistakes and less time compiling results.
• Accessibility for those facing bigger obstacles to participation - Adding more opportunities for in-person voting gives seniors, caretakers, and those working long hours (including front-line workers) a better chance to cast their vote and make their voice heard.

You will be hearing much more about the Early Voting ballot question in the upcoming months as we get closer to the election on November 8.

It’s time for Connecticut to join the majority of states that already have some form of Early Voting.

A “yes” vote on the Early Voting ballot questions keeps us moving in that direction, allowing the legislature to find more ways to empower voters and encourage participation in our great democracy. 

- Laura Smits, President of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut