In 2014, it was missing voter lists and delayed starts at polling sites in Hartford. In 2018, residents waited up to seven hours just to cast a ballot in Mansfield and New Haven. And now in 2019, watchdogs have launched an investigation into voter fraud in Bridgeport after reports showed absentee ballot irregularities.
Despite the best intentions of our elected leadership, issues at polling locations across Connecticut persist, and every election in our state seems to carry some glitch. Be it long lines, voter confusion or inaccurate voter rolls, what are seemingly preventable challenges abound.
Situations like the one in Bridgeport are at least partly preventable with a simple, elegant system called automatic voter registration, or AVR. It’s a common-sense reform passed in states across the country that would streamline the voting experience, ensure the most accurate voting information for local registrars and protect the integrity of our elections.
