League of Women Voters ^®
of Greater Hartford

Connecticut needs our own state-level Voting Rights Act because federal courts have drastically weakened the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 2020, the Center for Public Integrity observed that Connecticut voters still face some of the biggest obstacles outside of southern states. Sign up by Thursday March 24 at 3PM to testify for the virtual public hearing to support SB 471 and two other bills that will protect and expand access to the ballot.

Sign up by Thursday March 3 at 3PM to testify for the virtual public hearing to discuss two bills, one allowing COVID to be a valid reason to use absentee ballots for the November 2022 election, and the other allowing for the amendment of the current statute which defines the criteria for obtaining an absentee ballot to include the fear of illness, such as during a public health emergency like a pandemic.

LWVCT has proposed a bill to create a Task Force to Study Redistricting in Connecticut. Contact the GAE Committee today and urge them to introduce this bill before the February 25 deadline! Despite our advocacy calling for increased transparency, public involvement, and nonpartisanship in the redistricting process, 2021 redistricting was once again completed behind closed doors. We can't go back, but we can take steps now to make sure we don't repeat these mistakes. You can help!

The time has come for voting rights legislation to move forward in Congress. New legislation, passed by the US House, will allow the US Senate to debate voting rights for the first time. The new legislation, HR 5746, the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act will ensure that voters can safely and freely cast their ballots, stop partisan gerrymandering, limit the influence of dark money in politics, and hold elected officials and our institutions accountable.