The League of Women Voters of Connecticut surveyed 635 CT primary voters from 108 towns to learn about their experiences. Their responses will guide the League’s work in the coming months as we prepare for the November election.

“We greatly appreciate that voters took the time to respond to our online surveys about their voting experience,” said Carol Reimers, League of Women Voters of Connecticut President. “This way we can use actual experiences to inform our voter education information for this November.”

Based on this information, the League of Women Voters of Connecticut will focus their electoral engagement efforts on:

• Absentee / vote-by-mail education
• Advocating for more resources for Town Clerks and Registrars to collect and process absentee ballots
• Recruiting more poll workers who are in lower risk health categories

Of those surveyed, 73% chose to cast their vote via absentee ballot, representing voters in 97 towns and cities. While almost all received their absentee ballot application by mail (97%), the majority of surveyed voters returned their ballot in the town drop boxes supplied by the Secretary of the State office rather than sending it back via USPS.

Absentee voters overwhelmingly agree (91%) that the instructions provided for the absentee ballot were clear. Nevertheless, many voters pointed to flaws with ballot and envelope design, as well as mail delays as issues that remain particularly concerning to them. Other respondents had intended to vote by mail, but did not receive their ballots on time, and voted in person instead.

Survey respondents who voted in-person came from 53 Connecticut towns. Ninety-four percent of in-person voters reported that there were appropriate health and safety measures at their polling place. Of note were the use of masks, gloves, and plexiglass barriers to protect voters and poll workers. Surveyed voters noted that poll workers made a special effort not to touch IDs when inspecting them and sanitized voting booths between uses. Almost all of the voters who did not feel that there were appropriate health and safety measures saw one or more poll workers without masks on.

The League reminds Connecticut citizens that if they have not registered to vote that there is still time to do that before Election Day, November 3, 2020. The Deadline is for registering online is October 27, 2020, go to myvote.ct.gov. The League of Women Voters continues our mission to empower voters and defend democracy throughout the 2020 Election season.

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If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Carol Reimers, President (president [at] lwvct.org).