For those who support equal access to the ballot, sign up to testify - it will make a difference!
The Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee will hold a public hearing on Friday, March 25, 2022 at 10:00 A.M. via Zoom.
The League supports SB 471, SB 472, and elements of SB 470.
If you have to choose one, pay special attention to SB 471 An Act Concerning Elections and State Voting Rights. Read more about the bills below the action.
ACTIONYou may participate in the following ways:
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Register to testify via Zoom. You must register before Thursday, March 24 at 3:00 PM.
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Register to testify by phone the Phone Registrant Line at (860) 240 - 0480 to leave your contact information.
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Email written testimony in Word or PDF format to GAETestimony [at] cga.ct.gov and cc advocacy [at] lwvct.org. Clearly state the bill number and your name. If you've never testified before, use this easy-to-follow guide.
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Watch the public hearing on the GAE YouTube Channel or on CT-N.
- IN PARTIAL SUPPORT of Raised S.B. No. 470 An Act Concerning the SOS and Other Election Administrators Regarding Certain Voter Registration Information and Rejected Absentee Ballots.
The League supports the provision of a process for curing absentee ballots that have been rejected, but asks that this bill be amended to describe a cure that does not rely on the League of Women Voters and Town Committees to contact voters on election day in time to cure their ballots. The League urges Legislators to identify a practical and effective method of curing ballots.
- IN SUPPORT of Raised S.B. No. 471 An Act Concerning Elections and State Voting Rights.
The purpose of this bill is to afford mechanisms for the challenge of certain election administration laws, practices or procedures that may impair the electoral rights of certain protected classes of individuals. The League supports SB 471 as it provides mechanisms for voters to fight back if they, as members of a protected class of voters have been discriminated against through the administration of an election (this includes maintenance of voter lists and polling place set up), redistricting, or intimidation while trying to vote. It requires the state collect data to ensure the voting experience is the same across Connecticut’s towns and cities. It also provides for the protection of election workers. The bill provides guidance on making voter materials accessible to voters by providing information in several languages.
- In SUPPORT of Raised S.B. No. 472 An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Risk Limiting Audits Working Group.
The League supports the proposed method for conducting audits, based on recommendations from the University of Connecticut’s Center for Voting Technology Research. We are not submitting testimony as the League, but members are free to do so after studying the bill.
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More about the March 25, 2022 Public Hearing:
- Speaker order of approved registrants will be listed in a randomized order and posted on the Government Administration and Elections Committee website on Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 6:00 P.M. under Public Hearing Testimony.
- Speakers will be limited to three minutes of testimony.
- The Committee encourages witnesses to submit a written statement and to condense oral testimony to a summary of that statement.
- All public hearing testimony, written and spoken, is public information. As such, it will be made available on the CGA website and indexed by internet search engines.
Contact advocacy [at] lwvct.org with any questions.
Fillable Email Template for SB 471:
