The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received October 30, 2024.
Voters in Connecticut now have an opportunity to approve No-Excuse Absentee Voting (NEAV). I am urging them to vote “YES” for the referendum, which appears on the ballot in this election.
The current law regarding absentee voting is the most restrictive in the nation, allowing absentee voting only for commuters who are out of the state on election day, for sickness or physical disability, or for religious beliefs that prohibit secular activity on election day.
During the COVID 19 pandemic, the Connecticut legislature changed the definition of “sickness” to include “concern about contracting COVID-19,” in addition to being ill and unable to vote. Ballots were sent to all eligible voters in Connecticut for the 2020 election and there was no substantial evidence of fraud at that time. Arguments against No-Excuse Absentee Voting have more to do with suppressing the vote than to protect the integrity of the vote.
In Connecticut, an amendment to the state constitution begins with an amendment proposal in the General Assembly. The proposal must then pass by a three-fourths majority in both the House and the Senate, or a simple majority in both chambers in two successive legislative terms. It is only after final passage in the state legislature that the amendment goes out to a vote in the next state election.
Our legislators have approved these reform measures and Connecticut residents now have an opportunity to become the 38th state in the nation that does not require an excuse to vote by absentee ballot. According to voting data, 75% of eligible voters live in states that do not require an excuse to vote absentee.
It is clear that NEAV works in other states across the country with adequate safeguards to protect the vote. It is time for Connecticut to approve absentee voting for all eligible voters, to make voting more equitable, and to promote voter participation in the democratic process. I urge voters to vote “YES” for no-excuse absentee voting.
Claire Walsh, Killingworth
