General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7241 seeks to enhance absentee voting accessibility for all voters in Connecticut by repealing and replacing Section 9-135 of the general statutes. The new provisions allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee ballot without needing to provide specific reasons for their absence from the polling place, thus eliminating the previous requirements related to military service, illness, or religious obligations. The language in the absentee ballot application is also updated, changing "expect to be unable to" to "will not" appear at the polling place. Additionally, the bill streamlines the absentee ballot application process by repealing certain subsections in Section 9-140 and mandates the Secretary of the State to provide clear absentee voting guidelines on their website.

The bill further amends absentee voting laws for municipal elections, allowing voters using absentee ballots to participate in questions submitted for a vote, with changes in phrasing from "entitled to vote" to "voting" and "shall be entitled to" to "may." It requires municipal clerks to file a statement regarding ballot questions with the Secretary of the State at least 45 days before the election and ensures the full text of the question is publicly available until election day. The eligibility criteria for absentee voting at referendums are also clarified, allowing individuals who will not appear in person to vote absentee. Moreover, individuals who enroll in a political party during early voting can vote absentee or in person on primary day, removing previous eligibility restrictions. The bill is effective upon passage and amends several sections of the general statutes related to absentee voting and election procedures.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-135, 9-137, 9-153a, 9-369a
GAE Joint Favorable: 9-135, 9-137, 9-153a, 9-369a
File No. 652: 9-135, 9-137, 9-153a, 9-369a
APP Joint Favorable: 9-135, 9-137, 9-153a, 9-369a