Government Administration and Elections Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HJ-58
RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO
Title: ALLOW NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING.
Vote Date: 3/5/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable Substitute
PH Date: 2/22/2021
File No.: 96
Disclaimer: The following HOUSE FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
The Government Administration and Elections Committee
REASONS FOR BILL:
The passage of the joint resolution will allow for voters to consider the constitutional
amendment to allow for no-excuse absentee voting. In order for the question regarding no-
excuse absentee voting to appear on the ballot in November 2022, the resolution would need
to pass in both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly by a super-majority, which
constitutes 75% of the members in each body. The question that shall appear on the ballot
will read as follows: "Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General
Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Denise W. Merrill, Secretary of the State: Secretary Merrills testimony was supportive of
the resolution to amend the Connecticut Constitution to allow for no-excuse absentee voting.
She noted the fact that 43 states across our country allow for early voting and/or no-excuse
absentee voting. Connecticut is one of the few states with the most restrictive voting laws in
the country. Citing recent polling, Secretary Merrill made clear that there is bipartisan support
for no-excuse absentee voting, with 73% of Connecticut voters being in favor of such a
change. After the resounding success of the 2020 election, where 35% of Connecticut voters
took advantage of the temporary voting changes made in light of the pandemic, she makes
clear that it is time to amend the constitution to allow for permanent changes. Secretary
Merrill stated that she supports the resolution with some clarifying language changes. Until
the current language in the constitution is removed, Secretary Merrill contends that no
conversations can take place in terms of the exact implementation measures for no-excuse
absentee voting.
Connecticut Senate Democrats: As a caucus, Connecticut Senate Democrats offered
testimony in support of the resolution. Senate Democrats identified the fact that Connecticut
is just one of sixteen states where no-excuse absentee voting is not allowed. As a result of
expanding absentee ballots, Senate Democrats believe that voter turnout will increase and
voters will be more enthusiastic about casting their vote. Additionally, Senate Democrats
noted the potential for cost savings. With no-excuse absentee voting, municipalities might
find themselves in situations where they will be able to reduce the amount of workers needed
at a polling place. Ultimately, Senate Democrats see the resolution as an opportunity to
expand access to voters who wish to exercise their right to vote.
State of Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO): In the
testimony provided to the committee, the CHRO recognized the disproportionate effect that
Connecticuts restrictive voting laws have had on Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and Asian voters,
as well as disabled people, seniors and young people. According to the Secretary of the
State, the temporary changes made in light of the pandemic led to an 5% increase in voter
turnout in the largest cities in Connecticut from 2016 to 2020. This growth shows that
expanding accessibility and convenience allows for more people to participate in elections.
Identifying accessibility problems that people of color and low-income people face, the CHRO
strongly supports eliminating barriers to voting imposed by the Connecticut Constitution so
that all people have a voice.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Kelly McConney Moore, Interim Senior Policy Counsel, American Civil Liberties Union
of Connecticut (ACLU-CT): Recognizing that Connecticut is just one of six states without
early voting and one of sixteen states without no-excuse absentee voting, Ms. Moore
identifies Connecticut as one of the worst states in terms of voting options. In her testimony,
she highlights the success of the last election in terms of administration and popularity.
Historically speaking, Ms. Moore contends that voters of color are disproportionately
impacted by factors like long lines, lack of access to transportation and childcare, as well as
language and identification barriers. By passing the resolution, Ms. Moore believes that
voters will have expanded opportunities for voting.
Laurie McFadden, constituent from Middletown, Connecticut: In her testimony, Ms.
McFadden wrote about her husbands job as a line mechanic, which is oftentimes
unpredictable, involves long shifts and calls for extensive travel across the state. Because of
the circumstances with his job, there have been several occasions where he has not been
able to cast his vote. By expanding absentee ballot access, Ms. McFadden believes that
people in similar positions as her husband would no longer feel disenfranchised from
participating in our democracy.
Sue W. Larsen, President, Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut (ROVAC): On
behalf of ROVAC, Ms. Larsens testimony does not state a particular position on the
resolution. Ms. Larsens requests that the legislature include local Registrars and elections
officials in any conversations in terms of the implementation of no-excuse absentee voting.
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Anna Posniak, President, Connecticut Town Clerks Association (CTCA): In the
testimony provided to the committee, Ms. Posniak writes that the CTCA strongly supports the
resolution to expand absentee voting. She recommends the immediate establishment of a
legislative task force to examine any statutory changes, identify new funding and technology
upgrades, and review current protocol. All of the aforementioned recommendations would
help implement expanded absentee voting in the smoothest manner possible.
Paula Bacolini, Founder, Make Voting Easy CT: Ms. Bacolini expressed dismay over the
fact that the emergency voting changes made last year were temporary and not permanent.
As a senior in the high risk category, she acknowledged the fact that COVID-19 is still among
us, making it a challenge for citizens of high risk to go out and vote. Citing bipartisan support
and a lack of any evident voter fraud, she believes that the resolution should be passed in the
interest of safety, security and convenience for the voters of Connecticut.
Jason Perry, constituent from Norwalk, Connecticut: Mr. Perry describes the difficulties
encountered by voters who work hourly wage jobs, are self-employed, or those in the
freelance industry. He writes about the expense of voting for certain individuals. He contends
that taking off a few hours from work to go vote could pose an economic burden for some
people. Mr. Perry concludes that democracy is stronger when all voices are heard.
Joanne Kelleher, Director, Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington: In her
capacity as director of the Early Childhood Collaborative, Ms. Kelleher discussed the
challenge that childcare providers and parents face when they want to cast their vote on
Election Day. Ms. Kelleher detailed one instance when a childcare provider had to go to her
polling place with all six of the children under her supervision. She writes that waiting in line
with children can be taxing on parents and childcare providers. She expressed her full
support for the resolution to expand early voting.
Charlene Janecek, constituent from Chester, Connecticut: Citing her experience working
during local elections, Ms. Janecek recommends that absentee ballot counting no longer be a
task for the Town Clerk. Instead, she suggests that the Registrar of Voters and their staff
count absentee ballots. Additionally, she believes that allowing for no-excuse absentee
ballots would alleviate the need for early voting.
Molly Norris, Field & Community Engagement Coordinator, Western CT Area Labor
Federation: Ms. Norris, who lived in Oregon up until a few months ago, expressed her
dismay with Connecticuts antiquated voting protocol. She described Oregons system for
voting by mail or through early voting as seamless and stress-free. When she moved to
Connecticut last June, she discussed the challenges she faced when trying to vote by mail
during the general election. To cast her vote, she needed to purchase a home printer and file
multiple forms. In the end, she said that all she could do was hope that her ballot was
received and accounted for, since there was no confirmation system in place.
Carol Rizzolo, Retired Primary Care Physician Assistant: In her 25 year career in the
medical field, Ms. Rizzolo described the unpredictable nature of a medical emergency and
the potential for the emergency to occur on Election Day. Emphasizing citizens right to vote
and have their voice represented, Ms. Rizzolo implored the committee to expand absentee
voting so that all citizens can vote, even if they have an unexpected medical emergency on
Election Day.
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Sarah Roy, constituent from Fairfield, Connecticut: Ms. Roys testimony highlighted the
array of benefits that come with no-excuse absentee voting. Along with making voting more
accessible to minority, disabled and rural voters, Ms. Roy contends that expanding absentee
access will reduce administrative costs, ease the burden on election officials on Election Day,
shorten lines at polling places, and allow for early identification of any registration errors or
voting system glitches.
Barbara Lopez, Director, Make the Road Connecticut: Ms. Lopez identified the
exploitation tactics used by political operatives in Bridgeport who seek to abuse absentee
ballots and target vulnerable groups in order to sway the outcome of elections. She writes
that these tactics have driven voter turnout and civic participation down in Bridgeport by
nearly 23% in the past 3 years. By passing the resolution and allowing citizens to access
absentee ballots with more ease, she believes that autonomy will be returned to the voters of
Bridgeport. With these changes, the voters will be able to vote on their own accord without
the undue influence of those trying to exploit the process.
Janice and Richard Hoff, constituents from Glastobury, Connecticut: Mr. and Mrs. Hoff
expressed their pleasure with the absentee ballot drop boxes placed outside of their town
hall. Although disappointed that these changes were temporary, they expressed hope that
the legislature would make expanded absentee access permanent. Citing the fact that 35% of
Connecticut voters used absentee ballots this past election, and less than 1% were rejected,
the Hoffs believe that the success of the last election shows that these changes can become
permanent.
Elizabeth Brandt, constituent of Fairfield, Connecticut: Ms. Brandt expressed her support
for no-excuse absentee voting. As a senior citizen who is concerned for her health and
safety, she made note of the unpredictable nature of New England weather in November.
She stated that she fears falling on the ice or during the rain. In addition, she spoke about the
commuters in Fairfield County who make the daily trek into Manhattan. She said that the
commute can make it very challenging to vote in time. Lastly, Ms. Brandt recognized the
constraints that in-person voting puts on our education system, with many schools having to
close because they serve as polling places.
Maureen Chalmers, President, Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges: Ms.
Chalmers wrote testimony in support of the resolution. She made note of the fact that
community college students work multiple jobs, rely on public transportation and help tend to
family affairs, all while balancing their studies. With so much on their plate, it can be a real
challenge to find time to vote. With record breaking turnout at upwards of 80% last
November, Chalmers identified this as a success and attributed it to the changes that allowed
for greater access to absentee voting. She hopes that the committee will pass the resolution
to allow for the changes to become permanent.
The Government Administration and Elections Committee received via email over 450
pieces of testimony expressing similar views in support of HJ 58, a resolution allowing
for an amendment to the state constitution to permit no-excuse absentee voting. They
cited reasons similar to those listed in the testimonies above. All copies of testimony
are available on line.
Page 4 of 7 HJ-58
The following organizations submitted testimony in support of the resolution allowing
for a constitutional amendment to permit no-excuse absentee voting:
Jewish Community Relations Council
Luther Weeks, Executive Director, CTVotersCount
Jeff Ellington, CEO, Runbeck Election Services
Stephen Anderson, President, CSEA SEIU Local 2001
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Stacey Zimmerman, Service Employees International Union Connecticut State Council
(SEIU-CT)
Judy Villa, Resolutions Chair, National Federation of Democratic Women
Women On Watch (WOW)
Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut
Lori Brown, Executive Director, Connecticut League of Conservation Voters
Gretchen Raffa, Senior Director of Public Policy, Advocacy & Organizing, Planned
Parenthood of Southern New England, Inc.
Ann Gadwah, Sierra Club - Connecticut Chapter
AARP CT
Jamilah Prince-Stewart, Executive Director, FaithActs for Education
Jan Hochadel, President, American Federation of Teachers Connecticut (AFT-CT)
Every Vote Counts, Yale Chapter
Christina Cowan, National Association of Social Workers
New Haven Rising
Southern New England Conference United Church of Christ
Voter Choice CT
Nancy DiNardo, Chair, Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee
Ingrid Alvarez, Vice President for Police and Strategic Engagement, Hispanic Federation
Callie Heilmann Co-Director of Bridgeport Generation Now Votes
League of Women Voters of Connecticut
Darryl Brackeen Jr., Chair, Generation Change CT
Jeff Leake, President, Connecticut Education Association
Catherine John, Lead Organizer, Black and Brown United in Action
Winston Heimer, Executive Vice President, Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans
Common Cause Connecticut
Susan L Yolen, Board Member, PoliticaCT
United Auto Workers Region 9A
Connecticut Citizen Action Group
YWCA New Britain
Bishop John Selders, Co-Founder, Moral Monday CT
Pamela Selders, Founder, CT Black Women
Will Wilder, Fellow, Voting Rights and Elections Program Brennan Center for Justice at NYU
School of Law
Cheri Quickmire, Executive Director, Common Cause Connecticut
Sal Luciano, President, Connecticut AFL-CIO
Testimony in support of HJ 58 from elected officials in Connecticut:
Luke Bronin, Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut
Jim Jinks, Town Councilor, Cheshire, Connecticut
Barbara Richardson Crouch, Registrar of Voters, Sprague, Connecticut
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Lisa Thomas, Councilwoman, Coventry, Connecticut
Mike Urgo, First Selectman, North Stonington, Connecticut
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Anne Alycone, constituent from Westport, Connecticut: Ms. Alycone expressed her
desire to make voting more readily available to all registered voters in Connecticut. She
maintains concern over the potential for fraud. Before moving forward on such a measure to
expand absentee voting, she believes that restrictions and procedures must be outlined to
address problems should they arise. Additionally, she stated there must be an analysis of the
potential increased costs incurred as a result of heightened supervision with absentee ballot
counting.
Dominic Rapini, Chairman of the Board, Fight Voter Fraud Inc.: Mr. Rapini expressed
opposition to the resolution, finding that it diminishes trust, has the potential to decrease
turnout, and ignores the core issues with Connecticuts election infrastructure that must be
addressed. If Connecticut was to implement such a monumental change in our election
infrastructure, Mr. Rapino finds it necessary to update the voter rolls to accurately reflect
eligible voters, offer specific training to election officials on how to process mail in voting, and
ultimately make use of a signature verification system. Mr. Rapino cited the diligent and
lengthy efforts in Oregon and Washington to implement mail-in voting. Mr. Rapino advocates
for maintaining trust in the electoral process and ensuring that there is no opportunity for
cheating.
Albert Tartaglino, constituent of West Hartford, Connecticut: Mr. Tartaglino cited his own
personal experience from this past election. Mr. Tartaglino says that he received three
unsolicited absentee ballot applications at his home, with just one of them being addressed to
him. The other two were addressed to previous residents of the home who had not lived there
for several years. Without steps to authenticate identity, Mr. Tartaglino says that he could
have sent in the applications and received three ballots. Mr. Tartaglino stated that he threw
out the extra ballots.
Dori Wollen, Republican Registrar of Voters, Easton, Connecticut: As the Registrar of
Voters in her town, Ms. Wollen witnessed the increased workload for the Town Clerks office,
the Registrars and the absentee ballot poll workers. Due to the increased workload, she says
that more funding is required, thus increasing the budget at the expense of the taxpayer. Ms.
Wollen believes that the use of COVID-19 as an excuse should not apply to people who
simply want the convenience of voting from their own home instead of showing up at a polling
place on Election Day.
Cathy Politi, constituent from Fairfield, Connecticut: Ms. Politi believes that sending
absentee ballot applications to all voters is creating a situation prone to fraud. In order to
prevent fraudulent activity, she recommends that ballot reque