Merrill Stumps For Early Voting, No-Excuses Mail-In Ballots

Connecticut’s secretary of the state, Denise Merrill, popped into Hamden Wednesday to make a pitch to leave behind Connecticut’s ​“18th century voting system” and allow more voters to vote before Election Day and expand access to absentee ballots.

Merrill made that pitch during a stop at the Keefe Community Center.

She spoke in favor of two bills before the legislature. One would lead to a state referendum on allowing early voting. The other would allow for a ​“no excuses” absentee balloting, meaning anyone could cast votes by mail whether or not they’re sick or out of town. In both cases, voter referendums would need to follow passage of state laws, because the changes involve amending the state Constitutions.

This week Kentucky became the 44th state to allow for either early voting or access to absentee ballots without an excuse, or both. Other states are considering or passing laws this year to restrict voting.

Connecticut, Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, and South Carolina are the only states that restrict voters from casting their ballots prior to voting day, either in person or by absentee ballot without an excuse, Merrill said.

“Connecticut is one of the most restrictive states in the country,” Merrill said regarding voting. ​“We’re in a 21st century society where people move a lot more.”

Hamden State Sen. Jorge Cabrera joined in support of Merrill’s proposed amendments to the state Constitution to ​“move beyond the Jim Crow” era of suppressed voting rights.

Last year’s election saw an increase in voters throughout the state. Merrill and Cabrera said that was a direct result of a temporary emergency order allowing no-excuse absentee voting to shield residents from potential Covid exposure.

Cabrera said Connecticut residents are busy but still want to vote. ​“It’s amazing when you make voting easier people vote,” he said.

Merrill and Cabrera agreed that the state’s voting system needs to be modernized. ​“The way we have technology now, there’s got to be a way to use it when it comes to voting,” Cabrera said. ​“This pandemic has taught us that we haven’t been using technology to its full capacity like we should be to make it easier for us.”

“The more people vote, the more vibrant our democracy is and the more reflective our government will be of what the will of the people is,” Cabrera said.

Last year’s election was the most successful and smoothest she has seen in a decade despite the difficulties the pandemic posed, Merrill said.

“We decided last year that people shouldn’t have to choose between health and their vote. Now we want to avoid people having to choose between their vote and working or taking care of their family,” Merrill said.

The early voting constitutional amendment was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly in 2019. If it passes again it would go on the 2022 ballot for voters to decide.

The constitutional amendment to expand access to absentee ballots has not been voted on by the General Assembly before. If it passes each chamber with a 75 percent supermajority, it would go on the 2022 ballot for voters to decide. If it passes each chamber with a simple majority, it would need to be voted on again by the legislature elected in 2022; then, if passed again, it would go on the 2024 ballot for voters to decide.

If voters ratify both amendments, the restrictions from the Connecticut Constitution would be removed. Then legislature would then be able to pass legislation allowing early voting and expanding no-excuses absentee ballot access.