HARTFORD — A group of 1,144 early in-person voters in North Stonington are experiencing voting issues after incorrect instructions from officials on proper voting protocols. Officials from both parties directed voters to certify their ballots incorrectly. While more than 700 voters have returned to re-cast their vote, several hundred voters are not able to return to remedy their ballots or have been unreachable by officials.
Voters in North Stonington who voted early and in-person between Oct. 21 and Oct. 31 should return to their polling location to remedy their signature issue. When it enacted early voting in 2023, the General Assembly decided to require that early in-person ballots be enclosed in envelopes, and that the envelopes must be signed.
“The ACLU of Connecticut is monitoring the issue, and has been in key conversations with state officials and people involved directly with the situation in North Stonington,” said executive director David McGuire. “We expect the state of Connecticut to count every vote. Voting rights and the will of the people are top priorities for the ACLU of Connecticut. The state should provide workable remedies, including a robust ballot curing process.”
“The Secretary of the State could have fixed this days ago, instead of declaring today that about 200 votes ‘will not be counted’,” said legal director Dan Barrett. “Section 9-3 of the general statutes empowers the Secretary to ‘issue an order’ to ‘any registrar of voters or moderator to correct any irregularity or impropriety.’ The Secretary of the State is not a purely administerial position. There is an on-the-books method of recourse that does not require letters from legislators or a lawsuit.”
“The people of North Stonington are Connecticut voters and deserve for their votes to be counted,” said McGuire. “The ACLU of Connecticut is doing our part to safeguard this election and demands every vote be counted. There have been reports of incorrect ballot distribution in Stonington also, and we are monitoring that situation as well. We have partnered with the Legal Defense Fund to generate guidance on the Connecticut Voting Rights Act in three languages, and we work with the public and state government to provide voters with information about their civil rights and liberties. We have attended dozens of events and registered and educated voters in all corners of the state — including enfranchisement of incarcerated people that have voting rights.
“Voting is a sacred right, and Connecticut voters should experience proper direction from election officials and convenient, accessible voting processes, whether voting early, absentee, or in person. We champion the people who vote, and those who demand voting access — and we appreciate the elected officials and both state parties who have prioritized the will of the people over politics. The Secretary of the State’s announcement today that more than 200 votes will not be counted is unacceptable. Early voting has largely been successful in this first round of implementation, and we will continue to work to provide guidance on an official, detailed, and robust ballot curing policy and urge methodological implementation.”
This election marks the first implementation of early voting in Connecticut, making it the 46th state to adopt such protocols. With over 805,000 voters — approximately one-third of all registered voters — casting their ballots before Election Day. Early voting has largely been successful, but there is a critical need for a consistent ballot curing process to ensure that every eligible vote is counted. The ACLU of Connecticut is committed to empowering voters and calling for accessible and reliable voting systems statewide. Voters should feel supported and informed.
If you have experienced issues with voting anywhere in the state, please contact media@acluct.org or see our voting rights guidance at acluct.org on the web.
