S.J.R. 15, A Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution to Permit Early Voting; H.B. 5277, An Act Decreasing Fees for Copying Public Records under the Freedom of Information Act; H.B. 5278, An Act Revising Certain Absentee Voting Statutes

Senate Joint Resolution 15, A Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution to Permit Early Voting, would strengthen our democracy and our state. Archaic language in the Connecticut Constitution prohibits early voting in our state and impedes access to voting by everyone. If the General Assembly passes this resolution and voters approve a constitutional amendment, the legislature can move toward strengthening our democracy by adopting early voting. The legislature should embrace this chance to decrease congestion at the polls on election day and improve the chances of vulnerable people to cast their ballots. 

House Bill 5277, An Act Decreasing Fees for Copying Public Records under the Freedom of Information Act, would reduce the cost for many public agency records. People have a right to access information retained by public agencies. Fees, especially excessive ones, provide barriers to that right of access.

House Bill 5278, An Act Revising Certain Absentee Voting Statutes, would remove the phrase “during the hours of voting” from a
requirement for absentee voting eligibility. The phrase has been interpreted to mean that a voter must be absent from the municipality the entire time the polls are open. This severely limits the ability of people to vote absentee. Even if someone is in the town during the time the polls are open, it does not mean they can vote that day. They may have unpredictable work schedules, a lack of childcare, or other important priorities they must attend to during those hours. Removing this phrase and replacing it with a phrase that requires that someone only be absent from the
town that day, not absent the entire time the polls are open, would allow more people to meet the requirements to vote absentee. This would expand the opportunity to participate in our elections.