HARTFORD, Conn. — Voters across the state will weigh in on a question that could spur a constitutional amendment around absentee voting, as this November voters will see a 'yes' or 'no' question on the ballot.
The question reads:
Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?
If voters approve of the question, state lawmakers can begin drafting legislation to amend the state constitution to allow for no excuse absentee voting.
“For anyone who's confused, a 'yes' vote means that you would like the General Assembly to consider some method of no excuse absentee voting and every state does it differently. A 'no' vote means you'd like Connecticut to stick with the same reasons that are required now,” said Stephanie Thomas, CT Secretary of the State.
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Connecticut currently only allows absentee voting if you meet any of the following qualifications:
- Active Member of the U.S. armed forces
- Out of town/state on election day
- Sickness or Physical Disability
- Religious observations that prevent voter from performing secular activities on election day
- Duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own during all voting hours
On Tuesday night, the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters held an event to help educate voters on the topic.
“Absentee Voting is really important for a lot of people because folks are so busy that, you know, sometimes, they're just unable to be able to go to the polls when they're open,” said Mike Urgo, president of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters.
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Thomas says she knows that people will have concerns about no excuse absentee voting, especially following the court cases in Bridgeport over fraud, when it comes to absentee ballots but says even if voters approve of the question things will not change right away.
RELATED: Bridgeport 2019 election fraud case continues
“It's up to the legislature. It'll go through the typical legislative process, public hearing public, public input, and we can see where they land,” said Thomas.
She says when the topic came up in legislative session, many said they prefer to vote in the comfort of their home.
“Some people testify, they like to sit at their kitchen table or office table and Google everything that's on the ballot before they make their vote. So, I think we need more options, not fewer so that every single eligible voter feels like they have a way to vote comfortably for them,” said Thomas.
The question will appear on the November ballot. Connecticut’s primary election is just a few weeks away, which includes a number of local, congressional and state races depending on where you live, as candidates try to advance to the general election.
Voting information, including polling locations, can be found here.
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Jake Garcia is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. He can be reached at jgarcia@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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