Problem with that is it only really serves public sector employees, banks, schools, and the limited fee that actually have off for holidays. Doesn’t help the majority of private sector service workers.

Yes, we need early voting and excuse free absentee.

Let the legislature decide. Voting yes doesn’t mean it will be out in place immediately, it means the legislature (and all the parties) have the chance to work on it.

i’m leaving them because i’m a lazy shit and also i like fireflies too

Doesn’t even have to be covid. It can be any community health concern. Flu, cold, cooties, you name it.

i’d be interesting in seeing the sources from your facts rather than your anecdotal experience. it seems every time I ask for any proof, evidence, sources, or anything that is conjecture it seems these conversations end

is this “voter fraud” in the room with you right now? kinda makes you wonder if that whole thing was made up

We may get there one day. Absentee voting is easy in CT, you just have to ask for it. But some campaigns nowadays are mailing absentee ballots to people along with campaign mailers so more people are going along with it.

You may interpret the statute differently, but this explanation is how the state and local election officials are operating. There’s a reason why they’re running the election and you, well, aren’t.

That being said, if you disagree, as is your right, you should bring up those concerns to your elected representatives with the state, that is their job (lord knows they’re getting paid enough for it)

Edit: lol he got mad and reported this comment for “self harm”

yes I forgot! Your absentee ballot this year will have a question for the constitutional amendment, and included in your envelope will be a pamphlet explaining early voting, but since it statutorily has to be a “neutral explanation” it’s still kind of hard to tell what it’s really about.

Voting yes on the amendment won’t immediately enact early voting, it just allows the legislature to even begin thinking about it which is the big hurdle.

Asspirate420 is always looking out for democracy (and i work for the government lmao)

I’ll copy most of this from a previous comment I made on another post.

In 2022 the state passed Public Act 22-2 which widened absentee qualifications by aligning them with a State Supreme Court decision which held that the determination of eligibility is made by the voter themselves:

> An official interpretation of the changes made was issued under the powers granted to the Secretary of the State by Connecticut General Statutes Section 9-3 and is consistent with the state’s Supreme Court decision in Fay v. Merrill (338 Conn.1), in which the court held that the determination about whether a voter is unable to appear at the polling place on the day of the election is made by the individual voter and that the Connecticut Constitution’s language is sufficiently broad so as to allow for voters to vote by absentee ballot when a specific, identifiable disease or disability is present - even when the voter themselves is not personally sick or disabled.

While COVID is no longer explicitly stated as an option on the absentee application, the previous listing of “my illness” was changed to “sickness”, allowing you to qualify for an absentee ballot if you, someone you know or provide care for, or a general public health concern prevents you from voting in person. This comes with no strings attached, meaning in essence, the caution of catching a cold, flu, salmonella, e. coli. or anything that you deem significant can grant you the ability to request an absentee ballot.

In addition, the previous application used to state “absent from town during all hours of voting”, now it says “absent from town”, so if you get off work and technically could make it to the polling place before 8, but hey you need gas, groceries, pick up the kids, catch the bus, etc gets in the way, congrats you can have a ballot.

I’ll end this all by reminding everyone that local and state election officials have no mechanisms in place for verifying anything that you check off on your application, just that you swear by signing that you are telling the truth.

Here’s an explanation from the Secretary of State about the expanded voting rights: https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Press-Releases/2022-Press-Releases/Reminder-Absentee-Ballot-Voter-Eligibility-Expansion-Includes-November-Election