Connecticut Senate Approves House Joint Resolution 59 

Measure will be on November 22 Ballot

The Connecticut Senate has approved HJ 59, a constitutional amendment to allow early in-person voting. The measure was passed by the House on May 6; and was approved by a majority of both chambers of the General Assembly in 2019. It will now be placed on the 2022 General Election ballot. If a majority of voters approve the amendment, Connecticut will allow early voting.

Connecticut is one of only seven states that do not currently allow Early Voting; and Delaware will begin Early Voting in 2022. A recent opinion poll showed that 79% of Connecticut voters support allowing voters to choose to vote in-person early, prior to Election Day.

Statement of Cheri Quickmire, Executive Director of Common Cause in Connecticut

We thank the General Assembly for sending this measure to the voters.

Our government ‘by the people’ works better when more people can participate. But many voters’ job and family responsibilities make it hard to get to the polls on Election Day. Early Voting will provide Connecticut voters with more choices about when to cast our ballots. 

We trust Connecticut’s voters will embrace this additional option when it is on the ballot next year. In states that have Early Voting, people use it. In Georgia, for instance, more than two-thirds of November’s voters used in-person early voting to cast their ballots. In Florida, almost half of November’s voters cast their ballots early, in person. 

Too many state legislatures are now trying to restrict voting. In response to their constituents and the success of the 2020 election, Connecticut’s General Assembly is working to expand voting options.