The primary election on Tuesday marked the end of Connecticut’s first ever early voting period. Roughly about 18,000 of Connecticut’s 1.2 million registered voters cast their ballot early.

Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut, issued the following statement:

“In an election with consistently low voter participation, 18,000 people who may not have otherwise been able to participate on Election Day were able to cast their vote. That is a small victory for our democracy, and we look forward to seeing how voters utilize this option in the general election. Many thanks to the election workers who ensured this success!

“Connecticut is one of the last states to implement early voting, and without funding for a robust educational campaign to inform voters about this new option, this was a very good outcome. To ensure this program’s success in future elections, we urge the legislature to provide our election administrators with the funding they need.”