(Hartford, CT) – Today, the Connecticut State Senate voted 35-1 in favor of allowing all eligible Connecticut residents to vote by absentee ballot through the November election, after passing 144-2 in the House a week earlier. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge across the country infecting tens of thousands of Americans a day, voting protections like these will allow Connecticut residents to express their constitutionally protected right to vote, without risking their health.

“With the click of a button, 35 State Senators stood up today and sent a message to Connecticut residents: your voting rights will be protected. The passage of this legislation puts us one step closer to allowing all eligible residents to vote absentee this Fall – a solution that will allow voters to safely participate in our democratic process, without putting their health at risk. I’d like to thank members of the Connecticut legislature for voting in favor of this critical legislation and look forward to Governor Lamont signing it into law,” said Cheri Quickmire, Executive Director of Common Cause in Connecticut.

“This vote demonstrates that when it comes to voting rights and public safety, advocates and legislators are aligned — absentee ballots are the safest solution to the challenges of operating elections amid this historic public health crisis. No resident should have to choose between protecting their health and exercising their right to vote, and when this bill gets signed into law, they will no longer have to. I’d like to thank Connecticut legislative leaders for seeing the urgent need for this legislation and making it a priority during special session. While this legislation is a great step to protect voting rights in the immediate future, we need lawmakers to take action next session to ensure that absentee voting protections are made permanent.” said Tom Swan, Executive Director of Connecticut Citizen Action Group.

The bill now heads to Governor Lamont for his signature into law.

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