What is the absentee ballot amendment on CT ballots?

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – The election is next Tuesday and there will be plenty of candidates on the ballot.

But voters will also have a say in whether Connecticut can have no-excuse ballots.

Bloomfield stores absentee ballots in a secure cabinet in a safe. Ballots are way down in this election.

“We still have a lot, but things have changed with early voting,” said Angelica Candelaria, Bloomfield’s city clerk.

The county clerk says the convenience of early voting has turned some voters away from using absentee ballots.

There are restrictions on using these ballots if you are out of state, sick or disabled, working as an election official, in the military, or for religious reasons.

During the pandemic, lawmakers allowed COVID-19 to be a disease, but only for that time.

Some are now pushing for no-excuse ballots to be permanent.

“The reasons why you can get an absentee ballot in CT are among the strictest and narrowest in the country, and unlike virtually every other state in the country, they are in our state constitution,” said Rep. Matt Blumenthal (D ). Government Administration and Elections Commission.

Lawmakers like Matt Blumenthal support no-excuse absentee voting.

This election will see a referendum asking voters to amend the constitution to remove the restrictions.

Absentee ballots are also a little different. Even if you vote absentee, you have until 10 a.m. on Election Day to change your vote or vote in person.

There are no changes to early voting.

“At 10 o’clock they can say, ‘I don’t want my absentee ballot.’ And they can get their ballot back. They can vote at the ballot box. With early voting, once you cast your vote, you have voted,” explained Jennifer Marshall-Nealy, (D), Bloomfield registrar.

Catherine Jewett was at City Hall dropping off her ballot.

“Right now, my mother is in hospice care in Watertown,” she said.

She could have voted earlier, but felt more comfortable with an absentee ballot. She is in favor of removing restrictions.

“It’s a great idea. People are stuck on November 5th trying to get through it, it’s crazy with work and all the rest of it, and every voice needs to be heard,” Jewett said.

To allow early voting, voters had to do the same thing: change the constitution. But it’s not over yet. If this passes, it would still need to be approved by the Legislature before it goes into effect.