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2020 Session on Hold Due to Pandemic, However- CCAG, in coalition with our state and national partners and Connecticut citizens, continues to take action on the planned issue agenda- including all we can to do to protect our democracy.
Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) & Early Voting. Important voting reforms that would have increased participation, would have saved towns money, and would have eliminated the nightmares we saw in some municipalities on election day in 2018 were never voted on in the Senate in 2019. Then, due to the pandemic, another opportunity for passage was lost but the importance of these reforms became even more painfully clear. In 2021 CCAG will be pushing AVR and early voting in order to ensure that our democracy becomes stronger and more vibrant than ever.
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In addition to amending the constitution to expand absentee ballot voting and to enact early voting, it’s also time for Connecticut to pass automatic voter registration (AVR) into law. This will help hundreds of thousands of new voters automatically register with an opt out. By reducing paperwork and streamlining the process of voter registration when residents interact with state agencies, AVR will allow Connecticut to modernize our elections and keep our voter rolls up to date, while ultimately saving taxpayer dollars.
Restoring voting rights for individuals on parole is an issue that strikes at the heart of social and racial justice. Stripping the right to vote from those on parole is an act of disenfranchisement that has disproportionately impacted communities of color in Connecticut for far too long.
These steps are commonsense, bipartisan and long overdue. They will make Connecticut a national leader when it comes to voter access and voting rights.
Please write to your state legislators now and tell them to vote in favor of these voting rights reforms.
UPDATE FEB 18TH! There is a virtual public hearing in the legislative Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee this Monday, Feb. 22nd at 10:30am. Public testimony will be heard on Early Voting (HJ 59) and No Excuse Absentee Voting (HJ 58.)
The time is now to help make sure these critically important voting rights expansions move forward by submitting written testimony on both bills to the GAE Committee at gaetestimony@cga.ct.gov.
Get started with fact sheets and press coverage by clicking here
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In addition to amending the constitution to expand absentee ballot voting and to enact early voting, it’s also time for Connecticut to pass automatic voter registration (AVR) into law. This will help hundreds of thousands of new voters automatically register with an opt out. By reducing paperwork and streamlining the process of voter registration when residents interact with state agencies, AVR will allow Connecticut to modernize our elections and keep our voter rolls up to date, while ultimately saving taxpayer dollars.
Restoring voting rights for individuals on parole is an issue that strikes at the heart of social and racial justice. Stripping the right to vote from those on parole is an act of disenfranchisement that has disproportionately impacted communities of color in Connecticut for far too long.
These steps are commonsense, bipartisan and long overdue. They will make Connecticut a national leader when it comes to voter access and voting rights.
Please write to your state legislators now and tell them to vote in favor of these voting rights reforms.
UPDATE FEB 18TH! There is a virtual public hearing in the legislative Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee this Monday, Feb. 22nd at 10:30am. Public testimony will be heard on Early Voting (HJ 59) and No Excuse Absentee Voting (HJ 58.)
The time is now to help make sure these critically important voting rights expansions move forward by submitting written testimony on both bills to the GAE Committee at gaetestimony@cga.ct.gov.
Get started with fact sheets and press coverage by clicking here
ELECTORAL
CCAG's Legislative Scorecard for the 2019-2020 session.
This scorecard shows how legislators voted on key issues in a manner that is representative of the breadth of the issues we work on. Please note for 2020, it only includes the votes for voting by mail in the 2020 Special Session due to COVID cutting the regular session short.
We hope you will find this resource helpful leading up to this historic election. Let's make our voices heard.
This scorecard shows how legislators voted on key issues in a manner that is representative of the breadth of the issues we work on. Please note for 2020, it only includes the votes for voting by mail in the 2020 Special Session due to COVID cutting the regular session short.
We hope you will find this resource helpful leading up to this historic election. Let's make our voices heard.
For democracy to work for all of us, every voter must have our voice heard and our vote counted. But our work doesn’t end there.
Join Connecticut residents, labor, faith and community organizations from across the state to ensure that every vote is counted nationwide.
On Wednesday, November 4 at noon, folks will be gathering in NEW HAVEN and in HARTFORD Attendees will be masked and social distancing at these events.
Join Connecticut residents, labor, faith and community organizations from across the state to ensure that every vote is counted nationwide.
On Wednesday, November 4 at noon, folks will be gathering in NEW HAVEN and in HARTFORD Attendees will be masked and social distancing at these events.
On Saturday, November 7th, join an even larger event in Hartford. RSVP HERE.
Looking for an event closer to you? Check out https://protecttheresults.com
Looking for an event closer to you? Check out https://protecttheresults.com
The Secretary of State’s office mailed an application for absentee ballots to every eligible voter. If you did not receive your app in the mail, contact your town clerk immediately.
Absentee Ballots began mailing on Oct. 2:
Voter registration deadlines, NOW is recommended:
Absentee ballot deadlines. You can submit your ballot using the drop box in your town. NOW is recommended
In the news: House Eases Pressure From Flood of Absentee Ballots. Connecticut News Junkie- by Hugh McQuaid | Sep 30, 2020 9:00pm
Absentee Ballots began mailing on Oct. 2:
- If voting by mail, we recommend you mail your ballot in now to ensure that it will be counted.
- If you are able, use your town’s ballot drop box located outside your Town Hall.
- You can check your voter status, including whether you're registered and if your ballot was received here.
Voter registration deadlines, NOW is recommended:
Absentee ballot deadlines. You can submit your ballot using the drop box in your town. NOW is recommended
- Request: Nov. 2.
- Return by mail: Received by Nov. 3, 8:00 p.m.
- Return in person: Nov. 3 by 8:00 p.m. recommend using your town's ballot drop box.
In the news: House Eases Pressure From Flood of Absentee Ballots. Connecticut News Junkie- by Hugh McQuaid | Sep 30, 2020 9:00pm
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION
Congratulations to all for a successful August Special Session, your voices have been heard! Due to thousands of citizen's efforts, the following protection passed.
HB 6002 An Act Concerning Absentee Voting and Reporting of Results at the 2020 State Election and Election Day Registration: This bill adds a one-time COVID-19 excuse to safely vote absentee in the most important election of our lives- the 2020 general election on November 3rd.The House passed this bill with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote 144-2. The Senate voted 35 to 1.
DEMOCRACY 2020- Pre Covid.
Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). Important voting reforms that would have increased participation, would have saved towns money, and would have eliminated the nightmares we saw in some municipalities on election day in 2018 were never voted on in the Senate in 2019. In 2020 we have another chance at passage. CCAG will be pushing AVR and early voting this year in order to ensure that our democracy becomes stronger and more vibrant than ever. A public hearing was scheduled for Feb. 28th.
Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). Important voting reforms that would have increased participation, would have saved towns money, and would have eliminated the nightmares we saw in some municipalities on election day in 2018 were never voted on in the Senate in 2019. In 2020 we have another chance at passage. CCAG will be pushing AVR and early voting this year in order to ensure that our democracy becomes stronger and more vibrant than ever. A public hearing was scheduled for Feb. 28th.
CONNECT THE DOLLARS PROJECT (CDP) is a collaboration of Common Cause in CT and CT Citizen Action Group to expose attempts to buy our state.
At this time we are monitoring and analyzing independent expenditures which are designed to influence the preferences and behavior of voters. During a primary campaign or general election campaign period, committees spending on statewide or General Assembly candidates that in the aggregate exceed $1,000 must file reports within 24 hours of making or obligating to make the expenditure.
Like & Share the CDP Faceboook page to follow the money and connect the dollars!
Connecticut is witnessing exactly what opponents of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizen United ruling warned us about. Read the report here.
In a comprehensive review of all reported Independent Expenditures through October 11th- Connect the Dollars Project, (a collaboration of Common Cause in CT and CT Citizen Action Group) attempts to shine a light on how dirty money is corrupting the principle of one person one vote in CT and begin to educate the public about this. Read the Executive Summary here.
DEMOCRACY- VICTORIES AND MORE WORK TO DO 2019- updated June 15th 2019
SB 24, AAC Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). In a nutshell, important voting reforms that would have increased participation, would have saved towns money, and would have eliminated the nightmares we saw in some municipalities on election day in 2018 were never voted on in the Senate. We are pushing for this issue to be addressed in a September special session.
HJR161, for Early Voting passed, meaning it will go to the legislature one more time in 2021 and then can appear on the 2022 ballot for approval by voters. CCAG may come back next year to make a few improvements to the bill.
We successfully defended the critical Clean Elections Funding. These funds are attacked every year. Many candidates, for the roughly ten years of its operation, run without big donations from the wealthy few. You can find a direct link to clean elections in every victory listed above.
SB 24, AAC Automatic Voter Registration (AVR). In a nutshell, important voting reforms that would have increased participation, would have saved towns money, and would have eliminated the nightmares we saw in some municipalities on election day in 2018 were never voted on in the Senate. We are pushing for this issue to be addressed in a September special session.
HJR161, for Early Voting passed, meaning it will go to the legislature one more time in 2021 and then can appear on the 2022 ballot for approval by voters. CCAG may come back next year to make a few improvements to the bill.
We successfully defended the critical Clean Elections Funding. These funds are attacked every year. Many candidates, for the roughly ten years of its operation, run without big donations from the wealthy few. You can find a direct link to clean elections in every victory listed above.