HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—Connecticut officials are looking to bring about national election standards through the passage of the For the People Act which addresses voter access and election practices.
U.S. Senators Chris Murphy, Richard Blumenthal and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill called on the Senate to vote on the bill while at the State Capitol Monday, saying that it would not only prevent efforts to suppress votes but it would also improve Connecticut's own election system.
The bill protects American democracy, Murphy said, by ensuring citizens have the ability to vote.
"Republicans in Washington have kind of given up on convincing people to vote for them. Instead, they've decided to change the number of people who vote by making it harder for people of color and for poor people in particular to cast their vote," Murphy said.
Efforts to restrict voter access are being used in several southern states such as Texas, Georgia, and Florida, according to Murphy and Blumenthal.
Such tactics include attempts to eliminate voting hours on Sundays, to limit the number of ballot drop boxes available, to remove voters from voter rolls and to ban the distribution of refreshments at voting places with intentionally long lines, Murphy said.
These restrictions are a dagger aimed at the heart of democracy, Blumenthal said.
"We have no time to waste because every day, every month means, more likely, voter suppression by restricting access to the ballot box," he said.
Among the numerous provisions in the For the People Act, the bill would expand voter registration with automatic and same-day registration, implement vote-by-mail and early voting, improve election cybersecurity and require the disclosure of certain campaign finances.
Though Connecticut has made progress in ensuring fair and safe elections, Merrill said, this bill would improve one portion of the state's election system that has fallen behind: voter access through mail-in and early voting.
"Let me tell you," she said, "Connecticut citizens want this. 79% of citizens in Connecticut said they want to see early voting and more access to absentee ballots in the state of Connecticut."
Murphy and Blumenthal said Connecticut needs to set an example for the nation by implementing these practices. Merrill agreed, noting that 44 other states in the country already have them.
However, she noted that it would take years for these practices to be implemented in Connecticut due to a lengthy process required by the state constitution.
"For that reason alone, we should support the creation of national standards for elections. It would eliminate all the questions that have been raised across the country about different ways states are holding elections," she said. "States should have the right to hold elections but within boundaries, within standards."
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill in March. The bill now awaits a vote in the Senate.