HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—A survey conducted earlier this month shows that over 70% of registered Connecticut voters are in favor of election reform in the state, including no-excuse absentee ballot and early in-person voting.
After a historic 79.7% voter turnout rate in the 2020 presidential election in Connecticut, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said Thursday that a broad majority of voters are looking for common sense election reform in the state.
In order to get an idea of public opinion on the matter, the nonpartisan organization Secure Democracy conducted a poll with Survey USA between January 11 and January 17, 2021. 808 Connecticut registered voters participated in the poll.
According to the survey, 70% of voters support allowing all voters to vote by absentee ballot. When it comes to voting by absentee, 79% support providing secure drop box locations for absentee ballots and 66% support requesting an absentee ballot through a secure website.
The survey also shows that 79% of voters support allowing early in-person voting.
"Not only that, it's bipartisan support as well," Merrill said, "69% of Republicans, 79% of Unaffiliated voters and 86% of Democrats support allowing early in-person voting."
The legislature will be looking at these issues this session, Merrill said, but Connecticut voters won't get a say on the constitutional amendments until 2022 at the earliest.
No-excuse absentee ballot voting will need a large bipartisan vote of 75% in both houses, Merrill said.
"If it doesn't get that, it will not be on the ballot until 2024," she said.
The full survey can be found here.
Related
