Connecticut Expands Access to Democracy

For years, Connecticut has remained one of only a handful of states that required voters to provide a specific excuse to vote mail-in. That reality never reflected how people actually live. Work schedules change. Childcare falls through. Health concerns arise. Transportation can be unreliable.

Now, after more than a decade of organizing, coalition building and testifying, in the midst of growing national attacks on voting rights, Connecticut residents are able to vote in person, by mail and before election day.

With the passage of mail-in voting, Connecticut is finally taking a long-overdue step toward making voting more accessible and reflective of real life. Voters will no longer need to justify why they are requesting an mail-in ballot.

House Bill 5001 waited until late in the legislative session to be called, a reminder of how uncertain even long-advocated-for reforms can be. But sustained advocacy made the difference. From community members showing up to testify, to coordinated advocacy days that brought voices directly to legislators, the momentum built steadily and ultimately carried the bill across the finish line.

This matters because access to democracy should not depend on whether someone can take time off work, arrange childcare, or navigate unnecessary barriers simply to cast a ballot.

And while this victory is significant, we also know the work is not finished. Voters will still need to apply for an mail-in ballot for each election, rather than being able to opt into a more streamlined system. Progress rarely happens overnight, but this moment marks an important shift toward a more accessible democracy in Connecticut.

In addition to allowing Connecticut voters to request a mail-in ballot without needing a specific excuse, House Bill 5001 provides safeguards against ICE agents at polling locations in the event that civil rights are violated.

The bill expands access to voting for people balancing work, caregiving, health needs, and other responsibilities. It modernizes Connecticut’s voting system to align with the majority of states, and helps reduce barriers that have historically impacted low-income voters, Black and brown communities, older adults, and people with disabilities.

Pro-Worker Agenda Won at Legislature

Years of workers organizing at the state legislature delivered one of the strongest pro-worker bills in recent Connecticut history this session. House Bill 5003, a sweeping labor omnibus package, passed with strong bipartisan support, marking a significant step forward for workers’ rights, workplace safety, and fair pay.

Labor Committee chair Sen Julie Kushner said she had been workong on the bill for years. “It took more than six hours of floor debate, but we got it done.” she added.

“This legislative session delivered real, meaningful progress for working people across Connecticut,” said Ed Hawthorne, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. “From strengthening workplace protections to extending workers’ compensation benefits, many legislators stood up for the working people of this state.”

Summarizing the 75 sections of the bill, Sen Kushner said it “touches workers across nearly every sector of our economy. Teachers and health care workers who are assaulted on the job will now receive full wage replacement. General contractors will be jointly liable when their subcontractors cheat workers out of wages. Service workers have to be retained on the job when a new contracter comes in. Wage transparency gets stronger. And first responders will have access to tuition assistance and mortgage help so they can afford to live in the communities they serve. Should they lose their lives in service, their families will still have health coverage. “

The bill was signed into law at the offices of SEIU 32 BJ spotlighting service worker retention protections requiring incoming building service contractors to retain existing workers for 90 days. It also calls for a 15-day notice of a switch in employers.

“At 32BJ SEIU, we stand firmly behind the belief that every worker is deserving of just and dignified treatment. Worker Retention Laws protect workers from overnight job termination and unjust losses in their pay, insurance, and benefits.” said Connecticut leader Rochelle Palache.

“Despite the significant progress,” acknowleged Hawthorne, “we’re disappointed in the lack of higher education funding and the lack of truly meaningful worker protections in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” .

CCAG: Know the Facts, Shift the Narrative

Coalitiion building was a hallmark during this session of the Connecticut State Legislature as labor and community and immigrant rights groups allied to “Stand Up Connecticut” against the attacks from the Trump administration on working people.

The long term fight has been for economic and social justice in a state with one of the highest gaps between billionaires and everyone else and the need to tax the rich including the windfall delivered to billionaires by MAGA while cutting healthcare and all services.

The Connecticut For All coalition, CT AFL-CIO, the Immigrants Coalition and the Connecticut Tenants Union all mobilized with significant partial victories for people's needs. The following assessment of the session is from the Connecticut Citizens Action Group, addressing the priorities they mobilized around.

By CCAG

Wednesday night marked the last day of Connecticut’s legislative session for 2026. For many of us, this entire session has felt like emergency triage due to DOGE-damage and the Trump administration. Luckily, many Connecticut legislators and advocates, like you, stepped up to fight back. Connecticut started the year with a massive budget cut from the Federal government leaving families vulnerable to food insecurity, lack of medical care and then soon after skyrocketing prices due to the illegal war of aggression against Iran.  We saw some significant victories, and some disappointments. But the people of the Nutmeg state came together to send a strong message to Washington DC/Mara-Lago that Connecticut will not be held hostage and we will protect our communities.  First and foremost, we want to thank every person who protested, testified, wrote a letter, called their legislator, came to a lobby day or even just shared information this session. It is because of you we have new legislation reigning in the unchecked power of ICE, renewing community solar programs, the implementation of universal absentee voting and so much more.  This session, CCAG was focused on Democracy, Climate & Environment, Healthcare and Private Equity.  The legislature passed a budget which makes adjustments to the spending guardrails and volatility cap, acknowledging the need for us to spend more to meet this moment. We did not see all we wanted, particularly around progressive revenue and in protecting healthcare for more than 200,000 people slated to lose it due to harmful federal cuts - we continue these fights. Along with several legislative victories it did give us something else worth holding onto:  Proof that organized people can still bend power toward the public good. What we won together: Democracy and immigrant protections: SB 397 strengthens accountability for federal law enforcement, including ICE, by allowing residents to sue in state court for violations of their rights. It also protects sensitive places like schools, hospitals, and houses of worship, requires federal agents to show identification, bans masks, and limits license plate reader surveillance. Voting rights: HB 5001 implements no-excuse absentee voting, following Connecticut voters' approval of the constitutional amendment in 2024. The bill also includes a ban on ICE at polling places, a major victory for democracy and voter protection. Healthcare: HB 5127 passed, restricting medical providers from promoting or helping patients sign up for medical credit cards that can trap people in high-interest debt. Key pieces of the healthcare affordability fight also moved forward through the budget, including extended subsidies, guardrail adjustments, and a feasibility study for a Connecticut Option. We again defeated Junk Insurance plans, which would  have placed small businesses at risk. Private equity accountability: Two bills addressing private equity passed both chambers this session. SB 125 requires greater transparency in nursing home ownership, helping expose who is actually profiting from care facilities. SB 196 limits hospital real estate investment trusts, or REIT,arrangements, a financial scheme that can separate hospitals from the land they sit on, drive up costs, and drain resources away from patient care. Together, these bills are important first steps toward stopping private equity and real estate investors from treating healthcare as another extraction site. Climate and environment: HB 5340 expands access to renewable power generation and solar energy, while HB 5334 strengthens protections for riparian areas, the vegetated land near rivers and streams that helps reduce flooding, prevent erosion, protect drinking water, and filter toxins. Economic justice: HB 5003 makes targeted investments in safer and more equitable workplaces, supporting workers, including first responders, veterans, nurses, teachers, and blue-collar workers. What still needs pressure: Connecticut has the resources to do better. We are one of the wealthiest states in the country. No one should go without food, healthcare, safe housing, clean water, or protection from a dangerous climate while billionaires receive massive federal tax cuts. Victories are not the end of the work. They are proof that pressure works. We will keep organizing, keep watching, and keep pushing for a state that meets this moment with the courage our communities deserve.

May Day Highlights Working Class Unity from the Streets to the Polls

 

by Jahmal Henderson

Workers, high school students, and community members filled the New Haven Green for May Day demonstrations calling out corporate greed and demanding stronger protections for workers.

Three rallies were organized by the May Day Strong coalition in Connecticut beginning in Hartford with a protest at Palentir electronics against their collaboration with ICE, and then rallying at the State Capitol celebrating passage of a major labor bill that day.

In the afternoon in New Haven many stopped by a host of information tables including the Connecticut People’s World to learn more about the issues. Speeches from labor, peace and social justice groups were followed by a march through downtown.

Born from the 1886 U.S. push for the eight hour day, International Workers’ Day unites people worldwide in honoring labor’s struggles and solidarity.

On Saturday the annual People's World May Day rally “Working Class Unity: From the Streets to the Polls.” brought everyone together around the urgent need to protect our voting and democratic rights. It reminded us that real change starts with the work we do on the ground, informing our communities, sharing essential information, having meaningful conversations, and carrying that collective energy to the polls to make the changes we need.

Emcee Jahmal Henderson, chair of the Newhall CTCPUSA Club and a key organizer in Connecticut, announced the Edie and George Fishman Library gifted to the New Haven Federation of Teachers (NHFT) last July with volumes spanning 80 years of working class struggle..

The rally opened with greetings from Leslie Blatteau, president of NHFT and high school student Brandon Daley along with leaders of Unite Here Locals 33 and 34 at Yale. Brandon, a junior, described his deep involvement in local youth advocacy, from protesting for increased education funding to holding Yale accountable and organizing a Students over Billionaires school walkout on May Day.

BarbaraVereen, organizing director of Unite Here Local 34, called for solidarity with Yale’s clerical and technical workers, expressing appreciation for turnout at the massive April 23 contract rally where members demanded higher wages in response to inflation and rising living costs while Yale's $44 billion endowment continues to soar. Jake Thrasher, staff organizer of Local 33 spoke about their campaign to win union recognition for Yale’s postdoctoral workers. Postdoc Greg Zilberg got an ovation when he announced that on May 1, 2026 an overwhelming vote won representation for nearly 1,400 researchers. 

The centerpiece of the event was an inspiring slideshow "May Day Around the World", highlighting labor rights rallies and protests on all continents and industries mirroring the huge rallies against MAGA and for workers rights and immigrant rights throughout Connecticut and the U.S. Union members Terrell Williams, Lisa Armstrong, and Ben McManus served as narrators, underscoring the significance of the U.S. labor movement reclaiming International Workers Day this year..

The crowd was treated to a special performance by Scotticesa Marks and her family filling the room with songs of resistance, inspiring attendees to rise to their feet and join in, singing their favorite tunes as the whole crowd sang along. Scotticesa created a new movement song from the words on the Communist Party banner carried in the May Day march, “Tax the Rich, House the Poor, Money for Jobs, Not for War.”

Jess Corbett, president of the Western Connecticut Area Labor Federation and proud member of Local 34 and New Haven Rising, stepped up to the mic to lay out this year's May Day demands. He reminded everyone the fight to Tax the Rich, in Connecticut and across the country, is far from over, and that working people have to keep pushing back against a system built to protect the rich..

Tabitha Sookdeo, executive director of Connecticut Students for a Dream, lifted up the demand of “No ICE” and the ongoing struggle for immigrant rights. She spoke about how easy it is to feel discouraged in moments like these, but also how important it is to remember that we are not alone, and we are not powerless. Together, we defend our communities by demanding stronger, humane immigration laws. An omnibus bill expanding protections was signed into law in Connecticut three days later, the result of a huge organizing effort.

Henry Lowendorf, chair of the Greater New Haven Peace Council, spoke on the demand of “No War,” displaying a banner showing the billions poured into war while the resources working people depend on continue to shrink. His message was clear: every dollar spent on war is a dollar stolen from the working class.

Jess spoke about the fourth demand “Protect Our Vote.” Solidarity pledge cards were signed and turned in, another step in defending democracy from the ground up.

The May Day celebration closed with the New Haven group "Singing Resistance". Voices rose, chants echoed back and forth, and the night ended the way May Day should, community and workers standing together, singing together, and refusing to back down.

Waterbury May Day: We are the Resistance

The May Day rally/celebration on the Waterbury Green was full of militant energy and excitement. A

father/son duo played Congo drums as people arrived. People rocked and rolled as they signed in.

Bilal Tajildeen, one of the organizers, introduced MC Kay Munoz. She had great energy and spoke in

both English and Spanish. With placards, some in Spanish,“Aqui Estamos y Nos Vamos,” and some in English, “Fund Healthcare Not Wars,” “Power To The People,” and “Tax Billionaires,” waving in the evening light, Kay told a personal story. With emotion she explained how her grandfather, suffering a great deal of pain, worked so hard to support the extended family.

Naugatuck Valley Project representive Karime Pimentel spoke in Spanish while Jacqueline Bayas translated in English. She shared the plight of Domestic Workers. The highlight was how they rallied at the legislature to demand sick days and won! In the process, their profession was acknowledged and respected.

On the Green, labor/community educator Steve Schrag set up a table full of registration voter forms and a box asking people to check off a form rating the President’s job. Steve invited the crowd to sign up for a teach-in on May 19th from 6-8 pm at The People Center, Waterbury.

Carpenters Union representative Mike Iacoviello explained the history of May Day. He shared that everyone should have not just a living wage but a thriving wage. Also present was Kit Salazar Smith, staunch unionist and recently anointed Naugatucks’ 2026 Earth Day Mayor for the Day. Starting in the 1990s, Kit fought for and helped win the creation of Naugatuck’s Passive Park/Nature Preserve and the green jobs it generated.

Rapping up the presentations, Ryan Hendricks, recruited by Maribel Rodriguez, performed a poem about working people. He put it together in less than 2 weeks. It was a big hit with the crowd.

With Congo drums playing in the background, people marched and chanted in English and in Spanish around the Green. The energy was palpable and the time enjoyed by all.

– Maribel Rodriguez