Connecticut Leads with Voting Rights Act

“As states across the country engage in the greatest assault on voting rights since Jim Crow, Connecticut has set a new standard for the freedom to vote,” declared the national Legal Defense Fund (LDF) as the Connecticut Voting Rights Act was signed into law on June 12.

An extraordinary Connecticut Voting Rights Act Coalition of 68 labor, community and civil rights organizations activated their members, workng alongside the Black and Latino Caucus. In the absence of federal legislation, they were determined to win passage of SB 1226 An Act Concerning State Voting Rights in Recognition of John R. Lewis,

They noted that “despite Connecticut’s progressive reputation, many discriminatory barriers to equal participation still exist in the state for voters of color and voters whose first language is not English, particularly at the local level.” .

LDF's Stephen Lance greeted the victory saying, “Fundamentally, the CTVRA will make political participation more equal and open for all voters in the state, empowering communities who have historically faced undue barriers to the ballot box.”

“The CT Voting Rights Act is now the nation's most comprehensive state-level voting rights act,” he said. “This transformative law builds upon the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and successful state laws already passed in New York, California, Washington, Oregon and Virginia

Connecticut Common Cause summarizes the bill with “7 things to know:”

1. Connecticut is now a nation wide leader in the movement to revitalize democracy.

2. Local governments with a history of discrimination will have to prove that proposed voting changes will not harm voters of color before they can go into effect.

3. Voters will be better equipped to call-out and fix both unintentional and bad-faith actions that might harm them. New legal tools are available to fight discriminatory voting rules in court.

4. The law requires language assistance to voters who are not fluent in English.

5. Voters will have broader and stronger protections against harassment and intimidation.

6. State judges will be instructed to interpret election laws in a pro-voter way.

7. The law launches a central data hub for election information. This will empower officials and community members to ensure accessible elections.

Other measures to expand viting rights are still being fought for, including no-excuse absentee voting. Implementation of a ten day early voting period will go into effect in 2024.