State House passes change to Absentee Ballot law to include 'sickness'; Senators vote next week - WTNH.com

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The secretary of the state mailed absentee ballot applications to all eligible voters in 2020. To this day, there is frustration over it.

People were fearful to go to the polls because of COVID. It cost $5 million.

Many lawmakers thought that opened the door to fraud.

The bill lawmakers are debating Wednesday would allow changes to the current AB law. It does not tackle any mass mailings of the applications.

If passed, the bill would allow voters more access to an absentee ballot.

Instead of illness, the law would change to use the word “sickness,” which is an excuse for obtaining an absentee ballot as currently described in the state constitution.

Lawmakers say this change will open the door to COVID as an excuse.

“You may not personally have an illness, right, but the sickness of COVID, which kind of permeates through society, could endanger the person you’re caring for,” said State Rep. Matt Ritter, the Democratic House Speaker.

“Generally the people that oppose it are concerned about debacles down the road, of the state mailing out absentee ballots to every household using an active list. So I think we’re going to see a lot of debate revolve around how this statute is actually going to be applied,” said State Rep. Vin Candelora, the Republican House Minority Leader.

Current law also says if you are out of town for all hours of voting, you can get an AB. There would be a language change to allow a commuter fix so they can vote absentee.

The penalty for voter fraud is a $5,000 fine and 15 years in prison if you are caught.

The vote passed with bipartisan support in the House, 126 to 16 with nine lawmakers absent or not voting. The state Senate will vote on this Absentee Ballot bill next week.

This does not affect a separate bill dealing with “no excuse” absentee balloting. That will come up next year for a vote. Democrats are hoping to get an amendment to the constitution in 2024.

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source: https://www.wtnh.com/news/politics/state-house-passes-change-to-absentee-ballot-law-to-include-sickness-senators-vote-next-week/

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