Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

This past year, the Connecticut State Legislature continued to pass pro-voter reforms. In addition to passing important legislation to protect both voters and election workers from harassment, the Legislature took an important step towards possibly allowing voter pre-registration for 16-year-olds in coming years. Therefore, Connecticut received a B+ on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Connecticut Started at the Beginning of 2024

• Automatic Voter Registration: Partial AVR
• Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
• Same-Day Registration: Yes
• Restoration of Rights: Prison Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: Excuse-Only
• Electronic Registration Information Center Participation: Yes
• Early Voting Opportunities: Regular Ballot Early Voting
• ID Requirements: ID Requested, but Not Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Connecticut as of 2024, we considered the state a middle tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2024 activity against other middle tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2024): 20th
• EPI Score (2022): 25th
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 6/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2024): MEDIUM

2024: This Past Year

Legislative Action

This past session, the Legislature improved voter access for individuals in nursing homes, made progress towards implementing voter preregistration, and expanded election worker protections.

• HB 5308 allows voters in nursing homes to designate an individual to submit their mail ballot application and pick up their ballot.
• HJR 216 is a proposed amendment to the Connecticut Constitution that allows the Legislature to establish voter pre-registration for 16-year-olds in the future. This resolution has the potential to be voted on again by the Legislature in 2025 and then be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.
• HB 5498 requires officials to make daily video recordings of drop boxes publicly accessible and limits removal of voters from the permanent voting list to those whose address confirmation is returned as undeliverable. It also clarifies that it is a crime to attempt to block a voter from voting, whether the voter is attempting to deposit a ballot into a drop box, vote in person at the polls on Election Day, or cast a vote during early voting period. The bill also protects election workers from harassment and violence, among other things.