Great news: Connecticut is looking for ways to improve and update their election systems! Earlier this week, Secretary of State Denise Merrill convened an Election Performance Task Force to review Connecticut's election system and recommend improvements. Members of the task force include Secretary Merrill and her deputy, town clerks, representatives from Common Cause, Demos and the Connecticut League of Women Voters, voter registrars, a member of the state elections enforcement commission, and others (see the full Task Force). The group's goal is to make voting more convenient for voters, while also incorporating innovative technology that will make conducting elections easier for local officials. Additionally, the task force will look at turnout gaps and examine any registration or voting barriers. Possible reforms could include the adoption of online voter registration or Election Day registration, as well as reforms to the absentee ballot process, and changes that would create greater consistency from town to town. Task force meetings are open to the public and information about the task force will be posted on the Secretary of State's website.
The force's formation comes after an announcement last month that the state was awarded a federal grant of $1,184,441 from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission that can be used to enhance voting technology--such as maintaining or enhancing optical scan voting machines, testing or investing in new voting systems for disabled voters, and making improvements to the state Centralized Voter Registration database.
Congrats to Secretary Merrill and her staff for their forward thinking, hard work, and leadership in improving elections in Connecticut!
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