On Tuesday Governor Ned Lamont announced that he has signed into law legislation providing all eligible voters in Connecticut with the option of casting their ballots in elections and primaries using absentee ballots.
No-excuse absentee ballots make voting more accessible for those facing impediments to in-person voting due to disability and mobility limitations, lack of transportation, childcare or caretaking duties, or work schedules.
The legislation, Public Act 26-42, removes restrictions in previously enacted state statutes that only provided this option to voters who were unable to appear in-person at their polling place on election day for several specific reasons, which they were required to confirm when applying for an absentee ballot, including due to active service in the U.S. Armed Forces, absence from their town, sickness, physical disability, religious conflicts, or their service as an elections worker.
Modifying the law is the result of the approval by Connecticut voters of a constitutional amendment that appeared as a ballot question in the November 5, 2024, election.
The change became effective immediately upon receiving Governor Lamont’s signature.
“This change puts us in line with the overwhelming majority of states that have allowed all voters to cast absentee ballots for many years,” Governor Lamont said in a release on Tueseday. “We should be doing everything we can to encourage qualified voters to participate in elections and have their voices heard, and this is a responsible step forward in that direction. I appreciate Senator Mae Flexer and Representative Matt Blumenthal for leading this effort to get this bill passed so that I could sign it into law.”
“Ensuring that every eligible voter can cast their ballot to elect their representation is fundamental to a healthy democracy,” Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said. “By expanding access to absentee ballots, we are removing unnecessary barriers and making it easier for people to participate in the process that shapes their communities. Thank you to the partnership of legislative leaders who worked to make this long overdue reform a reality.”
“Without free and fair elections, everything else is at risk. HB 5001 strengthens Connecticut’s representative democracy by expanding access to the ballot while also strengthening the systems that protect that ballot,” Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said. “This law gives every eligible voter the freedom to apply for an absentee ballot, moves Connecticut toward risk-limiting audits, and strengthens protections for voters, election workers, and sensitive election sites. At a time when national rhetoric and federal actions have raised concerns about election interference, voter intimidation, and attempts to nationalize election administration, Connecticut is making clear that our elections will remain free, fair, local, transparent, and accountable to the people of this state.”
“I am proud to have led the ten-year effort to modernize Connecticut’s election system and make voting easy and accessible for all Connecticut voters,” State Senator Mae Flexer, Senate chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, said. “This bill represents both the final step in that process, and it’s also a strong marker to protect our locally controlled elections. Connecticut voters have great confidence in our election system, and with the signing of this bill, we have also protected it from federal interference. In 2026, Connecticut voters will finally have the options that voters in most states have had for some time—early voting and universal access to absentee ballots. They will also be able to safely cast their votes without fear of the kind of intimidation or interference from the Trump administration that we have seen in other states.”
“The right to vote is the fundamental right on which all other rights depend,” State Representative Matt Blumenthal, House chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, said. “Every voter deserves to cast their ballot freely, fairly, and without fear. By providing absentee voting for all and the nation’s strongest protections against intimidation or interference—including by the Trump administration—this bill will help ensure that’s true in Connecticut. Implementing absentee voting for all has been the culmination of almost a decade of work, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.”
To vote by absentee ballot in Connecticut, qualified voters must fill out an absentee ballot request application and provide it to their town clerk. Applications can also be submitted online through a portal on the Office of the Secretary of the State’s website. For more information on applying for an absentee ballot, visit myvote.ct.gov.
Additional provisions increase protections for election safety
In addition to the absentee ballot provisions, the legislation includes several other sections intended to increase protections for election safety in the state.
The legislation increases the penalty for harassing election workers from a misdemeanor to a felony on a second offense, including publicizing an election worker’s name or address with intent to intimidate. It also makes tampering with an absentee ballot drop box a class D felony. Additionally, it restricts federal law enforcement officials from being within 250 of a polling place or other sensitive election site without permission from state election officials or court order. The law empowers the attorney general to act against interference or intimidation.