Greenwich legislators support expanded access to absentee ballots
GREENWICH — A special session of the state legislature was very much on the minds of Greenwich’s delegation to Hartford as they discussed a number of issues during a special Zoom event with constituents.
The League of Women Voters of
Greenwich usually hosts a legislative picnic every summer to meet with the local politicians. But the picnic was canceled due to the coronavirus and rescheduled as a virtual talk on Wednesday evening. The legislators were given topics in advance and took questions from the online audience.
A special session, which would likely start the week of July 20, is expected to focus on absentee ballot access, said state Rep. Livvy Floren, R-149.
Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order calling for expanded absentee ballots for the Aug. 11 primary due to concerns about spreading the coronavirus.
Lamont’s order expires Sept. 9, but Floren said “there’s no reason” it couldn’t be extended to cover the November election.
“I think in the special session, the legislature will allow either your own illness or a fear of (coronavirus) to be a legitimate and ethical reason to apply for an absentee ballot for the November election,” Floren said. “I think that’s the way to go.”
But changing the state constitution to expand absentee ballot access permanently “is a debate for a calmer, cooler more collected time,” she said.
“We’re not going to get it done in a day,” Floren said, noting her own longstanding support for “no excuse” absentee ballots.
In May, Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill issued a “memorandum of opinion” that expended absentee ballot access in November, citing the pandemic as a public safety issue. But Republicans have filed multiple lawsuits challenging the memorandum.
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut backs Merrill’s position. And state Sen. Alex Kasser, D-36, repeated her support as well during the Zoom event.
“Safe voting should be our constitutional right. And every voter should be allowed to choose how they feel safe voting this November, whether in person or by mail,” Kasser said. She called it “absolutely imperative” for the legislature to settle the issue by July 31 so it’s in place for the November election.
Connecticut should go further and join other states in allowing early voting and limits absentee ballots, Kasser said.
“It is time for sweeping and bold legislation that brings us up to date so everyone can exercise their right to vote safely and easily,” she said.
State Rep. Stephen Meskers, D-150, said he also supports expanded access and pushed back on criticism of it.
If the legislature approves the extension for the November election, the state will mail an application for an absentee ballot to every registered voter, Meskers said.
“In our democracy, one of the most important values is to achieve a level of voter participation so we can all stand proudly in our elected office and talk about a mandate we received to represent our citizens,” he said.
State Rep. Harry Arora, R-151, said he believes the extension would pass with a “good plurality” and strong bipartisan support.
“I don’t think there are too many people out there in the legislature who have a problem with any of this,” Arora said. “I think this has been made to be a political issue. … We want everyone who has the need to vote absentee because of (coronavirus) reasons to be able to vote absentee. Any other idea is not defensible. Are we saying we won’t let people vote? Let’s not politicize this.”
But Arora criticized the mailing of applications for absentee ballots for the August primary, saying it cost the state $5 million. He also said it wasn’t necessary because the presidential candidates — Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden — have already been decided. And voters who want absentee ballots can download an application or get one from the registrars of voters, Arora said.
“I still think it’s very important to vote, but why would we waste $5 million mailing absentee forms for a primary that is not relevant?” he said. “Spending money we don’t have for something which has no purpose other than taking political shots at people” is not good policy.
Arora agreed with Floren that a “structural debate” for a permanent change could happen later.
The legislators also spoke about the interrupted legislative session, which began in January and lasted only five weeks before the capitol was shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Kasser spoke about her efforts to create an infrastructure bank that would allow for public-private partnerships to address state infrastructure needs as well as about “Jennifer’s Law” which she introduced in memory of Jennifer Dulos, a New Canaan woman who is presumed dead, and “the thousands of women like her who are controlled and endangered by abusive partners.”
The bill would expand the definition of domestic abuse to include “coercive, controlling behaviors,” Kasser said. The need is more urgent as the number of cases of domestic abuse increase during the pandemic.
Meskers called it “a challenging year for all of us” with very little accomplished in legislative matters. But he said he has been busy helping residents with unemployment benefits, advising nonprofits and businesses on the Payroll Protection Plan and working with the governor’s office, Neighbor to Neighbor and Meals on Wheels to address food security issues.
Arora, who was elected in a January special election to complete the term of former Rep. Fred Camillo, said work would continue on the interrupted debates around the legalization of marijuana and online sports betting.
He said he was also working on bipartisan bills that would improve access and costs for solar power and other renewable energies and another that would provide scholarships to middle-class families to go to state colleges and universities.
The gathering was the last one for Floren as a member of the legislature. Now in her 10th term, Floren announced in the spring that she would not be running for reelection.
This will be the first competitive election in the 149th District since 2014. Republican Kimberly Firello, a member of Greenwich’s Representative Town Meeting, is facing off against Democrat Kathleen Stowe, vice chair of the Board of Education.
The league and the other legislators thanked Floren for her 20 years in the legislature.
The league applauded Floren’s work supporting campaign finance reform and improved government ethics and transparency and said “she has protected the rights and privileges of the citizens of Connecticut.”
The other members of the delegation are running for reelection: RTM member Ryan Fazio is challenging Kasser; RTM member Hector Arzeno is facing Arora; and Board of Education member Joe Kelly is running against Meskers.