HARTFORD, Conn. — Today, the ACLU of Connecticut (ACLU of CT), the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), and leading civil and voting rights advocates gathered at the Connecticut Capitol to urge legislators to commit to fully funding the Connecticut Voting Rights Act (CTVRA), the Secretary of the State’s Office, and no-excuse absentee voting.
The CTVRA is the nation’s most comprehensive state-level voting rights act. It provides new legal tools to fight discriminatory voting rules in court; prevents voting discrimination in high-risk areas; expands language assistance programs and materials; creates strong protections against voter intimidation, deception, or obstruction; instructs state judges to interpret election laws in a pro-voter way; and creates a central hub for election data and demographic information that will empower officials and community members to ensure accessible elections.
To remain a national leader in protecting voters’ rights, Connecticut must adequately fund its protections in this biennial budget, allocating $988,438 to the Secretary of the State’s office annually. This will adequately fund five staff positions needed to implement the historic preclearance provision and other aspects of law, continued development and maintenance of the statewide election database in partnership with the University of Connecticut’s Voter Center, and translation services to comply with language access requirements.
“Connecticut must fulfill the promise it made to Black voters and every single voter in this state in 2023 when it enacted the Connecticut Voting Rights Act — the most comprehensive State Voting Rights Act in the nation,” said Christina Das, Policy Counsel for the Legal Defense Fund. “With voting rights under attack at the federal level, now is Connecticut’s time to lead — by fully funding the CTVRA’s historic protections, Connecticut can lead by example and show the country that they will never tolerate threats against the foundational right to participate in American democracy.”
“Connecticut voters continue to face persistent barriers and discrimination,” said Chelsea-Infinity Gonzalez, ACLU of CT’s public policy and advocacy director. “Despite the good policy we have in Connecticut, voters of color and people whose first language isn’t English still experience barriers to voting rights access and equal participation in our democracy. We know that funding the CTVRA and showcasing the strength of our voting rights coalition is necessary to keep our government accountable to its most vulnerable. Voting rights advocates in Selma, Alabama, suffered from police violence in 1965. Sixty years later, we’re here to protect the promise of Selma. Fund the CTVRA. Fund no-excuse absentee voting. And fund the Secretary of the State’s office.”
“We were pleased with our work advocating for the CTVRA in 2023 and we’re holding the Connecticut legislature accountable for the commitment it made to Black voters and other voters of color,” said Jess Zaccagnino, ACLU of CT’s policy counsel. “Voting rights are under attack nationwide. Connecticut must commit to democracy and voting rights access during this budget season. Our coalition has come too far not to see this through. We applaud the legislature for all it has done in supporting voters through passage of the CTVRA. But this moment in history requires us to come together, continue to advocate, and ensure that voting rights are available to everyone. Connecticut must decrease barriers to voting for Black people, non-native English speakers, and voters of color.”
“Contrary to public perception, Connecticut has a history of restrictive voting rules,” said Patricia Rossi, co-president of League of Women Voters CT. “Over the past half century, we have made progress, but today, especially in the face of national movements intent on keeping Americans from exercising their fundamental right to vote, we need to protect Connecticut voters from tactics that will keep them from voting. In 2023, the legislature saw the need for the protections the CTVRA can provide, but those protections won't be provided without funding. Please finish the job you so nobly started in 2023 and fund the CTVRA so we all can participate in our democracy, working together to improve Connecticut for all its citizens."
The state’s voting rights coalition, which includes Connecticut voters, ACLU of CT, LDF, League of Women Voters CT, League of Conservation Voters CT, and others, joined together again today at the Capitol in solidarity for voting rights access and adequate funding.
Learn more about the CTVRA in this fact sheet or on our website.
