The Voters Have Spoken. Now the Work Continues.

The 2026 midterm elections gave us plenty of reasons to celebrate. Across the country, voters turned out in historic numbers and delivered a powerful message: we want a democracy that works for everyone, a government that answers to the people, and a society where freedom and civil rights and liberties are protected and respected, not reserved for the powerful and wealthy.

In races across the country, voters pushed back against candidates who threatened fundamental freedoms, including reproductive freedom and the right to vote. We stood up for the principle that our rights belong to all of us, regardless of who we are, where we come from, or what we believe. These results are a mandate that people will not sit quietly while their freedoms are put at risk. We will continue to organize, speak out, and use their voices for collective action to demand something better.

And we sent a message to elected officials that should be impossible to ignore: You work for us. Public office is a responsibility, not a license to serve personal interests or consolidate power. Our democracy is strongest when government responds to the needs and voices of its people, not the other way around.

This is a moment to recognize what voters are demanding: greater equity, meaningful representation, and a country where everyone’s rights are respected and protected.

This year, Connecticut residents had more ways than ever to make their voices heard. After years of advocacy to expand access to the ballot, voters could participate in the midterms by absentee ballot, through early in-person voting, or at their polling place on Election Day.

Our Plan Your Vote, CT! campaign helped make sure residents knew their voting options were available and had the information they needed to make a plan. Through voter education, outreach, and resources designed to cut through confusion, we connected people with information about their rights and deadlines and encouraged them to organize their own communities to participate.

And Connecticut residents showed up. Early voting accounted for a significant share of ballots cast in the 2026 midterms, demonstrating the role expanded voting options can play in making elections more accessible. Early voting became available in Connecticut in 2024 following years of advocacy and organizing. The expansion of access to the ballot was made possible by the work of community members, advocates, and partners who came together to push legislators to make it easier for eligible voters to participate. We are proud of the role our supporters and partners played in that effort, and we know that protecting and expanding access to the ballot will take continued advocacy.

An election can change who holds public office and it’s important lever of collective power, but it does not automatically dismantle the systems that threaten our freedoms. The responsibility to protect our civil rights and liberties does not end when the votes are counted. More importantly, that is when the real work begins.

Here in Connecticut, we know that protecting our rights means confronting the threats that affect people’s lives every day. That includes protecting data privacy rights and reigning in the growing use of mass surveillance technologies, including automatic license plate readers (ALPRs), which can track people’s movements and create significant risks to privacy, free expression, and the freedom to move through our communities. We will continue pushing for transparency, accountability, and meaningful limits on how this technology is used and whose information is collected and shared.

It also means standing with immigrant communities and fighting for protections that ensure everyone can live with dignity and without fear. As federal immigration enforcement continues to raise urgent questions about the safety and rights of our neighbors, we will keep working to strengthen Connecticut’s protections, hold government agencies accountable, and defend the civil rights and liberties of all people who call this state home.

Beyond these campaigns, we will continue fighting for government transparency and accountability, protecting voting rights, and ensuring that our democracy is responsive to the people it serves. We will also remain steadfast in defending reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, free speech, and the rights of people impacted by the criminal legal system.

These fights are connected. A society that values freedom cannot accept a system where some people are watched more closely, protected less, or treated as though their rights matter less than someone else’s. Our civil rights and liberties are not conditional. They belong to everyone.

The election results offer a reason to feel hopeful and energized. But hope must be matched with action. We must continue to demand that our elected officials listen to the people they represent, that our laws protect everyone equally, and that our institutions uphold the freedoms that make a democracy worth fighting for.

At the ACLU of Connecticut, we are ready for that work. Whether in the courts, at the Capitol, or alongside the communities most affected by threats to their rights, we will keep pushing for a more equitable Connecticut where everyone’s freedoms are respected.

And we hope you will be part of what comes next. As the next legislative session approaches, we’ll be calling on supporters to make their voices heard and urge lawmakers to match this moment with bold, meaningful action to protect civil liberties, strengthen safeguards for our communities, and ensure that everyone’s rights are respected.