WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after Governor Ned Lamont signed into the law House Bill 5004, which will allow early voting in Connecticut and bring the state in line with the vast majority of other states in nation. The law requires that Connecticut municipalities offer 14 days of early voting in the 2024 general election, as well as seven days for state and local primaries and four days for special elections and presidential primaries.
“Thanks to this legislation, Connecticut will no longer be an outlier when it comes to early voting. Last November, voters sent a clear message that Connecticut must update its voting laws and make it easier for people to cast their ballots,” Murphy said. “I’m glad the state legislature and Governor Lamont seized that opportunity and heeded calls for at least fourteen days of early voting. I hope the elections officials tasked with implementing this law will prioritize making voting sites convenient and accessible, especially for those who historically have faced the greatest barriers to voting, including communities of color and people with disabilities. The right to vote is fundamental to American democracy, and early voting will ensure that more people are able to participate in the democratic process.”
In January, Murphy wrote an op-ed in the Hartford Courant calling on state legislators to adopt no less than 14 days of early voting and ensure early voting sites are convenient and accessible for Connecticut voters.
Murphy has introduced several pieces of federal legislation that would make it easier for people to cast their ballots. The Same Day Voter Registration Act would require states to offer same day registration at polling locations on Election Day and during early voting. The SAVE VOTERS Act would prohibit states from removing people from their voting rolls unless the state has obtained objective, reliable evidence that a voter is ineligible to vote and establishes notification requirements once a voter is removed. Murphy also introduced the Vote Without Fear Act, legislation to prevent armed voter intimidation at the polls by prohibiting the possession of a firearm within 100 yards of any federal election site, with exceptions for on-duty law enforcement and security guards.
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