Early Voting Referendum Is A Priority for New Britain Area League of Women Voters

An Agenda For Citizen Involvement in 2022 Discussed at July 11th Annual Meeting

By John McNamara

NEW BRITAIN – The New Britain Area League of Women Voters (LWV) held its 49th annual meeting on July 11th and made passage of a referendum allowing early voting in CT a focus of voter education activities.

The November 8th Election Ballot includes a question to amend the state constitution to make voting less restrictive. Connecticut remains one of only four states, including Alabama and Mississippi that do not allow early voting options. A change in the Connecticut Constitution is needed to move forward with casting ballots ahead of Election Day in addition to minor advances in the absentee voting law adopted by the 2022 legislature.

“Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to provide for early voting?

Constitutional referendum question on Connecticut ballot in 2022

The NB LWV will also focus on New Britain’s referenda that propose major revisions to the City Charter by changing the make up of the Common Council (the city’s legislative body) on one question. A second question would change the Town and City Clerk and Tax Collector jobs from elective to appointive posts, create a chief operating officer and other changes. The League plans a voter education campaign and a public forum on the charter questions but has not yet taken a position on either one.

In addition to voting and elections, the 2022-2023 chapter activities will advocate for support of public schools, protection of natural resources and enhancement of social services and local policing.

Annual meeting participants reviewed what the LWV chapter has traditionally organized in the city including voter registration workshops for new citizens at the public library, voter registration drives, candidate forums (the 2021 mayoral forum was canceled because of Mayor Stewart’s refusal to participate) and sponsoring “Vote Tuesday” billboards and signs for election days.

The program featured Mary Rydingsward, a League member and former elections official, who shared information on newly-drawn political districts as the result of the 2020 Census and a how-to on registering people to vote.

Officers serving in 2022-2023 are President Mary O’Brien, Secretary Ann Speyer and Treasurers Marjola and Leonard Nelson.

NB LWV is a non-partisan, political organization of women and men supporting “an informed electorate that leads to a strong democracy” and is open to residents of New Britain, Plainville, Berlin, Farmington and Unionville. Information on membership and League activities is available at http://nba.lwvconnecticut.org.