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Registrars and secretary of state urge formula-based grants for municipal early voting costs under SB 17
Summary
Witnesses including Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas and local registrars told the Appropriations Committee that early voting expanded access in 2024 but imposed uneven costs on towns; they urged grant funding and a formula that accounts for local voter populations and turnout rather than a flat reimbursement.
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas and multiple local registrars urged the Appropriations Committee to adopt a grant-based approach to fund municipalities' early voting costs rather than a flat reimbursement model.
Thomas told the committee Connecticut's early voting rollout in November led to more than 740,000 ballots cast during a 14-day period and that the 2024 experience demonstrated ‘‘the value and benefits of early voting’’ but also revealed municipalities need adequate, equitable funding. She said lawmakers should shift ‘‘from reimbursing costs to proactively offering grants’’ and consider a strategic formula accounting for registered voters, eligible voters and turnout when allocating funds.
Local registrars described the financial impact on small towns. Lisa Amatruda, Republican registrar in Woodbury, said Woodbury (about 7,100 voters) spent $56,616 on early voting; the town received roughly $13,640 in grants, leaving a substantial gap and far exceeding its typical annual budget. Barbara Crouch, registrars of Sprague (about 2,000 voters), said her town's early voting costs doubled budgets and were only covered because volunteers stepped in.
Witnesses urged formula-driven funding that scales with town size, turnout and program complexity to avoid equal allotments that leave smaller towns underfunded. Several registrars asked that distribution be managed by the Secretary of the State's office or in coordination with the Office of Policy and Management to ensure equitable allocations across large cities and small towns.
No formal action or vote occurred at the hearing; the committee collected the testimony for further consideration.
