Young advocates, secretary of state urge lawmakers to expand curbside voting for people with disabilities

Two sixth-grade students and the state’s top elections official told the Government Administration and Elections Committee on Friday that a bill to improve curbside voting would make polling places more accessible for people with disabilities.

Ezekiel Works and his twin brother, Jeremy Works, both students at Doolittle Elementary School and members of the Connecticut Kids’ Court Academy, told the committee that curbside voting would let people with mobility or other limitations cast private ballots without leaving their vehicle or waiting in physically inaccessible lines. “Curbside voting would be a big advantage to people with special needs because they would have equal rights,” Ezekiel told the committee. Jeremy added that curbside voting “would make it easier for people with disabilities to vote” and help ensure election results include every eligible voice.

Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said her office has filed written testimony on multiple bills before the committee and told lawmakers she and her staff “are in strong support of most of these measures, in particular 15-14 to improve curbside voting.” Thomas said her office offered technical comments and suggested clarifications on some bills but emphasized support for measures that increase accessibility for voters with disabilities.

Committee members asked the students about their participation in the Kids’ Court Academy and praised their testimony; several members of the committee praised the twin students’ clarity and urged support for the measure. Thomas also explained how her office would work with municipal officials on practical details if the bill moves forward.

Why it matters: Voting access is a fundamental right protected by federal and state law. Testimony from both voters and election administrators can shape the final text of accessibility legislation so that it preserves ballot secrecy and fits within existing election procedures.

What the bill would do: As presented to the committee, the curbside measure, referred to as 15-14, appears aimed at clarifying and strengthening statutory authority and procedures for curbside voting so that voters with disabilities can use an alternate process to receive and cast ballots at or near polling places. Secretary Thomas said her office offered practical suggestions; the committee may consider technical amendments to address training, chain-of-custody, or ballot-handling questions.

Next steps: The committee will continue hearings and may request drafting changes before moving the bill to a work session. Advocates encouraged lawmakers to act quickly to hold the promise of equal access for voters who face mobility or other barriers.

Sources and attribution: Quotes and specific testimony in this article come from public remarks by Ezekiel Works (Doolittle Elementary student), Jeremy Works (Doolittle Elementary student) and Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, all of whom testified during the public hearing of the Government Administration and Elections Committee.