Secretary of State offers phased plan for no‑excuse absentee voting; town clerks warn of admin burdens

The Government Administration and Elections Committee also heard technical testimony on SB491/HB5544, the bills to implement the constitutional change authorizing no‑excuse absentee voting. Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas outlined a phased plan she said is designed to expand access while protecting local election operations.

Lede: Secretary Thomas told lawmakers that her recommended package creates a ballot‑curing process so that voters whose absentee ballot envelopes contain fixable errors would be notified and allowed to correct them, a ballot‑tracking system so voters can follow their ballots through the process, and an earlier processing window on election day to help towns manage heavier absentee volumes.

Nut graf: Town clerks and registrars testified they support reforms that reduce rejected ballots — such as a single‑envelope system and ballot tracking — but warned the implementation must include funding, operational detail, and protections for identity verification. Town clerks said a permanent absentee list can help planning, but they asked the committee for clarity on how people will be enrolled and authenticated.

What the Secretary proposed: "First and foremost, this bill establishes a ballot‑curing process so that voters who make minor correctable errors ... have the opportunity to fix them rather than having their ballot rejected," Secretary Thomas said. She also said an initial state mailing explaining the change and offering an opt‑in permanent absentee list in year one would reduce confusion.

Town clerks and registrars: Municipal officials from the Connecticut Town Clerks Association said they back the goals but asked for municipal grants to cover new workloads and for clear rules on eligibility and permanent lists. Anna Pazniaak, assistant elections director and former town clerk, said a permanent list helps towns forecast absentee ballot orders and staffing. Town clerks also emphasized mailbox returns that are undeliverable serve as a housekeeping mechanism to update rolls.

Verification and risk concerns: Several legislators asked whether expanded absentee access increases the risk of fraud or errors. Thomas and clerk witnesses pointed to existing checks — DMV/SSN-based registration matches, canvassing, and affidavit procedures for voters without ID — and said many states use unique identifiers rather than signature matching to reduce administrative error. The committee did not act on the bills and asked for additional follow‑up on implementation details and funding.

Ending: The Secretary said she will work with stakeholders on a final implementation package and recommended rules be written with town clerks’ input. Lawmakers signaled they will weigh municipal capacity and verification safeguards as debates continue.

Speakers: Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas; John Erlinger (AARP CT); town clerks and registrars (Anna Pazniaak).

Provenance: topicintro SEG 1740; topfinish SEG 1972.