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See video above from Monday’s public hearing in Hartford. Bridgeport resident and former school board member Kate Rivera has some pointed comments about absentee ballots at the 3:00 mark.
News release:
The Connecticut General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee introduced and held a public hearing today on a bill to advance Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in Connecticut, following the recommendations of Governor Lamont’s Working Group on Ranked Choice Voting. SB 1536 represents a major step forward in modernizing Connecticut’s elections and giving voters more choice and a stronger voice in the democratic process.
The RCV Working Group, co-chaired by Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield) and Senator Catherine Osten (D-Sprague), held a series of public meetings and a hearing in 2024 to study RCV’s benefits. Their final recommendations included allowing Ranked Choice Voting in Presidential preference primaries, party primaries, and as an option for municipalities in single-winner races if they choose to adopt it.
Brendan Finley, Campaign Director of CT Voters First, stated, “This bill is an important step toward modernizing our elections and giving Connecticut voters a stronger voice. We commend the bipartisan leadership of the Governor’s Working Group and the GAE Committee for moving this forward. RCV has been shown to increase participation, reduce negative campaigning, and ensure that winners have broad voter support—bringing Connecticut in line with other states that have adopted these common sense reforms.”
RCV has gained support from a diverse coalition in Connecticut, including Governor Ned Lamont, State Senators Catherine Osten (D-Sprague) and Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield), Representatives Josh Elliott (D-Hamden), Steven Winters (D-New Haven), Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D-Fairfield), Mayor Harry Rilling (D-Norwalk), First Selectwoman Danielle Chesebrough (I-Stonington), Hartford City Council President Shirley Surgeon, Democratic Town Chair Colin Hosten, Republican Town Clerk Rick McQuaid, Common Cause, the League of Women Voters, the CT League of Conservation Voters, the Connecticut Independent Party, veterans groups, labor organizations, student leaders from UConn and Yale University, and national election reform groups like Unite America, FairVote, and RepresentUs.
Today’s public hearing on SB 1536 provided voters and stakeholders the opportunity to weigh in on the future of RCV in Connecticut. A link to testimony is available through the General Assembly’s website. Full video coverage can be found at CT-N via this link.
Connecticut has recently enacted historic voting reforms, including expanded early voting, to modernize elections and increase participation. Ranked Choice Voting is the next logical step. States and cities that have adopted RCV have seen more competitive elections, higher voter engagement, and outcomes that better reflect the will of the people.
Ha, ha, ha! “RCV has gained support from a diverse coalition in Connecticut, including…”
NOTHING BUT WHITE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.
Diverse? Where’s the Purrt Rican Affairs Commission; The African Affairs Commission; NAACP and others.
Check out this quote or should I say “FREUDIAN SLIP.”
“Ranked Choice Voting is the next logical step. ”
THE FIX IS IN!
The worst part is the minority members of the House and Senate will vote in favor of it as you can see by the above Freudian Slip.