Michelle Obama cast her ballot on Monday, an early vote promoted by the Obama campaign as a shout out to their peeps to vote early and often. Illinois, where MO sent her absentee ballot, is among about two dozen states allowing early voting and no-excuse absentee voting. Connecticut is among more than a dozen states dictating no early voting with an excuse required for absentee. What gives?
Technically, you can vote early in Connecticut, but only if you show up at your local town clerk’s office, fill out an absentee ballot application and then the actual absentee ballot. The Bridgeport political pros who know how to work absentee ballot votes–particularly senior citizens–get a jump start loading votes in the bank. Gives them a nice advantage. Why not just allow everyone to vote early, as most states now do?
Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill is trying to move the needle on early voting. Connecticut’s constitution limits absentee ballots to voters who will be out of state, disabled or unable to go to the polls on Election Day because of religion. State voters could approve early voting in a 2014 ballot question.
“In states around the country, voters can already vote early in person or by mail,” said First Lady Michelle Obama in a statement released by the Obama campaign. “It means you don’t have to worry about your schedule filling up, or getting sick, or having to work late on Election Day. And more than anything, it means you can act right now to move our country forward.”
Makes sense. Open up early voting, something the Obama campaign is working in states that allow it. But if Barack isn’t in top form for his second debate Tuesday night (tonight) against Mitt Romney, it could be sayonara.
Lennie must have been reading my mind. When I saw this on Facebook earlier today I said to myself why on God’s earth does CT not have early voting? For 2,000-plus people to vote in 1 single precinct in CT it takes forever. I waited about an hour in 2008, what if people have to work, etc etc. I hope early voting comes to CT it really never made sense to me to give the entire population just 14 hours to vote from 6am to 8pm, smh.
I hope Obama does well tonight. Some good news is the early voting in Ohio is breaking for Obama where more than 19% of registered voters have voted already, wow. I think Murphy will win by a comfortable margin 5 to 8 points in the state.
With a state house and senate being control by Democrats and with a Democrat as governor you would think it would be a “cake walk” to change the law on voting early but who knows with this governor who is always on a road trip out of the state so much.
Okay, we all know Michelle Obama voted early. But does anyone know Chris Murphy’s favorite movie? Click on the link when you give up:
www .youtube.com/watch?v=Xhyuey4xU3Q
Why is Connecticut always behind the times? This is a no brainer. It will increase voter participation when voters can vote whenever it’s convenient to them. Denise Merrill: get on this! It’s well overdue!!!
The Constitutional amendment would have been on the ballot this fall, except it was unanimously opposed by Republicans (with one exception), so it will have to pass again next session for it to appear in 2014.
www .cga.ct.gov/2012/VOTE/H/2012HV-00047-R00HJ00002-HV.htm
www .cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HJ+2
Hey Joel, don’t want to bring up old news, but are you going to chop off any more of your limbs? And Joel are you aware your friend Mrs. McMahon screwed over small businesspeople for hundred of thousands of dollars and then declared bankruptcy? Not exactly the act of someone who wants to create jobs.
I do know these companies you claim McMahon screwed over as you say are the only companies you ever heard of not getting paid when a debtor went bankrupt. Tens of millions of companies have gone bankrupt in the U.S. with creditors not able to collect. That’s the way it is in a Capitalist system. I owe you; I can’t pay you; I file for bankruptcy; you file a claim in court and hope the court gives you as much as they can collect for you. What morons like you don’t tell people is McMahon paid everyone after all those years. She didn’t have to pay anyone, it wouldn’t have mattered because as all reading this can see, people like you will always tell an old McMahon tale and always a negative one. She still created jobs. I cut my nails today–does that count? Now go back to the CT Post blog.
Why is anyone surprised CT is not an early voting state–we just got to purchase alcohol on Sundays!!! In September 32 states had early voting and now in October it is up to 40! Look at the percentage of registered voters in those states who vote … it is off the charts.
Denise Merrill needs to get her butt in gear to make this happen in CT. Maybe schools wouldn’t need to close while people vote because the majority would have already taken advantage of early voting!!!
Maximizer–early voting doesn’t really increase voter turnout, but it does cut down on lines on election day. Plus, people like it, and why not give the people what they want?
Rumor has it Michelle voted for Mitt Romney.
She voted early so she could spend more time shopping and decorating the White House.
Hillary is a lot smarter and we know how that went.
Another point with a question no one can answer: If Michelle Obama is so smart, why couldn’t she mark her calender for November 6, 2012? If she schedules a doctor or dentist appointment, is it okay to show up for the appointment three weeks before? Why have deadlines to register to vote in person and not a set date to vote? Why have absentee ballot voting reasons or excuses while there is early voting? Okay, you can all scratch your heads now.
They’re points and questions by the way. I couldn’t expect most of you to notice. You know who you are!
Early voting requires a change in Connecticut’s constitution, a process not so easy as a legislative change.
You are brilliant, Jon. Not in a million years would OIBers have thought of this.
Many OIB readers have told me I’m a funny guy. But I have strong competition now:
www .youtube.com/watch?v=0umHkGpoJn4
With 70 proposed changes in the charter revision if you say ‘yes’ Nov 6, couldn’t they put something in for early local voting too? By the way, before tonight’s presidential debate at 8, Bridgeport history with Charles on TV Ch 88.
*** CT’s SEEC is all bark with no bite concerning A/B ballots, etc. so they might as well move towards a no-holds-barred early no-excuse absentee voting system. It might improve the overall voting numbers for local elections, no? As far as A/B fraud and abuse is concerned maybe by only mailing applications, personal voter pickup or through a web type application process and not allowing large amounts of applications to be picked up by any political party individuals can some type of control be found! Make voters better aware of the issues, cut out the middle man on A/B applications and ballots and keep better accurate records of active voters for starters. Keeping it simple means less help is needed for making individual choices, no? *** VOTE EARLY AND OFTEN ***
*** MICHELLE OBAMA IS ONE OF THE PRETTIEST FIRST LADIES THIS COUNTRY’S HAD, NO? ***