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Daily Brew: June 14, 2021
June 14, 2021
Welcome to the Monday, June 14, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Connecticut voters to decide early voting amendment in 2022
- COVID-19 policy changes and events one year ago this week
- Looking for a way to celebrate Flag Day?
Connecticut voters to decide early voting amendment in 2022
On May 27, the Connecticut Legislature voted to send a constitutional amendment to voters in 2022 that would authorize the legislature to implement early voting.
Connecticut is one of six states that does not permit early voting. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia permit early voting. That count includes Delaware, which enacted legislation in 2019 to permit early voting beginning in 2022.
Early voting allows citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day.
The Connecticut Constitution provides two paths for the General Assembly to refer constitutional amendments to the ballot: (1) a 75% vote in each chamber of the legislature during one legislative session, or (2) a simple majority vote (50%+1) in each chamber of the legislature during two legislative sessions.
The constitutional amendment was introduced as House Joint Resolution 161 in 2019. That year, it passed the House 125 to 24, more than the 75% vote threshold required to reach the ballot in one legislative session. It passed the Senate 23 to 13—four votes short of the 75% threshold in that chamber.
The amendment was then reintroduced in the 2021-2022 legislative session as House Joint Resolution 59 , needing to pass each chamber by a simple majority vote in order to appear on the ballot. The House approved it on May 6 by a vote of 115-26 with 10 absent or not voting. On May 27, the Senate approved it by a vote of 26-9 with one absent.
This is the first amendment referred to the 2022 statewide ballot in Connecticut. Between 1996 and 2020, voters approved 71% (5 of 7) ballot measures that appeared on statewide ballots in Connecticut.
COVID-19 policy changes and events one year ago this week
- Federal government responses:
- The Department of Defense on June 19, 2020, lifted travel restrictions on additional installations in 46 states and eight host nations, allowing military and civilian personnel to travel to those locations.
- Stay-at-home orders:
- New Hampshire’s statewide stay-at-home order expired on June 15. Gov. Chris Sununu (R) issued Emergency Order #17 on March 26.
- Travel restrictions:
- The Hawaii State Department of Health announced on June 16 that inter-island travelers would no longer need to follow a 14-day quarantine. However, all passengers and crew would need to fill out a travel and health form before boarding.
- Election changes:
- California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed AB860 into law on June 18, requiring county election officials to mail absentee/mail-in ballots to all registered voters in the Nov. 3 general election. On May 8, 2020, Newsom had issued an executive order to the same effect.
Looking for a way to celebrate Flag Day?
Besides rolling out the old Stars and Stripes, it can be hard to commemorate the adoption of the U.S. flag back in 1777. We have one suggestion for you: Take five minutes to review your representatives!
Our Who Represents Me? tool lists your representatives from the 100 largest cities on up. If you haven't followed every special election, there's a chance one of your representatives may have changed. Now's the perfect time to make sure you recognize the names of your representatives when they are in the news or at your local coffee shop.
Click the link below to get started.
