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Connecticut Democrats have delivered a major victory by making no-excuse absentee voting an option for every eligible voter in Connecticut elections.

Governor Ned Lamont signed the bill on Tuesday, thanking State Sen. Mae Flexer and State Rep. Matt Blumenthal for spearheading the legislative process in the General Assembly. 

Now, every eligible Connecticut voter will have the freedom to request an absentee ballot, bringing Connecticut in line with the overwhelming majority of states that already offer broader absentee voting access. A commanding majority of voters approved these changes via ballot question in 2024.

Connecticut Democrats have led the fight to ensure all eligible Connecticut voters can participate in our democracy, even as Donald Trump and Republicans nationwide have worked to undermine voting access and gerrymander maps to rig electoral outcomes in their favor.

The law also:

• Mandates federal law enforcement officials stay at least 250 ft. away from polling places without a court order or permission from state election officials.
  

• Empowers the attorney general to act against voter intimidation or interference.
  

• Increases penalties for tampering with ballot drop boxes and for repeat offenders who illegally harass election workers.  

“This change puts us in line with the overwhelming majority of states that have allowed all voters to cast absentee ballots for many years,” Governor Ned Lamont said. “We should be doing everything we can to encourage qualified voters to participate in elections and have their voices heard, and this is a responsible step forward in that direction. I appreciate Senator Mae Flexer and Representative Matt Blumenthal for leading this effort to get this bill passed so that I could sign it into law.”

“I am proud to have led the ten-year effort to modernize Connecticut’s election system and make voting easy and accessible for all Connecticut voters,” State Senator Mae Flexer, Senate chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, said. “This bill represents both the final step in that process, and it’s also a strong marker to protect our locally controlled elections. Connecticut voters have great confidence in our election system, and with the signing of this bill, we have also protected it from federal interference. In 2026, Connecticut voters will finally have the options that voters in most states have had for some time – early voting and universal access to absentee ballots. They will also be able to safely cast their votes without fear of the kind of intimidation or interference from the Trump administration that we have seen in other states.”

“The right to vote is the fundamental right on which all other rights depend,” State Representative Matt Blumenthal, House chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, said. “Every voter deserves to cast their ballot freely, fairly, and without fear. By providing absentee voting for all and the nation’s strongest protections against intimidation or interference – including by the Trump administration – this bill will help ensure that’s true in Connecticut. Implementing absentee voting for all has been the culmination of almost a decade of work, and I’m honored to have been a part of it.”

“Connecticut Democrats are leading the way, again, expanding access to voting, and protecting the right to vote without fear, intimidation, and unnecessary barriers,” said Connecticut Democratic Party chair Roberto Alves. “From expanding ballot access to cracking down on intimidation, this is what it looks like when Democrats deliver, and it’s thanks to Governor Lamont, Rep. Blumenthal, Sen. Flexer, and countless Democratic leaders who have made that loud and clear.”