Connecticut has become one of the last holdouts to allow early voting ahead of Tuesday’s presidential primary.
Saturday was the last day of early voting before Tuesday, and turnout was low.
Only 13,476 voters from both the Democratic and Republican parties in the state voted early. There are approximately 1.2 million registered voters in both parties in the state.
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The Town Green in Colchester, Connecticut, is dotted with signs informing people that they can vote early in the state’s presidential primary. (AP Photo/Susan Hay)
Voters passed a 2022 constitutional amendment supporting the initiative by 60%, and the Senate last year approved a bill allowing 14 days of early voting for general elections.
“This is a historic moment for Connecticut,” Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas said in a statement after early voting began last Tuesday. “There are so many more opportunities for people to go out and vote.”
She added, “We asked voters to help us test the system and make their voices heard, and Connecticut voters answered that call.”
The state has strict requirements to qualify for an absentee ballot.
Some Republicans were concerned about voter safety with early voting.
A sign can be seen outside Stonington City Hall in Stonington, Conn., reminding people that they can vote early in the state’s April 2 presidential primary.
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But Peggy Roberts, Stonington’s Republican registrar of voters, said the rollout was “organized and safe.”
Voters “like the fact that they don’t have to wait in line,” she said. “There are a few people in every town who think cheating is easy, but we know it’s not easy. It’s very organized and secure.”
When a voter casts an early vote in the state, they are immediately marked as having voted in the Centralized Voter Registration System to prevent fraud.
Roberts added that searching for voters in computer databases is time-consuming and may need to be streamlined before the general election.
President Biden and former President Trump have already secured their party’s nominations. (Photo by: ELIJAH NOUVELAGE/AFP, via Getty Images | Photo by: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP, via Getty Images)
Jolin Brochu, a Republican voter who voted early, said she was concerned that the new system provided “too many opportunities for fraud,” but that “Democrats are taking advantage of that opportunity at a much higher rate than Republicans.” I decided to do it because I know there are.” I think it’s important for Republicans to start doing the same thing. ”
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Four states still do not allow early voting: Alabama, Delaware, Mississippi, and New Hampshire. Delaware previously allowed early voting, but that was ruled unconstitutional in February.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
