Testimony on Raised Bill 1017: An Act Concerning Election Administration

Government Administration and Elections Committee

March 10, 2021

Submitted By: Stephen Wanczyk-Karp, LMSW

The National Association of Social Workers, CT Chapter representing over 2,300 members statewide supports the continuation of ballot drop boxes as called for in Bill 1017.

The pandemic emergency challenged the state as how to conduct safe election voting. The decision to allow for Covid-19 emergency absentee balloting greatly contributed to record voter turnout and easy, safe voting. Having ballot drop off boxes in each municipality made it possible to securely vote. The bottom line is this, the ballot drop boxes were a huge hit with voters, securely allowed safe voting and simply worked as designed.

Going forward all elections should include secure ballot boxes. It will shorten lines at the polls, be convenient to voters, will encourage voting by making voting easier and since the boxes already exist will allow municipalities to utilize the boxes again at no additional costs. Plus, if no excuse absentee voting comes to Connecticut the boxes will make such voting more practical.

We urge passage of bill 1017 as part of a series of reforms that will open up the voting process and encourage greater voting participation in our state.

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