Windsor's State Representatives Make Push to Increase Voter Turnout

Windsor's State Representatives David Baram (D-15th district) and Peggy Sayers (D-60th district) have introduced a bill that would make voting easier for those with busy schedules.

As legislation currently stands, voters who cannot make it to the voting booth on election day are required to submit an absentee ballot, accompanied by a valid excuse for their inability to vote in person. Valid excuses include travel, military deployment and illness.

However, Baram argues that voters are often kept away from the ballot box for reasons other than the currently acceptable excuses.

"We need to promote voter participation and eliminate barriers that deter people from voting," he said in a recent news release. "Many factors such as age, physical infirmities, transportation, work schedules and weather conditions prevent people from going to the polling stations to vote."

According to Baram, the proposed "no-excuse absentee ballot" legislation would provide an opportunity for residents to vote given they cannot not vote in person for reasons other than currently acceptable excuses.

Baram said that voter turnout in the 2010 gubernatorial election was only 57.7-percent. Given low voter-turnout figures, Baram and Sayers are seeing some support for the legislation that would create a "no-excuses" absentee ballot law similar to those in 30 states across the nation.

"The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy and I believe this should include being able to cast an absentee ballot upon request." said Sayers. “As a society we need to encourage more people to exercise their right to vote and ‘no-excuse’ absentee ballots will help do this.”

According to a statement released by the house democrats office, a 2010 League of Women's Voters study said that "no-excuse" ballots would allow residents to cast a vote at their own convenience, balance family and work life with voting responsibilities, reduce lines at polling stations and possibly reduce costs associated with elections "by reducing the number of precincts and precinct workers."

A public hearing on the bill is expected to be held later this month.