When it comes to the way we choose our government, and the way our government conducts business, Connecticut is about the most restrictive state in the country.
More than 90% of our candidates for office are chosen for us, by fewer than 1% of the voters of the state, in private, political party conventions held in the Spring of each election year.
More than 40% of registered voters are completely barred from helping to choose our candidates, because they are not members of a party.
We cannot vote early, we generally cannot vote by mail, we cannot drop off our ballots. We have to vote in-person, at pre-selected locations, on one specific day (unless we go through the absentee voting procedure).
When we do vote, it can happen that the “winning” candidate has the support of a minority of voters, less than 50% of the votes cast.
Three proposals would help to change the situation
Ranked Choice Voting
To choose majority winners
Non-Partisan Primary
To get everybody involved in choosing our candidates
Early / Mail-in Voting
So everyone gets to vote
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