League of Women Voters of Connecticut

CGA Government Administration and Elections Committee, February 17, 2012 Public Hearing

Comments provided by: Susan Voris, Election Laws Specialist, League of Women Voters of Connecticut

Support for:  HB5026 AAC The Secretary of State’s Authority Following a Declaration of an Emergency or Major Disaster

My name is Susan Voris. I am the Election Laws Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut. As an organization, the League has been dedicated to improving the electoral process. The League supports HB5026 granting the Secretary of State power to act on behalf of municipalities during a declaration of an emergency or major disaster rather than having an aggrieved party take court action. The recent, intense late-October storm caused the Governor to call such a state of emergency just 10 days before a municipal election. Numerous communities were without power for days due to downed power lines and trees. As such several communities were concerned about their ability to conduct an election for many reasons including the public safety of their electorate. Had this storm occurred just a few days later, the question of whether an election could safely have been conducted in many communities is questionable.

The League urges the Committee to support HB5026.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.