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League of Women Voters of Connecticut |
ACTION ALERT
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LWVCT
Urges Members to Take Action!
Proposed Legislation on Election Day
Registration
Hamden, CT- May 21, 2007- With less
than three weeks left in the session, the
Connecticut legislature has yet to pass a good
governance bill. It's time to make some noise!
Election Day Registration is a League priority.
We have listened carefully to those who have not
supported EDR based upon concerns ranging from
voter fraud to increased Election Day workload.
Taking these into account, the League and its
coalition partners have developed a revised
legislative proposal - an EDR demonstration
project for the 2008 presidential primaries.
A demonstration project
for presidential primaries is relatively simple
and easy and can provide information regarding
the benefits and pitfalls of same day
registration in an environment where any
"glitches" will not adversely impact the
outcome. For more information, please see
our fact sheet which appears below.
We have a real chance
to pass this demonstration project. Please
contact your legislators today, ask them to
support the presidential primary demonstration
project, and then forward this email to your
family and friends. Thank you! Together, we
can make a difference.
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GENERAL CONTACT INFORMATION:
E-mail: CT General Assembly
Website at
www.cga.ct.gov and then click on left for House
and Senate links
Main Switchboard:
Senate Democrats (800)
842-1420 or (860) 240-8600
Senate Republicans (800)
842-1421 or (860) 240-8800
House Democrats (800)
842-8267, 842-1902 or (860) 240-8500
House Republicans (800)
842-8270, 842-1423 or (860) 240-8700
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SAME
DAY REGISTRATION
S.B.
1312
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
What is Same Day Registration?
Same Day Registration, also
called "election day registration" or "EDR," allows
eligible voters to register and vote on the same
day. Currently, eight states have EDR including
Maine and New Hampshire.
Why choose
the '08 presidential primary to "test the waters" in
Connecticut on same day registration?
Because it is relatively simple
and easy. As a demonstration project, the
presidential primary offers several advantages over
a regular election.
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Under current law, an individual can register to
vote and an unaffiliated voter can enroll in a
party up until noon of the day preceding the
primary-the
demonstration project asks the registrars to
extend that period by 18 hours.
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The demonstration project in a
primary would allow the state to identify and
address any difficulties with the centralized
voter registration system prior to
implementation of full Election Day
registration.
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Since each party has its own
primary, there's no issue as to who benefits the
most.
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The presidential primary is
sufficiently removed from local politics and the
results of the primaries, while important, are
unlikely to determine the party nominations.
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A same day registration
demonstration project would make Connecticut
stand out in the crowded field of presidential
primaries.
What happens
after the presidential primary?
The demonstration project is
intended to provide information regarding the
benefits and pitfalls of same day registration in an
environment where any "glitches" will not adversely
impact the outcome. After the primary, the
Secretary of the State will survey election
officials and submit a report on her findings and
recommendations to implement Election Day
registration to the GAE Committee.
LWVCT URGES YOU TO SUPPORT THE
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
IT'S EASY. IT'S CONTROLLED. IT'S
INFORMATIVE.
For more information, please contact Christine S.
Horrigan at
cshorrigan@optonline.net |
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About the League
of Women Voters of Connecticut
The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan
political organization, encourages informed and
active participation in government, works to
increase understanding of major public policy
issues, and influences public policy through
education and advocacy.
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League of Women Voters of Connecticut
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League of Women Voters of Connecticut | 1890 Dixwell Avenue |
Suite 203 | Hamden | CT | 06514
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