Letter to the Editor: Early Voting and No-Excuse Absentee Balloting

The right to vote and cast your ballot freely is so important to who we are as a nation. It is a careful balance between access and integrity. Recently, the House of Representatives debated two resolutions that could alter our state constitution and how we vote. One I supported, one I could not.

HJ 59 will allow voters to decide on the 2022 general election ballot whether to amend the constitution to allow early in person voting. I supported this resolution as it strikes a fair balance between increased access and protecting the integrity of our voting system. Countless individuals have expressed difficulty in getting to the polls on Election Day: single parents, commuters, caregivers, and those with unpredictable schedules. This resolution would offer a solution and allow these individuals to cast their votes in person, when their schedule allows.

The second proposal, HJ 58, would alter the state constitution to allow no-excuse absentee ballot voting. The proposal lacked any kind of safeguard or protection. Individual amendments to add signature verification, photo identification, and even a bipartisan committee to address future voting issues all failed. These common-sense proposals would have added confidence and a level of security to the process, but they failed on largely party line votes. Increasing access to a system so important to our country without practical protections was not something I could support.

The integrity of our elections and the confidence in those that carry them out must not be lost in the race for convenience. If these proposals move forward, the voters will have the chance to decide. Personally, I’m voting for common sense.

State Rep. Christie Carpino
Cromwell & Portland