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By Claire Foley

As a Connecticut resident, I value a democracy where every eligible vote counts and every citizen can have full confidence in the results. Fair, secure, and transparent elections are essential to our shared civic life. That is why I am concerned about legislation passed this year in Hartford that expanded no-excuse absentee voting and placed greater emphasis on access than on safeguards.

I appreciate the Republican representatives who voted “no” on these changes. Their position is grounded in facts, recent experiences here in Connecticut, and simple common sense. Weakening existing safeguards does not truly expand voting rights — it risks undermining them by creating new opportunities for fraud and eroding public confidence.

Nationwide, inaccurate voter rolls remain a serious concern. Audits in states such as Virginia, Texas, Georgia, and Michigan have identified non-citizens, deceased individuals, and duplicate registrations still listed as active voters. These are not minor clerical issues; they require consistent maintenance to keep elections clean. Relaxing standards in Connecticut would overlook these important lessons.

Mail-in and absentee ballots carry known vulnerabilities.

Inadequate signature verification, ballot harvesting, and gaps in chain-of-custody have led to prosecutions across the country. The Heritage Foundation has documented hundreds of proven fraud cases involving fake registrations and absentee ballot abuses. Connecticut is not immune to these risks. We saw the consequences right here at home. In the 2023 Bridgeport Democratic mayoral primary, widespread absentee ballot fraud led a judge to throw out the results and order a new election. Videos captured unauthorized individuals stuffing drop boxes with stacks of ballots — a clear violation of state law. The original margin was only 251 votes. Multiple people were later arrested and charged, with guilty pleas entered in 2025.

These events happened in our own communities. Republican legislators who opposed further relaxation of the rules took the responsible path by learning from Bridgeport.

I want every eligible voter’s voice to be heard. That goal is best achieved through strong integrity measures: accurate voter rolls, proper verification processes, meaningful observer access, secure handling of mail ballots and signature verification. These safeguards build public trust. When convenience is prioritized over accuracy, we risk discouraging honest participation and increasing cynicism.

I support legislators:  who remain committed to elections that are fair, secure, and deserving of confidence; who continue to put Connecticut families, workers, and communities first by defending the integrity of our democratic process; who champion responsible election safeguards; and who stand up for every lawful voter in our state.

Measures that make it easier to cheat do not expand “voting rights” — they expand opportunities for fraud and erode confidence. When trust collapses, participation suffers.

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