“Shall the State of Connecticut take a modest step into the 21st century?” That, in essence, is what the statewide ballot question we’ll be answering on Nov. 4 is asking: whether to amend the state Constitution so that the General Assembly can pass laws allowing more people to use absentee ballots instead of having to show up in person on Election Day. We say yes. No doubt about it.
This is a state, after all, that has only gradually repealed “blue laws” that were imposed by the Puritans back in the 1600s, when we were still hanging people for witchcraft. A “yes” on Question 1 may also bring new voting technologies closer. One of our steady habits in this land has been to make people report in person on Election Day if they want to vote. And yet, we shop online without reporting to any store; we get cash from a machine without reporting to a bank; and we send people “mail” without ever visiting the post office.
This ballot question is strictly about how we vote — not about how we register, or who can register, or any of that. And it takes religion out of the equation entirely.
We think it’s time for this change.