Connecticut”™s planned widespread use of absentee ballots next month will go forward as planned.
This afternoon, state Supreme Court Justice Richard Robinson dismissed a lawsuit filed by four Republicans that maintained it was unconstitutional for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill to send out absentee ballots.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong argued today that Robinson should dismiss the case, filed by Mary Fay, Thomas Gilmer, Justin Anderson and James Griffin, all Republican candidates from the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts.
The plaintiffs stated that Merrill had acted improperly when she followed Gov. Ned Lamont”™s executive order that allowed for “no-excuse” absentee ballots to be distributed ahead of the Aug. 11 primary. Applications for those ballots have already been mailed by Merrill”™s office, with the ballots themselves scheduled to go out on Tuesday.
“No one should have to risk their lives to vote,” Tong said after the ruling. “This case was part of a nationwide right-wing voter suppression campaign challenging the ability of Americans to safely exercise their right to vote during this unprecedented public health crisis.
“The plaintiffs sued the wrong individual under the wrong statute in the wrong court and we are grateful for the Supreme Court”™s adherence to the rule of law,” Tong added, in reference to Robinson”™s ruling that the suit should have been brought in Superior Court.
“This office will protect and defend the rights of voters against any and all partisan attacks seeking to stoke chaos, confusion and fear and to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of Connecticut voters,” Tong declared.
The ruling took place after the conclusion of Lamont”™s daily briefing today. Neither he nor Merrill have commented yet.
