State House passes bill to bring early voting to CT

By Mark Pazniokas The

Connecticut

Mirror

Tradition-bound Connecticut, a laggard among states in modernizing voting practices, would offer 14 days of early voting next year under a bill passed last Thursday on a 107-35 vote by the House of Representatives.

“It’s not for nothing Connecticut is called the Land of Steady Habits,” said Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D-Stamford. “For almost three centuries now, we have had some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country.”

One of only four states not allowing early in-person vot- ing, Connecticut can make the change only since November’s passage of a constitutional amendment that struck a prohibition against expanding the days of voting. “We saw this not only as a policy decision that we support but also as a mandate and an obligation dictated to us from the voters, ” Blumenthal said. “So that’s how we see it: The voters have given us a charge. We’re making good on it today.”

Fifteen Republicans voted with 92 Democrats for passage. No Democrat was opposed. A four-hour debate began at 3:20 p.m. on House Bill 5004, a measure that still was being tweaked hours before being called for debate. Final passage in the Senate is assured, as is a signature from Gov. Ned Lamont.

House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora, R-North Branford, complained about the late availability of the final language and the length of early voting.

Republicans urged a more modest start, with three days of early voting spread over five days.

“Take a few steps towards early voting. See how it works,” said Rep. Tom O’Dea, R-New Canaan. “See how it works for an election cycle or two, and then perhaps go to 10 days or 14 as is proposed.”

The 14-day window was the most expansive of four options proposed by Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, based on a study commissioned by her predecessor, Denise Merrill, from the Center for Election Innovation and Reform.

A shorter early voting period would be offered for elections other than the November general election: seven days for state and local primaries, and four days for special elections and presidential primaries.

With a local option for additional sites, municipalities would have to offer early voting at a minimum of one location from the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 12 days and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the Tuesday and Thursday before Election Day.

“We didn’t want to force one version onto the towns, especially as we’re starting out here,” said Blumenthal, a key sponsor as the co-chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee.

Legislative leaders have pledged to include funding in the state budget for municipalities to cover the added costs of early voting, including staffing over two weekends.

Republicans said even with state reimbursement, 14 days of early voting would be an unnecessary burden for small towns, which already struggle to recruit temporary workers for election day.

“I understand that we’re going to fund it, but it’s getting the people to work it, to run it and to make it safe,” said Rep. Jay Case, R-Winsted.

“Some of our registrars are part time. How are they going to take 14 days to see this in a small town?

“That to me is the epitome of inefficiency,” said Rep. Doug Dubitsky, a Republican from Chaplin, an eastern Connecticut community with a population of 2,200.

Republican amendments to limit the length of voting to either three days or 10 failed on party-line votes.

A longer version of this story originally appeared on the website of The Connecticut Mirror, ctmirror.org.

Encryption is the process of encoding information. This process converts the original version of the information, known as plaintext, into an alternative form known as ciphertext. Ideally, only authorized parties can decipher a ciphertext back to plaintext and access the original information.

The coronavirus pandemic forced millions of children into isolation where they spent increased time in front of computers and tablets and smart phones. Reports of sexual exploitation and abuse, blackmailing and cyberbullying jumped exponentially, experts said.

“Last year, we received 310 reports of possible sex trafficking,” said Tammy Sneed, director of human trafficikng for the state Department of Children and Families.

“These are the largest numbers we’ve seen. Bad actors are using these images and are exploiting children and abusing children. We know there has been a 90% increase in actors trying to lure children since the pandemic.”

DCF and other agencies work closely with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, which helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop a response to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and Internet crimes against children. The task force encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and community education.

“We receive 4,500 tips every year, ” according to Lucinda Lopez Phelan, deputy director of the Identification Section of Scientific Services for Connecticut State Police. “We work under the task force to investigate and provide services, offer training assistance, victim services and protect against child enticement, exploitation and abuse against children.”

The task force prioritizes tips and assigns a top priority when it’s believed a suspect has imminent plans to harm a child, followed by investigating those who are preplanning an event. The task force also deals with blackmail crimes, where a minor has sent a photo and is being blackmailled over it. The repayment is either cash, or producing more child sexual content. The children are usually afraid to report it to their parents or school. They also address cyberbullying, doxing, or revealing someone’s wherabouts to harass and intimidate.

“These tips come in hard and fast,” said Sgt. Kenneth Ventresca, a supervisor in the Computer Crimes Unit for the State Police. “It’s our job to determine where the IP address is coming from. Much of it is peer to peer, like the old music pirating platforms. There are other software used to spread child pornography.”

Ventresca recalled a case involving a local hotel owner who was actively looking online to purchase a minor for production of child porn.

Police staged a sting and arrested the man on site.

“There were multiple victims with this. In fact, one of them was his own daughter,” Ventresca said. “It’s become a very big issue. We are working tirelessly every day to keep up with the latest technology,”

But while the predators can be pursued by law enforcement, the tech companies are immune right now, Blumenthal said.

“We need to eliminate that section of the law that gives them complete immunity,” he said, “and end this sickening sexual abuse and exploitation.” mgodin@record-journal.com

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