HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut on Tuesday became the 15th state to allow residents to register online to vote.
The new system, unveiled by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, was part of the legislative package the two state officials proposed in 2012 to make it easier for people to cast their ballots.
“This is a reform that many of us wanted for many years,” Merrill said.
To use the system, residents must be eligible to vote, age 18 or older, and have a valid Connecticut driver’s license or other form of identification issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Besides registering to vote, the site allows people to change the name or address on their current registration and change their political party affiliation. It will still be the responsibility of voters registered in other Connecticut municipalities or in other states to make sure they are removed from those voter rolls.
Under the new system, voters enter their personal information online. The information is sent via email to a registrar of voters. The registrar then verifies the information with a statewide voter database. The voter must also attest that the information is accurate.
The new system will not replace the old system, and paper application forms will still be available.
Merrill estimates about 200,000 people are eligible but unregistered voters in Connecticut. She said many of them likely have driver’s licenses and would be able to use the new system.
The state of Connecticut website - www.ct.gov - has a link to the voter registration feature as do other state agencies.
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