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Connecticut pushes ‘no excuses’ absentee ballot voting

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Connecticut pushes ‘no excuses’ absentee ballot voting


Seeking to follow 35 states, Connecticut legislators voted Wednesday for a constitutional amendment to adopt “no excuses” absentee voting.

After debating for one hour, the state House of Representatives voted 113-38 with all negative votes cast by Republicans. Another 15 Republicans voted in favor of the bipartisan resolution.

The issue has been controversial for years as Democrats want to expand voting rights and Republicans are concerned about potential voter fraud.

Under the rules, legislators needed to pass the resolution for the amendment by a simple majority for the question to be placed on the ballot for all voters during the presidential election year in November 2024.

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The question to appear on the ballot is: “Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?”

Currently, residents can obtain an absentee ballot for specific reasons, including sickness, physical disability, serving overseas in the United States military, and a voter’s absence from the municipality on the day of the vote.

Democrats hailed the idea as a way to ensure that residents can exercise their right to vote.

“It’s really about giving people options,” said House majority leader Jason Rojas, an East Hartford Democrat.

The “no excuses” constitutional amendment is separate from another amendment regarding early voting, which will eventually allow Connecticut residents to vote for 14 days leading up to a general election in November.

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House Speaker Matt Ritter of Hartford said, “If you are unable to leave your home or if you’re going to be gone weeks before early voting begins, this is that other option. That’s why you need both.”

On the House floor, state Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco, a conservative Republican from Wolcott who serves as the ranking member of the committee overseeing elections, raised a number of questions as she opposed the amendment. She did not want to see a repeat of a move made during the coronavirus pandemic when many elderly voters were afraid of going to the polls for fear of contracting the virus.

“It is absolutely possible that ballots will be mailed out to every voter in the state of Connecticut” without making a request, she said.

Mastrofrancesco also argued strongly against the notion that Connecticut has restrictive election laws.

“Nobody in this legislature has ever, ever prevented anyone from voting or restricted them from voting,” she said. “The right to vote in a free and fair election as a citizen is our most basic duty.”

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Previously, the legislature has debated the difference between the words “sickness” and “illness” regarding obtaining an absentee ballot.

“It doesn’t have to be your sickness,” she said. “If it’s flu season, you can vote by absentee. You’re not lying.”

Citing other states that require signatures to be verified before a person can vote, Mastrofrancesco questioned why that is not the case in Connecticut.

But state Rep. Matt Blumenthal, a Stamford Democrat who co-chairs the committee overseeing election laws, said that some voters sign their name differently at different times, creating difficulty in verification.

“Signature verification is not an effective measure,” Blumenthal said.

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“We do have an ID requirement here in Connecticut but not a photo ID requirement,” Blumenthal said, adding that poor residents and members of minority groups often do not have a picture identification.

Mastrofrancesco countered that picture identification is needed to cash a check, board an airplane, and receive hunting and fishing licenses.

“I want the people to trust the process again — to trust elections,” she said. “We don’t have that today.”

Lawmakers cited the case of a former Stamford Democrat town chairman John Mallozzi, who was arrested and found guilty after a trial for absentee ballot fraud. A judge found him guilty last year for 14 counts of second-degree forgery and 14 counts of false statements for signing ballot applications for various town offices when serving as town chairman in 2015.

The applications were made under the names of various voters who had no idea that their names were being used. Mallozzi was sentenced to two years’ probation and ordered to pay fines of $35,000.

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Politically, lawmakers said that the no-excuses balloting could potentially aid Republicans and Democrats. Blumenthal noted that, historically, the highest number of absentee ballots was cast by Fairfield County Republicans.

“I think it could help both parties,” Ritter said when asked about the political consequences. “What I think has hurt the Republican Party is the people they are running — both at the national level and the state level. They have not had good candidates. They continue to attract self-funded people with no political experience. … Their national leading presidential candidate is very unpopular in Connecticut. Until they run better candidates, you could devise any system you want — no excuse voting, early voting, late voting — they’re going to lose. You need better candidates. Connecticut is not a right-wing state. It is a moderate state, at best, and there are pockets that resent the type of candidates that they are running and the ideas that they espouse. … That’s why they’re losing. Not the way we vote.”

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com.



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Connecticut

Connecticut cause of death for victim linked to Martha's Vineyard suspect revealed

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Connecticut cause of death for victim linked to Martha's Vineyard suspect revealed


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The 70-year-old victim in a Deep River, Connecticut, homicide linked to Massachusetts stabbing spree suspect Jared Ravizza died as a result of stab wounds, a Connecticut State Police spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

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The development comes as investigators are “still working” to determine the relationship between Ravizza, a 26-year-old from Martha’s Vineyard who is alleged to have stabbed six people in Braintree and Plymouth on Saturday before being chased down by police in Cape Cod, and Bruce Feldman, the West Hartford, Connecticut, man found dead earlier that day at a home in Deep River, a quiet town near the state’s coastline. 

“The victim did die as a result of injuries from [a] stabbing,” a Connecticut State Police spokesperson said Wednesday, a day after authorities announced criminal charges are pending in the case. 

Julie Feldman, whom the New York Post has identified as Bruce’s wife, told the newspaper, “The whole thing’s really shocking… We were together a very, very long time.” Calls by Fox News Digital to phone numbers purportedly belonging to Julie Feldman on Wednesday went unanswered. 

911 DISPATCH REVEALS WILD CHASE FOR SUSPECTED MURDERER AFTER MOVIE, MCDONALD’S SLASH SPREE 

Jared Ravizza faces Judge Shelby Smith in Plymouth District Court on Tuesday, May 28, on multiple charges in a stabbing of two people in Plymouth, Massachusetts. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via USA Today)

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Connecticut State Police say they were first called to the area Saturday afternoon to look into a disturbance. 

“The investigating Trooper learned that a suspect approached the residence on Merriwold Lane, threw a shovel through the front door window pane and then left,” state police said. “The complainants identified the suspect as someone they had recognized who was staying nearby on Maritone Lane. It was further reported to Troopers that prior to this incident, an audible disturbance was heard at the Maritone Lane address.” 

Police then went to the second property’s address and discovered an adult male outside with “visible injuries,” who later was identified as Feldman and pronounced dead at the scene. 

“During the initial investigation, Troopers developed information indicating that a second individual, who was no longer at the scene, had been present… earlier in the day,” police also said. “Personal items belonging to Ravizza were located at the scene and witnesses provided a description consistent with that of Ravizza.” 

Investigators say the case remains active and ongoing but noted Saturday following Ravizza’s arrest in Sandwich that “a suspect in this investigation has been taken into custody in the State of Massachusetts and there is no active threat to the public.” 

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MASSACHUSETTS STABBING SPREE SUSPECT JARED RAVIZZA PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN PLYMOUTH REST STOP ATTACK 

Jared Ravizza arrest

Jared Ravizza is shown being taken into custody in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on Saturday, May 25. (David Curran/Satellite News Service)

Three years ago, Hartford-area radio station WRCH interviewed a man identified as Bruce Feldman who claimed to have invented a device called the Ultimate Leaf Lifter, a rake that helps people pick leaves off the ground. 

“I saw a neighbor who was trying to help another neighbor who was in a wheelchair, and he was trying to get the leaves in the bags without bending over, and I saw him using two rakes… and it looked tough,” Feldman told the station, describing how he got the idea for the product. “I was inspired by the salad tong and the ice tong.” 

In the weeks leading up to Feldman’s death, neighbors in Deep River told the New York Post that Ravizza first checked into the home there — described as a rental property — on April 20. Then about a month later, Feldman showed up and “said he had a friend in the [property] who he was staying with,” according to neighbor Charlie Brashears. 

JARED RAVIZZA WAS ‘LAUGHING’ DURING MOVIE THEATER ATTACK, MOTHER SAYS 

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Jared Ravizza faces Judge Shelby Smith in Plymouth District Court

Jared Ravizza, during his court appearance Tuesday at Plymouth District Court, pleaded not guilty to charges in connection to an alleged rest stop attack. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via USA Today)

“He made it clear he was broke,” Brashears added. “Bruce said he hoped his friend was going to let him stay for the rest of the month.” 

In recent days, locals had called police to accuse Feldman — who neighbors say would walk his dog around the neighborhood and sit on homeowners’ porches without an invite — of trespassing, according to the New York Post. 

“[The women] said, ‘Hey, this isn’t appropriate and you need to leave’ and they called the police to make a complaint,” Brashears was quoted as saying. 

The situation then escalated on Saturday when Ravizza allegedly threw the shovel at the property owned by the women who called the police on Feldman, the New York Post reports, citing the neighbors. 

Jared Ravizza crash scene

Authorities say Ravizza fled the scene of the second stabbing in a black 2018 Porsche Macan, which appears to have been totaled prior to his arrest. (David Curran/Satellite News Service)

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“It looked like how they would respond to a domestic disturbance. I understand they found the body,” Brashears also said “There were two cops, then whammo — within about 10 minutes, all hell broke loose and there were seven or eight cop cars.” 



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Thunderstorms On Wednesday/Thursday In CT: Timeline, New Details Released

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Thunderstorms On Wednesday/Thursday In CT: Timeline, New Details Released


CONNECTICUT — The forecast conditions for Friday through Sunday may feature the best weather of spring to date.

Nothing but sunshine and temperatures into the upper 70s to low 80s across Connecticut during this time period.

Before we get to this amazing stretch of weather, we’ll contend with more rain showers and thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon, tonight and Thursday morning.


Here are the storm specifics from WFSB 3 TV meteorologists

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“Today starts off dry and bright, then during the afternoon our sky becomes partly cloudy. With more comfortable levels of humidity, temperatures peak in the mid to upper 70s inland and in the low to mid-70s at the shoreline,” said WFSB 3 TV Chief Meteorologist Mark Dixon with Scot Haney. “Toward the evening commute and thereafter, isolated showers are possible as a cold front heads our way. An area of low-pressure rides along the front as it crosses Southern New England tonight, increasing the chance for rain (some rumbles of thunder can’t be ruled out). Showers last through tomorrow morning, then clearing gets underway.” (Read/watch more at WFSB 3 TV).


Here are the forecast details for southern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 75. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Light north wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. North wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

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See also: Connecticut Man Killed In Boat Crash, ID Released: Report


Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North wind 8 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 77.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.


Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

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Today: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Northwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: A chance of showers, mainly before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. North wind around 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North wind 6 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 80. North wind 3 to 7 mph.

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Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming west around 6 mph in the afternoon.



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Diana Taurasi, Kahleah Copper limited to single digits in Mercury’s loss at Connecticut

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Diana Taurasi, Kahleah Copper limited to single digits in Mercury’s loss at Connecticut


The Phoenix Mercury got off to a rough start on its three-game road trip as none of the starting five scored in double figures.

The Mercury posted its worst scoring output in a 70-47 loss against the undefeated Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night in Uncasville, CT. The 6-0 start marks the best start in Sun franchise history.

Kahleah Copper, who averaged over 29 points per game, scored seven points, while Diana Taurasi had six. 

Natasha Cloud led the Mercury with nine points as the team struggled with shooting. The Mercury made just 15 field goals on 63 attempts, shooting 23.8%. The perimeter game, which has been strong in the last five games, suffered as the Mercury made just one of 27 attempts from 3-point range. The Sun shot 27-for-77 (35.1%) from the floor. 

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Turnovers became a big issue for the Mercury as they finished with 20.

Sophie Cunningham earned her first start of the season in place of injured wing Becca Allen, who suffered a concussion in Saturday’s loss to the Dallas Wings. The Mercury’s bench had to play without guard Sug Sutton, who was out with a right ankle injury.

The Mercury (3-3) had its only lead with a 6-2 start from two made layups from Taurasi. But then the Sun took advantage of the Mercury’s seven turnovers in the first quarter and led 15-13. Taurasi was unable to find that scoring touch and went 0-for-9 after the first quarter.  

The Mercury couldn’t find momentum in the second half and went 3-for-15 in the third quarter, while the Sun pulled away with an 18-point lead. 

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It will be a quick turnaround for the Mercury as they head to New York to face the Liberty on Wednesday at 4 p.m. PT.



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