Sen. Sampson Slams CT Democrats’ Inaction to Secure CT’s Election Process

Sampson: This is disenfranchisement on steroids.

State Sen. Rob Sampson (R-Wolcott), ranking member of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, slammed legislative Democrats for inaction to secure elections across the state as the senate today convened for a special legislative session.

Sen. Sampson introduced and debated five Senate Republican amendments to bolster absentee ballot security and address known voting abuses in direct response to the well-documented alleged fraud at the hands of Democratic operatives in Bridgeport during the city’s 2023 mayoral primary.

Sen. Sampson said, “This is about the integrity of our elections and respecting the sanctity of every eligible person’s right to have their vote counted. I do not want one single voter to be disenfranchised. We are responsible to the people of Connecticut to ensure that every election is legitimate. The video from Bridgeport shows what can happen at the hands of alleged bad actors and now the world is paying attention. What we saw in Bridgeport, if proven true, is a crushing blow to confidence in our elections. This is disenfranchisement on steroids.

“The drop boxes are merely a symptom of the problem. The real issue is the Democrat Majority’s willful decision to continue undermining the integrity of our elections.

“I’ve offered many amendments today, and over the years, to address this problem, which is now memorialized on security camera footage. These amendments were offered in good faith because the people of Connecticut deserve to have an election process that they trust. Today, legislative Democrats ignored this core right of our citizens. Their failure to do what needs to be done is the very cause of voter disenfranchisement, which they routinely speak of.”

The multiple Senate Republican amendments were a concerted effort by Senate and House Republicans to secure ballots across the state, close loopholes, and ensure confidence in the state’s elections. Sen. Sampson has also repeatedly offered similar amendments to those offered today:

• Prohibit use of ballot drop boxes.
• Suspend the use of ballot drop boxes and require Bridgeport’s election monitor to file a report with the Secretary of the State. Until the report is submitted, use of absentee ballot drop boxes is prohibited.
• Prevent mailing of unsolicited absentee ballots.
• Require all voting by absentee ballot to include a copy of legal identification to allow for signature verification and waive the fees for driver license and photo identification.

• Impose a mandatory, non-suspendable sentence of one year in jail for absentee ballot fraud.

Senate Democrats voted as a bloc against all five Senate Republican amendments.