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“Critical issues are at stake nationally and in Connecticut as the 2010 General Election fast approaches, and we want to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote in Connecticut registers and is able to cast a ballot,” said Secretary Bysiewicz, Connecticut’s top election official. “The final voter registration deadline in Connecticut is October 26th and I strongly urge all citizens over the age of 18 to register and vote so your voice can be heard at the polls this fall. Working with fellow Secretaries and NASS across the country we are determined to make sure voters know about all the resources available to help voters answer election-related questions, such as if you are registered to vote, where is your polling place, what you need to bring with you to the polling place, and how to get an absentee ballot.” NASS members established National Voter Registration Month to encourage voter participation and to increase awareness of state voter registration requirements and deadlines. Nearly half of all states (plus the District of Columbia) have a registration deadline that takes effect during the first week of October, about a month before Election Day. According to U.S. Census figures, 60 million eligible voters did not register to vote in 2008. Of the non-voters that year, fourteen percent said they did not vote because they missed their state’s voter registration deadline. "Now is the time to get registered to vote. The process is easier, faster and more convenient than ever before," said NASS President Matt Dunlap, Maine secretary of state. “In most states, you can also check your voter registration status online to make sure that your information is up-to-date. This is really critical for people who have recently moved, changed their name or had their voting rights restored under the law. It is also required for people who wish to switch their party affiliation. If anything is outdated or incorrect, there is time to get it straightened out with your local election office, so you can still vote in the November election.” Connecticut voters can link directly to voter information in English by clicking on the Vote-EZ-CT link on the Secretary of the State’s website www.sots.ct.gov or in Spanish by going to the website www.tuvotosicuenta.com Forty states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, offer voter registration lookups designed to help voters check their registration status online. Nine places (District of Columbia, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming) now offer Election Day registration, while North Carolina offers same-day registration during the state’s early voting period. Eight states (Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oregon, Utah and Washington) allow voter registration and registration updates via the Internet. New for this year, NASS and Tangent Media LLC have released a Can I Vote widget that allows Internet users in (STATE) and throughout the U.S. to directly access official, nonpartisan registration and voting information that is specific to where they live in a simple, portable format. It functions much like the association’s Can I Vote website, www.canivote.org, which helps connect users to state and local election websites with voting links, forms, online tools, election official contact information, and more. In addition to the online resources, Secretary Bysiewicz will be sending out public service announcements over television and radio encouraging Connecticut residents to register to vote prior to the October 26th deadline. © Copyright by ConnecticutPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of ConnecticutPlus.com, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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