A biannual assessment of election administration in all 50 states has bumped Connecticut up to fifth in the country, its highest ranking since 2008.
The Pew Charitable Trusts issued its latest report Tuesday, which assessed the 2014 mid-term elections. Pew had ranked Connecticut 10th in 2012, 7th in 2010, and 19th in 2008.
Pew’s Elections Performance Index (EPI) is meant to help state policymakers assess the performance of their respective election systems.
An interactive comparison tool for Connecticut’s EPI scores over time can be viewed here.
In a press conference, Connecticut’s top election official, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, celebrated the state’s improved ranking, calling it a “tremendous recognition.”
“We’ve come a long way in just a few years,” Merrill said.
She said several changes have helped Connecticut’s EPI ranking improve since 2008, including the advent of online voter registration, Election Day registration and improvements in the way the state tracks mailed absentee ballots, including those from members of the military.
Merrill also gave an update on the state’s new “motor-voter” system that began Monday at the Department of Motor Vehicles and AAA offices – the result of a recent settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice.
She said 541 new voters registered on Tuesday and 689 residents changed their address at DMV and AAA offices. On Monday, when DMV full-service branches are closed, AAA processed 153 new voters and 359 address changes.
“I think this has the potential for registering so many more – thousands of new voters in Connecticut,” Merrill said.
That could be important for Pew’s assessment of the upcoming presidential election, since the percentage of residents registered to vote is one of the indicators.
