HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — On the eve of absentee ballots being printed for the August primary, the State of Connecticut Supreme Court has dismissed a major lawsuit.
The chief justice conducted a virtual hearing on the State’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit Monday.
The suit filed by four Republican congressional candidates claimed that when the Secretary of the State Denise Merrill sent out absentee ballot applications for reasons relating to COVID-19, it was unconstitutional.
Attorney Proloy K. Das who represents the plaintiffs said during the hearing Monday, “just because the secretary of the state has misled individuals by adding a seventh category as far as the basis by which they should be able to vote by absentee ballot doesn’t mean that individuals following that directive should lose their rights.”
CT Attorney General William Tong – who represented Merrill in the case – personally argued for the dismissal of the case.
“People of this state should be protected,” he said. “Their health, their safety, and their right to vote.”
The primary election is set for Aug. 11. Election officials expect high absentee ballot turn out. 1.2 million applications have been mailed out; so far about 200,000 have been completed seeking a ballot. Ballots will be available Tuesday.
The plaintiffs who had their case dismissed in the State Supreme Court Monday have now filed an application to be heard in Superior Court in Hartford.
Attorney Das says those he represents “brought this action in order to enforce the Constitution and to protect the integrity of our elections. Since the Court did not address the issue of whether the Secretary and the Governor have acted unlawfully, we are going to continue to press for a court ruling.”
He adds, “We have already filed a new suit with the Connecticut Superior Court and will be filing a motion for reconsideration en banc of today’s decision with the Connecticut Supreme Court.”
READ: Application from GOP members to be heard in Superior Court in Hartford
