A bill barring the holding of primary elections in Connecticut on any day that is a religious holiday has been signed by Gov. Dempsey and was enacted into law. The bill was introduced in the State General Assembly after observant Jews were unable to participate in the primaries last year because they coincided with Succoth.
The new legislation follows enactment of a constitutional amendment in 1965 giving Connecticut voters the right to cast absentee ballots when a regular election falls on a religious holiday.
Gov. Dempsey pointed out that the new law provides that “no primary elections shall be held on any day when secular activity is forbidden under the tenets of any religion.” He said that “this legislation is needed to assure full and complete compliance with the constitutional guarantee of freedom of worship.”
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