State’s Restrictive Ballot Access Laws on Trial This Week. Judge to Hear Hrezi Challenge.

Muad Hrezi’s challenge to Connecticut’s restrictive ballot access laws begins two days of hearings in Superior Court on Wednesday morning.

The First Congressional District Democratic challenger fell several hundred signatures short of the number of signatures he needs to qualify for an August primary against 12-term incumbent John Larson. Hrezi’s complaint relies on claims that the requirements of the state’s election laws to participate in a primary are unreasonable. “Connecticut has the most restrictive laws for access to the primary ballot of any State in the United States when it comes to the office of U.S. Representative. No state requires a candidate to get more signatures in a shorter amount of time than Connecticut,” according to Hrezi’s complaint.

Hrezi also raises the two-day delay in Secretary of the State Denise Merrill’s office providing the petitions required to begin collecting signatures. The law allows 42 days for the process, the delay in the at Merrill’s office reduced that to 40 days. That may be the most persuasive argument Judge Cesar Noble hears from Hrezi on Wednesday and Thursday. Judges enjoy wide discretion in elections law procedural disputes. Judge Noble could restore the two days Hrezi’s campaign lost and allow his campaign 48 hours to collect more signatures.

Larson and his campaign committee have intervened as defendants in the case, joining Merrill, Governor Ned Lamont, state Democrats, and two Democratic registrars of voters as defendants.

A ruling is expected Friday.

Published June 21, 2022.