(Hartford, CT) – With the Centers for Disease Control urging all meetings of 10 or more people to be canceled or held virtually due to COVID-19, and election deadlines looming, Connecticut’s Democratic and Republican state party leaders have agreed to rule changes that will allow local town committees to complete business through the November 3rd election with virtual voting.

In a letter filed with Secretary of the State Denise Merrill today, Democratic State Chair Nancy Wyman and Republican State Chair JR Romano agreed to temporarily set aside state law that requires in-person voting and to allow the political parties to “carry out their responsibilities through telephonic, video or other technological means that provide for a virtual presence for their participants.”

“These are highly unusual times. We need to protect the health of members without hindering the electoral process. Allowing virtual voting is the answer and I thank Chairman Romano for working with us to make it happen,” Wyman said.

Romano said, “I appreciate everyone coming together to ensure that our local election calendar can stay on track. This is an unpredictable time and the Secretary of State, the Democratic party and the Republican party responded quickly and fairly.”

Most immediately, the agreement will allow local town committees to meet April deadlines for choosing local town committee officers and delegates to the nominating conventions.

Voting can be done by conference call or other online applications, at the local town committee’s choice.