The state Senate voted Wednesday for a rare Constitutional amendment that would make it much easier to vote by absentee ballot – requiring no reason or excuse at all. The measure, if passed by the voters in November 2014, would remove all restrictions on obtaining absentee ballots, which are currently granted under certain circumstances such as being away at college or being disabled.
But Republicans complained that the measure would open up a wide variety of issues, including Saturday voting, online voting, and early in-person voting that would allow citizens to cast ballots, for example, over the period of a week or more. They said they were concerned about potential voter fraud.