A 2017 study by Judicial Watch revealed that Connecticut had 17,302 more registered voters than eligible adult citizens. Many of these discrepancies stem from the unchecked acceptance of absentee ballots. In close legislative races, such irregularities can be enough to alter the outcome. Although federal law requires states to maintain accurate voter rolls, poor oversight has led to a nationwide issue. In the 2016 election, an estimated 3.5 million ineligible individuals—including felons, former residents, non-citizens, and deceased persons—were recorded as having voted.