CONNECTICUT, USA — It’s an election year and both the primaries are here with the general election fast approaching!
Is it your first time voting? Do you want to confirm you’re registered or figure out what identification to bring?
Find everything you need below to ensure you’re ready to head to the polls on August 9 and November 8.
Anyone encountering problems on Election Day should contact the Election Day Hotline at 1-866-733-2463 or send an email to elections@ct.gov.
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How to Register
If you're not registered to vote, the first thing to determine is your eligibility.
According to the Secretary of the State’s office, there are requirements you need to fulfill:
Are you at least 17 and turning 18 on or before Election Day?
Are you a United States Citizen and a bona fide resident of some town in Connecticut?
If you have been convicted of a felony, have you completed confinement?
(The office also says that if you are someone with a conviction involved in a violation of election law, you should check with the Division of Criminal Justice before attempting to register.)
If you don’t know or can't remember if you’re registered to vote, head here.
If you find out that you’re not registered to vote, there are two ways to go about it:
The first way is online. You can register if you have state DMV-issued identification. Head here to do that.
If you don’t have the identification or want to do it in person, you can complete a paper registration card and deliver it to your local Registrar of Voters office in person before the registration deadline.
Note: Connecticut has ‘closed primaries’ meaning you must be affiliated with the major parties to vote, meaning if you registered as ‘unaffiliated’ with either the Democratic or Republican parties you will be ineligible to vote in the primaries.
Double check these registration dates:
Primaries
If you’re mailing your registration, it must be postmarked by the fifth day before the primary or received by your Registrar of Voters or a voter registration agency by the fifth day before a primary.
You may apply in person to your town clerk or registrar until noon on the last business day before a primary.
For 2022, Connecticut’s primary is August 9. Therefore, by August 4 you will need to have your paper application postmarked or received – or you can register in person by noon on August 8.
RELATED: 2022 Connecticut primary elections guide: Who is running for State Treasurer and Comptroller?
Election Day
Your registration application must be postmarked or received by a voter registration agency by the seventh day before an election. You can also register in person with your Registrar of Voters by the seventh day before an election.
In this case, Election Day is on November 8, so you have until November 1 to register or have your application postmarked or received.
What if you miss these deadlines?
Connecticut has an Election Day registration (EDR) availability for those who need it! You must meet the eligibility requirements and are not already registered, or you are registered in one town but have since moved.
Election Day registration is not available at your polling place but at a designated EDR location in each town. Availability begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m.
You will register and vote at the EDR location. The state encourages people to arrive early as there may be long lines. You must be registered by 8 p.m. to vote and will need to provide proof of identity and residency.
You can also see a sample of your town’s ballots ahead of either primary day or election day. You can see those, town by town, here.
Voting Day Essentials
Find your polling location
In the time between elections, you may move towns or even one street over from your last residence. Even a small move can change your polling location!
If registered, head to the registration lookup page to double-check where your polling location is.
Polling hours
For an election or primary, the polls in Connecticut are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Any elector standing in line at the polls at 8 p.m. will still be allowed to cast a vote.
Identification requirements
You will need identification but are not required to have a driver’s license or photo ID to vote. When you arrive at your polling place, the worker will request you present ID but if you do not have any then in most cases, you may sign an affidavit.
Your address does not need to be printed if you have a photo ID.
If you don’t have a photo ID, you can instead show a credit card with your name and signature, another type of ID with your name and photograph, or any other document with your name and address such as a checkbook or a utility bill.
Absentee ballots
You may be eligible for an absentee ballot if you cannot make it to your polling place for Election Day.
By Connecticut law, you can only vote absentee if:
You’re an active member of the armed forces.
Are out of town for Election Day.
Have an illness that would you from voting in person.
Religious beliefs prevent you from performing secular activities like voting on Election Day.
Performing duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own on Election Day.
Have a disability that would prevent you from voting in person.
If you meet any of these requirements, you can download an English or Spanish absentee ballot here.
Applications for absentee voting are made available 31 days before an election and 21 days before a primary.
Ballots that are mailed must be received by the municipal clerk no later than the close of polls on Election Day or returned in person to the clerk by the day before an election or primary.
You can also download emergency absentee ballots within six days of an election.
To check if your absentee ballot was received, go here: https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx .
Additional Information
If you're a voter and in the military and overseas, head here for more information on absentee ballots.
Head here to find your local town clerk, registrar of voters, and elected officials.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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