CONNECTICUT, USA — The Secretary of the State, or SOTS, released a 2024 general election voter guide ahead of the Nov. 5th general selection, including need-to-know dates and reminders for voting.
The upcoming general election will see several major races in Connecticut, including for president of the United States, United States senator, United States representatives, state senators and state representatives.
The full guide from the SOTS can be found here, featuring details on voter ID requirements, voter rights, the candidates on the ballot and other resources.
Below is information from the SOTS on in-person early voting, Election Day voting, absentee voting and other miscellaneous resources.
Upcoming deadlines
- Oct. 18 (8 a.m.-8 p.m.) - last day for:
- Mail-in voter registration applications (to be received or post-marked to Registrars)
- Online voter registration (by 11:59 p.m.)
- Voter registration at the DMV by close of business
- In-person registration with Registrar of Voters by 8 p.m.
- Nov. 4
- Last day for in-person absentee ballot submission by voter to town clerk
- Nov. 5
- Completed absentee ballots delivered via mail, drop-box or in-person via immediate family member or qualified designee due at 8 p.m.
(Same Day Registration will be available during in-person early voting and on Election Day)
In-person early voting
Early voting takes place in Connecticut between Oct. 21-Nov. 3, with polls open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on each day except for Oct. 29 and Oct. 31, where early voting center hours will be extended to 8 a.m-8 p.m.
Voting will be available on Saturdays and Sundays, the SOTS said.
Early voting must be done in person and cannot be through mail or a drop box.
Those looking to determine their early voting location can visit the SOTS website here, where the information will be posted four weeks before the election. The SOTS said voters can also find their early voting location on their town's website.
Voters at early-voting locations will be checked in and verified as an eligible voter, according to the SOTS. They will be given a ballot with an envelope and then fill it out in a private booth.
Once the ballot is complete, voters will seal them in approved envelopes that will then be placed in a secure container, and remain unopened until Election Day, when they will be counted, the SOTS said.
According to the SOTS, election officials at the early voting locations record each voter both electronically and manually to prevent them from voting at any other location, including via early voting, absentee ballot, or voting on Election Day.
Same Day Registration will be available during any of the 14 early voting days for eligible Connecticut voters who are either not yet registered or registered in one town but have moved to another. The SOTS said that the SDR location will be the same as the early voting location in most towns.
Connecticut is the 47th state to have adopted a form of early voting, the SOTS said. In-person early voting was made available for the first time this year.
Election Day voting
Election Day voting will take place on Nov. 5, with polls open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
When voters arrive at their designated polling location, they will be verified as an eligible voter and receive a ballot to mark at a booth or use an accessible IVS machine, the SOTS said.
When filling in ballots, the SOTS reminded voters to fill in the ovals completely, except for the offices that they don't want to vote for, and to check both sides.
Voters who make a mistake on their ballot should return it to the ballot clerk to void it and receive a new one, the SOTS said. Ballots should never be left behind in the booth, thrown away or taken out of the polling location.
Same Day Registration will be available for all eligible Connecticut voters on Election Day.
Voters can find their polling place and other info in regard to voting on Election Day at either the SOTS website or at their local registrars' office.
Absentee voting
According to the SOTS, absentee voting is available only for those who cannot vote at their designated polling place and meet any of the below criteria:
- Are you an active member of the armed forces of the United States?
- Will you be out of town on Election Day?
- Does sickness prevent you from voting in person on Election Day?
- Do your religious beliefs prevent you from performing secular activities like voting on Election Day?
- Will you be performing duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own on Election Day?
- Does a physical disability prevent you from voting in person on election day?
Voters can find information on obtaining an absentee ballot on the SOTS website here or by visiting their local town clerk's office. Ballots became available on Oct. 4, and emergency absentee ballots will be available on Oct. 30 due to sudden illness, disability or those in a hospital or nursing home.
According to the SOTS, individuals can request absentee ballots for immediately family including parents, children, siblings, a spouse or any dependent relative living in their household. Election circulators looking to obtain five or more applications for people other than immediate family must register and obtain forms from the town clerk.
Absentee ballots can be submitted through mail or drop box by the voter, the immediate family of a student voter or a designated person requested by the voter due to an illness or disability, the SOTS said.
Absentee ballots can be submitted in-person at the voter's local town clerk by either the voter, an immediate family member or a designated person due to an illness or disability before polls close on Election Day.
The ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day whether by mail, drop-box or in-person by a designee. Voters dropping off absentee ballots to their town clerk must do so one day before Election Day before their office closes.
Miscellaneous resources
- Anyone who sees anything suspicious or has issues while voting can contact the Election Day Hotline at 1-866-733-2463, or email elections@ct.gov.
- Those looking how to register online can do so here. To look up voter registration, visit the webpage here.
- Sample ballots will be made available here once posted by each town.
- Links from SOTS:
- MyVote.CT.gov – for all election information
- Online Voter Registration
- Voter Registration Application Form
- Absentee Ballot Application
- Early Voting Information
Sean Humphrey is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at shumphrey@fox61.com
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