Important dates and election information

Regular voter registration deadline: Friday, Oct. 18
Same-day registration: Monday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 3; Tuesday, Nov. 5
Deadline to submit absentee ballot: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. (by mail or drop box); Monday, Nov. 4 (in-person to town clerk)
Early voting: Monday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 3
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5

Voting at a glance

• Voter registration: Use the state’s voter portal to check your registration status.
• Absentee voting: Only certain voters can request an absentee ballot, including those who cannot appear at their assigned polling place on Election Day due to absence, sickness, physical disability or another approved reason. 
• Early in-person voting: Any registered voter may cast their ballot early during the early voting period, Monday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 3.
• Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. You won’t need to show an ID unless you’re a first-time voter.

Recent voting changes in Connecticut

Laws passed in 2023 and 2024 may affect how you cast your ballot:

• Connecticut now offers early in-person voting. Voters get four days of early voting for the presidential primary, seven days for the state primary and 14 days for the general election.

• Voters in November will decide on a constitutional amendment to allow no-excuse absentee balloting.

How to register to vote

• Online: Use the state’s online voter registration system by Friday, Oct. 18, at 11:59 p.m. You must have a current and valid driver’s license, learner’s permit or nondriver photo ID issued by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles and a signature on file with the DMV.

• By mail: Print out a voter registration form, complete it and mail it to your registrar of voters. Be sure to include postage. Mailed applications must be postmarked by Friday, Oct. 18. 

• In person: Visit your registrar of voters or town clerk by 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. You may also register at the Department of Motor Vehicles through close of business on Oct. 18. Voter registration services are also available at public libraries and social service agencies. You’ll need to show a copy of a current valid photo ID. 

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day at designated locations. See below for more information.

Checking your registration status

You can check your registration status through the state’s voter portal.

Same-day registration

You may register and cast your ballot on the same day during early voting (Monday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 3) and on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 5). Check with your registrar of voters for designated locations for same-day voter registration.

How to request an absentee ballot

Absentee ballots are only available to voters who cannot appear at their assigned polling place on Election Day for an approved reason. These include sickness, physical disability or duties as an elected official at a polling place other than your own. In 2022, Connecticut expanded eligibility to include caregivers of someone with an illness or disability, people out of town for part of Election Day and people (or their caregivers) concerned about a condition that could be aggravated by exposure to a disease, such as COVID-19.

If you have a permanent disability, you may apply for a permanent absentee ballot with a letter from your health care provider. Check with your town clerk for details.

Apply for an absentee ballot:

• Online: Go to the state’s absentee ballot portal to request a ballot from your phone, tablet or computer.

• By mail: Download and complete the application for an absentee ballot. Mail the completed application to your town clerk. You can also contact your town clerk and ask that an application be mailed to you.

• By fax: Fax the completed application if your town clerk has a fax machine. But you must also mail the original application to the clerk, either separately or with your completed absentee ballot. 

• In person: Visit your town clerk. 

Applications must be received by Monday, Nov. 4, but election officials encourage you to leave enough time for your absentee ballot to be mailed to you. If it’s close to the election, you should request a ballot in person from your town clerk. You may do so through close of business on Monday, Nov. 4.

In the event of an unforeseen illness or physical disability within six days of the polls closing, you can submit an emergency application for an absentee ballot.

Information about absentee ballots for military and overseas voters is available on the secretary of the state's website.

Returning an absentee ballot

• By mail: Mail your completed ballot to your town clerk. Your ballot must be received (not just postmarked) by 8 p.m. on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 5). 

• Via drop box: Deposit your completed ballot in your local drop box before 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Find your local drop box via the state’s voter portal.

• In person: Hand-deliver your completed ballot to your town clerk by the close of business on Monday, Nov 4. Or an immediate family member (or your designee if you are ill or have a disability) may deliver your ballot for you through 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Log in to the state’s voter portal to check the status of your ballot.

Voting in person before Election Day

You may cast your ballots early in person from Monday, Oct 21, through Sunday, Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m., including weekends. Extended voting hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., will be offered on Tuesday, Oct. 29, and Thursday, Oct. 31. Find locations on the secretary of the state’s website when they become available, or check with your registrar of voters.

Voting at the polls on Election Day

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Use the state’s voter portal to find your assigned polling place. If you’re in line by 8 p.m. you’ll be allowed to vote.

Find sample ballots on the secretary of the state’s website when they’re available.

Voter ID requirements on Election Day

A driver’s license or photo ID is not required to vote in Connecticut unless you’re a first-time voter. You will be asked to show identification at the polls, but you may instead sign an affidavit attesting to your identity.

If you’re a first-time voter, you may need to show a photo ID, such as a current and valid driver’s license, or a non-photo identification such as a current utility bill or bank statement that shows your name and address.

Voting with a disability

If you have a permanent disability, you can apply to your town clerk to automatically receive an absentee ballot for each election.

An accessible ballot marking device is available at every polling place if you prefer to vote in person. If you need assistance casting your ballot, either in person or via absentee ballot, you may choose someone to help you, as long as that person is not your employer, union representative or their agent.

Find more information about accessible voting on the secretary of the state’s website.

Voting from a nursing home or long-term care facility

If you live in a nursing home or assisted living facility, you may participate in supervised absentee voting. Find more information on the secretary of the state’s website or contact your registrar of voters.

Under a law passed in 2024, nursing home residents who apply for an absentee ballot within six days before the polls close may choose a designee to deliver their ballot.

Natalie Missakian covers federal and state policy and writes AARP’s Fighting for You Every Day blog. She previously worked as a reporter for the New Haven Register and daily newspapers in Ohio. She has also written for the AARP Bulletin, the Hartford Business Journal and other publications.