So Many Questions…So Little Time! Your FAQs About Voting Asked and Answered…
October 29, 2020
Can you drop your absentee ballot in a different town's drop box? No. Each drop box is unique to that municipality and monitored/emptied by that municipality’s Town Clerk.
Does Connecticut do signature matching on the absentee ballot application with the absentee ballot inner envelope? No. We only require that the inner envelope be signed, and do not match the signatures with the signature on the application.
What recourse do you have if someone bothers you at the polls? Contact the Elections Moderator inside the polling place for any trouble inside or out, they have the authority to contact local law enforcement and if necessary, the Secretary of the State’s office. No electioneering is allowed outside a polling place inside the 75-foot marker. And voter intimidation of any kind is a felony in Connecticut.
If I put my absentee ballot in my town’s drop box on Election Day will it be counted? Yes, but perhaps not until the next day, November 4th. All drop boxes will be locked at 8 pm and cannot receive any additional ballots.
How do I track my absentee ballot? Use the look up tool under the "Am I registered?" question on the SOTS website. Here is the direct link: https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx
Can I be a poll watcher? Outside the 75-foot marker yes, but only election officials and voters assigned to that polling location are allowed inside the polling place, with a few exceptions such as Unofficial Checkers, Runners and Challengers. All exceptions must be registered and approved by Registrars of both parties before Election Day. In Connecticut, you cannot just drop in and be a poll watcher inside the building. And, once a person has voted, they must leave and cannot remain inside the polling place.
How do I know that my absentee ballot will be counted? If your absentee ballot has been received (and you can check to see if it has been, check here: https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx ) and you filled it out correctly (filled in the ovals, signed the inner envelope) it will be counted.
If I voted by absentee ballot (mail in or drop box) and decide I want to vote in person, can I retrieve my absentee ballot and vote in person? Yes, but because of the anticipated increase in volume of absentee ballots this year due to Covid-19, the legislature passed HB 7005 on October 1st. Towns may require that absentee ballots be retrieved before 5 pm on Oct 30th in order to vote in person on Election Day. But towns can still choose to allow voters to retrieve their ballots until 5 pm on November 2nd. Check your Town Clerk’s website to see what the deadline is for retrieving a ballot that has already been processed in your town. Either way, to retrieve your ballot you must physically go to your Town Clerk’s office to get your ballot back.
Will I have privacy at the polls, how far away do “poll watchers” have to stand and can they photograph me? Yes, your vote will be private. There is no electioneering within the 75-foot marker outside a polling place. Once you are inside the polling location, you will have privacy to vote in the privacy booths. Connecticut does not allow “poll watchers” inside polling locations. Photography of any kind is not permitted in the polling place, not even selfies. In fact, even authorized members of the press are not allowed to take pictures of any individual’s ballot. Wait to take your selfie outside with your “I Voted” sticker.
What’s the quickest way to find my polling place, that is, most direct web address? Use the voter look-up tool: https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx
If I've moved recently and not changed my address with the Registrar, should I just go to my old polling place? If you have moved within the same town you are not a new voter, but you may have to go to a different polling location. Once there you can fill out a registration card with your new address and be added to the voter list.
What if my ballot is “naked” (without the inner envelope) will it be rejected? Yes. Ballots that are contained within the outer envelope but without the sealed, signed inner envelope will be rejected.
What if I made a mistake on my absentee ballot, can I get a new one? No, due to the time constraints with getting back the spoiled ballot and receiving a new one it is not possible to correct an absentee ballot. That is why it is important to follow the instructions carefully the first time.
If there is a problem with my absentee ballot, will I be notified? Probably not. The process of sorting absentee ballots is geared toward voter privacy—outer envelopes and inner envelopes are intentionally separated into piles to avoid those handling the ballots knowing which ballot belongs to which envelope/voter. Currently, contacting voters who make mistakes is not part of election law in Connecticut.
Don’t see your question here? Ask us directly at voterservices [at] lwvct.org
If you are looking for more information about the candidates on your ballot visit www.Vote411.org or for general information about voting, visit our website www.lwvct.org.
