What are party primaries?

Primaries are elections held by political parties to determine which candidates qualify to run for office in November’s general election. You will see Connecticut’s largest parties—the Democratic Party and the Republican Party—listed on your Connecticut voter registration form. There are also many minor parties, including the Green Party, the Independent Party, the Libertarian Party, the Working Families Party, and more.

Why do Connecticut’s closed primaries matter?

• Primary voters have a lot of power to influence the outcomes of Connecticut mid-term elections this year. Connecticut has a “closed primary system”, meaning that parties only allow their members to vote in the primary to determine the party’s candidates for the general election.
• In 2025, over 42% of Connecticut’s 2.5 million registered voters were not affiliated with a party and were therefore excluded from participating in the primaries.
• Primary voter turnout is much lower than general election turnout, which means that an even smaller percentage of party-affiliated voters decide who the candidates will be in November. In Connecticut, only 7.6% of eligible Republican voters and only 16% of eligible Democratic voters cast a ballot in their August 2024 party primary.
• If a district is dominated by one party, the outcome of the general election tends to be determined by that party’s primary election, if they have one, so primary voters can play a big role in influencing who ultimately wins in Novemeber.

Who is on the primary ballot this August 11?

Primary voters will determine which candidates we'll see in the November mid-term election for governor, as well as members of the Connecticut General Assembly, and members of Congress. Check out the Secretary of the State's Primary Sample Ballots to see which parties will be holding a primary and who will appear on the primary ballots in your voting district, or Contact your City Clerk to request an absentee ballot.

Can all registered voters participate in the primaries?

No. Due to Connecticut's closed primary system, any registered voter who wishes to participate in a party primary must be registered with that particular party. To vote in the Democratic Party Primary, you must be registered as a Democrat. To vote in the Republican Party Primary, you must be registered as a Republican. Registering with a party doesn’t mean you have to vote for that party’s candidate in the general election in November.

What are the differences and similarities between an "Independent voter" and an "unaffiliated voter"?

In Connecticut, an Independent voter is registered as a member of the Independent Party, while an unaffiliated voter is not registered with any political party. Indpendent voters and unaffiliated voters alike are not allowed to vote in either the Republican Party primary or the Democratic Party primary.

How do I register or update my registration in time to vote in the August 11 Primary?

Check your registration status, affiliation, and polling location online at MyVote.CT.gov/lookup or by calling your registrar of voters. New voters and unaffiliated voters have until the regular deadlines below to affiliate with a party and vote in a party primary.

• July 24 is the deadline for registering to vote by mail (must be postmarked by this date), at the DMV (by close of business), or online (by 11:59pm).
• August 10 is the deadline to register in person with your registrar of voters, for new and unaffiliated voters.

For voters currently enrolled with a party who wish to switch their party affiliation and vote in another party's primary, it's too late. The deadline was three months before the primary - or May 11, 2026.

I am registered with a party and ready for the primary. When and where do I vote on August 11?

Polls are open 6 AM to 8 PM on Tuesday, August 11. Find your polling location online at MyVote.CT.gov/lookup or call your town hall. If you're waiting in line by 8 PM you have the legal right to vote regardless of the time it takes for the line to move. 

Where can I find more Connecticut election information online?

Visit page VOTE411.org for nonpartisan election information from the League of Women Voters Education Fund, or go to the source by visiting the Secretary of the State's Voter information page at MyVote.CT.gov.