CONNECTICUT

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Election Information

Are you a student in Wisconsin? Make your voice heard by voting in the upcoming Spring General and Presidential Preference Election on April 2nd. Your vote matters and can make a difference in your community. Don’t miss this opportunity to have a say in the future of your community and country.

State Voting Guide

Voter Registration Deadline: 7 days before a general election; 5 days before a primary election.

Election Day registration is available at certain locations beginning at 6am and ending at 8pm.

2023

  • Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline (online or by mail): September 7

  • Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline (at registrar’s office): September 11 at noon

  • Primary Election: September 12

  • General Election Voter Registration Deadline (online or by mail): October 31

  • General Election: November 7

Students have a decision about where to register to vote.

You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family’s home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.

You may only be registered and vote in one location.

Connecticut’s paper registration form asks for your Connecticut driver’s license or ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you do not have one of these numbers, you can include the following with your registration form:

  • A copy of a current and valid photo I.D.;

  • A copy of a current utility bill;

  • A bank statement;

  • A government check;

  • A paycheck; or

  • A government document that shows your name and address

To register to vote using the state’s online registration system, you must have a driver’s license, learner’s permit or non-driver photo identification card issued by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

To register on Election Day, you will need proof of identity and proof of residency such as a student ID card and a utility bill or tuition statement that lists your name and Connecticut address. Contact your local Registrar of Voters office to make sure you bring proper ID with you.

All registered voters are asked to present a form of ID when voting in person on Election Day. You can show:

  • Your Social Security card; or

  • Any form of preprinted ID that shows your name and address, or your name and signature, or your name and photograph.

If you do not have an acceptable ID, you may sign an affidavit affirming your identity. More information about voter ID requirements in Connecticut is available at

portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/FAQ/FAQ—Voter-Identification.

If you register to vote on Election Day, you must provide proof of identity and residency, such as a student ID card and a utility bill or tuition statement that lists your name and Connecticut address. 

Contact your local Registrar of Voters office to make sure you bring proper ID with you.

Make a plan. Track your absentee ballot, look up your voting site and hours at:

dir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx

By Mail

Connecticut requires an excuse to vote by mail. Acceptable excuses include:

  • Active service in the U.S. armed forces;

  • Absence from town during all hours of voting on Election Day;

  • Illness;

  • Physical disability;

  • Your religion forbids secular (non-religious) activity on that day; or

  • Working at a polling place other than your own during all hours of Election Day.

Your vote-by-mail application must be received by the municipal clerk by the 7th day before Election Day. If you submit it electronically, you must also mail the printed, signed copy to your clerk.

Voters with print disabilities may request a ballot delivered by email. More information is available at: portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Voter-Information/Accommodations-for-Voters-with-Print-Disabilities

You can return your absentee ballot by mail or in-person at your municipal clerk’s office or at a secure drop box. Please contact your municipal clerk’s office for drop box locations. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the clerk by the close of polls on Election Day.

Election Day

Voting sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time, you have the right to vote.

Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:

Federal Financial Aid

Where you register to vote won’t affect federal financial aid like Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA

Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes

Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes

Tuition Status

Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community

Will registering to vote in Connecticut affect my driver’s license or car registration?

Voting in Connecticut may affect your driver’s license and car registration. You may wish to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles for more information.

Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Connecticut legal professional.

Last updated June 2023

Policy Updates

Testimony Opposing Wisconsin SB 935, Which Would Impose New and Needless Requirements for Absentee Ballot Certificate Envelopes (2022)

Litigation Updates:

In late September 2022, Fair Elections Center along with Wisconsin-based Law Forward, filed a complaint on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin in Dane County Circuit Court, seeking both clarity and protection for absentee voters whose ballots have technical defects.

In 2024, Wisconsin courts ruled in favor of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin in its lawsuit to clarify voting rights protections for voters whose absentee ballots have minor errors in listing their witnesses’ addresses. This decision means that absentee ballots with certain technical witness address defects will not be rejected in future elections.

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