Voter Registration in Connecticut

The Connecticut Secretary of the State (SOTS) oversees voter registration. Local registrars manage registration applications and other voting issues.

Read below for more information about registering to vote in Connecticut.

Voter Eligibility in Connecticut

In order to register to vote in Connecticut, you must be:

• A United States citizen.
• A resident of Connecticut.
• At least 17 years old to register.
  • You must be 18 years old on or before Election Day.

NOTE: If you have a felony conviction, you CANNOT vote if you are imprisoned or on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon the release of incarceration and, if applicable, parole.

Register to Vote in Connecticut

You can register to vote in CT:

• Online.
• By mail.
• In person.

You are not officially registered to vote until your application has been approved. You should receive approval confirmation within 3 weeks. If you do not receive conformation, contact your local Registrar of Voters.

Online

Connecticut residents can register to vote online through the Online Voter Registration System.

To register online, you must have a valid CT driver's license, permit, or photo ID card, and a signature on file with the DMV.

When applying online:

• Complete all the required fields as you go through the application.
• Understand that you are not a registered voter until you are approved by the Registrar of Voters.
  • You'll receive confirmation within 3 weeks. If you don't get confirmation, check with your Registrar of Voters.

By Mail

To register to vote by mail:

• Complete the State of Connecticut Mail-In Voter Registration (Form Voter Registration).
• Mail it to your local town hall.

NOTE: Although the form can be folded and mailed, be sure to mail it in an envelope if you print it at home so that it arrives undamaged.

In Person

You can also take your completed State of Connecticut Mail-In Voter Registration (Form Voter Registration) to your local town hall or voter registration office.

Election Day Registration in CT

You can register to vote on Election Day if you are eligible to vote in CT AND you:

• Are registering for the first time.
  OR
  
• Have moved to a new town.

You MUST provide identification and proof of residency to register on Election Day.

Contact your local Registrar of Voters for Election Day registration locations. (You CANNOT register at polling places.)

Military & Out-of-State CT Voters

Out-of-State Residents

Out-of-state Connecticut residents can register to vote by mail. (See Register to Vote in CT above.)

If you'll be outside of CT during the election, you may wish to vote absentee. The CT SOTS provides instructions on absentee voting.

Absentee Voting

The CT SOTS provides a great deal of information about the state's absentee voting policies, including a list of specific voters eligible to vote absentee. Examples include, but aren't limited to:

• Out-of-state voters.
• People with illnesses or physical disabilities.
• Election officials working polls (that aren't their own) during voting hours.

College students also can vote absentee, but they have different options on voting locations. Refer to the state's section on voting eligibility for information on the ways college students can vote.

Visit the state's section on absentee voting for details about who can vote absentee, how to obtain absentee ballots, and voting deadlines.

Military & Overseas Voter Registration

Connecticut residents who are out of state for military service (and their dependents) OR living overseas can register to vote online or by mail.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program also allows military and overseas voters to both register AND request an absentee ballot by completing the Federal Post Card Application (Form 76). You can use the FVAP's online assistant to help you complete the application.

For more information on military voting, see the CT SOTS website.

Deadlines to Register to Vote in CT

The deadline to register to vote in CT depends on the election type. Your registration must be delivered or postmarked by the following deadlines:

• Primary:
  • 5th day before the primary if registering online or postmarked if by mail.
  • By 12 p.m. the last business day before the primary, if registering in person.
• Election:
  • The 18th day before the election if registering online or by mail.
  • By the 18th day before the election date if registering in person.

NOTE: You may be able to register to vote in person on Election Day at specific locations. See “Register to Vote in CT" above for more information.

Change Your CT Voter Registration

You must change your voter registration if you:

• Move to CT.
• Move to a new town.
• Move to a new address in the same town.
• Change your name.

To update your registration:

• Change your information online.
  OR
  
• Re-submit the State of Connecticut Mail-In Voter Registration (Form Voter Registration) for name, address, or party affiliation changes.
  • NOTE: Changes to political party affiliations require a waiting period of 3 months

You can update your information on Election Day ONLY IF you are changing your address.

• See our Register to Vote in CT section for more information on registering the day of the election.

NOTE: If you move to a new town, you must re-register in your new town of residence. See Register to Vote in CT above.

Check Your CT Voter Registration

You can check your voter registration status and information with the Connecticut SOTS Voter Registration Lookup.

Contact your local Registrar of Voters if you have questions or concerns.