Len Besthoff takes a look at the process of voting by absentee ballot in Connecticut.
All registered voters in Connecticut will be able to vote by absentee ballot for the November election if they choose because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is what you need to know if you choose to vote this way rather than in person.
Election Day 2020
The general election will be on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day and registered voters can vote in-person or by absentee ballot.
Connecticut's Secretary of the State and other leaders said Thursday they are more concerned about election misinformation than about actual voter fraud.
How to Get an Absentee Ballot
If you want to vote by absentee ballot in Connecticut, you need to:
- Obtain an absentee ballot application: The Secretary of the State has mailed absentee ballot applications to every active, registered voter in the state. If you haven't received one yet, it should arrive in the mail within the next several days. You can also download the application online here. The governor’s office reminds that this is not a ballot, it is an application that you need to fill out to request a ballot.
- Fill out the application: When you fill out the application, check a box indicating the reason why you need to vote using an absentee ballot. This year, all voters have the option of selecting "COVID-19" as a reason, in addition to the six existing reasons.
- Send the application to your Town Clerk: Once you have filled it out, you must send the application to the town clerk where you are registered to vote. You can drop it in one of the secure ballot boxes that have been installed outside of every town hall, send it in the mail, or hand deliver it at your town clerk's office.
- Once the application is processed, an absentee ballot will be mailed to the voter starting on Oct. 2: Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who requested one beginning Oct. 2.
- Complete your absentee ballot: When filling out your absentee ballot, follow all of the instructions or your vote may not be processed. Sign the inner envelope, seal only your ballot inside of the inner envelope -- one ballot per envelope --, and seal the inner envelope inside of the outer envelope.
- Send your completed absentee ballot to your Town Clerk: Send your completed ballot to the Town Clerk where you are registered to vote. You can drop it in one of the secure ballot boxes that have been installed outside of every Town Hall, send it in the mail, or hand deliver it at your Town Clerk's office.
- All ballots must be received by the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Nov. 3: To ensure that the Town Clerk receives your absentee ballot in time and it doesn't get held up due to delays in mail delivery, the governor’s office says it is strongly recommended that you return your ballot by using the secure drop boxes that have been installed outside of your local Town Hall.
Are You Registered?
Local
Check here to see if you are registered to vote.
Find Your Polling Place
You can find your polling place here.
Town Clerk Information
Get information on the town clerks in the state here.
Election Deadlines
- Online Voter Registration Deadline- October 27 (11:59 p.m.)
- Mail Postmark Voter Registration Deadline- October 27
- In-Person Voter Registration Deadline- October 27
- Absentee Ballots Available- Friday, October 2
- Absentee Ballots Received by local Town Clerk (or will not be counted)- Close of Polls 8 p.m. - November 3
