Politics & Government

Deadlines Approaching for Primaries

Towns across the state will hold primaries Tuesday.

Tuesday is primary day in Connecticut, the day voters go to the polls to cast ballots in run-off contests for the November municipal elections. And for those planning to cast their votes in this Tuesday’s primary, there are a number of important deadlines looming for Monday that they should be aware of, deadlines established by the Secretary of the State’s office.

For instance, if you plan to vote in the primary you need to make sure you’re registered to do so. You have until noon on Monday to register with your town’s registrar of voters or town clerk. Noon Monday is also the cutoff for those same town officials to receive mail-in registration forms from anyone wishing to vote in the primary.  However, mail-in applications from servicemen or women serving outside of the country can be received until the end of the business day on Monday.

This Tuesday there are primaries in several central Connecticut towns, including Killingworth, Middlefield and Middletown.

Find out what's happening in Rocky Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Certain voters can cast absentee ballots in the primary, and absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk either by the close of the polls on Tuesday if they are mailed in or if they are delivered by a member of the voter’s immediate family or a qualified designee of an ill or physically disabled voter. Otherwise, absentee ballots must be filed with voting officials by Monday. Voting officials in the towns must also certify by Monday the receipt of all absentee ballots cast. They don’t actually count the votes, but must process those ballots by checking off the names of voters against their voter registration lists.

However, if you haven’t already submitted an absentee ballot for a primary in your town, you might still be eligible to do so, even on primary day.

Find out what's happening in Rocky Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to deadlines established by the secretary of the state, absentee ballots normally can’t be issued on the day of a primary, except to voters who suddenly become ill within six days immediately before the close of the polls on primary day or those who were hospitalized within that six-day period. For those who qualify under those criteria, voting officials can issue them an absentee ballot and they can vote in the primary up to the closing of the polls that day.

Monday is also the cutoff by which town clerks must have sample ballots ready for the primary and town registrars must have completed certifying party enrollment lists for the primary. For instance, that latter process includes removing from official party rolls the names of electors who have died or moved out of town. If your name is accidentally removed from the list and you show up at the polls to vote on Tuesday, your name will be restored to the list only if the registrar, or their assistant, is contacted and approves adding your name back to the official roster.

For a complete list of deadlines and rules for the municipal primary and the Nov. 8 general election, click here.

For a complete list of primaries in Connecticut, click here, or see the PDF attached above.

To find the polling places in your town, click here.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here