Connecticut Republicans have repeatedly stated that Donald Trump is not on the ballot this year, but still Democrats have blamed the president’s policies from tariffs to the Iran War for the increased cost of living in Connecticut. Republicans instead lay the affordability crisis at the feet of Gov. Ned Lamont, who is seeking his third term, as they seek to flip seats from the governor’s office to districts across the state.
On both sides, there’s an increased urgency to get voters to turn out compared to most midterm elections.
Democrats are hoping to get a jump on it by pushing early voting, which begins today and runs every day through Nov. 1. There is one early voting location per town and one at each of Connecticut’s public universities: Central, Eastern, Western and Southern Connecticut State Universities and UConn. To find your location, visit MyVote.CT.gov.
Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy all announced their intent to vote today to encourage voters to take advantage of early voting, which the state first rolled out in 2024.
Early voting allows voters to vote in person on whatever day they choose. Hours run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 29, according to the Secretary of the State’s Office.
The process gets an upgrade this year that will make voting more secure and faster to calculate: early voting will use voting machines rather than paper ballots stored in envelopes until Election Day.
“Between work, family and everything else on our to-do lists, life can get complicated. Voting doesn’t have to be. Connecticut voters have three ways to cast their ballots — in person during Early Voting, on Election Day or by absentee ballot — so they can choose what works best for them,” Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said in a statement.
“Our Office works year-round with local election officials to prepare for elections and protect the integrity of the process. And this year, we listened to voters and worked with the Legislature to improve Early Voting. Now, voters will place their completed ballots directly into a tabulator, just as they do on Election Day, giving them a more familiar voting experience and greater confidence in the process.”
In addition to early voting, regular polling places will be open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. Those locations are also available at MyVote.CT.gov.
No-excuse absentee voting is now available as well. Any resident may now vote by absentee ballot with no need for a reason. Applications are available online or may be filled out on paper and mailed or brought to the town clerk where the voter resides. The deadline to request a ballot is Nov. 2. To be counted, ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day and they must be signed. Ballots can be returned by mail, at official ballot drop boxes, or to the town clerk by the voter or a designated representative in the case of an ill or disabled voter.
Thomas is urging first-time absentee voters to carefully complete their ballots and print and sign their required return envelopes before returning them. Adding a phone number or email to the envelope will assist the town clerk in contacting the voter in case of an issue.
“If a voter forgets to sign the absentee-ballot return envelope, Connecticut law allows the voter to correct that mistake in person at their Town Clerk’s
office. Town Clerks must make their best effort to contact the voter by phone or email, and the voter has until polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day to cure the missing signature,” according to the Secretary of the State’s Office.
For more information or to request a ballot, visit portal.ct.gov/sots.
Same-day registration is available for those who are eligible and those who wish may register and cast a ballot at the same time. Those who are 18 years old on or before Election Day, are a United States Citizen and a resident of a Connecticut town are eligible to vote. Those who have been convicted of a felony may vote if they have completed confinement. To check if you are registered to vote and where your polling location is, visit portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx.
The Secretary of the State’s Office website has sample ballots that show the ballot each voter will receive for their town, including candidates for each office representing the district. This year’s election will decide the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of the state, treasurer, comptroller and attorney general, as well as the state’s Congressional representatives, state senators and representatives and in some cases local offices. Sample ballots are uploaded as they become available at portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/town-ballots/2026-november-town-election-ballots. As of Sunday, not all towns were available.
The Secretary of the State’s Office administers elections though they are run by certified local officials and volunteers. In the 2026 voting guide, the Office affirmed its commitment to ensuring the integrity of Connecticut elections as the president casts doubt on it.
“In Connecticut, we have always protected elections with multiple layers of security, including the statewide use of paper ballots, rigorous post-election audits, and clear procedures to track and verify ballots. We also work to continually strengthen our election system, most recently by adding video monitoring to drop box sites and investing $20 million in new, state-of-the-art voting tabulators. These efforts reflect our commitment to improving the process, responding to challenges, and building voter confidence through transparency,” the voter guide says.
For more information, see MyVoteCT.gov.