Connecticut Secretary of The State Voting Fact Sheet for Students

Am I eligible to vote in CT?

• Are you at least 17 and turning 18 on or before Election Day?

• Are you a United States Citizen and a bona fide resident of some town in Connecticut?

• If you have been convicted of a felony, have you completed confinement and parole, and, if applicable, paid all fines in connection with your conviction?

  Please note that if your conviction involved a violation of election law, then you should check with the Division of Criminal Justice before you attempt to register.

If you can answer YES to all three of these questions, you are eligible to vote in CT

How do I register to vote in CT?

There are two different ways you can register to vote in CT.  You are able to register online if you have a CT DMV ID, otherwise you are able to complete a paper registration card and deliver it to your local Registrar of Voters before the registration deadlines. CT also has Election Day Registration available. Visit myvote.ct.gov, for more info.

Important Connecticut Election Dates and Deadlines

What is an acceptable form of identification for voting?

Photo Identification is not required.  For most voters, your identification must fit one of the following requirements for it to be accepted as a valid form of ID at the polls:

• name and address, or name and signature, or, name and photograph

However, for voters who are voting for the first time in a municipality, and lacked proper identification when registering, some additional types of identification may be required. Contact your local registrar of voters’ office or visit myvote.ct.gov, for more information on ID requirements.

I attend college in CT but am from another state, where do I vote?

There are some college students who would prefer to vote in their home state.  Each State’s deadlines for registering to vote and obtaining an absentee ballot are different.  Make sure you check with that State’s election officials.  If you are already registered to vote in another state, you may choose to vote by casting an absentee ballot in that state. Visit myvote.ct.gov, for more info and links to other Secretary of States’ websites.

I am from CT and attending college in CT (or in another state), how do I vote back in my hometown?

Any citizen has the right to cast their vote by absentee ballot if they meet one of the following reasons: You are an active member of the armed forces of the US; you will be out of town during all hours of voting on election day; your illness prevents you from voting in person on election day; your religious beliefs prevent you from voting on election day; you are preforming duties as an election official at a polling location other than your own; you have a physical disability that prevents you from voting in person on election day.  Visit myvote.ct.gov, for more information and links to the application.

What is the difference between my physical and mailing address?

A mailing address is some place where you are able to receive mail and your physical address is where you are located.  Your physical address determines where you vote, not your mailing address. Some colleges use your dorm room or apartment number as both your physical and mailing address, where some do not. An example would be you live in Smith Hall but you get your mail delivered to the Student Center.  Your mailing address could be 5555 Education Circle, College in CT, Anytown, CT, 06000; while your physical address would be 101 Smith Hall, College in CT.  Visit myvote.ct.gov, for more info.

What happens if I miss one of the registration deadlines, can I still register and vote on the day of the election? (Election Day Registration)

You may register and vote in person on Election Day if you meet the eligibility requirements for voting in this state and you are not already registered, OR you are registered in one town and want to change your registration because you currently reside in another town.  Election Day Registration is not available at your polling place.  Contact your local registrar of voter’s office for information about your town’s designated EDR location and ID requirements.  You will need to provide proof of identity and residency.  Visit myvote.ct.gov, for more info.

For links and more detailed information please visit myvote.ct.gov

This material is designed to provide basic information to the voters of Connecticut and is not meant to be a comprehensive review of Connecticut election law.  Please contact the Secretary of the State at (860) 509-6100 if you have specific questions, concerns or complaints.