Everything you need to know about
Absentee Ballots
Are you eligible for an Absentee Ballot?
Connecticut has strict laws regarding who can vote absentee. You are eligible to vote by Absentee Ballot if you answer “YES” to any of the questions below.
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- Are you an active member of the armed forces of the United States?
- Will you be out of town on Election Day?
- Does sickness prevent you from voting in person on Election Day?
- Do your religious beliefs prevent you from performing secular activities like voting on Election Day?
- Will you be performing duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own on Election Day?
- Does a physical disability prevent you from voting in person on election day?
- And, new this year, Are you unable to go to your polling place on Election Day because of absence from your town for a period of time on Election Day, because of a sickness, or because of a disability? This includes voters who are unable to go to their polling place because of a sickness or physical disability of another person, or because of the continued presence of a sickness, such as the COVID-19 virus.
If you answered Yes, you’re eligible for an Absentee Ballot! Now, you need to complete and return an application to get an Absentee Ballot.
Here’s how:
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- Online: Download and complete the application for an absentee ballot.
- By mail: You can request an application be mailed to you by contacting your town clerk.
- By fax: Fax the completed application, if your town clerk has a fax machine. But you must also return the original application to the town clerk, either separately or with your completed Absentee Ballot. The application and Absentee Ballot must be received (not postmarked) by the close of polls on Election Day, November 8th, for the Absentee Ballot to be counted.
- In person: Visit your town clerk. You can apply through the day before Election Day, which is Monday, November 7, 2022.
Applications for Absentee Ballots are returned to your town or city clerk.
In the event of an unforeseen illness or physical disability within six days of the polls closing, you can submit an emergency application for an absentee ballot. Read more on the state’s Absentee Voting webpage.
Accessible Applications and Ballots for people with print disabilities.
The Absentee Ballot application and ballot has been updated to make it accessible by screen readers, and includes a check box to indicate that the you, the voter, requires a ballot emailed to you because of a print disability.
The process and procedure for those who need accommodations for print disabilities are as follows:
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- Once the town clerk receives this application with the specified box checked off, they will send out an Absentee Ballot packet – containing the outer envelope and inner envelope – WITHOUT a paper ballot, directly to you.
- The town clerk will notify the Office of the Secretary of the State that you need an accessible ballot and will provide them with your
email address. - The Office of the Secretary of the State will email an accessible ballot directly to you.
- You will be able to read and fill out the ballot using your screen reader, print it out, and return it in the Absentee Ballot packet that was sent to by the town clerk.
- You MUST sign the inner envelope, and local election officials have been instructed to approve the inner envelopes that are signed, even if the signature is not in the correct spot.
- The accessible ballots will be hand counted, as they will be printed on normal paper with normal ink and cannot be fed into the tabulator.
Once you receive your ballot , you vote!
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- Carefully read and follow the instructions on the ballot. Instructions may be on the reverse side of the ballot.
- Place your completed ballot into the inner envelope and seal it.
- Sign and date the inner envelope where indicated.
- You can:
- Mail your voted ballot to the address indicated on the outer return envelope. It must be received (not postmarked) no later than 8 p.m. — the close of polls — on Election Day, November 8th.
- Use your town’s Drop Box. It must be in the Drop Box no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- In person: You must return your ballot to your town clerk by the close of business Monday, November 7, 2022, the day before Election Day.
- Double-check the deadlines and be sure to submit your completed ballot on time to be sure it is counted.
- Contact your Local Election Office if you have any questions.
You can track your absentee ballot by logging into the state’s voter portal to see if your absentee ballot was received by your town clerk.
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