Yale Daily News

This month, most Yale students face a stark choice: whether to register to vote in their home state or in Connecticut. Connecticut is hardly a swing state, but voters in New Haven will elect state representatives, state senators, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a U.S. senator on Nov. 5. 

For those wishing to vote in Connecticut, the News has compiled a guide on the upcoming election.

Voters have the option to register to vote via mail, online or in person. According to the Office of the Secretary of State’s Voter Guide, standard mail-in voter registration applications must be postmarked by Friday, Oct. 18. Eligible voters can also apply online before Friday at 11:59 p.m. with a valid Connecticut driver’s license. To register in person, voters can apply at the Connecticut DMV or at the New Haven Registrar of Voters office at 200 Orange St. 

Alternatively, eligible voters may complete same-day registration at a designated location during early voting or on Election Day. Voters will need to show identification and proof of residency to register, according to the Secretary of State.

Yale students are eligible to vote in New Haven using their residential college, Old Campus or off-campus addresses. Students must provide identification and proof of residency to register, which can be fulfilled by submitting mail sent to any of the addresses listed above.

Students can also vote by mail in their home state, although registration deadlines vary by state. 

The first absentee ballots in Connecticut were mailed on Friday, Oct. 4, but voters can submit an application for absentee voting at any time. Early voting, offered in Connecticut for the first time in this year’s primary, begins on Monday, Oct. 21, and will run until Nov. 3. Emergency absentee ballots can be requested starting Wednesday, Oct. 30, for those unexpectedly unable to vote in person.

Important Elections

A number of important federal and state offices are on the ballot this November. These include:

Federal offices:

• U.S. President: Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz face former President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance LAW ’13. Connecticut is expected to vote overwhelmingly for Harris. 
• U.S. Senate: Connecticut’s incumbent junior Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat and member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is facing a long-shot challenge from Republican businessman Matt Corey. 
• U.S. House of Representatives: Long-time New Haven area Democratic Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, ranking member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and dean of Connecticut’s congressional delegation, will face Republican Michael Massey in the race for the overwhelmingly Democratic 3rd congressional district, which includes New Haven. 

State offices:

• State Senate: Long-time State Senator and Senate Pro Tempore Martin Looney is running for reelection in the 11th district, which includes most of downtown New Haven and Yale’s campus. State Senator and Chief Deputy Majority Leader Gary Winfield is also running for reelection in the 10th district, which includes most of the city’s southern and western neighborhoods. They face Republican challengers Steve Orosco and Nyrell Moore, respectively. 
• State Representative: Rep. Toni Walker is running for reelection unopposed in District 93, which includes Morse and Ezra Stiles colleges. Steven Winter is running unopposed for the vacant District 94 seat, which includes Trumbull, Berkeley, Grace Hopper, Benjamin Franklin, Silliman, Timothy Dwight and Pauli Murray colleges. Rep. Roland Lemar is running for reelection in District 96, which includes Pierson, Branford, Saybrook, Jonathan Edwards and Davenport colleges as well as Old Campus. Lemar is facing Republican challenger Andrea Zola.

Voters will also elect the New Haven Registrar of Voters and vote to approve or reject a state constitutional amendment making every voter in the state eligible for absentee voting.

Polling Locations & Hours

The polls will be open for early voting from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day, with the exception of Oct. 29 and 31, when polls will open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

On Election Day, polls in the state will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Absentee ballots must be submitted by 8:00 p.m. 

Voters can find their nearest polling location on the state’s website.  

The New Haven City Clerk provides a list of polling locations for each precinct on their website. Nearby polling locations include the New Haven Free Public Library at 133 Elm St., the Wexler-Grant School at 55 Foote St. and the New Haven Hall of Records at 200 Orange St.

What to bring to the polls

Most voters in Connecticut are required to bring their social security card or “any pre-printed form of ID” with their name and either their address, signature or photograph. Yale Student IDs are a valid form of identification in Connecticut.

Voters casting their ballot in Connecticut for the first time who fail to provide adequate proof of residency in their initial application are required to bring either a copy of a valid photo ID with their name and address listed or an official government document — utility bill, bank statement or check — with their name and address. Such voters without the required identification can cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted once they prove their eligibility to vote. 

A sample New Haven ballot is available on the Secretary of State’s website.