Connecticut allows people to register to vote on Election Day. To do so, would-be voters need to visit a designated Election Day registration site, which may not be the same as your local polling place. To find your designated Election Day registration site, you will need to check the Secretary of the State's website or with your local Registrar of Voters. If you are registering to vote on Election Day, you will need to show identification that includes your name and address. Examples of identification that you can use for this purpose include: a Connecticut driver's license, a utility bill, or a checkbook.
As long as you are in the registration line by 8 p.m., you have the right to register and to cast your ballot on election night. In the past, some municipalities have cut off registration at 8 p.m., but a law passed in 2020 affirms that if you are in line by 8 p.m., you have the right to register and cast your vote that day. If you or someone you know are in line by 8 p.m. on Election Day and are prevented from registering to vote, contact the ACLU of Connecticut.
We believe in liberty, justice, and equality for all, including equal access to the ballot box. That’s why Election Day registration is a good idea: it gives more people the chance to make their voices heard. Turning people away from the registration line, however, reduces the number of Connecticut residents who can vote and weakens our democracy. It disproportionately harms minorities, immigrants, the poor, and people who live in cities.
Download and share our guide, "Know Your Rights: Registering to Vote on Election Day in Connecticut," below.
