Connecticut residents will head to the polls on November 5 to cast their votes in key races for president, Congress, and the state Legislature, along with a significant statewide ballot proposal aimed at enhancing voting access.
Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, along with former Republican President Donald Trump, will vie for the state’s seven electoral votes, part of the contest to succeed the exiting Democratic President Joe Biden.
In the race for U.S. Senate, two-term Democratic incumbent Christopher Murphy will confront Republican Matthew Corey, who previously challenged him in 2018. Additionally, two other candidates will join this match-up. Among the U.S. House races, five Democratic incumbents are seeking reelection, with the most competitive being the 5th Congressional District race. In that district, incumbent Representative Jahana Hayes faces George Logan, a Republican who narrowly lost to her in the previous election in 2022.
The Democratic Party is also aiming for supermajorities in both the state House and Senate to bolster support for their initiatives under Governor Ned Lamont.
Connecticut has consistently backed the Democratic candidate in the past eight presidential elections, establishing a strong likelihood of support for Harris this year. In the 2020 election, Biden won the state by a significant 20-point lead over Trump.
In addition to choosing political leaders, voters will also evaluate a proposed amendment allowing “no excuse” absentee voting. This would enable any voter to request a mail-in ballot, modifying the current requirement that necessitates an excuse to do so.
Key Information for the Upcoming Election:
- Election Day: November 5
- Poll Closing Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Presidential Electoral Votes: 7 awarded to the statewide winner
- Key Races and Candidates:
- President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- U.S. Senate: Murphy (D) vs. Corey (R) and two others.
- 5th Congressional District: Hayes (D) vs. Logan (R).
- Ballot Measures: Amendment – 1 (expand absentee voting).
A summary of past presidential results shows that in 2020, Biden secured 59% of the votes compared to Trump’s 39%, with calls made by news agencies at 8 p.m. ET on election night.
As for voter registration, there are currently 2,464,919 registered voters in Connecticut, reflecting approximately 36% registered as Democrats, about 20% as Republicans, and around 42% as unaffiliated.
In the 2020 presidential election, turnout reached 72% of registered voters, while pre-Election Day voting accounted for about 37% of total votes cast that year. However, in 2022, pre-Election Day ballots constituted around 12% of the total vote.
In terms of vote-counting timelines, the initial results were reported at 8:11 p.m. ET on November 3, 2020, rapidly showcasing 37% of the total votes cast by midnight.