All you need to know about voting and Election Day 2020

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Election Day is fast approaching. Here is a break down of what you need to know about voting on Nov. 3.

Voting Eligibility

Are you eligible to vote? If you can answer yes to all three questions below, then the answer is yes.

Are you at least 17 and turning 18 before Election Day?
Are you a United States citizen living in Connecticut?
If you have been convicted of a felony, have you completed confinement and parole?

Registering to vote

The last day to register to vote is one week before Election Day, Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Those who aren’t sure if they’re registered to vote can check their status online.

If you would like to register online, you can do so here. Mail-in applications must be postmarked by Oct. 27.

Registering on Election Day

Missed the deadline to register? You can register to vote on Election Day, but not at your regular polling location.

Each town has an Election Day Registration location where you can register and vote. You’ll need proof of identity and residency. Locations can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.

Voting by absentee ballot

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut residents are permitted to submit their votes via absentee ballot.

In previous elections, only residents who were members of the armed forces, out of town on Election Day, had religious beliefs keeping them from secular activities, had an illness or disability, or working a polling place, were allowed to vote absentee.

The last day to request an absentee ballot is Nov. 2. However, town clerks suggest not waiting that long because you could miss the deadline to submit your ballot.

All absentee ballots are due by Nov. 3. Ballots must be mailed in by Election Day or placed in a drop box by 8 p.m.

To find the drop box closest to you, click here.

To check if your absentee ballot has been received by your town clerk, click here.

Voting at the poll

Voters are still allowed to hit the polls this Election Day.

If you’re voting in person, bring the following:

ID — Social Security card or any pre-printed form of ID that shows your name and address, or name and signature or name and photograph.
First-time voters who registered by mail will need to show proof of residence as well. Acceptable forms include: A current and valid photo ID that shows your name and address; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.
Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you will be able to sign an affidavit instead and then vote normally. If you’re a first-time voter without ID, you may vote a provisional ballot.

What to wear/not to wear

Keep in mind that in Connecticut, voters are not permitted to wear apparel from either candidate or anything that shows their likeness, including slogans, to the polls.

This comes from the state’s “75-foot rule,” which marks the line where candidates and their staff must stop soliciting for votes and where the elector’s right to vote in peace and privacy begins.

Due to the pandemic, voters are encouraged to wear masks, but they will not be enforced.

What if you have to quarantine?

With so many people voting by mail, there are still many who prefer to vote in-person. But, what do you do if you have planned to vote in-person and have to quarantine during the election?

Secretary of the State, Denise Merrill was asked this question on Twitter, and here ‘s what she said:

“If quarantined, you can call your town clerk for an emergency absentee ballot that can be hand-delivered to you on Election Day.”