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Voting in your state

Voting in Connecticut, 2026

Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.

Right nowEarly voting is open in Connecticut through Sunday, November 1.Election Day in 7 days

Every date, in order

  1. Mon, Oct 19 · passed
    Early voting begins
  2. Mon, Nov 2 · 6 days
    Last day for mail ballot applications
    Absentee applications must be received by Monday November 2, 2026, though applying by October 27 is recommended.1
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 7 days
    Election Day; Registration deadline; Mail ballots must arrive
    The regular deadline is Friday October 16, 2026, and after that voters can register and vote the same day during early voting or on Election Day. Mailed absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day, and ballots the voter returns in person by Monday November 2, 2026.1
  4. Thu, Nov 5 · 9 days
    County/Local canvass; County/Local certification
    Local returns are canvassed within 48 hours of the polls closing, by November 5.2
  5. Tue, Nov 17 · 21 days
    Deadline to contest the result
    A complaint must be filed within 14 days after the election, by November 17, 2026, or within seven days after any hand count is finished.3
  6. Wed, Nov 25 · 29 days
    State canvass; State certification
    The statewide canvass is due by Wednesday, November 25, 2026. Votes for members of Congress are canvassed statewide by the last Wednesday of November, the 25th.2

Questions people ask about voting in Connecticut

Q. When does early voting end in Connecticut?

Early voting runs from Monday October 19 through Sunday November 1, 2026.

Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Connecticut?

The regular deadline is Friday October 16, 2026, and after that voters can register and vote the same day during early voting or on Election Day.

Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Connecticut?

Absentee applications must be received by Monday November 2, 2026, though applying by October 27 is recommended.

Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Connecticut?

Mailed absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls on Election Day, and ballots the voter returns in person by Monday November 2, 2026.

Q. Who certifies the election in Connecticut, and by when?

Each town tallies its results and sends them to the Secretary of the State. Local returns are due 48 hours after the polls close, on November 5, 2026. The Treasurer, the Secretary of the State and the Comptroller certify the results for federal and legislative races, and the Legislature certifies the results for statewide offices. Votes for Congress are counted and the winners declared on the last Wednesday of November, November 25, 2026.

Q. What happens after the count in Connecticut, and when is there a recount?

A recanvass is automatic when the margin is less than one half of one percent, up to 2,000 votes, or fewer than 20 votes, and it must take place within five business days of the election.

Q. How long is there to contest an election in Connecticut?

A complaint must be filed within 14 days after the election, by November 17, 2026, or within seven days after any hand count is finished.

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Sources

  1. Vote.org, Connecticut Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/connecticut/
  2. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
  3. NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
  4. NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
  5. Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
  6. NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines

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