Elections & Voting

Overview of resources on elections and voting, with focus on Connecticut

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Elections & Voting

The Secretary of the State's office is the primary site for information on elections in Connecticut.

Elections are held for federal, state, and local offices. Connecticut does not have a county government system. Special districts elect their officers.

On the state level, the Secretary of the State is the Commissioner of Elections and responsible for elections and voting. On the local level, town clerks maintain the records of voter registration and are the chief local election official. 

Connecticut has essentially three types of local government based on Home Rule and/or the town charter. Therefore, the election process for local offices may vary. There are also boroughs and special districts within municipalities.

Elections for the Connecticut General Assembly are held every two years.

General Election - winner assumes the office

Primary Election - held within a political party when a nomination is contested. In Connecticut, only registered members of a political party may vote within that party's primary. This is a closed primary system.

See also:

For nation-wide research, you might try resources on the Other Institutions page (see side navigation).

The Register and Manual lists elected (and many appointed) officials at state and local levels. The Connecticut State Library has an historic collection, with many digitized volumes available. The guide below has links to online volumes.

Connecticut General Assembly

CGA  FAQ page: "Members are elected in November of even-numbered years from the districts in which they reside. Members of the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut Senate serve for a two-year term."

Additional Resources

These are only a few suggestions. Search our catalog, Primo, for additional resources.

Local Municipal Elections

See also the sections on state and federal resources in this guide.

Connecticut has essentially three types of local government based on Home Rule and/or the town charter. Therefore, the election process for local offices may vary. There are also boroughs and special districts within municipalities. Special districts elect their officers. Connecticut does not have a county government system.

Books

These are only a few suggestions. Check our library catalog, Primo, for additional items.

Databases

These are only a few examples. For a full list of our databases, including online newspapers, see:


HeinOnline has several collections - scroll through the main menu page and click on items such as: Brennan Center for Justice Publications at NYU School of Law