General FAQs | Voting and Registration FAQs

Voting and Registration Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I use a voting machine?
  • Click here for a pictoral of the voting process.
• Why should I register with a Political Party?
  • Under Connecticut Statutes you cannot vote in a Political Party's Primary unless you are a member of its Party.
• If I am not in a Political Party, what is my status called?
  • You are an "unaffiliated" voter.
• If I join a Political Party, must I vote for that party's candidate?
  • Your vote is secret and you may vote for anyone you choose in the November election.
• What maintains the integrity of the Registration System?
  • There is an assistant Registrar of Voters from each major Political Party and election officials and workers for the most part have Representation from each major Political Party.
• Under what conditions can I vote by Absentee Ballot?
  • You are on active duty with the Armed Forces
  • You are absent from town during all the Voting Hours on Election Day
  • You are ill.
  • You are physically disabled.
  • Your religion tenets forbid secular activity on the day of election, Primary or Referendum.
  • You are working as an election official or worker at a polling place other than your own.
• How can I get an Absentee Ballot?
  • In Southington, call the Town Clerk's Office at (860)276-6211 or stop by their office in the Town Hall, located at 75 Main Street and request an application, fill it out an return it to the Town Clerk and the ballot will be mailed to you at the address you request, when it is available.
• Why should I tell the Registrars when I move within town?
  • It is important to vote in the correct district to make sure you are voting for the office holders who represent you as they differ through out the town. When we do our yearly mandated canvass of voters early in each year, the Registrars might be advised that you have moved. If your forwarding information has expired, your name will be removed from the active voting list to the inactive, which may cause you a delay at the polls.
• What if I move out of town?
  • It is necessary to register in your new town.
• If I move back into Southington, do I need to re-register?
  • Yes, you most likely will have been removed from our list and it will be necessary to register once again.
• What if I am in the Armed Forces and move about frequently?
  • Armed Forces members are treated differently and will be retained at the address they give us until we are advised differently.
• What if I am in a nursing home?
  • You may retain your prior address even if the nursing home is out of town so that you may continue to vote for the people and offices you are most familiar with.
• What happens if I am convicted of a felony?
  • You lose the right to vote in Connecticut. The Registrars in the town of your last reported residence are notified by the Courts to suspend your voting right. When it's determined that you have fully fulfilled all of the requirements of your sentence you can obtain a release from the court officers and with this you can register to vote again. (NOTE: This procedure is under review at this time in Connecticut, so if it applies to you, you may want to check with your Registrars of Voters for the latest statute determination).
• How do I make changes to my status or information?
  • All voter status changes are made with the application form which is a multiple use form. Changes of address, name and Party enrollment changes as well as new registration can be done on Form ED 671--Mail-In Voter Registration Application.
• If I am not presently in a Party, how quickly can I join one?
  • If you are not currently in a party, you will be in the new Party of your choice immediately upon the receipt, by the Registrars, of your completed Form ED-671 (See Above). If you are in one Party and want to change to another, you become an unaffiliated voter for a three month period and then you are automatically placed in your new Party. If you want to go from your present Party to Unaffiliated, it is done immediately upon receipt of the properly completed ED-671 Form.
• What is a Write-in Vote?
  • At the top of the voting machine there are movable slides to accommodate Write-in votes. Caution: Under current Connecticut Statutes you can only write in those names that have been pre-approved by the Secretary of State.
• What happens if I start to Write-in a vote, and change my mind?
  • If, for whatever reason, you start to or actually open the write-in slide, you lock out that column and cannot vote for the candidates in that vertical row.