Hey Connecticut!

If you want to vote, first you’ve gotta be registered--there’s a link in the description where you can check your registration status right now. If you aren’t registered, or you’ve moved or changed your name since the last time you voted, you can register online as long as you have a Connecticut driver’s license or state ID.

If you don’t have a Connecticut license—maybe you don’t drive or you’re a college student from another state--you have to fill out a form and mail it in, which I get it, is super annoying, but it’s important so do it anyway. The links to both the online and mail-in forms will be in the description, and you need to submit your form by October 27th to vote in November. If you’ve missed the registration deadline, don’t panic, you can still register on the day of the election at locations all throughout the state, starting at 6am.

The full list of election day registration locations is linked below, but plan to get there early, because after you register you’ll still have to go to a different location to vote at your actual polling place. So you’re registered. Great.

Now you get to vote. In most cases, you’re gonna be voting at the polls on November 3rd in Connecticut. Unless you’ll be out of state on election day, or have an illness, disability, or religious belief that doesn’t allow you to get to the polls.

If any of those situations do apply to you, there’s a link below where you can apply for an absentee ballot. As long as you get your application in by October 3rd, they’ll mail you a ballot, and all you have to do is fill it out at your own pace and mail it back so that it arrives no later than November 3rd. And for the rest of you, you’ll need to head to the polls between 6am and 8pm on November 3rd.

You can look up where to go to vote using the link in the description. If this is your first time voting you’ll need to bring a photo ID with your name and current address, or a recent utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck with your name and current address printed on it. If you’ve voted in Connecticut before, you can either bring one of those forms of ID, or just sign a statement at the polls saying that you are who you say you are.

If you have any questions about whether you have the right kind of ID, don’t be afraid to ask. Remember, the poll workers are there to help you vote. If you want to see everything that’s going to be on the ballot ahead of time, there’s a link below where you can find your sample ballot.

This gives you a chance to research the candidates for your local elections ahead of time. You don’t have to vote for every item on the ballot for it to count, but those tiny local elections are actually pretty important, so it’s worth doing a little research ahead of time. If you want, you can print one out or screenshot it and bring it to the polls with you so you can remember how you want to vote.

One last thing: if you’re gonna vote—take a second right now to open up your notes app or grab a piece of paper and make a plan. Write down when and how you’re going to register, what time you’re gonna vote, how you’re gonna get there, what ID you’re gonna use, even who you’re gonna bring to the polls with you. Having a plan is a great way to make sure that nothing unexpected stops you from voting on November 3rd.

All the links you need to check your registration and polling location will be in the description. Thanks for voting. How To Vote in Every State is produced by Complexly in partnership with The MediaWise Voter Project, which is led by The Poynter Institute and supported by Facebook.