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# Connecticut Records 42,241 Early Votes on Opening Day
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-connecticut-2026-10-21-a/
- Published: 2026-10-21T06:28:56.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T06:28:56.000Z
- Description: Connecticut reported 42,241 in-person early votes on the first day of its 14-day window, plus 23,170 returned absentee ballots. Officials caution that the preliminary totals will change as towns verify data.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: Politics, Connecticut

Connecticut recorded 42,241 in-person early votes on the opening day of its 2026 general-election voting period, according to preliminary figures released Tuesday by the secretary of the state.

The [statewide report](https://portal.ct.gov/sots/press-releases/2026-press-releases/early-voting-and-absentee-ballot-totals-as-of-october-19?ref=theamericanquorum.com) shows another 23,170 absentee ballots had been returned as of Oct. 19, bringing ballots cast through those two methods to 65,411\. Election officials had issued 55,041 absentee ballots. The office emphasized that the figures are subject to revision because towns do not all report on the same schedule and the totals undergo regular audits.

Party-registration figures show 24,862 Democrats, 6,506 Republicans, 10,356 unaffiliated voters and 517 voters registered with other parties cast early ballots on the first day. Those numbers identify registration, not how anyone voted. Connecticut ballots are secret, and the state has not reported results from the uncounted general-election ballots.

West Hartford had the largest first-day municipal total, with 982 early votes, followed by Milford with 847, Stratford with 844, Fairfield with 815 and Norwalk with 759\. The report also counted 182 early voters who used same-day registration.

The turnout came at the start of a [14-day early-voting period](https://portal.ct.gov/governor/news/press-releases/2026/10-2026/governor-lamont-and-secretary-thomas-remind-voters-that-a-14-day-period-of-in-person-early-voting?ref=theamericanquorum.com) that runs through Sunday, Nov. 1\. Most days are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; extended hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. are set for Tuesday, Oct. 27, and Thursday, Oct. 29\. Election Day is Nov. 3, when polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Early-voting locations are designated by each municipality and may differ from Election Day polling places. Voters must cast an early ballot in the town where they are registered. The state’s [voter fact sheet](https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/voter-information/voter-fact-sheet?ref=theamericanquorum.com) links to municipal locations, registration lookup and sample-ballot information.

Election officials have also issued a [250-foot security guide](https://portal.ct.gov/sots/press-releases/2026-press-releases/secretary-thomas-despp-highlight-election-preparations-release-250-foot-election-security-rule-guide?ref=theamericanquorum.com) for polling places, early-voting sites, absentee-ballot drop boxes and other designated election locations. The rules restrict certain attempts to examine voter qualifications, loitering and identity-concealing face coverings within the perimeter, subject to legal exceptions. They continue to allow routine patrols, traffic enforcement and emergency response that do not interfere with voting.

Connecticut now permits any registered voter to apply for an absentee ballot without providing an excuse. The application deadline is Nov. 2, but state officials are urging voters using mail to request and return ballots promptly. Ballots may also be returned to a secure drop box or delivered to a town clerk.

[The Connecticut Mirror reported](https://ctmirror.org/2026/10/20/democrats-outnumber-republicans-in-first-day-of-early-voting-in-ct/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) that the first-day total was compiled after polls operated from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The opening figures establish an early benchmark, but they do not predict final turnout or the outcome. With voting continuing daily, the composition and geographic distribution of the electorate will change before ballots are counted. Because the figures are preliminary, comparisons should focus on scale rather than final turnout percentages.