2026 CT primary guide: key dates, voting and candidates

What is a political primary?

A primary is how political parties choose which candidate to nominate to run in the general election.

How did candidates make it onto the primary ballot?

Candidates qualified for the ballot by either securing support from 15% of delegates at the nominating convention, or collecting enough signatures from voters registered with their party.

Who can vote in a primary?

In Connecticut, only voters registered with a political party can vote in that party’s primary. For example, to vote in the Republican primary, a Connecticut voter would have to be registered as a Republican.

What are the primary races being decided in Connecticut on August 11? 

The only statewide primary is for the Democratic nominee for governor. Incumbent Governor Ned Lamont (D) and State Representative Josh Elliott (D-Hamden) are the candidates. Lamont has mostly self-funded his campaign, whereas Elliott has used money from the state’s public campaign finance system.

Lamont maintains a comfortable lead in polls, but support for Elliott has grown. The winner will face Republican Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich), who narrowly avoided a potential primary of his own when former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart dropped out of the race amid a scandal.

The nail-biter will be the race for the Democratic nomination in CT’s first district in the U.S. House of Representatives. That’s a four-way primary between incumbent U.S. Representative John Larson (D-CT-1), former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin (D), State Representative Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford), and Hartford Board of Education member Ruth Fortune (D).

Bronin, an Obama administration alum, narrowly won the Democratic Party endorsement in May. He represents a national trend of younger candidates challenging long-time incumbents, with a heavy focus on issues like cost of living.

Republicans in the fourth and fifth congressional districts will both choose their candidates on August 11. In the fourth district, currently represented by U.S. Rep Jim Himes (D), Michael Ted Goldstein was endorsed by the GOP and will face Daniel Miressi.

In the fifth district, currently represented by U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes (D), the Republican Party has endorsed Chris Shea to run against Jonathan DeBarros.

There are several noteworthy primaries in the Connecticut General Assembly.

In New Haven, longtime incumbent State Representative Pat Dillon (D) is being challenged by Eli Sabin (D) and Justin Farmer (D). Sabin is endorsed by New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker (D).

In Hartford, embattled State Senator Doug McCrory (D) is being challenged by State Representative Maryam Khan (D) and Ayana Taylor. Khan was endorsed by the Democratic Party. McCrory is the subject of a federal criminal investigation over nonprofit funding.

Sample ballots are available here.

Can I vote absentee?

Any CT voter can vote absentee without an excuse.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot for Connecticut’s August 11 primary is August 10. Absentee ballots must be received by the time the polls close (8:00) on election day.

You can request an absentee ballot here.

Can I vote by mail?

Yes, voting by mail is considered absentee. The application must be postmarked by the fifth day before a primary — that’s August 6.

Can I vote early? 

Yes. Early voting for the primaries is August 3-9, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. There are extended hours on August 4 and 6, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Find your early voting site here.

What do I need to bring with me to vote? 

A poll worker will request your ID. However, in most cases, a person can sign an affidavit in lieu of presenting an ID.

More details, including specific scenarios, are on the Secretary of the State’s website.

How do I know if I’m registered to vote and/or registered with a party? 

Use the Secretary of the State's voter registration lookup here to check your registration, including whether or not you belong to a political party, and to see your polling place.

I want to vote in the primary, but I’m not currently registered with a party. Is it too late to join one?

Yes, it’s too late to join a party and vote in the primary on August 11. When you register with a party, you don’t get voting privileges for primaries for three months.

Can a candidate stay in the race if they don’t win the primary? 

Connecticut is one of only two states that allow “sore losers,” or candidates who were defeated in the primary, to change their party affiliation and appear on the general election ballot. Candidates who lose in the primary can also petition their way onto the general election ballot if they collect enough signatures.

What is turnout for primaries usually like?

In 2024, 7.6% of Republicans and 16% of Democrats voted in the primary, according to the Secretary of the State’s office.

Do I have to vote for every office on my ballot? 

No. Your ballot will not be disqualified if you leave one or more lines blank.

Voter registration lookup

Use the Secretary of the State's voter registration lookup here to check your registration, including whether or not you belong to a political party, and to see your polling place.

If I see strange behavior, or a problem, at the polls, who do I call? 

Always call 911 if a situation is seemingly dangerous. To report a problem at the polls, call the Election Day Hotline at 1-866-733-2463 or send an email to elections@ct.gov.

Where can I watch for real-time election results? 

Primary election results will be posted to the Secretary of the State’s website, here.