Election Day in West Hartford: What You Need to Know

WEST HARTFORD, CT – In preparation of the upcoming Nov. 8 election, the West Hartford Registrars of Voters and Town Clerk are providing voters with the following information:

Please check the Registrar of Voters (ROV) and Town Clerk’s pages on the town website regarding office hours before coming in to register or apply for an absentee ballot.

November 1st is the last day to registrar to vote in person or online via the Connecticut Secretary of State (SOTS) website. The ROV office will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to accommodate residents.

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The ROV have hired over 250 poll workers (i.e. moderators, checkers, ballot clerks, tabulator tenders demonstrators/greeters and traffic personnel) to assist voters at each of the 9 poll locations in order to meet expected high volumes of voters on Election Day.

The polls will be open for voting on November 8th from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. If your polling place is Conard High School, please be aware that voting will now take place in the cafeteria rather than the gymnasium as in previous years.

Please use Berkshire Road to access the back parking lot directly outside of the cafeteria entrance. This entrance is handicapped accessible and there will be a parking lot attendant and plenty of signage to direct you to the appropriate entrance on Election Day.

If any West Hartford residents find they have not yet registered to vote by Nov. 8, they may do so on Election Day in Room 313 at Town Hall via Election Day Registration (EDR). EDR permits anyone to register and vote in person on Election Day who meets the eligibility requirements for voting in this state and is not already registered, or is registered in one town but has moved to another town.

Go this website for information regarding eligibility requirements. Voter applicants must be processed and registered in the EDR system before 8 p.m. in order to cast a ballot.

Please note: unlike the nine polling locations, if an applicant is waiting in line at 8 p.m. but has not yet been registered in the EDR system, they will not be permitted to vote.

The SOTS has introduced a new, user friendly voting system designed for the visually impaired which is available at every polling place. This ballot marking system allows for the voter to make their choices audibly rather than by pen and paper.

This method of marking the ballot is also available to all voters. Visit MyVoteCT for more info.

Absentee Ballots are currently being mailed out to those requesting. US mail has been slow, so please allow up to four days within West Hartford, and 6-7 days for our of State to receive it. Applications may be downloaded from this link.

Ballots must be returned by Tuesday, Nov. 8 in order to be counted. Ballots are also available in person during regular Business hours. In addition, the Clerk’s office will be open all day on Fridays (8:30 to 4:30 p.m.) to issue ballots.

On Election Day, Nov. 8, the Clerk’s office will only be open to receive Absentee Ballots and issue Emergency Ballots only. In order to apply for an Emergency Ballot, an elector must have an unforeseen illness occurring within 6 days (Nov. 3-8) before the close of the polls on Election Day.

Please contact the Clerk’s office directly if you need an Emergency Ballot during those dates.

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