New Haven Votes

The New Haven Votes Coalition is a nonpartisan effort to promote voter participation and civic engagement in New Haven.

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May 2026 Updates: Changes To Absentee Ballots Laws; Party Switch Deadline for Primary; Candidate Forums; CT Citizens' Assembly

Dear Friend of New Haven Votes,

I just wanted to provide you with a few updates, including the passage this week of important election reforms by the Connecticut General Assembly, that I hope you will consider sharing with your networks and constituents:

* Universally-Available (No-Excuse) Absentee Ballot Legislation Passes CT General Assembly!

On the final day of the legislative session, the CT Senate passed legislation that lifts the last barriers to universally available or "no-excuse" absentee voting in Connecticut, successfully culminating a long advocacy journey to bring Connecticut into line with other states around the availability of early voting and absentee ballots. The absentee ballot legislation (HB 5001, no Public Act No. 26-42) was one of our top priorities for this legislative session -- thanks to everyone who testified on behalf of this long-overdue reform. Once it is signed, the legislation will make absentee ballots universally accessible (no excuse required), which voters had authorized the legislature to implement in a constitutional amendment back in 2024. 

Please note: completing an absentee ballot application will still be required for a voter to receive an absentee ballot (though no "excuse" is required), unless a voter is approved to be on the permanent absentee ballot list. The absentee ballot application will be re-designed to reflect these changes. We know there may be some public confusion about whether the AB application is still required, so please let us know if you are hearing specific questions or areas of confusion from voters! As always, we want to know what voters are concerned or confused about as changes to election laws are implemented.

Read more about the legislation here.

* Party Switch Deadline for August Primary is May 11 Voters who are switching parties (i.e. changing their registration from one party to another) and who wish to vote in the Tuesday, August 11, 2026 primary, must complete their party switch by May 11. (Please note this does not apply to unaffiliated voters.)

Party registration changes can be done by simply filling out the standard Connecticut voter registration form and checking the party registration box. Please encourage your friends, neighbors and constituents to double-check their party registration before May 11 if they plan to vote in the August primary!

* Candidate Forum for the 92nd State Rep District For voters in the 92nd State Representative District, there will be a Democratic candidate forum happening on Friday, May 8 at 6:30pm at Southern Connecticut State University, sponsored by SCSU Democrats. All the Democratic candidates running in the primary are expected to be in attendance.

If you know of other candidate forums taking place in the 92nd (or anywhere else), please let us know so that we can share!

* Connecticut Citizens' Assembly on Property Tax Reform

Last week the CT State Comptroller made an exciting announcement about the formation of a Connecticut Citizens' Assembly to examine the issue of property tax reform in the State of Connecticut. The Connecticut Citizens' Assembly is a collaborative effort between the Comptroller and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), Yale Institute for Social and Policy Studies (Yale ISPS), and UConn Political Science, bringing together partners committed to strengthening democratic problem-solving in the state of Connecticut. We hope everyone will take time to learn more about the Assembly, its goals and theoretical underpinnings -- and if you were one of the residents randomly selected to receive an invitation to participate in the Assembly, we hope you will accept the invitation to move forward and complete the application process. Please encourage your networks and constituents to learn more about the CT Citizens' Assembly as well!

Deliberative democracy and citizens' assemblies can be a powerful tool for enhancing civic engagement and restoring trust in the democratic system, and we're excited to see to see such a prominent and practical application of these tools here in Connecticut.  

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Well, I think that's it for now. Thanks for your support and advocacy, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Aaron G.

Coordinator, New Haven Votes Coalition

newhavenvotes.org

Facebook.com/NewHavenVotesCoalition

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March 2026 DWSCMT Meeting

The DWSCMT is coming back! Please consider attending this hybrid meeting.

Downtown Wooster Square Community Management Team Tuesday, March 24, • 6:00pm • City Hall (165 Church Street) + Zoom option

The Downtown-Wooster Square Community Management Team (DWSCMT) in New Haven, CT, is a volunteer-led group addressing quality-of-life, public safety, and development issues across New Haven's Downtown and Wooster Square neighborhoods. More information to come.

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The Community Management Teams (CMTs) are a great way to get more involved with your neighborhood and develop your civic leadership skills. We hope downtown and Wooster Square residents will get involved with the DWSCMT!

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March 2026 Legislative Updates: Please Support No-Excuse Absentee Voting Bill; Ranked Choice Voting Passes out of Committee; Universal Voting Study Bill

We just wanted to provide you with a few updates about important elections- and voting-related legislation:

* SB 386, Ranked Choice Voting legislation that we support, passed out of committee this week. It now goes to the floor of the Senate for a possible vote. Thanks to everyone who testified in support of this pro-voter reform.

* This week the Government Administration and Elections (GAE) committee is holding a public hearing on several important bills, including No-Excuse Absentee Voting (HB 5001) that was constitutionally authorized by voters in November 2024, but we have been waiting for the legislature to pass legislation that would create an actual statutory framework for this type of voting.

As with other voting rights advocates, this is our major priority for this legislative session. While it is too late to sign up to testify in person, we strongly urge you to support the bill with written testimony to the GAE Committee. => Watch the hearing live on YouTube or catch it on demand on CT-N. => Submit written testimony in support of legislation that builds on HB 5001 (written testimony doesn't have the same deadline as live testimony). Feel free to contact us if you would like to see some talking points. * We also support SB 395: An Act Studying Efforts to Increase Voter Participation and Authorizing Municipal Pilot Programs to Promote Such Efforts, a bill that would create a task force or study committee to look at "universal voting" and other ways to increase turnout.

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Thanks for your support and advocacy, and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Aaron Goode

New Haven Votes Coalition

newhavenvotes.org

Facebook.com/NewHavenVotesCoalition

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February 2026 Updates: Important Voting and Election Bills in Hartford; Ward Co-Chair Primaries This Week; City Budget Workshops and Public Hearings

Below is some useful (hopefully) information related to election- and voting-related bills that will be considered in a public hearing this week by the Government Administration and Elections (GAE) committee in Hartford, information on primary elections for ward co-chair coming up this Tuesday, March 3 in some parts of New Haven, and the schedule of city budget workshops and public hearings between now and May 14. We hope you will share with your friends, neighbors, constituents, and community networks as appropriate.

* Public Hearing on Important Election & Voting Bills This Week in Hartford

This Wednesday, March 4 at 10:30am the Government Administration & Elections Committee of the CT General Assembly will hold a public hearing on some significant election bills, including such important subjects as youth voter registration and ranked choice voting. We urge you to make your voice heard on these critical pieces of legislation, and more information is provided below. Please note that we are still waiting to see legislation for the implementation of no-excuse or universal eligibility absentee voting (you may recall this was authorized by voters in November 2024, but no action was taken by the legislature in 2025 to actually implement it), and we will notify you when there is a hearing on that legislation, which is a top priority for us and other voting advocates. 

HJ 32 - Resolution Concerning Pre-Registration of 16- and 17-Year-Olds to VoteThis joint resolution would initiate the process of adopting a constitutional amendment to permit "pre-registration" of 16- and 17-year olds so that when they apply for their driver's license at age 16-17 they would automatically be entered into a centralized voter registration database (while remaining ineligible to vote until turning 18), similar to what is offered to other voters when they receive services at the DMV. In the past we have urged the GAE to approve this pro-voting and pro-youth reform, which is currently offered in more than 15 states, and we are doing so again this year.  SB 386 - An Act Concerning the Use of Ranked Choice Voting in Party Caucuses, Conventions, and Primaries, Including Presidential Preference Primaries and in Certain Municipal Elections  We think this is a pro-voter reform that does not mandate ranked choice voting (except for the presidentiial preference primary) but permits its use in a variety of contexts, including a 'local option' that would allow municipalities like New Haven to experiment with ranked choice voting for certain elections if (and only if) this change was authorized by the Board of Alders. 

Register to speak or submit written testimony on these bills here. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or if you would like help with some talking points.

* City Budget Workshops and Public Hearings

The municipal budgeting process has begun! See below for the schedule of public hearings and workshops on the FY 2026-27 municipal budget, beginning with a budget overview workshop on March 9. The three public hearings are scheduled for March 19, March 31, and April 29. For the workshops, the public is encouraged to attend but there is no public testimony.

Learn more here about the mayor’s proposed budget. Make sure your voice is heard on the city’s fiscal priorities!

Read more at our website here.

* Ward Co-Chair Primary Elections in Wards 3 & 29

Registered Democrats in Ward 3 and Ward 29 should be aware that there is a contested primary election for ward co-chair positions taking place on Tuesday, March 3. Read more about those races here and here. 

Tool for finding your ward number. 

Read more about the ward co-chair primary at our website here. 

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Thanks for your ongoing support, and please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions and concerns.

Aaron Goode

New Haven Votes Coalition

Newhavenvotes.org

Facebook.com/NewHavenVotesCoalition

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ATTENTION VOTERS: Ward Co-Chair Elections in Wards 3 & 29 on Tuesday, March 3

Registered Democrats in Ward 3 and Ward 29 should be aware that there is a primary for ward co-chair positions taking place on Tuesday, March 3.

Ward co-chairs comprise the 60-member Democratic Town Committee. Please note there is no early voting for this election.

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City Budget Hearings and Workshops

See below for the schedule of public hearings and workshops on the FY 2026-27 municipal budget, beginning with a budget overview workshop on March 9.

Read more here about the mayor's proposed budget. Make sure your voice is heard on the city's fiscal priorities!

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Ward 7 Special Election - Early Voting Information

Early voting for the Ward 7 special election begins today. The hours are 10am - 6pm

Please note that the location for early voting is not at the usual Ward 7 polling location (200 Orange Street), rather it is on the 2nd floor of City Hall.

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Special Election for Ward 7 Alder

There will be a special election for Ward 7 Alder on Tuesday, February 17. Polls are open 6am - 8pm.

Not sure which ward you are in? Check here.

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REMINDER: Board of Education District #1 Race is on the Ballot

New Haven voters should be reminded that there is a Board of Education race on the ballot this year. Only District #1 is electing a representative in this cycle. If you reside and are registered to vote in Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, or 26, then you are in District 1, and the Board of Ed race will appear on your ballot.

You can read more about the two Board of Ed candidates here. And you can find a sample ballot for your voting district here.

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Ward 13 Candidate Forum

There will be a forum for the three alder candidates in ward 13 happening this Saturday, sponsored by the Quinnipiac East Management Team (QEMT).

We hope residents of Fair Haven Heights will attend and meet the candidates.

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Getting an Absentee Ballot: Am I Eligible?

One of the questions we get asked frequently is: Didn't we (Connecticut voters) pass a referendum for no-excuse absentee ballots last year? Do I still need an "excuse" to request an absentee ballot?

The answer is yes! Last year's referendum permitted the CT General Assembly to adopt a statutory change allowing for no-excuse absentee ballots but, by itself, the constitutional amendment that was effectuated by the referendum didn't make that change. So you will still need to check one of the boxes affirming that you have a legitimate excuse for requesting an absentee ballot.

Active service in the Armed Forces of the United States;

Absence from the town during all of the hours of voting;

Sickness; (Sickness can include the presence of COVID-19 in the town you reside in);

Religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the election, primary or referendum;

Duties as a primary, election or referendum official at a polling place other than one’s own during all of the hours of voting;

Physical disability.

Meanwhile, early voting is now available to ALL voters.

How to Obtain an Absentee Ballot

Registered voters can obtain applications for absentee ballots from their local Town Clerk or Registrar of Voters. If the voter is already out of town, application forms can be mailed to them as long as sufficient time is allowed for round-trip mailings of the application and the ballot. Applications in English or Spanish can also be downloaded from the website of the Connecticut Secretary of the State: (https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Voter-Information/Absentee-Voting. Applications for absentee ballots may be requested and mailed to the voter beginning 31 days before the general election. Absentee ballots for a primary election must be mailed 21 days prior to the election. For a referendum, absentee ballots must be mailed 19 days prior.

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Sample Ballots Are Here!

We strongly recommend that all voters check out a sample ballot and familiarize themselves with who and what's on the ballot before heading to the polls.

You can find sample ballots for all wards/precincts at the Secretary of the State website here.

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Early Voting Expands to TWO Locations in New Haven

DID YOU KNOW: For the first time this year, there are TWO early voting locations in New Haven!

=> City Hall, 165 Church St., 2nd Floor

=> Southern CT State University, Schwartz Hall, 320 Fitch St.

For voters in Westville, West Rock or Beaver Hills, you may want to use the new early voting location at SCSU! Early voting begins October 20 and continues through November 2. Contact us or the Registrars' office with questions, and happy voting!

Warning of Election - New Haven Independent

General election info, courtesy of City Clerk's office, updated to include deets on SCSU early voting location.

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Official Notice of November 4 General Election

Below is a list of polling places for the November 4 general election and here is the official notice of election from the City Clerk's office. If you have any questions, you can contact us (203-350-3795), or contact the Registrar of Voters office (203-946-8035). Happy voting!

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Mayoral Debate September 30

A mayoral debate sponsored by the New Haven Democracy Fund has been scheduled for September 30. If you cannot attend in person, it will be live-streamed and recorded. We will be live-streaming the debate from our Facebook page.

If you would like to submit a question, you can do so at the New Haven Independent site or by emailing [email protected].

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Important Election Dates - Fall 2025

Find below two flyers with information about early voting and other important election dates.

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September 2025 Newsletter: National Voter Registration Day This Tuesday; Mayoral Debate Sept. 30; Early Voting Flyers; LOTS of Voter Registration Opportunities

Dear Friend of New Haven Votes,

I just wanted to let you know about a few things we are working on:

* National Voter Registration Day This Tuesday, September 16

Alongside the League of Women Voters we will be registering voters at the Ives (Main) Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm Street, from 11am - 2pm. Come and celebrate this awesome 'civic holiday' with us.

In addition to registering voters, we will also have flyers with important information about voting rights restoration, voting for people with disabilities, early voting and other key dates for the November election; and as always, lots of cool voting stickers!

Learn more about National Voter Registration Day:

National Voter Registration Day

National Voter Registration Day is a holiday celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of every September. It's goal is to focus attention on the imp

* SAVE THE DATE : New Haven Mayoral Debate, Tuesday, September 30, 7pm, Co-Op High School

The New Haven Democracy Fund is sponsoring a mayoral debate on Tuesday, September 30 at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School (177 College St.), beginning at 7pm. The public is invited to attend. The debate will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page as well as on other platforms.

We will also be there registering voters and distributing information about early voting. Let us know if you would like to join us at our table.

* Many Voter Registration Opportunities in September and October - Join Us to Volunteer!

Working with our partner organizations, we have lined up many voter registration opportunities in the next 6 weeks leading up to the voter registration deadline. Would you like to join us? We will train you on how to be an effective voter registration volunteer.

Some of the dates we will be conducting voter registration drives are:

September: 17, 23, 28, 30

October: 3, 9, 13, 22, 29

We are especially seeking volunteers right now for Sunday, September 28, 1-4pm. This voter registration opportunity is at Edgewood Park Day, a festival in Westville, where we have been invited to have a table. This is always a fun and well-attended event. Please let us know if you are able to join us.

* Early Voting Information For November - Flyers in English and Spanish

One of our goals for the fall is to get out the word about recently introduced voting options like early voting. Thanks to the League of Women Voters, we have flyers in English and Spanish that inform voters about the early voting period as well as other key election dates. I strongly urge you to take some of these flyers for distribution to your ward/neighborhood.

As I mentioned above, we will be at the Library on Tuesday if you want to pick up some of these flyers. Or if you cannot make it Tuesday, please let me know and I'll get them to you... they are also attached to this email (English and Spanish versions).

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Thanks for your ongoing support, and please do not hesitate to contact us with questions and concerns.

Aaron Goode

New Haven Votes Coalition

Newhavenvotes.org

Facebook.com/NewHavenVotesCoalition