This being the year of the elections, now is the time you have to register yourself as a voter. If you have just moved to Connecticut and want to register as a Democrat, you need to follow the proper process.
Of course, it is probable that you have already registered in the state you were living in before, or you might have made the switch from Republican to Democrat. Regardless of the reason, if you want to cast your vote to the Democrat candidate come election time, you have to register as a voter for the party without delay. Otherwise, you might not be allowed to cast your vote.
One thing you do need to understand before going ahead with the registration is that it is not an indication of allegiance to any particular political party. For instance, some people might register as Democrats because they want to vote for the candidate they have selected. This means you have the option to change your support by the time the next elections come around. So, registering as a Democrat in Connecticut isn’t an agreement for life. Once you cast your vote, you are free to assess your political leaning.
Voter Eligibility
To register as a Democrat in Connecticut, you must be eligible to vote, which means:
- You must be a citizen of the US
- You must be a resident of Connecticut
- You are 17 years old at the time of registration and will turn 18 on or before Election Day.
- Felons and convicts are not allowed to vote, even if they are on parole.
Online Registration
The easiest way to register is through the internet. Before you start though, you will have to go through the proper registration procedures. The reason for this is that this process varies from state to state. If you have moved to CT from another state, it is quite likely there are some differences, although minor, which you are not aware of and which can result in your registration not being completed. This can be an inconvenience as you will have to spend considerable time completing the registration process only to find out that you missed a requirement.
While you can register to vote online, you can’t actually vote online as of yet. You can increase the security of your browser activity with Nordvpn coupons, but from the government’s side of things, they haven’t quite figured out how to make online voting safe and secure.
Through the Party’s Website
If you want to register as a Democrat in Connecticut, the best option is to visit the state’s Democratic Party website. Here, you will find all the information you need to get registered, including information on the local committee members from the party, as well as contact information which you can use to get in touch with the party. They also provide useful information regarding voting for the elections so that you don’t miss out.
Through the Candidate’s Website
The second method available to you is registering through a specific candidate’s website. For example, if Bernie Sanders is selected as the Democrat candidate for presidency, you can log on to his campaign website, select your state, and register as a voter. All the information you need to get registered as a Democrat is available there.
http://voteforbernie.org/
Through the Online Voter Registration System
The Democrat Party Connecticut website and also the candidate’s website will guide you to the Online Voter Registration System, which is where you will actually register as a voter. The registration form is also available on this website which you have to complete.
To be able to register online, you will need some ID, which can be your driver’s license (issued in Connecticut) or a photo ID. The Department of Motor Vehicles in Connecticut must have your signature on file as well. Once you fill all the required fields, you can submit the form for approval.
One thing you do need to keep in mind is that submitting the form does not mean you are now registered. The Registrar of Voters will send you confirmation of your registration within three weeks. If you don’t receive a response within that time, you can head to the local chapter of the Registrar and get an update.
Registration by Mail
You can also register as a Democrat by mail. For this, you have to download Form ED-671 S, print it out, fill it up, and then mail it to the Local Town Hall. As you will see on the form, in Box 9 of the form, you can select the party you want to register for. To register as a Democrat, check YES and then check Democratic, as showed on the form. You can simply fold the form and drop it in the mailbox, but a better option is to put in an envelope to ensure it stays undamaged.
Registration in Person:
Instead of mailing in the form ED-671 S, you can take it yourself to the Registrar of Voters’ office and submit it in person. The process remains the same, i.e. you have to fill the form by hand and then submit it, after which the Registrar will assess your form and decide whether or not you are approved. As mentioned, it can take up to 3 weeks for them to reply.
You can also register on the Election Day itself. People who are eligible to vote in Connecticut can register on the day of the election if they have moved to Connecticut from another state or changed towns within Connecticut, or this is your first time registering as a Democrat. The registration is done at the Registrar of Voters’ office, not at the polling booths, so be careful about it. Also, you need to carry a proof of ID to register on Election Day.
Re-Registration:
If you have registered to vote in the past, you have to follow the same process to re-register. In fact, the registration form you fill will allow you to indicate that you are registered to vote already and just need to update your information, which in your case is a change of state, as you are now in Connecticut. Even if you previously registered as a Republican, you can check Democratic on the form this time to register as a Democrat.