July 2024

Q1. Stratford is holding primary elections on August 13, 2024. Are you eligible to vote?

All registered Republicans can take part in the GOP primary election to choose the party’s candidate for U.S. Senate. All 10 usual polling locations in Stratford will be open.

Q2. How about the Democrats?

Only registered Democrats in state Senate District 23 can take part in a primary election to choose the Democratic candidate for a contested state Senate seat. The Senate District includes only some of the voters who usually cast ballots at Stratford’s D1 (Lordship School), D3 (Johnson House) and D4 (Franklin School).

• There are 1,265 Democrats in District 1, but only 67 Democrats from D1 live in Senate District 23 and are therefore eligible.

• In District 3, 1,683 Democrats out of 1,817 party members are eligible.

• In D4, 617 of the 1,270 registered Democrats are eligible.

How do you know if you live in state Senate District 23?Go to https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx and supply your name and address. In the middle of the screen, you will get your polling location, followed by your state Assembly District number and then the state Senate District number. For example, my own information says: Polling Location AddressState: Chapel Street School 120 21So, I vote at Chapel Street School. My state Assembly District is 120. My state Senate district is 21. So, I am >not< eligible to vote in the Aug 13 Democratic primary since it is only for Democrats in Senate District 23.

If you are still having questions, e-mail us at registrars@townofstratford.com and we will look up your voting status and let you know.

Q3. What are my options for voting?

Eligible voters can cast a ballot:

• On Election Day, Aug. 13

• During seven days of Early Voting, held at the Baldwin 

  
  

  Center Aug. 5-11

• By applying for an Absentee Ballot from the Town Clerk 

  
  

  (contact spawluk@townofstratford.com)

Q4. Who is on the ballot?

Republican voters will help decide which GOP candidate should oppose Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Chris Murphy this fall: Beacon Falls First Selectman Gerry Smith, who was endorsed by the GOP, or challenger Matthew Corey. That is the only office on the GOP ballot.

Eligible Democrats can vote for one of two Democratic state Senate candidates: incumbent Sen. Herron Gaston, who was endorsed by the party, or challenger Ernest Newton. That is the only office on the Democratic ballot.

Q5. What if I don’t belong to a party?

If you are currently an Unaffiliated voter (not a member of any formal political party), you can switch to the Democrats or Republicans and take part in that party’s Aug. 13 primary if you act by noontime on Friday, August 2. You can switch parties here: https://voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR