Help Desk

Registrar of Voters - FAQ's 


Q: Am I on the Hamden voting list?
A: We do not provide this information over the Internet because of privacy concerns. To find out if you are registered as a Hamden voter, call the Registrars of Voters Office at (203)287-7081. The office is open 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays.

Q: Where do I vote?  What is my voting district?
A:

You can look up your voting district and polling place for the next election using our interactive search.  

Detailed district information and maps are available on our Districts and Maps page.


Q: How do I register to vote?
A: Register in person at any Registrars' or Town Clerk's office in the State, any public library, the Department of Motor Vehicles when you get your driver's license, at certain Social Service agencies, or at any place where a voter registration drive is taking place. Bring identification to show your identity and residence.

You can also register by mail. Call the Registrars' Office at (203) 287-7081 and ask for an application to be sent to you, or pick up a voter application form at any of the above places. You can also download the application from our Forms page.

Send the completed form to :
Hamden Registrars of Voters
Hamden Government Center
2750 Dixwell Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518

Please be aware that there are deadlines before elections and primaries. Register early to ensure that you will be able to vote.

The registration deadline for this November's Election is Oct. 19, 2010 for mail-in registration and 8:00 PM, Oct. 26, 2010 in person at the Registrars Office (with exceptions). A special Saturday registration session will be held at Miller Library Oct. 16, 2010  from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

For more information about registration, see our Voter Registration and Information for College Students pages.

Q: How do I vote by absentee ballot?
A: Absentee ballots are handled by the Town Clerk's Office.

You can vote by absentee ballot in any election, primary or referendum if you will not be able to get to the polling place because you are ill or physically disabled, because you are serving in the military, because you will be out of town on election day, because your religion forbids secular activity on election day, or because you are serving as a poll worker at a polling place other than your own.

You can obtain an application for an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk's Office, or from our Forms page.

For more information, visit the Town Clerk's Elections Information page, or contact the Town Clerk's Office at (203) 287-7112.

Q: Can I vote in the next primary?
A: Only people who are registered voters and enrolled in the party holding the primary are eligible to vote in the primary.

To enroll in a party, you fill out a voter registration form, just as you do when you register to vote, and indicate on the form which party you wish to join. If you are not already a member of another party, your enrollment will take effect as soon as your form is approved. If you are switching parties, your enrollment takes effect 90 days after your form is approved; during this waiting period, you are not a member of any party.
  • To be eligible to vote in a primary, a person who is not already enrolled in any party may enroll by mail by the fifth day before the primary or may enroll in person at the Registrars' Office anytime before noon on the day before the primary. These deadlines also apply if you are not already a registered Hamden voter and wish to register and enroll at the same time.
     
  • If you are already enrolled in a party and wish to switch parties to vote in a primary, the deadline is ninety days before the primary.
     
  • To find out if you are already enrolled in a party, call the Registrars' Office at (203) 287-7081.

If there is a primary in 2010, it will be for State/Federal office and will be on August 10, 2010.  Enrollment deadlines are August 5th by mail and August 9th, 2010 at 12 Noon in person.  The deadline for switching from one party to another is May 10th, 2010.
Q: Do I have to re-register if I move or change my name?
A: If you move into Hamden from another town in Connecticut or from another state, you must re-register. Voter registration does not carry over between towns.

If you move within Hamden or if you change your name, you do not need to re-register, but you do need to inform us in writing of your new name or address. Use the Voter Registration Form to notify us of the change.

If you are a college student, see our Information for College Students page for more information.

Q: Who are my representatives on the Town Council and in the State Legislature?
A: Hamden's Town Council has fifteen members - one for each of the nine Council districts and six at-large members who represent the entire town. Hamden is part of two State Senate and four State Assembly districts.

Q: How do I remove my name from the Hamden Voting List?
A: You must inform us in writing. Use the Removal Form available on our Forms page.

Hamden Government Center • 2750 Dixwell Avenue • Hamden, CT 06518 • 203.287.7000