Voters head to the polls Tuesday in Connecticut and across the country.
In Connecticut, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters will elect a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of the state, treasurer, comptroller and attorney general. All statewide offices are held by Democrats.
Voters will also elect members of the state legislature.
All five members of Connecticut's congressional delegation in the U.S. House are on the ballot.
More than 500,000 Connecticut voters cast ballots leading up to Election Day. About 455,000 ballots were cast during early voting, while more than 50,000 absentee mail-in ballots were submitted. West Hartford, Norwalk and Fairfield were the cities with the most early votes cast.
Federal monitors in New Haven
A group of four federal election monitors is expected to observe voting in New Haven on Tuesday. But local officials say they won't be allowed inside polling places under state law.
The effort is part of a national monitoring program by the Justice Department. They'll be checking for compliance with federal language assistance regulations and handicap accessibility. According to the New Haven mayor's office, federal officials plan on "focusing on polling locations subject to the Federal Voting Rights Act mandatory language-assistance requirement, which under federal law includes all of New Haven."
State officials say they don't know exactly where in New Haven the monitors will be.
Under state law, federal observers aren't allowed inside polling places.
Local officials received notice last week and quickly pushed back. New Haven's Democratic and Republican registrars of voters say they're worried rhetoric and actions by the federal government are intended to cast doubt on election integrity and intimidate voters.
The Department of Justice, which didn't respond to Connecticut Public's request for comment, told the city the monitors will not have the authority to arrest or detain anyone, and that they will remain outside a 75-foot zone established by state law.
"Thousands of New Haveners have already cast their ballot in this year’s election, and voters should continue to feel comfortable and confident going to the polls," New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said in a statement.
John Pavia, a professor at Quinnipiac University, says the federal action is out of the ordinary for a state like Connecticut.
"Historically, these monitors most often would be sent to districts and states down south where there were issues of intimidation and fishy voter rolls, not places like Connecticut," Pavia said. "So that much is somewhat rare."
Protecting elections with 'multiple layers of security'
State election officials say they have been working to ensure voting is secure. Officials have added video monitoring to drop box sites and spent $20 million in voting tabulators.
"In Connecticut, we have always protected elections with multiple layers of security, including the statewide use of paper ballots, rigorous post-election audits, and clear procedures to track and verify ballots," the secretary of the state's office said in its voters guide. "Connecticut will continue to safeguard election integrity and protect the processes that have served our state well for generations."
CT's Democrats have high hopes for Congressional seats
Democrats are poised to hang onto all five of Connecticut’s seats, with the hopes of gaining some influence if their party wins the majority.
The delegation will gain at least one new member. U.S. Rep. John Larson lost the Democratic primary for the Hartford-based 1st Congressional District. Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, a Democrat, goes in with the upper hand against Republican physician Amy Chai.
The 5th District in western Connecticut remains the most competitive race. But national groups have largely sat out of spending money as both parties turn their attention elsewhere. U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, who was first elected in 2018, faces Republican Chris Shea, a firefighter and retired Navy SEAL.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney is running against Republican George Austin in the 2nd District, which includes eastern Connecticut.
U.S. Rep. DeLauro – who is seeking a 19th term in Congress – faces Republican Chris Lancia to represent the New Haven-based 3rd District. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes faces a rematch from Republican Michael Goldstein in the 4th District, which includes most of Fairfield County.
Connecticut’s Congressional delegation could become more influential if Democrats win the House. DeLauro could return as chair of the House Appropriations Committee, while Himes could become chair of the Intelligence Committee. In those potential roles, they said they’d focus on oversight of the Trump administration.
Voting information
Learn more about Election Day in Connecticut — from how to vote to what's on the ballot — from the Secretary of the State's office.
Same-day registration is available to all residents who are eligible to vote.
Absentee ballots must be submitted in a drop box or by mail by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Absentee ballots can be dropped off to the town clerk by 8 p.m. if it's submitted by the designee of a voter who is ill or disabled.
Connecticut Public's Maysoon Khan, Lisa Hagen and Eric Aasen contributed to this report.
