Polling Place GuideNew Haven, CT
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All topics · Topic 12 of 13 · Likely during any visit

What happens when something goes wrong?

Election Administration and Accountability

Every polling place has a person in charge, called the moderator in Connecticut, and a way to handle problems. A well-run polling place solves problems calmly and tells voters what will happen next.

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A calm polling place with a visible help desk where a moderator assists a voter while workers continue at their stations. A wide view of an orderly room. On the left, a check-in table with two workers and a short line. In the center, a desk with a standing sign that reads Moderator, where a woman in a lanyard listens to a voter and writes on a clipboard. On the right, a tabulator and a sealed ballot box stand together in a marked area. The scene conveys calm and preparation; nobody looks hostile.
Describe this illustration

A wide view of an orderly room. On the left, a check-in table with two workers and a short line. In the center, a desk with a standing sign that reads Moderator, where a woman in a lanyard listens to a voter and writes on a clipboard. On the right, a tabulator and a sealed ballot box stand together in a marked area. The scene conveys calm and preparation; nobody looks hostile.

Things you may notice

Things you may notice about problem-solving at the polls.

  1. Poll workers follow an organized check-in process.

    For example: Workers know their roles, and the line moves in a predictable way.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Connecticut election law (Title 9) · Help America Vote Act

  2. Voters can ask to speak with a supervising election official.

    For example: A voter asks for the moderator, and the moderator comes over.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Connecticut election law (Title 9) · Help America Vote Act, Section 302: provisional voting and posted information

  3. Workers explain available next steps when a problem arises.

    For example: A worker says what will happen, who will handle it, and how long it may take.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Help America Vote Act, Section 302: provisional voting and posted information · Civil Rights Act voting protections

  4. Election materials are kept in designated areas.

    For example: Blank ballots, the tabulator and the ballot box are in view of workers and not left unattended.

    Share an observation
    Learn more

    Federal law requires election records in federal elections to be preserved for 22 months. At the polling place, what you can see is whether materials are handled carefully and kept in their proper place.

    The law behind this: Federal election records retention · Connecticut election law (Title 9)

  5. Workers respond when voters report accessibility or equipment problems.

    For example: A voter mentions that the accessible entrance is locked, and a worker goes to unlock it.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: ADA Title II · Help America Vote Act, Section 301: voting system standards

Notice something different? Write down what you personally saw or heard, including the time and location. You can ask an election official for help.

Why it matters

Mistakes happen at every election. What separates a good polling place from a poor one is whether problems are fixed and whether voters are told how.

What one visit cannot tell you

  • Whether a problem was resolved correctly under the law. You can note what was done and when.
  • Whether records were kept properly after the polls closed.
In Connecticut
  • Connecticut's Election Day hotline (866-SEEC-INFO) and the New Haven Registrar of Voters at 200 Orange Street handle problems that the moderator cannot resolve. (Connecticut Election Day hotline)
What the law actually says

The Civil Rights Act of 1960 (52 U.S.C. §§ 20701–20706) requires election officials to keep records relating to federal elections for 22 months. The Help America Vote Act requires states to have a procedure for voters to file complaints about violations of its voting-system and provisional-ballot rules. Connecticut law puts a moderator in charge of each polling place.

Where to take a problem

Start with the moderator at the polling place. For problems that are not fixed, contact the New Haven Registrar of Voters or call Connecticut's Election Day hotline at 866-SEEC-INFO. For civil-rights concerns you can also contact the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

Related legal authorities
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