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

Can voters get in and cast their ballots?

Polling Hours and General Access

Polls in Connecticut open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at closing time may still vote. Getting in, finding the right place and knowing what to do in line are the basics of access.

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A welcoming polling-place entrance with posted hours, an orderly line of voters of different ages, and clear wayfinding signs. The entrance of a New Haven community building in late afternoon. A sign by the door reads Polls open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and another reads Line starts here with an arrow. A short line includes a young couple, a man using a walker, a woman with a stroller and a teenager with an older relative. A poll worker at the door greets the next person. The scene is calm and the path inside is clear.
Describe this illustration

The entrance of a New Haven community building in late afternoon. A sign by the door reads Polls open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and another reads Line starts here with an arrow. A short line includes a young couple, a man using a walker, a woman with a stroller and a teenager with an older relative. A poll worker at the door greets the next person. The scene is calm and the path inside is clear.

Things you may notice

Things you may notice about polling-place access.

  1. The polling place is open and admitting voters during voting hours.

    For example: At 6:05 a.m. the doors are open and voters are going in.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Connecticut election law (Title 9) · Secretary of the State: voter information

  2. Voters can enter and join the check-in process.

    For example: Voters walk in and are directed to the right line without delay.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Voting Rights Act, Section 11(b): no intimidation · Connecticut election law (Title 9)

  3. Voters using mobility aids can reach the voting area.

    For example: A voter with a walker gets from the door to the booth without obstacles.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: ADA Title II · Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act · Connecticut election law (Title 9), § 9-168d: accessible polling places

  4. Workers provide directions when someone is at the wrong polling place.

    For example: A worker looks up the voter's street and tells them which school to go to.

    Share an observation

    The law behind this: Help America Vote Act, Section 302: provisional voting and posted information · Secretary of the State: voter information

  5. Voters waiting in line are given clear instructions about where to stand and how to proceed.

    For example: Signs or a worker show where the line starts and that voters in line at 8 p.m. can still vote.

    Share an observation

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

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

Being sent to the wrong school, or leaving a long line because nobody said it was still moving, costs real votes. These are the things a voter notices first and remembers longest.

What one visit cannot tell you

  • Why a polling place opened late or closed early, if it did. Note the time you arrived and what you saw.
  • How long the wait really was for people who left. You can note how long you waited.
In Connecticut
  • Find your polling place with the Connecticut Secretary of the State's lookup tool before you go. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you can vote. (Find your polling place)
What the law actually says

Polling hours are set by Connecticut law: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters in line at 8 p.m. are entitled to vote. Federal law adds protections against turning away eligible voters and requires posting the hours at the polling place (52 U.S.C. § 21082(b)).

Finding your polling place

Use the Secretary of the State's polling-place lookup or call the New Haven Registrar of Voters at (203) 946-8035. Your polling place may differ from your Same-Day Registration site.

Related legal authorities
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