Elections and Voting FAQ
What is General or Federal Election?
A General election is an election involving all or most constituencies of a state or nation in the choice of candidates.
Who can vote in the General or Federal Election?
To vote in the General or Federal election a person must be:
- 18 years of age or older
- A U.S. Citizen
- Registered to Vote
A Municipal election refers to the process by which town officials are elected. Municipal elections are held every two years (odd numbered years) on the first Tuesday that falls after the first Monday of the month.
Who can vote in the Woodbury Municipal Election?
To vote in the local election a person must be:
- A resident of Woodbury
- 18 years of age or older
- A U.S. Citizen
- Registered to Vote
A primary is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for an election.
Who can vote in a Primary?
Party affiliation is required for primaries in Connecticut. That means that people may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party.
Unaffiliated voters (those not enrolled in any political party) may enroll in a party up to 12:00 NOON the last business day before the primary. If a form is mailed in, it must be postmarked one week in advance or hand delivered by noon the day before the primary.
If you are already enrolled in a political party but want to vote in a primary of another party, you must enroll in the new party at least 90 days in advance.
To enroll in a new party you must complete a voter registration form indicating the changes you wish to make. This form can be hand delivered to the Registrar of Voters office or mailed to:
Registrar of Voters
281 Main Street South
Woodbury, CT 06798
Changing your party affliation my also be done on the Secretary of State website or at the DMV.
A caucus is meeting of the members of a particular political party at which they select candidates or decide policy.
Who can vote in a Caucus?
Party affiliation is required for caucuses in Connecticut. That means that people may vote in a party's caucus only if they are registered members of that party.
Unaffiliated voters (those not enrolled in any political party) may enroll in a party up to 5PM the last business day before the caucus.
If you are already enrolled in a political party but want to vote in a caucus of another party, you must enroll in the new party at least 90 days in advance.
To enroll in a new party you must complete a voter registration form indicating the changes you wish to make. This form must be hand delivered to the Registrar of Voters office or mailed to:
Registrar of Voters
281 Main Street South
Woodbury, CT 06798
You cannot vote by an absentee ballot in a caucus.
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular budget or proposal. Most referendums are held to decide money issues.
Who can vote in a Woodbury Referendum?
To vote in a referendum a person must be:
- 18 years of age or older
- A U.S. Citizen
- Registered to vote OR a property owner ($1,000 or more worth of property as listed on Grand List.)
Please visit our page How to Become a Voter for all the registration information.
What’s the difference between UNAFFILIATED and INDEPENDENT?
"Unaffiliated" is the term used to refer to voters who are not registered with a political party. This term is used instead of “independent" to avoid confusion with the Independent Party, which is an established political party. If you write “Independent” in section 9 of your Voter Registration, you will be registered as a member of the Independent Party.
What is SAME Day Registration?
Election Day Registration permits anyone to register and vote in person on Election Day who meets the eligibility requirements for voting in this state and is not already registered, OR is registered in one town but has moved to another town. SAME Day Registration is not available for primaries, referendums and special elections. Please visit our page How to Become a Voter for more information on the Election Day Voter Registration.
Can I vote by Absentee Ballot?
Yes, you can vote by absentee ballot in General, Municipal and Primary elections and Referendums. It is advised to start the process early. You will need to fill in Absentee Ballot Application first which you can obtain from Town Clerk’s office. For information please visit Town Clerk’s web page on absentee ballots.
What are acceptable forms of identification to vote?
In order to be able to vote you must show an ID. Acceptable forms of identification include (only ONE is necessary):
- A driver’s license or other photo ID
- U.S Passport
- A pre-printed form of ID, like a current tax bill or utility bill, pay stub or bank statement
- Social Security card or other government document that shows your name and address
- A document that shows your name and signature (i.e. a credit card)
Who can register to vote in Woodbury?
You must be a Woodbury Resident, who is or will be 18 on the date of the November Election, and not currently incarcerated or on parole.
Where do I go to vote?
Woodbury’s regular voting place is the Woodbury Senior/Community Center, 265 Main Street South.
I live in Woodbury but spend part of the year somewhere else. Can I register and vote in both places?
By law, you can only be registered and vote in one location. The only exception is property owners who pay property tax on property valued at $1,000 or more can vote in town and Region 14 referenda on budgetary matters even though they may be registered to vote somewhere else.
I missed the deadline for registering by mail or online before the next vote. Can I have a family member submit my registration in person for me?
Unfortunately no. After the mail-in deadline, we can only accept registrations brought in by the person whose name is on the registration card.