AP Decision Note: What to expect in Connecticut on Election Day

By MATTHEW DALY The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Connecticut voters will decide races for president, Congress and the state Legislature in the Nov. 5 general election, as well as a statewide ballot measure to expand voting options.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, Republican former President Donald Trump and three third-party candidates will compete for the state’s seven electoral votes in the race to replace outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden.

Two-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy faces a challenge from Republican Matthew Corey in a rematch of their 2018 contest. Two other candidates also are in the race. Five Democratic U.S. House incumbents are seeking reelection. The most closely contested race is the 5th Congressional District in western Connecticut, where incumbent Rep. Jahana Hayes faces a rematch with Republican George Logan, who narrowly lost to Hayes in 2022.

Democrats also are seeking to capture supermajorities in the state House and Senate to increase leverage for Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.

Connecticut has voted for the Democratic candidate in the last eight presidential elections and is considered a safe bet for Harris this year. In 2020, Biden defeated Trump by a 20-point margin in the state.

Voters also will decide on a proposed “no excuse” absentee voting amendment that would authorize the state Legislature to allow any voter to request a mail-in ballot. Under current law, voters must have an excuse to request an absentee ballot.

Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Connecticut:

Election Day

Nov. 5.

Poll closing time

8 p.m. ET.

Presidential electoral votes

7 awarded to statewide winner.

Key races and candidates

President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

U.S. Senate: Murphy (D) vs. Corey (R) and two others.

5th Congressional District: Hayes (D) vs. Logan (R).

Ballot measures: Amendment – 1 (expand absentee voting).

Other races with AP vote reports and winner calls

U.S. House, state Senate and state House.

Past presidential results

2020: Biden (D) 59%, Trump (R) 39%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 8 p.m. ET.

Voter registration and turnout

Registered voters: 2,464,919 (as of Oct. 31, 2022). About 36% Democrats, about 20% Republicans, about 42% unaffiliated.

Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 72% of registered voters.

Pre-Election Day voting

Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 37% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 12% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP Advance Vote tracker.

How long does vote-counting take?

First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:11 p.m. ET.

By midnight ET: about 37% of total votes cast were reported.

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Associated Press writers Hannah Fingerhut and Maya Sweedler contributed to this report.

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Read more about how U.S. elections work at Explaining Election 2024, a series from The Associated Press aimed at helping make sense of the American democracy. The AP receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.