Secretary Thomas Highlights Initial Smooth August Primary Operations and Lauds Elections Workers for their Early Voting Efforts

Press Releases

08/13/2024

Secretary Thomas Highlights Initial Smooth August Primary Operations and Lauds Elections Workers for their Early Voting Efforts

(Hartford, Connecticut) - In a press conference earlier today, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas highlighted the smooth operations of the start of the August 13th Primary and its concluded early voting period, and she also thanked election workers for their efforts over the seven-day early voting period. Click here to download the video of the press conference. Click here to download the audio of the press conference.

"I'm pleased to report that Connecticut has successfully completed another early voting period," said Secretary Thomas. "I'd like to remind everyone that smooth elections don't happen by accident. They are the result of hundreds of election workers around the state giving their best. So, I would like to thank all of the registrars, the town clerks, the moderators, the poll workers, and my team for all of their hours of extra work, extra training, and their service to the voters of Connecticut."

This was only Connecticut's second early voting period since Early Voting debuted in the state earlier this year with the Presidential Preference Primary. The state's first two early voting periods have enabled election workers to improve their processes in advance of the upcoming general election on November 5th, when there will be 14 days of early voting, and a much higher turnout is expected due to the presidential race.

"[This primary] did give our election workers another opportunity to test the system and ensure we're as well prepared as we can be for early voting in November," said Secretary Thomas.

Secretary Thomas thanked municipalities for the extra efforts they've made to inform voters about early voting, including hanging banners outside of town halls, posting on social media, updating town websites with early voting details, and more. In Hamden, which has had the highest early voting turnout for both the Presidential Preference Primary and the August Primary, local registrars sent out postcard reminders about early voting.

"What we've seen from the data collected around the country is that there is a direct correlation to the amount of advertising and the amount of early voters," said Secretary Thomas. "It shows that if efforts are made to reach out to voters directly and educate them, we can expect to see more turnout at the polls."

The Office of the Secretary of the State has also released the following voting totals:

• Total Early Voters (August 5-11) - 8,854

• Total Absentee Ballots Issued - 6,231 (as of end of day Monday, Aug. 12)

Total Issued (Democrats) - 4,011

Total Issued (Republicans) - 2,220

• Total Absentee Ballots Returned - 4,099 (as of end of day Monday, Aug. 12)

Total Returned (Democrats) - 2,717

Total Returned (Republicans) - 1,382

• Total Registered Voters -2,225,422 (as of August 12, 2024)

Democrats - 799,246

Republicans - 469,538

All Connecticut towns have a Republican primary today, and there are 28 towns with Democratic primaries.

General information about today's primary can be found at MyVote.CT.gov. Election results will be available beginning 8 p.m. tonight on the Office of the Secretary of the State's Election Night Reporting website: https://ctemspublic.tgstg.net/#/home

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