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Connecticut state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018

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2018 Connecticut
State Legislature elections
Flag of Connecticut.png
GeneralNovember 6, 2018
PrimaryAugust 14, 2018
2018 elections
Choose a chamber below:


The Democratic primary elections for seats in the Connecticut State Senate and Connecticut House of Representatives were on August 14, 2018. For information about the Republican primary elections in Connecticut, click here.

Ballotpedia identified both the state Senate and the state House as battleground chambers in the 2018 elections. Heading into the election, the Democratic Party held a 80-71 majority in the state House and an 18-18 majority in the state Senate, where the tiebreaking vote was held by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman (D).

Three Democratic members of the Connecticut State Senate voted in favor of the Republican Party of Connecticut's budget proposal in September 2017.[1] As of March 2018, two of the three had announced that they would not seek re-election to the chamber, with state Sen. Gayle Slossberg (D) announcing her retirement and state Sen. Paul Doyle (D) announcing a run for state attorney general.[2]

The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 12, 2018. In the state Senate, all 36 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 151 seats were up for election. As of March 2018, Connecticut was one of eight Democratic trifectas, since the governor was a Democrat and both chambers of the state Legislature were controlled by Democratic majorities, including the tie-breaking majority in the state Senate.

Incumbents who did not advance to the general election

Retiring incumbents

Ten Democratic state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

Four Democratic state Senate incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:

Competitiveness

See also: 2018 primary election competitiveness in state and federal government and Connecticut state legislative Republican primaries, 2018

There were 26 open seats in 2018, which was higher than the 23 open seats in 2016 and the 24 open seats in 2014. The 9 contested Democratic primaries was down from 10 in 2016 and 13 in 2014. The 3 contested Republican primaries was up from 2 in 2016 but down from 5 in 2014. The 361 candidates running was up from 337 in 2016 and 343 in 2014.

Year Total seats Open seats Total candidates Democratic primaries contested Republican primaries contested Total contested Incumbents contested in primaries Total incumbents contested in primaries
2018 187 26 361 9 3 3.2% 1 0.6%
2016 187 23 337 10 2 3.2% 10 6.1%
2014 187 24 343 13 5 4.8% 9 5.5%

Partisan control

The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut State Senate as of August 2018:

Connecticut House of Representatives

Party As of August 2018
     Democratic Party 78
     Republican Party 71
     Vacancies 0
Total 151

Connecticut State Senate

Party As of August 2018
     Democratic Party 18
     Republican Party 18
     Vacancies 0
Total 36

Battleground races

Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Connecticut state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Democratic caucus or had an impact on general election races.

To determine the Connecticut state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:

  1. Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
  2. One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
  3. The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.


Media coverage

This section provides an overview of media reactions to the Connecticut state legislative Democratic primaries.[3] Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.


Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Connecticut law gives parties discretion to decide whether unaffiliated voters may vote in their primaries. As of October 2025, both parties operated closed primary where only a voter affiliated with the party may vote in a party's primary.[4]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Connecticut, all polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Election Day. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[5]

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Connecticut, one must be a U.S. citizen and Connecticut resident who is at least 17 years-old and will be 18 on or before Election Day.[6]

Registration applications can be submitted online or completed via paper forms. The deadline for mail-in applications is 18 days before an election or primary, while same-day registration is available but must be completed at designated election-day registration locations in each town.[7]

Automatic registration

Connecticut automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Connecticut has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Connecticut allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Connecticut, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Connecticut does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, if you knowingly providing false information, "you can be convicted and imprisoned for up to five years and fined up to $5,000."[8]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[9] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site Voter Registration Lookup, run by the Connecticut Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Connecticut requires voters to present non-photo identification while voting or sign an affidavit.[10]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Connecticut Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

First-time voters who registered by mail must present one of the following forms of identification to vote in an election with federal candidates on the ballot:

  • Copy of a current and valid photo identification with the voter’s name and address, or
  • Copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows the voter’s name and address.

Other voters must present one of the following forms of identification:

  • Any pre-printed form of identification that shows the voter's name and address, or name and signature, or name and photograph.
  • Social Security card.

Early voting

Connecticut permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Governor Ned Lamont (D) signed Public Act 23-5 into law on June 7, 2023. The law, which went into effect on July 1, 2023, implemented in-person early voting for elections occurring after January 1, 2024.[11] The length of the early voting period varies based on the type of election. Fourteen days of early voting are required for general elections, seven days are required for most primaries, and four days are required for special elections and presidential preference primaries. Each municipality was required to establish at least one early voting location.[12]

In 2022, Connecticut voters approved a legislatively referred constitutional amendment allowing the Connecticut General Assembly to pass laws providing for in-person early voting.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

Connecticut voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in an election if they cannot make it to the polls on election day for one of the following reasons:[13]

  • Active military service
  • Absence from town of residence during voting hours
  • Illness or physical disability, or role as a caregiver to another individual with illness or disability
  • Religious beliefs precluding secular activity on election day
  • Performance of duties as an election official at a different polling place during voting hours

To request an absentee/mail-in ballot, a voter may complete and sign an application and return it to their town clerk, or complete an online application. Voters requesting an absentee/mail-in ballot within six days of an election must complete an emergency application.[13]

An absentee ballot must be returned either in person by close of business the day before the election or by mail. If returned by mail, the ballot must be received by close of polls on election day.[13]


State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Connecticut heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly. They had a 80-71 majority in the state House and a 18-18 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • Connecticut was one of eight Democratic trifectas, meaning that Democrats controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.

2018 elections

See also: Connecticut elections, 2018

Connecticut held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Connecticut
 ConnecticutU.S.
Total population:3,584,730316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):4,8423,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:77.3%73.6%
Black/African American:10.3%12.6%
Asian:4.2%5.1%
Native American:0.2%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:2.8%3%
Hispanic/Latino:14.7%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:89.9%86.7%
College graduation rate:37.6%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$70,331$53,889
Persons below poverty level:12.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Connecticut.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Connecticut's three largest cities were Bridgeport (pop. est. 146,579), New Haven (pop. est. 131,014), and Stamford (pop. est. 130,824).[14][15]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Connecticut from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Connecticut Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Connecticut every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Connecticut 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 54.6% Republican Party Donald Trump 40.9% 13.7%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 58.1% Republican Party Mitt Romney 40.8% 17.3%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 60.6% Republican Party John McCain 38.2% 22.4%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 54.3% Republican Party George W. Bush 43.9% 10.4%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 55.9% Republican Party George W. Bush 38.4% 17.5%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Connecticut from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Connecticut 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Richard Blumenthal 63.2% Republican Party Dan Carter 34.6% 28.6%
2012 Democratic Party Christopher Murphy 54.8% Republican Party Linda McMahon 43.1% 11.7%
2010 Democratic Party Richard Blumenthal 55.2% Republican Party Linda McMahon 43.2% 12%
2006 Grey.png Joe Lieberman (I) 49.7% Democratic Party Ned Lamont 39.7% 12.2%
2004 Democratic Party Chris Dodd 66.4% Republican Party Jack Orchulli 32.1% 34.3%
2002 Democratic Party Joe Lieberman 63.2% Republican Party Philip Giordano 34.2% 29%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Connecticut.

Election results (Governor), Connecticut 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Democratic Party Dan Malloy 50.7% Republican Party Tom Foley 48.2% 2.5%
2010 Democratic Party Dan Malloy 49.5% Republican Party Tom Foley 49% .5%
2006 Republican Party Jodi Rell 63.2% Democratic Party John DeStefano, Jr. 35.5% 27.7%
2002 Republican Party John G. Rowland 56.1% Democratic Party Bill Curry 43.9% 12.2%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Connecticut in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Connecticut 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 5 100% D+5
2014 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 5 100% D+5
2012 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 5 100% D+5
2010 Republican Party 0 0% Democratic Party 5 100% D+5
2008 Republican Party 0 36.8% Democratic Party 5 100% D+5
2006 Republican Party 1 20% Democratic Party 4 80% D+4
2004 Republican Party 3 60% Democratic Party 2 40% R+1
2002 Republican Party 3 60% Democratic Party 2 40% R+1
2000 Republican Party 2 40% Democratic Party 3 60.0% D+1

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Connecticut Party Control: 1992-2025
Fifteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor I I I R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Correction: Connecticut Budget story," September 16, 2017
  2. ↑ CT Post, "Slossberg’s retirement could shift balance of power in Senate," March 10, 2018
  3. ↑ In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage.
  4. ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-431," accessed October 20, 2025
  5. ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-174," accessed July 23, 2024
  6. ↑ Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Voting Eligibility," accessed July 23, 2024
  7. ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Election Day Registration," accessed July 23, 2024
  8. ↑ Office of the Secretary of the State, "State of Connecticut Mail-in Voter Registration," accessed November 1, 2024
  9. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
  10. ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "FAQ Voter ID," accessed October 6, 2025
  11. ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Public Act No. 23-5," June 7, 2023
  12. ↑ State of Connecticut, "Governor Lamont Signs Legislation Establishing Early Voting in Connecticut Elections and Primaries," June 7, 2023
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Absentee Voting Information," accessed July 23, 2024
  14. ↑ Cubit, "Connecticut by Population," accessed August 30, 2018
  15. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Connecticut," accessed August 30, 2018
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