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Connecticut state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 30 (by mail), or Nov. 6 (in-person)
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 5
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| 2018 Connecticut State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | August 14, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for seats in the Connecticut State Senate and Connecticut House of Representatives were on August 14, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Connecticut, click here.
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.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Seven Republican state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Mark Tweedie (District 13)
- Timothy LeGeyt (District 17)
- Prasad Srinivasan (District 31)
- Melissa H. Ziobron (District 34)
- Kevin Skulczyck (District 45)
- Robert C. Sampson (District 80)
- Pam Staneski (District 119)
Three Republican state Senate incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Joe Markley (District 16)
- Art Linares (District 33)
- Tony Guglielmo (District 35)
Competitiveness
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 Republican 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 Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Connecticut state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- 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 Republican primaries.[1] 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.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5]
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
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."[6]
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.[7] 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.[8]
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.[9] 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.[10]
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:[11]
- 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.[11]
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.[11]
See also
- Connecticut state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Connecticut State Senate elections, 2018
- Connecticut State Legislature
- Connecticut elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-431," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9-174," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Voting Eligibility," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Election Day Registration," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Office of the Secretary of the State, "State of Connecticut Mail-in Voter Registration," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "FAQ Voter ID," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Public Act No. 23-5," June 7, 2023
- ↑ State of Connecticut, "Governor Lamont Signs Legislation Establishing Early Voting in Connecticut Elections and Primaries," June 7, 2023
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Connecticut Secretary of the State, "Absentee Voting Information," accessed July 23, 2024
