However, there is one thing we know for sure: voters 50-plus decide elections. In fact, they are the majority of voters in every election, and candidates who don’t recognize the power of these voters are unlikely to win.

There’s a lot on the line this election – from protecting Social Security to supporting family caregivers and more – and with a new state law, Connecticut now offers early in-person voting. Voters have 14 days to participate in early voting for the general election.

Previously, Connecticut was one of only four states in the country without early in-person voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire still do not offer that option. But in 2023, the Connecticut General Assembly passed a bill establishing early voting. That came after voters in 2022 had approved a state constitutional amendment allowing the change. Every municipality in the state is required to have at least one early voting location but may offer more.

Additional laws passed in 2023 and 2024 that may affect how you cast your ballot include the following:

• Nursing home residents who apply for an absentee ballot within six days before the polls close may choose a designee to deliver their ballot. The law already allowed this for hospital patients.
• Only an individual voter may apply for an additional absentee ballot.
• Voters in November will decide on a constitutional amendment to allow no-excuse absentee balloting.

To vote absentee currently, Connecticut residents must have an acceptable excuse, such as being out of town or unable to get to the polls because of sickness or a physical disability. However, voters caring for an ill spouse or other family member are also now eligible to request an absentee ballot if the person they take care of is sick or has a condition that could be aggravated by exposure to a disease such as COVID-19.

However, a state constitutional amendment on the November ballot may also expand who can participate in absentee voting. Voters will be given the option to vote “yes” or “no” to the question “Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?” If approved by voters, the amendment would give the legislature the ability to institute no-excuse absentee balloting. That would allow any voter to request a mail-in ballot.

There are several additional accommodations at polling places that can be helpful for older adults, which people may not be aware of. They include an assistive device that allows voters with a range of abilities to mark their choices audibly or by touch screen if they can’t read the ballot or fill it out. A person who has trouble standing in line may also request that someone save their place in line so he can sit.

Your vote gives you the power to decide what our future looks like. But you have to be in the know to vote.

That’s why AARP Connecticut created an election guide with the most up-to-date information on how, where, and when to vote in the state. Visit www.aarp.org/CTvotes to get the latest on how to register, the new law on early in-person voting, absentee voting, and all the key deadlines.

Nora Duncan is the state director for AARP Connecticut.