Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, and with so much riding on the 2022 midterms, it’s important for Wilton voters to be fully prepared.

There are four candidates running to represent Wilton in Hartford, none of whom are incumbents but all of whom have run before in some way to serve the town. There are also statewide races, starting with the governor’s office on down, plus U.S. congressional and senate races and a referendum on early voting.

As always, GOOD Morning Wilton focuses our hyperlocal lens on Wilton — much of the other general Election information can be found elsewhere but no one covers Wilton like GMW.

There’s a lot of information here, but hopefully, our 2022 Voter’s Guide will help you make informed choices. And readers can always look back to our extensive coverage of the Wilton campaigns on our Main Menu‘s ‘News‘ tab by clicking on ‘Election 2022‘ (above).

‘Meet the Candidate’ Profiles

We focused on the three contested Wilton-specific races — State Senate, State Representative and U.S. Congressional 4th District.

In July, we published detailed Election Policies and Guidelines that were also sent to the candidates and campaign representatives outlining how we’d cover the election. For our Meet the Candidate profiles, we asked each of the candidates in three races to provide a bio as well as a statement/op-ed. Five of the six candidates responded.

For the two state legislative races, GMW Editor Heather Borden Herve interviewed all four candidates via Zoom. They were asked the same questions and additional candidate-specific questions where appropriate. Those interviews are available to watch in-full, as well as in shorter clips for each individual question. (Video interviews were edited for clarity and brevity.) 

State Senate, 26th District

State Representative, 42nd District

U.S. Congressional 4th District

Town Committee Op-Eds

Both of Wilton’s political party leaders were invited to submit op-eds as well.

Letters to the Editor & Candidate Endorsements

Starting in September, GMW published Letters to the Editor from readers every Friday. Every Tuesday, we published endorsements that candidates received from outside interest groups, public officials or other notable sources; those were submitted to GMW by candidates — GOOD Morning Wilton does not make candidate endorsements.

Candidate Debates

Every year, we co-sponsor candidate debates with the Wilton League of Women Voters and Wilton Library. The debates were held on Tuesday, Oct. 25, and were livestreamed on GMW (as well as on our Facebook page). The video recordings of the debates can be viewed in full, as well as in shorter question-by-question clips.

Voting Districts: Where do I vote?

Wilton is divided into three voting districts for all November elections (see below). All three polling places will be open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. on Election Day. If you don’t know in which district you live, don’t fret:  the registrars’ webpage on the town website has both a link to the voting district map as well as a section where voters can enter their addresses to find out where they vote.

All Wilton voters are voting in the 42nd State House District, 26th State Senate District and 4th U.S. Congressional District.

District 1:  Wilton High School, Clune Center Auditorium (395 Danbury Rd.)

District 2:  Cider Mill School Gym (240 School Rd.)

District 3:  Middlebrook School Gym (131 School Rd.)

Do I need ID to vote?

Voters will be asked to show ID to vote in Connecticut. Identification is any pre-printed form of ID that shows your name and address, signature, or photograph (e.g.  Social Security card, driver’s license, school ID, etc.).

First-time voters need to show a proof of residence as well. Acceptable forms include:  a current and valid photo ID that shows your name and address; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address.

If you do not bring ID, you can still vote. You will be asked to sign an affidavit instead and then vote normally. First-time voters without ID can cast a provisional ballot.

Registration: Am I registered? What can I do if I’m not?

You can check your voter registration status via the registrars’ webpage on the town website.

Registering to Vote

For residents who are eligible to vote but have still not yet registered as a voter, Connecticut offers several ways to register to vote for the Nov. 8 election.

To be eligible to vote, a person must be:

  • A U.S. Citizen
  • A resident of Connecticut (to register in Wilton, the voter must be a Wilton resident)
  • 18 years old (although anyone who is 17 years old and will turn 18 by Election Day can register)
  • Have completed confinement and parole, if previously convicted of a felony

The state of Connecticut has several voter registration deadlines and opportunities.

Monday, Nov. 7, 2022: All Registrars of Voters’ offices in Connecticut will hold a statewide voter registration session from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 7. This is the last registration session for admission of electors who have turned 18, become a U.S. citizen, or moved to Connecticut since Nov. 1, 2022. This registration session is also open to members of the Armed Forces, and former Armed Forces members who have been discharged within the calendar year. Wilton’s Registrar of Voters office is located in Town Hall (238 Danbury Rd.).

Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022: Connecticut allows Election Day Registration. Voters can register and vote on Nov. 8 at Wilton Town Hall (238 Danbury Rd.) from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; bring proof of identity and proof of residence in Wilton (not available for primary voting). Important to note:  The EDR location closes promptly at 8 p.m.; however, any elector in line by 8 p.m. at the other three polling places will be allowed to vote.

Voting by Absentee Ballot

For anyone voting by absentee ballot, completed absentee ballots must be received by the Wilton Town Clerk by the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8. They can be submitted in person, through the Ballot Drop Box or by mail. However, anyone mailing in a ballot should be aware that it must be received by the town clerk and in the Town Clerk’s office by the 8 p.m. Election Day deadline for their vote to be counted. Ballots postmarked Nov. 8 but arriving after 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 will not be counted.

Once you submit your absentee ballot, you can track your ballot online to confirm that the Town Clerk’s office has received it.

Voter’s who can’t vote on Election Day can vote by Absentee Ballot in person at Town Hall anytime before Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 4:30 p.m. at the Town Clerk’s office.