Your Guide to Connecticut’s Aug. 13 Primary Elections

07.25.2024
Issues & Policies

Registered Democrat and Republican voters in Connecticut will head to the polls August 13 to determine party candidates for November’s General Assembly and U.S. congressional elections. 

To be eligible to vote in primary elections, you must be registered as a Democrat or Republican voter.

Polls will be open across the state from 6 am-8 pm on election day.

Connecticut also offers early voting, with select polling stations open on the following days:

  • Aug. 5, 7, 9, 10, 11: 10 am-6 pm
  • Aug. 6, 8: 8 am-8 pm

Voters can also vote ahead of time through an absentee ballot. Connecticut voters are eligible to receive an absentee ballot if they are unable to get to the polls. 

State Senate Primaries

Senate DistrictDemocratic CandidatesRepublican Candidates
2nd (Bloomfield, Hartford, Windsor)Shellye Davis
Doug McCrory*+
Ayanna Taylor
12th (East Granby, Ellington, Enfield, Granby, Somers, Suffield, Windsor, Windsor Locks)Cynthia Mangini+
Nathan Wolliston
22nd (Bridgeport, Monroe, Trumbull)Scott Burns
Bill Finch
Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox
Tyler Mack
23rd (Bridgeport, Stratford)Herron Gaston*+
Ernie Newton
29th (Brooklyn, Canterbury, Killingly, Mansfield, Pomfret, Putnam, Scotland, Thompson, Windham)Chris Reddy+
Susan Witkowski

+Party endorsed candidate; *Incumbent

Four state Senate District races feature Democratic primaries, along with one Republican primary election. 

Four-term incumbent Doug McCrory faces a three-way primary with labor union leader Shellye Davis and school board member Ayanna Taylor in the 2nd Senate District, which includes parts of Bloomfield, Hartford, and Windsor. 

Enfield town councillor Cynthia Mangini and Windsor Board of Education member Nathan Wolliston are on the ballot in the 7th Senate District Democratic primary, with the winner challenging 15-term GOP incumbent John Kissel in November.

With Democratic incumbent Marilyn Moore not running for reelection, four candidates are running in the party’s 22nd District primary: Bridgeport city councillor Scott Burns, former mayor Bill Finch, Quinnipiac University professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, and former councillor Tyler Mack.

Former state senator and Bridgeport city councillor Ernie Newton is challenging first-term incumbent Herron Gaston in the 23rd District Democratic primary.

Scotland paramedic Chris Reddy and Susan Witkowski, who sits on the Thompson Board of Selectmen, are the candidates in the 29th District Republican primary, with the winner facing Democratic incumbent Mae Flexer in November.

State House Primaries

House District
Democratic Candidates
Republican Candidates
15th (Bloomfield, West Hartford)Bobby Gibson*
Jennifer Marshall-Nealy+
26th (New Britain)Aram Ayalon
David DeFronzo+
58th (Enfield)David Alexander
John Santanella+
69th (Bridgewater, New Milford, Roxbury, Southbury)Jason Buchsbaum+
Edwin Cady
88th (Hamden)Josh Elliott*+
Dan Garrett
91st (Hamden)Jen Pope+
Laurie Sweet
94th (Hamden, New Haven)Tarolyn Moore
Abdul Osmanu
Steven Winter+
110th (Danbury)Bob Godfrey*+
Melissa Santana
124th (Bridgeport)Andre Baker Jr.*
Eneida Martinez+
140th (Norwalk)Carleton Giles
Travis Simms*
146th (Stamford)Eilish Collins Main+
David Michel*
148th (Stamford)Anabel Figueroa*
Jonathan Jacobson+

+Party endorsed candidate; *Incumbent

Democratic candidates in 11 House districts face primaries, with one Republican House primary also scheduled for Aug. 13. 

In the 15th House District, Democratic incumbent Bobby Gibson faces a primary challenge from Jennifer Marshall-Nealy, Bloomfield’s Democratic Registrar of Voters.

Former New Britain city councillors Aram Ayalon and David DeFronzo face off in the 26th District Democratic primary, with long-term incumbent Peter Tercyak not running again.

Former state representative David Alexander and Enfield town councillor John Santanella are the Democratic primary candidates for the 58th District, held by three-term incumbent Tom Arnone, who is stepping down.

Southbury selectman Jason Buchsbaum and Roxbury business owner Edwin Cady are running for the Republican nomination in the 69th District primary, with incumbent Cindy Harrison not running for reelection.

In the 88th District, which covers parts of Hamden, four-term Democratic incumbent Josh Elliott faces a primary challenge from local landlord Dan Garrett.

Six-term Democratic incumbent Mike D’Agostino‘s decision not to run for reelection set up the 91st District primary between Hamden clinical research manager Jen Pope and town councillor Laurie Sweet.

Three candidates—New Haven Board of Education member Tarolyn Moore, Hamden town councilor Abdul Osmanu, and Steven Winter, New Haven’s climate and sustainability executive director—are running in the 94th District Democratic primary, with five-term incumbent Robyn Porter stepping down.

Democrat Bob Godfrey, who has held the 110th District seat since 1989, faces a primary challenge from political newcomer Melissa Santana.

Bridgeport town councilor Eneida Martinez is challenging five-term incumbent Andre Baker Jr. in the 124th District Democratic primary election.

Two-term incumbent Travis Simms and former Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles chair Carleton Giles are running in the 140th District Democratic primary.

In Stamford, three-term Democrat incumbent David Michel faces a 146th District primary battle with community advocate Eilish Collins Main, while city representative Jonathan Jacobson is challenging Anabel Figueroa, who won a special election last year, in the 148th District.

Congressional Primaries

Congressional Seat

Democratic Candidates Republican Candidates
U.S. SenateMatthew Corey
Gerry Smith+
4th U.S. House DistrictMichael Goldstein
Bob MacGuffie+

+Party endorsed candidate

Beacon Falls first selectman Gerry Smith and businessman and Navy veteran Matthew Corey are running for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy in November.

Greenwich doctor and lawyer Michael Goldstein and Fairfield business owner Bob MacGuffie are the candidates in the U.S. House 4th District Republican primary.

The winner will face Democratic incumbent Jim Himes, who has held the seat since 2008.

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