Connecticut will hold a week of early voting starting Monday, Aug. 5 for party primary elections. The election features a slate of races for officials on a national and state level – and another opportunity for the state to roll out early voting before the presidential election in November.

Early voting will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sunday, Aug. 11 for the primaries, with expanded hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 and Thursday, Aug. 8.

Republicans Gerry Smith and Matthew Corey are vying for the chance to face Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy in the November election. In Fairfield County, Republicans Michael Goldstein and Bob MacGuffie will face off in the hopes to challenge Democratic U.S. Representative Jim Himes in the General Election.

There are also over a dozen primaries for seats in Connecticut’s state legislature.

As of Aug. 1, there are over 1.26 million registered Democrats and Republicans in Connecticut, according to the office of the Secretary of the State. Over 2.2 million people are registered to vote overall – but the primaries are limited to members of the two major parties.

Connecticut was one of the last states to offer early in-person voting under a state law in effect this year. The opportunity was first offered this spring for the presidential preference primary. That election saw low turnout, which election officials expected, with only about 18,000 people casting a ballot.

Polls will also be open as usual on primary election day itself from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

More information on early voting locations and registration deadlines are online.

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CHESHIRE, CT — The main election event is set for November, but there is a preliminary bout Cheshire residents will weigh in on this month.

Winners of Connecticut’s Aug. 13 primary races will advance to become their party’s banner bearer in the general election.

In Cheshire, residents who are registered Republicans can vote for one of two candidates to challenge incumbent Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Gerry Smith, the first selectman of Beacon Falls, is running against Manchester native, businessman and Navy veteran Matthew Corey.

Absentee ballots are available online here.

Aug. 2 is the earliest deadline, and affects unaffiliated voters seeking to vote during the early voting period before the primary — Aug. 5 to Aug. 11 — to file party enrollment application.

Aug. 12 is the deadline for issuing absentee ballots, outside of special exceptions for those overseas or ill.

There is more information on the absentee ballot process at the Secretary of the State website here.

Polls will be open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 13.