Here are some of the frequently asked questions about the February 25th, 2025 Special Election in Stratford:
Why is there a special election in Stratford on February 25th, 2025?
State Senator Kevin Kelly, who represented about 90% of Stratford, was unopposed for reelection on November 5th, 2024, but he declined to get sworn in. Instead, he accepted a state judgeship. So the seat is vacant and, under state law, a Special Election must be held. It is set for Tuesday February 25. The Kelly district covers about 90% of Stratford, all of Shelton, plus parts of Seymour and Monroe.
Who is running?
The vacant state Senate seat is the only office on the ballot. Republicans from the four towns have chosen State Rep. Jason Perillo, of Shelton, to be their candidate, while the Democrats chose Stratford Town Councilor Anthony Afriyie, who currently represents the town’s Fifth District (Nichols School). You should be able to find information about both candidates through an Internet search of their names.
How do I know if I live in state Senate District 21 and I am eligible to vote?
The 35,000 registered voters in Stratford are all eligible, except for 73 voters registered in District 1 (Lordship School); 2,117 voters in D3 (Johnson Academy); and 816 voters in D4 (Franklin School). Those voters are all in state Senate District 23.
If you live in Districts 1, 3 and 4, you can e-mail us at Registrars@townofstratford.com and we can check your status. Online, you can check for yourself by going to https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx and supplying your name, address, town and birthdate. At the bottom of the screen, you will get your polling location, followed by your state Assembly District number and then the state Senate District number.
For example, the information may say:
| Polling Location Address / |
| State: Chapel Street School 120 21 |
The voting address is Chapel Street School. The state Assembly District is 120. The state Senate district is 21, so this voter is eligible to vote in the Special Election.
Where do I vote?
A: All 10 of our normal polling locations at schools will be open, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. There will be four days of Early Voting available at the Baldwin Center on Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 20-23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Absentee ballots are available through the Town Clerk (spawluk@townofstratford.com). There are still limitations on using absentee ballots in Connecticut, such as you needing to be out of town for the election, or ill, or be in the military. Connecticut voters approved a referendum in 2024 to remove the restrictions, but the revised policy will not be in effect for this election.
Additional questions? Contact us at Registrars@townofstratford.com; Room 1176, Town Hall, or 203 385 4048, 4049
