Election 2020: Shelton/Derby Voter Guide

Rich Scinto
Updated ·5 min read

SHELTON/DERBY, CT — Voters in Shelton and Derby will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the 2020 general election.

In addition to the presidential and congressional races, all state House of Representative and Senate seats are up for grabs. Voting will be different this year thanks to a law which allows absentee ballot voting for all voters in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

You can check your voting status on the Secretary of State's website, where you can also find your polling place.

There are several ways residents can vote:
Absentee Voting
The Secretary of the State office has mailed absentee ballot applications to all active registered voters in the state. Voters can also download the application online.

Those who want an absentee ballot will have to fill out the application and select a reason for requesting one. All voters are eligible to check the top box that lists "COVID-19" as a reason for requesting an absentee ballot.

Applications then need to be sent to the voter's local town clerk office. They can be dropped in the secure drop-off box in front of town hall, hand-delivered in person to the office or mailed in.

The applications will then be processed locally and will begin to be sent out Oct. 2.
Ballots must be completely filled out according to the accompanied instructions, including signing the inner envelope. Ballots can be hand-delivered to the town clerk office, placed in the drop-off box or mailed in. Ballots must be received by the close of polls in order to count.

Voting on Election Day
Polls in Connecticut are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can use the Secretary of State’s website to find your polling place.

Regular voter registration must be received or postmarked by the 7th day before Election Day. Registration can be done in person with the local registrar of voters office by the 7th day before an election.

Connecticut also allows for Election Day registration at designated centers in each town. People must be registered by 8 p.m. in order to vote using Election Day registration.

For questions about voting in Shelton contact the Shelton Registrar of Voters Office 203-924-2533 option 1 or visit the town website. For information about absentee ballots call 203-924-1555 extension 1403. For questions about voting in Derby call the Derby Registrar of Voters at 203-736-1454 or visit the town website.


The following are the key contested races that will be on the ballot for Shelton voters:

President/Vice President

  • Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (Democrat)

  • Donald Trump/Mike Pence (Republican) - Incumbent

  • Jo Jorgensen and Chip Cohen (Libertarian)

  • Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker (Green Party)

U.S. Congress 4th District

  • Jim Himes (Democrat) - Incumbent

  • Jonathan Riddle (Republican)

  • Brian Merlen (Independent Party)

Local State Senator District 21

  • Kevin Kelly (Republican) - Incumbent

Local State House District 113

  • Elaine Matto (Democrat)

  • Jason Perillo (Republican) - Incumbent

Local State House District 122

  • Jose Goncalves (Democrat)

  • Ben McGorty (Republican) - Incumbent

Registrar of Voters

  • Janet Sabovik (Democrat)

  • Peter Pavone (Republican)

Shelton voters will also have a question on the ballot regarding proposed changes to the city charter: "Shall the Charter of the City of Shelton be revised in accordance with the report and recommendations of the Charter Revision Commission?"

The following are the key contested races that will be on the ballot for Derby voters:

President/Vice President

  • Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (Democrat)

  • Donald Trump/Mike Pence (Republican) - Incumbent

  • Jo Jorgensen and Chip Cohen (Libertarian)

  • Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker (Green Party)

U.S. Congress 3rd District

  • Rosa DeLauro (Democrat, Working Families) - Incumbent

  • Margaret Streicker (Republican, Independent)

Local State Senator District 17

  • Jorge Cabrera (Democrat, Working Families)

  • George Logan (Republican, Independent) - Incumbent

Local State House District 104

  • Kara Rochelle (Democrat, Independent, Working Families)

  • Myra Rivers (Republican)

Local State House District 105

  • Christopher Bowen (Democrat)

  • Nicole Klarides-Ditra (Republican) - Incumbent

Local State House District 114

  • Mary Welander (Democrat, Working Families)

  • Dan DeBarba (Republican, Independent)

Registrar of Voters

  • Louise Pitney (Democrat)

  • Michael Rabovsky (Republican)

Derby voters will also have seven yes or or no questions they can answer on the ballot for proposed changes to the city charter they are as follows:

1. "Shall Sections 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 26, 28, 29, 37, 52,
53, 56, 57, 63, 67, 68, 70, and 89 of the Charter of the City of Derby
be amended to make general changes, update old language, delete
obsolete sections, and correct grammatical, spelling, and typographical
errors in accordance with the recommendation of the Charter Revision
Commission and the Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

2. "Shall Section 4 of the Charter of the City of Derby be amended to
change the term of office for all elected officials from two years to four
years in accordance with the recommendation of the Charter Revision
Commission and the Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

3. "Shall Section 10 of the Charter of the City of Derby be amended to
designate the position of Mayor as Full-Time in accordance with the
recommendation of the Charter Revision Commission and the Board of
Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

4. "Shall Section 16 of the Charter of the City of Derby be amended to
update the duties of the Treasurer in accordance with the recommendation
of the Charter Revision Commission and the Board of
Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

5. "Shall Section 26 of the Charter of the City of Derby be amended to
designate the Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen as the superior body in the
City in accordance with the recommendation of the Charter Revision
Commission and the Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

6. "Shall Section 28 of the Charter of the City of Derby be amended to
require the Mayor to submit an Annual Budget to the Board of
Apportionment and Taxation by March 1 in accordance with the
recommendation of the Charter Revision Commission and the Board of
Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

7. "Shall Section 55 of the Charter of the City of Derby be
amended to allow certain members of the Board of
Assessment Appeals to designate an alternate to act in
their stead in accordance with the recommendation of the
Charter Revision Commission and the Board of
Aldermen/Alderwomen?"

This article originally appeared on the Shelton-Derby Patch