Election officials want you to know if you want to vote by absentee ballot in the Nov. 2 election you’re going to want to start planning now.

“You must apply for an application but you must do it early. They are available now,” Secretary of the State Denise Merrill said.

Time is of the essence, especially if you’re requesting an absentee ballot application by mail.

“They need to make sure they request an application from their town clerk or download it from the internet,” Kate Wall, president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association, said.

Read Christine Stuart’s full report at NBC Connecticut