On Tuesday, Aug. 14, registered Republicans in Chester, Deep River, and Essex will have the opportunity to choose their party's candidate for the U.S. Senate, and their candidate for U.S. representative. On the same day, at the same time, and in the same locations, registered Democrats in Chester, Deep River, and Essex will have the opportunity to choose their party's candidate for the U.S. Senate and their candidate for the Connecticut State Senate.

Welcome to the Republican and Democratic party primaries. The winners in these primary races will be the endorsed party candidates in the November election.

In the Republican races, Linda E. McMahon is running for the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by retiring U.S. Senator Joseph Leiberman. McMahon won the endorsement at her party's nominating convention earlier this year, but Christopher Shays, a former Congressman from Fairfield County, received the necessary number of votes at that convention to launch a challenge, which he has. The winner of this primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

The Republicans will also have the opportunity to choose their candidate for Congress from the state's second district, which encompasses most of eastern Connecticut. The incumbent is Democratic Congressman Joe Courtney, who easily won his party's endorsement for another term. Republicans can choose between Paul M. Formica of Niantic, who won the nominating convention's endorsement, or challenger Daria Novak of Madison.

The Democrats, also enticed by the soon-to-be vacated U. S. Senate seat, have a primary, too. Congressman Christopher S. Murphy from Cheshire won the nomination from his party's convention, but is being challenged by former secretary of the state Susan Bysiewicz of Middletown.

In a primary closer to home, the Democrats will also choose their next state senator from the 33rd district. Eileen Daily, the longtime senator from this district, is not seeking re-election. A party nominating convention selected James Crawford as its candidate. Crawford, from Westbrook, is presently a state representative. He is being challenged by Mary Ellen Klinck of East Haddam. She is the former commissioner of the state's Department on Aging.

These primaries are not a general election. As a result, be aware of the following:

• Only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary and only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary.

• Voters who are unaffiliated-not registered with either party-may change their registration to Republican or Democrat if they wish to vote in one of the primaries. They must do so in person, either with their town's registrar of voters or at the town clerk's office, and they must do so by noon on Monday, Aug. 13, the day before the primary.

• Likewise, people not yet registered to vote can register in person up until noon the day before the primary.

• Person who are 17 years of age on Aug. 14, may vote in a party primary if they will be 18 by the general election in November.

All polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please bring identification with you. Democrats and Republicans vote at the same polling places in their town of residence. Absentee ballots are available for these primaries.

Polling Places

Chester: Chester Town Hall, 203 Middlesex Avenue, Chester

Deep River: Deep River Public Library, 150 Main Street, Deep River

Essex: Essex Town Hall, 29 West Avenue, Essex