HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Twenty-five cities and towns in Connecticut held primary elections Tuesday. Residents must be registered as a Democrat or Republican to be eligible to vote in the primaries.

State officials said lines remained short at polling locations and voter turnout has been low.

Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas (D-Conn.) said it is important citizens vote in the primary elections, as voters pick their elected officials who are responsible for property taxes and mill rates.

“All the issues I hear people talking about the most, their property taxes, mill rates… then they don’t turn out to vote for the people who make those decisions, school budgets is another huge example, if people care about those issues they have to vote in the primaries,” she said.

According to state data, voter turnout plummeted in Connecticut’s five major cities during the last general election compared to 2018 by around 10,000 voters or 30% in Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport.

“We’ve really been doing a push for people to vote local, but there’s been a slow trickle in all the polling sites I’ve visited so far,” Thomas said.

Thomas hopes that at some point she can report that 100% of residents chose to vote in the primary elections.

“Everyone needs to have their voice heard,” Thomas said.