Don’t Ignore That Letter From Newtown’s Registrar Of Voters

By John Voket

The dust from last November’s election has barely settled, and workers in Newtown’s Registrar of Voters office have already started their spring cleaning…of the voter rolls.

In the coming weeks, local voters whose postal information differs from that on their voting records will be getting an important letter from the registrar’s office. Ignoring the enclosed request to confirm vital information can cause your voting status to be rendered inactive or even stricken from the records.

According to Assistant Registrar Karin Aurelia, the letter, which includes a postage paid return envelope, represents the community’s 2005 canvass of registered voters.

“It’s not our choice to do this, it’s has to be done every year by law,” Ms Aurelia told The Bee Tuesday. “This is the one opportunity every year for registered voters to ensure our office has as clear and accurate a voting list as possible.”

While the canvass just kicked off this week, voters do have until May 1 to complete and return the updates. “It’s definitely not a piece of junk mail,” she said. “And we even cover the cost of return postage.”

Ms Aurelia said failure to return the canvass form will result in that voter being classified as inactive. While the “inactive” status will not compromise a person’s right to vote on Election Day 2005, it could cause an inconvenience at the polling place.

“If voters haven’t completed and returned their most recent canvass information, they will be held up when they arrive at the polls,” she said. “They will have to step out of line and visit the moderator to reactivate their voting status, and depending on how many people are in front of you, it could take five or ten minutes.”

Anyone who has really procrastinated, going more than three years without updating records through the annual canvass, will be removed from the voting records during the fourth year.

“If your name is removed from the voting list, it will be too late when it’s caught at the polls on Election Day. You won’t be able to reregister or vote on that Election Day,” Ms Aurelia said.

The registrar’s office uses a system that was devised by the US Postal System that compares registry information with addresses on file in the local post office. Any time there is a discrepancy, that voter receives a first class letter containing the update form and a return envelope.