Town Clerk Debbie Halstead is notifying all eligible Newtown taxpayers that absentee budget ballots will be available for early voting when the Town Clerk's Office at Newtown Municipal Center opens Monday, April 10.

Taxpayers should note that because of the brief amount of time between the approval of referendum questions and referendum day, this budget cycle, absentee ballots must be requested in person — they cannot be mailed.

Any qualified voter challenged to cast a ballot for the local municipal and school district 2023-24 budget requests and three bonding authorizations in person on Tuesday, April 25, may access or apply for an absentee ballot in person at the Office of the Town Clerk, within Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, Monday through Friday between 8 am and 4:30 pm.

Ballots can then be returned in person; filed by mail to Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead c/o Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown CT 06470; or dropped into one of the secure, 24-hour drop boxes outside the north and south public entrances at the municipal center.

To help ensure the maximum opportunity is available for qualified residents to weigh in on the school and municipal spending plans and bonding requests, Halstead is also holding a special Saturday absentee voting session on Saturday, April 22, from 9 am to noon, at the municipal center. Voters can cast their absentee ballots during that time by reporting to the Town Clerk's Office.

Absentee ballots may be applied for by any qualified voter unable to vote at the polls due to the following reasons:

*A voter's active service in the Armed Forces of the United States;

*A voter's absence from my town of residence;

*Sickness;

*Physical disability;

*A voter's religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the election, primary or referendum; or

*A voter's duties as a primary, election or referendum official at a polling place other than my own during all of the hours of voting.

Save time by printing an absentee ballot application in advance by CLICKING HERE

To access a sample ballot, CLICK HERE

To access the most recent Newtown Bee budget coverage:

Click HERE for: "Three Bonding Requests Being Sent To April Referendum"

Click HERE for: "Council Subcommittee Reviews Education Budget"

Click HERE for: "Legislative Council Begins Budget Review After No Show Hearing"

Click HERE for: "Finance Board Reduces School Budget Request By $185K"

The full text of each bonding request resolution can be accessed by clicking on each respective link:

Resolution $1.550M Municipal Center Roof

Resolution $1.2M High School HVAC equipment replacements

Resolution $450,000 Middle School HVAC equipment improvements

Anyone with questions regarding absentee ballots should contact the Town Clerk’s office at town.clerk@newtown-ct.gov or 203-270-4210.