Registrars Expecting Absentee Ballots By April 11 For April 22 Referenda

By John Voket

Newtown residents may secure absentee ballots if they think work, travel, or other plans will prevent them from voting on multiple referenda issues Tuesday, April 22. Town Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton said she expects the absentee ballots to be delivered and tested in order to start distributing them sometime Friday, April 11.

“They are scheduled to be delivered Friday,” Ms Frampton told The Newtown Bee this week. State law dictates that absentee ballots must be made available no less than five days before a qualified vote, or before April 17, Republican Registrar Karin Aurelia said.

The registrars sought to review information about the local budget referenda process, as well as clarifying some specific information unique to this April 22 vote, because the ballot will be distinctly different for registered voters than it will be for property owners who have not registered to vote in Newtown.

Ms Frampton said property owners are only qualified to vote on financial issues, not on Charter Revision questions. Those respondents will be asked to either endorse or turn down the townwide budget proposal of $105,464,444, a $38,826,000 special appropriation for the construction phase of the high school expansion, and another special appropriation of $1 million for the development of a combined recreation/senior center facility planned for the Fairfield Hills campus.

Registered voters will have the extra responsibility of voting on a package of charter revisions that were approved by the legislative council in late 2007.

The registrars also addressed a question brought to them regarding whether Newtown residents who are not US citizens are qualified to vote for the proposed budget, high school, community center, and the charter revisions. According to Connecticut General Statute 7-6, Ms Frampton stated that potential voters must be US citizens in order to vote in any qualified election.

In regard to the charter questions, Ms Frampton reminded voters to take the time to consider each item and to cast votes on all the proposals because a minimum number of votes must be cast in order for the changes to take effect.

“In order for the charter to be changed, 15 percent, or 2,400 of the 16,000 registered voters, must cast a Yes vote for each of the questions,” Ms Frampton said. “So voters should plan to take their time and carefully consider each question.”

Since there are less than three weeks between the setting of the referendum and the April 22 vote, those ballots cannot be mailed to those requesting them, Ms Aurelia said. But voters who pick up the form and complete it at home may mail them back, provided there is sufficient time to reach the Town Hall before April 22.

“The absentee ballot deadline by mail or by hand delivery is April 22. Any ballots received after that date are void,” Ms Frampton said.

Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia advises that any qualified voter may vote by absentee in the budget referendum if unable to vote in person due to:

*Illness or physical disability

*Absence from town during voting hours

*Religious beliefs which forbid secular activity

*Active US military service

*Service as an election official at a polling place other than his/her own polling place

The applications for absentee ballots are available at the town clerk’s office, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, and can be preprinted online from our town website home page at Newtown-ct.gov.

Special hours for absentee voting will be held on Saturday, April 19, from 9 am to noon, at the town clerk’s office at 45 Main Street in Edmond Town Hall.

Questions regarding absentee ballots should be directed to the town clerk’s office at 270-4210.