Absentee ballots for the referendum scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, are available at the Office of the Town Clerk at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Absentee ballots may be for any qualified voter unable to vote at the polls due to any of the following reasons: active service in the Armed Forces of the United States; absence from the town of their residence; sickness; religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the election, primary or referendum; duties as a primary, election or referendum official at a polling place other than their own during all of the hours of voting; or physical disability.

With less than three weeks before the referendum, these ballots cannot be mailed to voters. Residents seeking the absentee ballots must visit the Office of the Town Clerk in person or designate an authorized person to pick up a ballot on their behalf as long as it falls under the criteria on the application.

(Click here to view a sample ballot for the April 22, 2025 referendum.)

The Office of the Town Clerk is open weekdays between 8 am and 4:30 pm.

Absentee ballots can be returned in person at the Town Clerk’s office; to either of the secure, official ballot drop boxes located outside the north and south entrances of the municipal center (available 24 hours); by return mail to Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown CT 06470.

For additional information contact the Office of the Town Clerk at town.clerk@newtown-ct.gov or 203-270-4210.

Saturday Special Hours

Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead will have a special absentee voting session the weekend before the referendum.

Her office will be open from 9 am until noon on Saturday, April 19, for those who wish to vote via absentee ballot that day.

Referendum Details

All registered Newtown voters can vote Tuesday, April 22, between 6 am and 8 pm, in the gymnasium of Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street.

Voters are being asked to consider a proposed Board of Selectmen municipal budget of $49,866,665 and a proposed Board of Education budget of $91,744,644. The budgets include a 6.72% tax increase, as well as a 28.78 mill rate, a 1.81 increase from last year.

Voters on April 22 will also have the opportunity to clarify what should be done if either proposed budget is voted down. Question 1 on the ballot asks if the $49.8 million municipal proposal should pass; Question 2 asks if the revised BOS budget should be higher if that proposal fails.

Question 3 on the ballot asks if the $91.7 million education proposal should pass; Question 4 asks if the revised BOE budget should be higher if that proposal fails.

Special Appropriations

Newtown voters will also be asked five questions concerning special appropriations on April 22.

The first is whether a $4,600,000 special appropriation and $4,600,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, acquisition and construction of HVAC upgrades, replacements, and improvements at Cyrenius H. Booth Library be approved.

The second question asks if a $4,300,000 special appropriation and $4,300,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, construction, reconstruction, remediation and replacement to the A, B, and C wings of the Newtown High School roof be approved.

The third question asks if a 1,524,000 special appropriation and $1,524,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, acquisition and installation of the Newtown Community Center Pool HVAC unit be approved.

The fourth question asks if a $1,000,000 special appropriation and $1,000,000 bond authorization for the Bridge Replacement Program be approved.

The fifth question asks if an $855,000 special appropriation and $855,000 bond authorization for the planning, design, renovation and upgrades to Edmond Town Hall be approved.

(Click here to read the ballot explanatory text for the above questions.)