Absentee Ballots

Now Available

By Steve Bigham

Are you a college student or do you know one who is going to be out of town on Election Day, November 7? Maybe you will be out of town on a business trip that day.

If so, Town Clerk Cindy Simon invites you to stop by her office and pick up an absentee ballot. Already this year, the town clerk’s office has received 650 absentee ballots and expects to bring in more than 1,000 before the big day.

Any qualified registered voter may vote absentee 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; or service as an election official at a polling place other than his/her own polling place. Applications for absentee ballots are available at the town clerk’s office and may be obtained in person at the office or by calling the town clerk’s office. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

Incidentally, if you know someone from Newtown who is currently in the military, you can call the town clerk’s office to have an absentee ballot sent out to him or her. Those in the armed forces are the only citizens exempt from having to fill out an application beforehand.

The town clerk’s office will be open Saturday, November 4, from 9 am to noon for the purpose of distributing and collecting absentee ballots.

The cutoff date for registering to vote was this past Tuesday. However, those who missed the deadline are still eligible to vote, according to Mrs Simon. A special ballot can be obtained from the town clerk’s office for non-registered voters. However, the ballot only allows those persons the opportunity vote for President and Vice President.

Presidential elections always bring out the most voters. In 1992, 91 percent of Newtown’s registered voters turned out at the polls. Eighty-two percent showed up in 1996.

For more information, call the town clerk’s office at 270-4210.