Registrars, Town Clerk Prepare For Feb. 5 Primary Vote

By John Voket

Voters may not experience the level of fervor evident in other states, but nonetheless, eligible voters are called to cast votes in the Presidential Preference Primary, Tuesday, February 5. Polls in Newtown will be open that day between the hours of 6 am and 8 pm.

The town clerk’s office is scheduled to have absentee ballots for the Presidential Preference Primary available Tuesday, January 15. While the town clerk is responsible for circulating absentee ballots, the Newtown Registrars of Voters will be managing the four local polling places February 5.

This week, the registrars issued information to help ease any potential traffic issues that may occur on Primary Day when voters arrive at polling locations in local schools. Classes will be in session at each of the three schools open for polling that day.

Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton, who is also a local school bus operator, said, “We don’t want gridlock as buses and voters are converging on polling places in our schools.”

Ms Frampton said she does not want to see a domino effect if early buses become caught up in voter traffic, creating even greater delays as drivers progress through the three waves of daily school bus circuits.

To help facilitate traffic, the registrars are requesting parents to have students use bus transportation on February 5.

“Dropping off and picking up that day could cause a traffic jam, especially at Reed Intermediate,” she said.

District 1 voters must report to Newtown Middle School Gym A. The front horseshoe will be closed that day, so students being driven to school will be dropped off by the cafeteria.

Voters should use the middle school entrance closest to the traffic light at the shopping center exit, and park on the side of the school and behind gym.

“School starts at 7:30 am, and is over at 2 pm, so voters should expect traffic will be heavier then,” Ms Frampton said.

Voters from District 2 should report to the Reed Intermediate School Cafetorium. Voter parking is in the lot in front of the school. School starts at 8:20 am, and is over 2:45 pm, so voters should expect traffic to be heavier then.

District 3-1 voters report to Head O’ Meadow Cafetorium. Voter parking is along the side and toward the back of the school. School starts 9 am, and is over 3:25 pm.

Voters residing in District 3-2 should take note because up to this election, they formerly reported to Middle Gate School. But effective February 5, District 3-1 voters must now report to Edmond Town Hall Gymnasium.

Handicapped parking is along the entrance side of the driveway and along the back of the building. The elevator entrance is the first door on side of the building. Voter parking will be reserved in the back of the building.

Once voters arrive at the polls, they will be restricted to the area where voting is conducted.

“Our goal is to keep the children and voters separate,” she said. Polling locations are not required to provide bathroom access to voters, just poll workers who are there for up to 14 hours.

On February 5, registered Democrats may vote in the Democratic Primary and Registered Republicans may vote in the Republican primary only. Ms Frampton reminds any unaffiliated voters — those not belonging to any party — to contact the registrars office as soon as possible to become qualified to vote in the upcoming primary.

She also reminds voters that the point has passed for any Democrats or Republican who might want to switch parties to support particular candidates.

“If you want to vote in the primary other than for a candidate from your current chosen party, it is too late. Connecticut has a three-month waiting period to obtain your right to switch from party to party,” the registrar said.

The registrar’s office has been calling and mailing letters to households having 22–28-year-olds still living with parents, verifying if they did come back to live after college or military or if they moved on and forgot to change their voter registration.

The office has been calling and will be sending out postcards to District 3-2 regarding the change of polling place to Edmond Town Hall.

Thursday, January 31, is the deadline for new voters, and for unaffiliated voters, to enroll in a party for voting in its primary. For new voters, mail-in applications must be postmarked, or received by Registrar of Voters or voter registration agency, by this date.

For unaffiliated voters, the mail-in application must be received (not merely postmarked) by the Registrar of Voters by this deadline. There is an exception for in-person enrollment.

Monday, February 4, at noon is the in-person enrollment deadline for new voters and unaffiliated voters enrolling in a party in person at Edmond Town Hall, for voting in primary.

Any person eligible to vote in the Democratic or Republican Presidential Preference Primary can qualify to cast an absentee ballot based reasons set forth in Connecticut General Statutes. Those reasons include: illness or physical disability; absence from town during voting hours; religious beliefs which forbid secular activity; or any active US military service

Anyone providing service as an election official at a polling place other than his/her own polling place may cast his or her vote by absentee ballot.

Any person who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot may apply in person or by mail to the Town Clerk of Newtown, as applicable for an absentee ballot for the February 5 Democratic or Republican Presidential Preference Primary.

Absentee ballots will be available in the town clerk’s office on January 15. The town clerk will also be available to process applications and absentee ballots on Saturday, February 2, from 9 to 11 am at the Town Hall.

Who’s Who

On The Primary Ballot

A Presidential Preference Primary of the Democratic Party and Republican Party will be held on February 5. According to the Secretary of the State’s Office, the following candidates (including the category “Uncommitted”) will appear in this predetermined order on the ballot under the office designation “Nomination for President of the United States,” together with the addresses of such candidates. The list was determined prior the withdrawal from the race by Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, and Bill Richardson.

Democrats — Name and Address:

Barack Obama, Chicago, IL

Dennis Kucinich, Cleveland, OH

Mike Gravel, Arlington, VA

Bill Richardson, Santa Fe, NM

John Edwards, Chapel Hill, NC

Chris Dodd, East Haddam, CT

Joe Biden, Wilmington, DE

Hillary Clinton, Chappaqua, NY

Uncommitted

Republicans — Name and Address:

Rudy Giuliani, New York, NY

Fred Thompson, McLean, VA

Mitt Romney, Belmont, MA

John McCain, Phoenix, AZ

Duncan Hunter, La Mesa, CA

Ron Paul, Lake Jackson, TX

Mike Huckabee, North Little Rock, AR

Alan Keyes, Provo, UT

Uncommitted