Incumbent Republican Registrar

Challenging Endorsed Candidate In Primary

By John Voket

The only local contest that Republican voters will be asked to decide during the August 14 primary will be the race between incumbent Registrar of Voters Karin Aurelia and the GOP’s endorsed candidate Carey Schierloh. During a nominating caucus earlier this summer, Ms Aurelia received 39 votes to Ms Schierloh’s 44, according to Republican Town Committee Chairman Dennis Bloom.

As a result, Ms Aurelia petitioned for and won the opportunity to primary to keep her seat for another term.

During interviews with the registrar candidates earlier this week, both discussed their passions for inspiring greater engagement among local citizens when it comes to their opportunity to vote, as well as the qualities and qualifications they each believe they would bring to the office.

Ms Schierloh said that she began entertaining the idea about running for the registrar’s position following the last election in 2008, when she said Ms Aurelia declared it would be her last term.

“I’ve been thinking about this for four years,” Ms Schierloh said.

While she has no formal experience working in the registrar’s office, Ms Schierloh is no stranger to the world of politics, nor is she unfamiliar with the meticulous work of organizing and running an office. She was elected to, and has served as, secretary to the RTC.

In that capacity, she is required to administer all the election related business for local Republican candidates, including overseeing legal compliance and the filing of election-related paperwork with the state.

“I felt in that capacity I was building a foundation to transition into the registrar’s position,” she said. And while Ms Schierloh concurrently saw the demise of the local owner-operators school transportation system, to which she belonged, she said losing that work had nothing to do with her decision to run for office.

“I knew I wasn’t going to be an owner-operator forever,” she said. “I thought becoming a registrar was a good fit. This is where I’d like to settle in for a while.”

A Newtown resident for 25 years, Ms Schierloh has also served as secretary for her husband’s heating and air conditioning business, and has previously served in local PTAs, volunteered with the network of local band parents, and is active in her church. She also has a “good working relationship” with Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton, also a former owner-operator and the sole nominee from her party.

Ms Frampton and the winner of the GOP primary August 14 will presumably run for their respective four-year terms unopposed in November.

“I think I can bring a personality type to the office that is collaborative and diplomatic,” Ms Schierloh said. “I would work hard to be sure the office maintains a welcoming atmosphere to help influence or engage more voters.”

She has been campaigning actively for the seat, knocking on doors and meeting registered Republicans in town face to face.

As the endorsed candidate, she also has a promotional page on the local RTC website, and additionally maintains her own Facebook page.

Committed To Learning

Ms Schierloh has sought out and spoken to the leaders of the state’s registrars association, and is committed to attending the association’s two annual conferences. She also plans to take moderator training and hopes to work at the polls during the November Presidential election.

She has also been studying election-related information on the secretary of the state’s website, including keeping up to date on election developments and changes in voting laws.

“As registrar, I would do everything I could to ensure our citizens on active duty with the military are able to vote in all elections, primaries, and referendums,” she said. “It is an issue of concern to me because of the time my husband spent in the Middle East in 2009-2010.”

Her biggest frustration is seeing such low voter turnouts in local budget referenda and political elections.

“It’s sad to see so much voter apathy in town. And I would love to work on improving engagement and influencing more residents to register to vote,” she said. “I would go out and speak to students and young people about the importance of voting. It makes me crazy when people don’t show up — you couldn’t keep me away from the polls.”

Political Divisions

Incumbent Republican Registrar Karin Aurelia has been a Newtown resident for 48 years, and has served in office unopposed for 12. She was a volunteer poll worker before being recruited by former registrar Shirley Laurenson to be a deputy registrar, a post she held for 17 years.

During much of her time as deputy registrar and as registrar Ms Aurelia believes she was a welcome asset to the office, “even among the Democrats.” But she said the atmosphere in the office began changing when her daughter, Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia, was unsuccessfully challenged by Sara Frampton, the daughter of her Democratic counterpart.

Then, back-to-back complaints to the state’s elections enforcement office were lodged against the town clerk by the Democratic registrar. Those complaints were eventually dismissed by the state, but Ms Aurelia said the friction between her and the Democratic registrar generated several heated arguments.

“I attempted to the best of my ability to find a middle ground and to be professional,” Ms Aurelia said. “I sought some guidance from the state registrars’ association and I learned that these kinds of differences were common, and not unique to the Newtown office.”

While she was never told that the issues between her and her Democratic counterpart contributed to some in the RTC backing a new candidate, Ms Aurelia said the appearance of a challenger did not dissuade her from pursuing another term.

“I absolutely believe I am the best and only person for the job,” she said.

Recruiting And Training

Ms Aurelia said that during her tenure as registrar, she has recruited and trained many high school students and seniors, and as new laws are introduced, she will continue to educate local poll workers.

“My deputy and I continuously update and review voter registration rolls and are always available to the public if questions arise,” she said. “And my experience has allowed me to determine ways to reduce spending despite the many referendums and primaries. I have been able to save the taxpayers thousands of dollars over the past year and will continue to seek reductions whenever allowable by law.

“I came to the United States from England at age 18, got married a year later, and became a citizen in 1976 because as a citizen I would be allowed to vote,” she said.

Besides her current registrar duties, Ms Aurelia serves as treasurer with the town’s Commission on Aging, volunteers at the local Senior Center twice a week, and regularly accompanies local seniors on outings.

She was previously active with the Town Players theater group and worked as a receptionist at a local medical practice for many years. Ms Aurelia also shares the frustration of seeing too few citizens at the polls, especially for votes that have direct impact on them and the community like local elections and budget referenda.

To help encourage voters, she visits local facilities such as Masonicare and the Nunnawauk Meadows Senior Housing complex to assist residents with their voting duties, as well as promoting supervised absentee balloting. She also attends local events like the Duck Race and Sandy Hook Lobsterfest to conduct voter registrations.

Ultimately, Ms Aurelia says she brings 69 years of life experience to the position of registrar.

“In all my time I’ve never had a complaint lodged against me by a voter or citizen,” she said. “But I cherish the may letters calls and notes of appreciation from voters and residents whom I’ve helped or assisted over the years.”