Polling centers will be open across Newtown on Tuesday, April 26, for registered resident Democrats and Republicans to cast Presidential Primary ballots, while Newtown Middle School will host both district primary voters as well as all qualified town residents wishing to cast local budget ballots.here.Traffic Congestion Expectedlereine.frampton@newtown-ct.gov.Absentee BallotingAdvisory Questions:

Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead is also offering a special Saturday absentee voting session from 9 am to noon, at her office within Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, for both the budget and primaries.

Connecticut Secretary of the State Denise Merrill is also alerting voters about important deadlines for the presidential primary.

"If you intend to vote but cannot be present at your polling place on April 26, then please apply for an absentee ballot. Don't get left out of this important primary," Ms Merrill said in a release.

Information on how to apply for an absentee ballot is available online at sots.ct.gov, then click on Elections and Voting. New and unaffiliated voters have until noon on April 25 to enroll in a party in person, according to Ms Merrill.

While voters in Newtown Districts 1 and 1-5 can cast both a budget and Presidential Primary ballot at Newtown Middle School, all qualified voters in each of the remaining Newtown voting districts will have to cast a presidential ballot at their district polling place, and then respond to the middle school to cast a budget vote.

District 2 and District 3-2 Primary voting happens at Reed School, 3 Trades Lane; and Districts 3 and 3-5 Primary voters must report to Head O' Meadow School, 94 Boggs Hill Road.

Find your voting location by street name,

Any town resident who is age 17, but will be 18 by Election Day (November 8), and is registered in one of the major parties, may vote in the primary. The cutoff to register to vote and join a party is Monday, April 25, at noon.

Interested 17-year-olds must visit the municipal center in person to register - then they may vote at their designated polling location. Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton said when newly registered 17-year-olds arrive to cast primary ballots Tuesday, they should check in with polling workers who are serving voters whose street names are at the very end of the alphabet, or ask a poll worker to direct them to check in at the correct station.

Nonregistered voters who are United States citizens and on the grand list dated October 1, 2015 - and at least 18 years old - may vote in the budget referendum.

The Legislative Council is proposing a $114,182,379 budget request for consideration that would increase overall spending by 1.62 percent and, if approved, would result in a 33.6 mill tax rate. A mill represents one dollar for every $1,000 in taxable property.

Qualified voters will be asked to accept or reject a school district spending request totaling $73,665,065, and a request for $40,517,314 to cover all town services and borrowing expenses.

The registrar also issued warnings about school bus traffic that may interfere with or delay those seeking to cast ballots at certain hours.

"Please consider allowing your child to take the bus on Tuesday because the traffic will be bad," Ms Frampton stated.

For voters reporting to the middle school, the registrar notes that most buses arrive and depart between 6:45 and 7:15 am , and parent drop off extends until 7:30 am. Afternoon dismissal is at 2.

"You cannot stop and drop off your students by the gym. You must go to the cafeteria in the back," Ms Frampton related.

At Reed Intermediate School, she said most bus traffic occurs between 7:40 and 8:10 am, and between 2:40 and 3:10 pm. Drop-off and pick-up procedures will be different on April 26 because traffic that will be directed to the Reed School front entrance will be for voting only.

"The front parking is for voting use only. Those regularly parking in the front will be allowed to park at the horse guard," she said, referring to parking that will be available on Tuesday at the Second Company Governor's Horse Guard headquarters, on the east side of Trades Lane.

Voters going to Head O Meadow School should expect bus traffic between 8:45 and 9:15 am, and 3:30 to 4 pm. Parking for voting will be the long stretch by the cafeteria past the two front lots.

"Safety of our children is a top priority," Ms Frampton said. "We will not allow anyone into the schools via the polling place. You will have to follow school check-ins. Please do not ask the poll workers to allow you into the school. It will not be allowed and we will have security in the polling places at each of the doors."

Any questions regarding voting procedures or polling places should be directed to the Registrars Office at 203-270-4250, or e-mail

Absentee ballots remain available for the 2016-17 Budget Referendum, and can be picked up or completed during town clerk office hours between 8 am and 4:30 pm, through Monday, April 25, as well as on Saturday, April 23, from 9 am to noon.

Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 7-6, any person who is a registered voter in the Town of Newtown, or who is a US citizen assessed for at least $1,000 for real estate or motor vehicles on the 2015 grand list for the Town of Newtown, is qualified to vote at the referendum.

Any qualified person who meets any of the following criteria may vote by absentee ballot:

*Active service in the Armed Forces;

*Absence from the town during all the hours of voting;

*Illness; physical disability;

*Religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the referendum; or

*Duties as a referendum official at a polling place other than your own during all hours of voting.

Any person who is eligible to vote by absentee ballot may apply in person or by mail to the town clerk of Newtown.

Absentee ballots must be returned in person to the town clerk by 4:30 pm Monday, April 25, or by mail before the closing of the polls at 8 pm on referendum day, April 26.

The language on the 2016 Newtown Budget Ballot is as follows:

Shall the sum of $40,517,314 be appropriated as the budget for the Board of Selectmen for the fiscal year?

Yes ______ No ______

Shall the sum of $73,665,065 be appropriated for the budget for the Board of Education for the fiscal year?

Yes ______ No ______

Do you deem the proposed sum of $40,517,314 to be appropriated for the Board of Selectmen as "too low"?

Yes ______ No ______

Do you deem the proposed sum of $73,665,065 to be appropriated for the Board of Education as "too low"?

Yes ______ No ______

Voters and residents may direct any questions regarding absentee voting to the town clerk's office at 203-270-4210.

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