Newtown Voters, Taxpayers

Called To Polls April 22

By John Voket

Registered voters and taxpayers are being called to the polls next Tuesday, April 22, to answer a full slate of financial and charter questions. According to the registrars of voters office, polling for the April 22 vote will take place at the Newtown Middle School from 6 am to 8 pm.

Taxpayers and registered voters will be eligible to vote on financial items on the ballot including the proposed $105,464,444 town budget, a $1 million special appropriation for a combined community and senior center design phase, and a $38,826,000 special appropriation for the construction phase of a high school expansion.

While qualified taxpayers who have not registered to vote may cast budget ballots on the top three financial issues, only registered voters may endorse or reject a package of charter revisions.

The ballot language of all questions including the charter revisions are included in this week’s edition of The Newtown Bee, along with a related article explaining the substance of the revisions as submitted by Democratic Registrar LeReine Frampton.

Ms Frampton also served on the most recent Charter Commission. She reminded voters that their consideration of each charter question is important, because the revisions cannot be passed without a minimum number of votes being cast.

She said in order for the charter to be changed, 15 percent, or 2,400, of the 16,000 registered voters must cast a plurality of votes for each question.

The absentee ballot deadline for the referendum, by mail or by hand delivery, is April 22. Any ballots received after that date are void, Ms Frampton said.

Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia advises that any qualified voter may vote by absentee in the budget referendum 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

*Service as an election official at a polling place other than his/her own polling place

The applications for absentee ballots are available at the town clerk’s office, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, and can be preprinted online from the town website home page at Newtown-ct.gov.

Questions regarding absentee ballots should be directed to the town clerk’s office at 270-4210.