Town Clerk Announces Absentee Ballots, Rules For May 17 Budget Vote

Town Clerk Debbie A. Aurelia has announced that there will be a referendum on the proposed $105,555,075 appropriation to fund Newtown’s annual fiscal budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year, Tuesday, May 17, from 6 am to 8 pm, at the Newtown Middle School Gymnasium.

Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes, any person who is a registered voter in the Town of Newtown or who is a US citizen who is assessed at least $1,000 for the real estate or motor vehicles on the 2010 Grand List for the Town of Newtown is qualified to vote at the referendum.

Absentee ballots are available for the referendum during office hours starting Friday, May 6, and Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm. The town clerk’s office will have special hours on Saturday, May 14, from 9 am to noon, for the sole purpose of absentee ballot voting on the above question. 

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 the hours of voting.

As per Connecticut General Statutes Sec 9-140 and 9-369c, for a referendum held with less than three weeks notice, qualified voters may obtain an absentee ballot by applying at the town clerk’s office in person or through one of the following named as a designee:

*a person caring for the voter because of an illness, including but not limited to a licensed physician or a registered practical nurse,

*a member of the voter’s family,

*a Newtown police officer, or

*a registrar of voters or deputy registrar of voters from Newtown.

Absentee ballots can be returned in person to the town clerk by 4:30 pm Monday, May 16, or by mail or designee before the closing of the polls on referendum day, 8 pm, May 17.

Any questions can be directed to the local town clerk’s office at 270-4210.