On November 2, Election Day 2021, all Newtown registered voters are eligible to cast ballots for local offices, as well as endorsing or rejecting a bonding authorization for the Hawley Elementary School HVAC renovation project. Qualified local taxpayers who are not registered to vote may also cast a ballot exclusively on the bonding authorization if they so choose.

Regarding that $8 million ballot authorization, as reported in this week’s edition of The Newtown Bee, since ballots were approved the Legislative Council authorized transferring $2.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to offset the total cost for the Hawley HVAC project. So while voters are being asked to approve an $8 million authorization, after the offset, the project bonding would not exceed $5.5 million.

Polls will be open in all three local voting districts on November 2 between 6 am and 8 pm, or voters can participate in a special Saturday absentee voting session from 9 am to noon on October 30 in Office of the Town Clerk at the Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street in the Fairfield Hills campus.

Local registered voters this week are voting for First Selectman, Board of Selectman, Legislative Council, Town Clerk, Board of Finance, Board of Education, Board of Assessment Appeals, Planning & Zoning Commission, P&Z alternates, Zoning Board of Appeals, ZBA alternates, Police Commission, and Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers.

The first of two Newtown Bee candidate profiles can be read here.

The second can be read here.

Under Senate Bill 1202 of this year’s June Special Session, any eligible voter wishing to minimize possible exposure to the COVID-19 virus is also welcome to cast an absentee ballot, after indicating the COVID-19 provision on their ballot application.

Those opting to vote in person may do so November 2. District 1 and 1-5 residents may cast in-person ballots at Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street; District 2 and 3-2 voters must report to Reed Intermediate School, 3 Trades Lane; and District 3-1 and 3-5 residents vote in person at Head O’ Meadow School, 94 Boggs Hill Road.

Click here to see a map of Newtown's voting districts and here to look up a district by street name.

Absentee Ballot Details

Other persons eligible to vote in the municipal election who are unable to appear in person for one or more of the reasons set forth below in Connecticut General Statutes Section 9-135, may cast his or her vote by absentee ballot by either applying in person, dropping off application in the official ballot drop boxes located outside each entrance to the municipal building, or mail to: Town Clerk, 3 Primrose Street, Newtown CT 06470.

All absentee ballots must be received by 8 pm Tuesday, November 2.

Besides the COVID provision, absentee ballots may also be cast by those voters:

*Engaged in active service in the US armed forces;

*Who will be absent from town during all the hours of voting;

*Who are unable to report to the polls due to illness or physical disability;

*Whose religion forbids secular (non-religious) activity on that day; or

*Those whose required performance of duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own during all the hours on that day.

Local absentee ballot information can be found at www.newtown-ct.gov/town-clerk/pages/absentee-ballot-information or call 203-270-4210.

On November 1, the Newtown Registrars of Voters’ office will hold a voter registration session for those who have turned 18, become a US citizen, or moved to Connecticut since October 26. This registration session is also open to members of the Armed Forces, and former Armed Forces members who have been discharged within the calendar year.

This session will be held from 9 am to 5 pm. To check to see if you are registered, visit https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx. For all others, the deadline to register to vote has passed; that deadline was 11:59 pm Tuesday, October 26.

Election Day Registration

After the close of pre-election voter registration, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill reminded eligible but unregistered voters that they can register and vote on Election Day, at the Election Day Registration location in their town.

“Connecticut has Election Day Registration, so it is not too late for eligible voters to register and make their voice heard on Election Day,” said Merrill. “My staff, and our partners at the local level, the hardworking registrars of voters and town clerks in each Connecticut town with an election on Tuesday, are busy ensuring that every eligible voter can register and that every registered voter votes!”

The Election Day Registration locations can be found at myvote.ct.gov/EDR. Election Day Registration is available for new Connecticut voters or voters who have moved to a new town; voters who have moved within their town do not need to reregister. More information on Election Day Registration can be found at myvote.ct.gov/EDRInfo.

To register on Election Day, a potential voter must provide their birth certificate, driver’s license, passport, or Social Security card, or in the case of college and university students a current photo identification issued by their higher education institution.

If the potential voter’s identification does not also include proof of their residential address, he or she must also submit another form of identification showing their residential address in the municipality.

The additional identification may include, but is not limited to, a motor vehicle learner’s permit, a utility bill due no later than 30 days after the election, for a college or university student a current college or university registration or fee statement, a lease, a library card with residential address, a paycheck, a property tax bill, naturalization documents, or other satisfactory proof of residence.

Eligibility requirements can be found at https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Voter-Information/Voting-Eligibility.

Look to The Newtown Bee and newtownbee.com for accurate and comprehensive local elections coverage as soon as ballots are counted and the outcomes have been announced by the Newtown Registrars office.

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Editor John Voket can be reached at editor@thebee.com.