While the Registrar’s Office has signed up thousands of new voters this kooky presidential cycle, the Town Clerk’s Office is processing a blizzard of absentee ballot requests prompting one office worker to declare, “It’s nuts.”
By the time Election Day rolls around next Tuesday about 3,000 absentee ballots will likely be mailed, many of the requests from voters participating in the higher-turnout cycle. Yes, political operatives are working their absentee ballot prospects, but the sheer amount of requests from presidential cycle voters is beyond the usual suspects working the system. Also, the Town Clerk’s Office is receiving a number of walk-in voters who’ll not be able to cast a ballot on Tuesday. If you’ll not be around on Election Day you can go directly to the Town Clerk’s Office in City Hall, 45 Lyon Terrace, this week to vote.
If you have voter questions or not sure of your polling location see here.
As of Monday, the number of registered voters in Bridgeport, with likely another 1,000 or so via online to process before Election Day, was 67,033: Democrats 45,120; Republicans 4,047, Unaffiliated 17,519 and others 347.
My usual voting place is Central High School. However due to construction the location has been moved to Madison School on Wayne Street. Very limited street parking available. It was difficult to find a convenient parking space during September’s primary with a limited number of voters. What a cluster f. It’s going to be pandemonium. Imagine those with disabilities trying to vote there. No forethought from our stellar registrars of voters.
Great point.
flubadub (I feel so silly calling you that), in the case of seniors with walking challenges, they can vote “curbside.” They remain in the car while someone goes into the school to inform the moderator or Assistant Registrar of the person’s name, if it checks out, the ballot is brought to the car so the voter may vote in private. Just make sure they have I.D. with them. If you have anyone you know with this dilemma, feel free to let me know and I’ll help out.
You beat me to the punch. Lisa and I were outside Madison on Primary Day and the curbside voting worked quite well at the school.
Connecticut voters had the opportunity to institute early voting, but the Ballot Question to permit this was defeated in November 2014. Many people obtaining absentee ballots are using them for convenience, violating CT state law. There are only a very few legal reasons for voting absentee.
From the Secretary of State’s Website:
Absentee Voting
Can I vote absentee? Connecticut has strict laws regarding who can vote absentee.
Are you an active member of the armed forces of the United States?
Will you be out of town during all the hours of voting on Election Day?
Does illness prevent you from voting in person on Election Day?
Do your religious beliefs prevent you from performing secular activities like voting on Election Day?
Will you be performing duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own during all the hours of voting on Election Day?
Do you have a physical disability that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are eligible to vote absentee.
Contrary to flubadub’s observation, physical disability is one of the permitted reasons for using an absentee ballot (ease of parking is not).
Marshall, you’re correct. I’ve submitted at least 60 applications to the Town Clerk, most for seniors and those with disabilities. To my surprise, no one contacted these people to see if they needed an application. Fortunately, the voters I accommodated were former constituents and friends who vote in every election so I was prepared to do the work. I find, especially in a Presidential election, seniors want to take the chance, despite being challenged, to go vote in person. This is where the curbside parking helps them if the precinct is difficult to navigate.
Lisa, who’s at fault for that? When I had my second knee replacement I called the Democrat phone number for a ride to vote and it was what you said, I voted in the car and it was fast.
Ron, I admire your determination to vote and your resourcefulness in making it happen. I’m still amazed at the healthy, red-blooded people who don’t take the time to exercise the privilege to vote. They’re lazy and ungrateful to the many before them who sacrificed so much for this right.