As Covid Lurks, Absentee Ballots Emerge Key In August Primaries

If you loathe leaving your home to vote in August 9th primaries, a new reason is now available: Covid. Campaign operatives for state office will certainly hammer home that message in door knocks, mailings and phone calls to electors.

It may make a difference in outcomes, depending on how aggressively it’s worked.

New legislation signed into law this year now stipulates voters may cite Covid as one of seven reasons to vote by absentee ballot.

From the Bridgeport Registrar of Voters website:

ABSENTEE BALLOT QUALIFICATION:

Who can vote absentee: you are eligible to vote with an absentee ballot if you are unable to appear at the polling place during the hours of voting for one of the following reasons below:
1. Active service in the Armed Forces of the United States
2. Absence from town during all of the hours of voting< 3. Illness 4. Religious tenets forbid secular activity, on the day of the election, primary or referendum. 5. Duties as a primary, election or referendum official at a polling place other than my own during all of the hours of voting 6. Physical disability 7. Coronavirus (COIVD 19) The State of Connecticut via P.A. 20-3 July Spec. Sess. has determined that the existence of the COVID 19 virus allows you to vote by absentee ballot if you so choose for your own safety. Requests for Absentee Ballots applications and Absentee Ballots are processed by the Town Clerk. For more information, go to the Town Clerk’s web page. Call 203-576-7208 to have an application mailed to you.