September BOE Candidate Forum

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Registrars

In honor of National Voter Registration Day, candidates running for the Granby Board of Education on the November ballot have been invited to attend a candidate forum being sponsored by the registrars office. The event will be held in the Town Hall meeting room on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m. The public is invited to meet the candidates, learn about local issues, and understand the importance of voting and registering to vote. The statutory duties and responsibilities of our local boards will be discussed. If you have a question you would like to ask prospective members of the Board of Education, please submit it to the registrars of voters by Sept. 13.

Sept. 27 pollworker introduction and recruitment meeting
At 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 27, the registrars will have a very quick overview of poll working for anyone who has questions about participating on Election Day and how elections are run. This meeting is open to all, and will be held in the Granby Town Hall Meeting Room before the Candidate Forum. Veteran poll workers will answer questions and describe their experiences. Poll workers will be needed for the municipal election on Nov. 7. The registrar’s office is compiling an e-mail list of poll workers. Poll workers can be volunteers or paid, must be at least 16-years-old and must complete poll worker training in order to serve. Hours are available to fit your schedule. If you would like to be added to the list, or if you did not receive the poll worker information e-letter, please e-mail the registrars at vr.granby.ct@gmail.com.
Public lottery for horizontal
ballot order
On Sept. 6 there will be a lottery to determine the horizontal ballot order of the candidates for Board of Selectman, Board of Finance, Board of Education, and Planning & Zoning Commission. The lottery will be held at 2 p.m. in the Town Hall meeting room and is open to the public.
No Primary in September;
Nov. 7 is Election Day
The 2017 municipal ballot will have openings in 10 different boards and offices with 26 candidates running, including Board of Selectmen and Board of Education seats. As both major party slates were unanimously approved at July caucuses, and no one contested the nominations by petition, Granby will not have a primary on Sept. 12.
Student interns helping
deliver democracy
The Registrars were pleased to have two interns in the office over the past year, and this summer. Alden Metzger is a 2017 graduate of Granby Memorial High School and is attending Westfield State University this fall. He was a great addition to the office and learned about running elections, election law and record keeping. Einnon Timms is currently a senior at Granby Memorial High School and earned community service hours by working at the registrars office over the summer. The registrars are actively looking for students to participate this year, email the registrars for an application.
A reminder to young voters who are leaving for college—you can register to vote or check your registration online by visiting the Secretary of State’s website. If you are staying in Connecticut, you may transfer your registration to your new town of residence. If you will be attending college or university outside of Connecticut, every state has different rules and you will need to check with the local election officials. You may also vote by absentee ballot; applications are being accepted now by the Town Clerk for anyone wishing to receive a November ballot.
Voter registration is a public record, and it is easy to confirm your voter registration. From the Town of Granby website there is a link to the Secretary of the State website’s online voter registration look-up tool: www.dir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx. There is also a link to Online Voter Registration to enroll, or to make name, party or address changes to an existing voter registration voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR/welcome.do.
Posted office hours for the registrars’ office are Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Paper voter registration forms are available at town halls, libraries, DMV offices and online at the Secretary of State’s website. The registrars also offer a free 5–15 minute overview on voting for any interested town groups. Please contact the registrars at 860-844-5322 or vr.granby.ct@gmail.com to arrange this.
Absentee ballots are handled through the Town Clerk’s office and voters must complete and send an application to receive an absentee ballot. For primaries and general November elections, send the application for your absentee ballot at least one month before the election or primary and mail your completed ballot immediately after you receive it. The application is available from the Town Clerk or online at the Secretary of State’s website: www.sots.ct.gov. 
Calendar Review
Absentee Ballot Applications are being collected now by the Town Clerk for those who know they will be away from home on Nov. 7. The form is available at Town Hall or on the web at www.sots.ct.gov.
Wednesday, Sept. 6, Public lottery to determine horizontal ballot order at 2 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room
Wednesday, Sept. 27, Pollworker Recruitment Meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room
Wednesday, Sept. 27, BOE Candidate Forum at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Meeting Room
Friday, Oct. 6, Absentee ballots become available from the Town Clerk for Nov. 7 election
Questions?  Please contact the registrars, Laura Wolfe and Paul Willis. Office phone number/voice mail is 860-844-5322 and email address is vr.granby.ct@gmail.com.