Granby Democrat, Republican Town Committees elect delegates for May conventions

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Both major parties will be choosing their local delegates at town committee caucuses throughout the state during the last week of March. These local delegates will attend the numerous May state and district conventions where party nominees are chosen. The town delegates chosen in the March caucus can either be committed to a particular candidate or uncommitted.

Granby Democrats will hold their caucus on Thursday, March 29, at 7 p.m. in the Senior Center. Granby Republicans will hold their caucus on Thursday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Room in the Police Station. To participate and vote in the March caucuses, you need to be a party member. All currently registered party members are eligible to vote in their party’s caucus. Unaffiliated and unregistered voters must register with a party by noon the day before the caucus to be eligible to participate. Switching party affiliation requires a 90-day waiting period before attaining party privilege, which includes voting privileges.

May conventions are meetings to discuss and then formally vote on who will be endorsed as the party nominee for each office. At each convention, endorsement speeches are made and qualifications are discussed prior to the voting. Granby delegates sent to conventions will vote on party nominees for Connecticut seats in the US Senate, 1st District US House, Governor/Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer, 62nd District State Representative, 9th District Judge of Probate (for Granby, Avon, Canton and Simsbury) and two State Senate seats: the 7th (for Granby’s District 1) and the 8th (for Granby’s District 2). If no one candidate receives a majority endorsement during the first vote at a convention, more votes can be taken, possibly with a narrowed field. Unsuccessful candidates at these conventions can get a second opportunity to gain the party nomination through a party primary in August. There are two ways to qualify; either receive 15 percent or more of the votes at the convention or petition for the primary by collecting signatures. This year, with so many offices on the ballot and such a large field of candidates already declared, the Registrars are predicting at least one race will be contested in August for both parties. As there aren’t any municipal offices open for nomination on this November’s ballot, a May town committee caucus will not be needed by either Granby town committee this year.

Please vote at the April 28 Budget Referendum!

On Monday, April 23, the Town Budget Referendum will be held in the Town Hall Meeting Room in Granby’s Town Hall, 15 North Granby Road. The polls will be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. As with all opportunities to vote, plan to bring an identification to be checked off of our official voter list and issued a paper ballot. The check-in tables will be separated by STREET address, not last name. As in the past, non-registered but otherwise eligible voters who are Granby property owners will also be allowed to vote. They will need to fill out a special form at the assessor’s table. Absentee ballots can be filed in person with the Town Clerk prior to the voting hours, not during the referendum.

Pollworkers are Needed

The registrar’s office is compiling an e-mail list of poll workers. Poll workers can be volunteers or paid. Volunteer poll workers must be at least 16 years old and can choose to volunteer for a few hours, or as desired to fit their schedules. For more information, or to be added to the list, please e-mail the registrars at: vr.granby.ct@gmail.com

Poll worker training will be done in March and April for the April 23 referendum, in June/July if there is an August 14 primary and again in October for the November 6 election. Poll worker training is required to serve.

Looking ahead

March 29: Granby Democratic and Republican Town Committees will each hold a caucus for the selection of their delegates to state and district conventions (see above for specifics)

Monday, April 9, is the public hearing for the town budget at the GMHS Auditorium

Monday, April 23, is the town budget referendum Voting is between noon and 8 p.m. at Town Hall

Voter registration is a public record and easy to confirm by going to the State’s website or visiting the Registrars at Town Hall. You can also register, inquire as to your voting district or make corrections at the Registrars’ Office in the Town Hall every Wednesday during our regular office hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Voter registration forms are also available at town halls, libraries, DMV offices and online at the Secretary of State’s website: www.sots.ct.gov

Questions?  Please feel free to contact the registrars Laura Wolfe and Paul Willis. Our office phone number/voice mail is 860-844-5322 and our e-mail address is: vr.granby.ct@gmail.com