News from the Registrars’ Office — October 2023

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Municipal Election on Nov. 7

We have 13 different races to be decided on Nov. 7 at the Municipal Election, plus one Charter Revision Question. The ballot includes First Selectman, Board of Selectman, Board of Finance, Board of Education, Board of Assessment Appeals, Planning and Zoning, Zoning Board of Appeals and Town Moderator. On Nov. 7, voters will have the opportunity to vote for 26 open seats and, as in the past, a two-sided ballot is needed to include all these offices. In the past, the Board of Selectman race has caused some confusion. All five seats are open every two years, but voters can only choose one candidate for First Selectman and two candidates from those running for the board.

Granby Ballot Question

“Shall the Granby Town Charter be amended as recommended in the Final Draft Report of the Charter Revision Commission of July 26, 2023, as approved by the Board of Selectmen? Yes or No.” An insert in the September issue of the Granby Drummer has complete details of both the current Charter and the revisions requested. You can see this detail on the town’s website or on the Granby Drummer website: granbydrummer.com/2023/08/town-of-granby-proposed-charter-revisions-2023/

Absentee Ballots Available

All registered voters can opt to obtain and fill out an absentee ballot if they mark one of the qualifying reasons on their application. Voters can use the big white Official Ballot Drop Box located in front of town hall to drop off their completed applications/ballots. Please note, voters can apply to receive their absentee ballot online using the Connecticut Secretary of State’s Website oabr-sots.ct.gov/OABR/absenteeBallotReqPortalHome.do

The form is also available for voters to apply in person at town hall. Absentee ballots are handled through the town clerk’s office, and represent a complete ballot, identical to the ballots used by voters on Election Day just on a different color paper, as they are tallied separately. Send in a completed application for your absentee ballot as soon as possible or drop it off in the Official Ballot Drop Box before Election Day and your absentee ballot will be mailed out to you. If you can come to the town hall, you can complete the process in person beginning on Oct. 6. Any ballots received by the town clerk after 8 p.m. on Nov. 7 will not be counted.

In Person Registration Deadline

The Granby Registrar of Voters will hold a special all day voter registration session on Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at their town hall offices. Residents are encouraged to stop in or call to verify their voter registration. You can also check your voter registration online using the Secretary of State’s website: dir.ct.gov/sots/lookup.aspx

Poll workers are needed

With the passage of early voting/election day registration, we are going to need help with computer data entry. The Registrars will hold EDR data entry classes for workers, new and old, answer questions about the new process coming for 2024 and sign-up workers for 2024. The Registrar’s office is compiling an email 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, as desired to fit their schedules. If you would like to be added to the list, please e-mail the registrars at: registrarofvoters@granby-ct.gov Moderator training and pollworker training will be in October. Pollworker training is required to serve. For more information or to attend an EDR class please contact the Registrars at: registrarofvoters@granby-ct.gov

Voter Registration

Voter registration is a public record, and we make it easy to confirm your voter registration 24/7. From the Town of Granby website there is a link to the Secretary of the State’s website’s online voter registration look-up tool: dir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx 

There is also a link to Online Voter Registration, available 24/7 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 Registrar’s office are Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Paper voter registration forms are also available at town halls, libraries, DMV offices and online at the Secretary of State’s website: sots.ct.gov

Questions?

Please feel free to contact the registrars, Laura Wolfe and Paul Willis, at 860-844-5322, registrarofvoters@granby-ct.gov or lwolfe@granby-ct.gov and pwillis@granby-ct.gov