Message from Town Clerk on Voting by Absentee Ballot in August 11 Primaries

by | Jul 30, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

The following is an important message from the Lyme Town Clerk for residents voting by absentee ballot in the August 11 primaries:

The State of Connecticut has informed us there was a delay in the mailing of the absentee ballots from the mail house in Rhode Island.  Town Clerks have been assured that the ballots were mailed beginning Monday, July 27, so you should be receiving yours soon if you sent in an application for one.

For many Lyme residents, this may be the first time voting by absentee ballot.  Based on the information that Town Clerks received from the state, we understand there will be three pieces inside the absentee-ballot packet: 

  • the ballot;
  • an inner envelope (which you must sign and date); and
  • a blank outer envelope (for returning the above materials).

Please be aware that we have been informed by the State that the instructions included in the absentee-ballot packet may incorrectly refer to a serially numbered envelope.  This is, in essence, a typo – as neither the inner nor outer envelope has a serial number.

Instructions for Completing Your Absentee Ballot

Based on the information we have received, these are the correct instructions to follow:

  • After filling out your ballot, insert the ballot in the inner envelope.
  • Sign and date the inner envelope. The most important thing to remember to do is to sign and date the inner envelope where indicated. Failure to do so will result in the ballot being rejected. 
  • After signing and dating the inner envelope, insert it inside the larger outer envelope (the blank envelope).
  • Your ballot is now ready to be returned.

Instructions for Returning Your Absentee Ballot

To return your absentee ballot:

  • You may walk into Lyme Town Hall and hand it to the Town Clerk.
  • You may mail it using the U.S. Postal Service. Ballots returned by mail must be received by the Town Clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Aug. 11.
  • You may insert it in the Official Ballot Drop Box located on the edge of the sidewalk at Lyme Town Hall. (See the photo.)

If at all possible, residents are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to return a completed ballot via the Official Ballot Drop Box rather than mailing it via the U. S. Postal Service.  There are only a few days left until the primary, and this will ensure that the ballot is in Town Hall when it needs to be, in order to be counted.

Do not return your ballot via the mail slot in the door of Lyme Town Hall.

Please note that the Official Ballot Drop Box is for completed ballots only.  No other material should be deposited in the drop box.  You should only deposit your ballot in the Town of Lyme drop box if you are a resident of Lyme.  Do not drop your ballot in the drop box of any other town.

Voters who have questions on absentee voting are welcome to contact the Lyme Town Clerk at 860-434-7733 during regular business hours.

In-Person Voting

For voters who do not plan to vote by absentee ballot and prefer to vote in person, the polls at Town Hall will be open on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Masks will be required and social distancing will be observed.

Lyme Ambulance Association Announces New Officer

by | Jul 29, 2020 | Announcements

The Lyme Ambulance Association issued a press release today which read as follows:

“The Lyme Ambulance Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Erik Eisensmith to their EMS team. Erik has been named driver training officer for the organization and brings years of professional driver training experience to the task. He is a graduate of Wheaton College and has resided in Lyme for 15 years. As an executive of Overland Experts LLC, Erik is uniquely qualified for this important position. He and his company have taught specialty driving skills to military special forces, utility company personnel and aid workers in the United States and abroad. Erik exemplifies the professionalism of Lyme Ambulance Association volunteers. Given the gravity of the association’s core mission, we are fortunate and grateful for the deep pool of talent living in Lyme. Lyme Ambulance is staffed with residents who share a common profile: competence, commitment and compassion. Erik said it best when asked why he has volunteered his talents: ‘It’s not a job, it’s a passion.’ Lyme Ambulance is an independent, not-for-profit association staffed fully by volunteers.”

Full Reopening of Town Hall, Public Library Now Targeted for Sep. 8

by | Jul 28, 2020 | Announcements, Emergency Management

Due to the ongoing resurgence of the coronavirus in Connecticut and across the country, the Board of Selectmen announced today that it would postpone the full reopening of Town Hall and the Public Library – a move which had been tentatively scheduled for August 3 – until at least Tuesday, September 8 (the day after Labor Day).

In the meantime, both buildings will remain open to the public on a three-day-per-week timetable:

  • Lyme Town Hall will continue to be open to the public on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Lyme Public Library will continue to be open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Employees in both facilities will be available by phone or email to assist the public on the days that the buildings are not open to the public.

Where the Town’s trash and recycling activities are concerned:

  • The Hamburg Recycling Center will continue to be open on a modified schedule:  Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • The Lyme Transfer Station remains open on its normal operating schedule: Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please note that recycling can take place at the Transfer Station on the days that it is open.

Johnston Preserve Parking Lot Now Open

by | Jul 15, 2020 | Announcements

The Town of Lyme announced today that the newly completed parking lot for the Johnston Preserve is now open, making the Town’s newest preserve even more accessible to residents. 

To see a map of the Johnston Preserve, go here.

To see an interactive map listing the trails in the Johnston Preserve (as well as the trails in other Lyme preserves), go here.