Election Update from the Town Clerk

by | Nov 2, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

As of this morning (Monday, November 2), 41% of registered voters in Lyme have requested absentee ballots.  Of those, 93% have returned their ballots.

If you have not requested an absentee ballot but wish to do so, today is the last day.  Appear at the Town Clerk’s office before 4:00 p.m. today to submit your application and receive your ballot.

If you have not returned the absentee ballot that was already issued to you, 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, is the deadline to do so in the Official Ballot Drop Box located on the sidewalk at Town Hall.  You are encouraged to return your ballot today (Monday) as Tuesday will be very busy here at Town Hall with in person voting.

If you have not registered to vote, the deadline has passed.  In Connecticut, residents may register in their town of residence on Election Day at the designated Election Day Registration (EDR) location for their town.  In Lyme, that location is Town Hall.  There will be a separate entrance for EDR versus the polling place.  You will need to provide proof of identity and proof of residence.

Warning for Nov. 3 Election

by | Oct 28, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

WARNING
November 3, 2020, State Election

The Electors of the Town of Lyme are hereby warned to meet at their respective polling place in said town on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, for the following purpose:

To cast their votes for Presidential and Vice-Presidential electors, Representative in Congress, State Senator, State       Representative, Registrar of Voters.

Notice is hereby given that the location of the polling place is as follows:

Voting District                                         Location of Polling Place
        1                                                          Lyme Town Hall, 480 Hamburg Road, Lyme, CT  06371

Voting tabulators will be used.  The polls will be opened at six o’clock in the morning (6:00 a.m.) and will remain open until eight o’clock in the evening (8:00 p.m.).

The Lyme Town Hall will be open for election purposes only on Election Day.

Dated at Lyme, Connecticut, this 27th day of October, 2020.

Linda A. Winzer, Town Clerk, Town of Lyme 

Update from the Town Clerk on the Nov. 3 Election

by | Oct 23, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

As of 10:00 a.m., Friday, October 23, 39% of the registered voters in Lyme have applied for an absentee ballot for the November 3 Election.  Of those ballots issued, 76% have been completed and returned.

For those who intend to vote on November 3, but have not registered to vote yet:  Do it now.  Get it done, then you don’t have to think about it anymore.

For those who intend to vote by absentee ballot, but have not submitted their application:  Do it now.  With 10 days remaining before the election, you are strongly urged to deposit your application in the drop box located on the sidewalk at Town Hall rather than mailing it.

For those who have received an absentee ballot, but have not completed it and returned it:  Do it now.  With 10 days remaining before the election, you are strongly urged to deposit your completed ballot in the drop box located on the sidewalk at Town Hall rather than mailing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my ballot after I complete it and return it?  Your ballot is date- and time-stamped when it is received.  It is then entered into the voter registration system.  The physical ballot is kept locked up until it is delivered to the polls on November 3.  Absentee Ballot Counters will then open the envelopes and run the ballot through the tabulator, just like ballots cast at the polls in person.  Thus, absentee ballots are counted the day of the election and are reflected in voting totals for the town along with all those who voted in person.

How can I find out if my ballot has been received at Town Hall?  You may use the Voter Lookup Tool located on the Connecticut Secretary of the State website at https://portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx  to see if your ballot has been received.

When is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot?  You may apply for an absentee ballot up until 4:00 p.m. on November 2.

When is the last day to register to vote?  In person, the deadline is October 27.  Mail-in voter registration applications must be received or postmarked by October 27 in order to be accepted for the November 3 Election.  October 27 is also the deadline to register to vote online.

When is the last day to return my completed absentee ballot?  By mail: Your absentee ballot needs to be mailed so that it is received by the Town Clerk by the close of polls on November 3. By drop box: Your ballot must be deposited in the official ballot drop box located on the sidewalk at Town Hall by the close of polls on November 3. The box will be locked at 8:00 p.m. on November 3, and no other ballots will be accepted after that time.

When and where do I vote in person?  In person voting will occur at the Lyme Town Hall located at 480 Hamburg Road, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3.  Town Hall will be open for voting matters only on that day.

Update from the Town Clerk on Absentee Ballot Applications

by | Sep 17, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

The Secretary of the State’s office has mailed absentee ballot applications to every registered voter in Connecticut for the November 3, 2020, General Election.  Registered voters in Lyme began receiving their absentee ballot applications in the mail on Thursday, September 17.  If you wish to use the absentee ballot application you received in the mail, follow the directions on the insert included with the application, which are also listed here:

  1. Check that your personal information is correct in Section 1.
  2. Select a reason for voting by absentee ballot in Section 2. All voters may choose “COVID-19.”
  3. Sign your application in Section 3.
  4. Seal it in the envelope and drop it in the secure Official Ballot Drop Box at Lyme Town Hall on the sidewalk (preferred) or mail it in the postage-paid envelope included.

Things to remember:

  • If you have already submitted an absentee ballot application to the Lyme Town Clerk for the General Election on November 3, please destroy the application you receive from the State.
  • If you submitted an absentee ballot application for the Primary in August, that application was only for the Primary. If you wish to vote by absentee in the General Election in November, you must submit an absentee ballot application for the General Election.
  • Be sure to sign your application in Section 3, not Section 4. If someone assisted you in completing the application, that person would sign in Section 4.  You will not receive a ballot if you do not sign the application in Section 3.
  • Deposit your application in the Town of Lyme Official Drop Box only, not in the drop box of any other town. Residents should only deposit their applications in the drop box for the town where they are registered voters.
  • Absentee ballots will be sent out starting October 2.

Should you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk by phone at 860-434-7733, Mondays through Fridays, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

Message from the Town Clerk on Voting by Absentee Ballot in the Nov. 3 Election

by | Aug 19, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

Due to COVID-19, all voters were permitted to vote by absentee ballot rather than appear at the polls for the August 11 Primaries.  For the November 3 Election, all voters are also permitted to vote by absentee ballot rather than appear at the polls.

For the August 11 Primaries, the Secretary of the State (SOTS) contracted with a mail house to send out absentee ballots.  Normally, Town Clerks have that responsibility; however, due to the sheer volume expected with all voters being given the option to vote via absentee ballot, the decision was made to have a mail house handle the job instead.  Long story short, there were some issues, and the SOTS opted to discontinue the contract with the mail house. 

On Tuesday, August 18, the Town Clerks of Connecticut were notified by the SOTS that rather than have another mail house handle sending absentee ballots to voters for the November 3 Election, the task would be returned to the local Town Clerks.  We were also notified by the SOTS that the SOTS would be mailing out applications to every voter in Connecticut, as was done with the Primary.

In anticipation of a great number of voters wishing to vote by absentee, the following recommendations are being offered:

  • Rather than wait for the absentee ballot application to arrive from the SOTS, please fill out an application and deliver it to the Official Ballot Drop Box on the sidewalk of Lyme Town Hall now. This will allow us to have ballot packets ready to go when we are permitted to begin mailing them out on October 2.  We are not allowed to mail out ballots before this date.  Click here to download and print out the Absentee Ballot Application.
  • When you receive your ballot packet, it will contain four items: the outer envelope (designated with the letter “C”), the inner envelope (designated with the letter “B”), an instruction pamphlet, and the ballot.
  • Fill out your ballot, darkening only ONE oval per column. You may see the candidate you wish to vote for listed more than once, which indicates they were endorsed by more than one party.  DO NOT FILL IN ALL OVALS FOR THAT CANDIDATE, darken one oval only.
  • Insert the ballot into the inner “B” envelope and seal it. YOU MUST SIGN AND DATE THIS ENVELOPE IN ORDER FOR YOUR VOTE TO COUNT.  This is part of statutory election law.  I cannot stress this enough.  Ballots in unsigned envelopes will not be counted.
  • Insert the inner “B” envelope into the outer “C” envelope and seal it.
  • Deliver your completed ballot to the Official Ballot Drop Box on the sidewalk of Lyme Town Hall.
    • Do not wait until the last minute to submit an application if you wish to vote by absentee ballot. The sooner you submit your application, the better.
    • Do not wait until the last minute to complete your ballot and deliver it. Ballots received after polls close will not be counted.  If you choose to mail your ballot rather than deposit it in the Official Ballot Drop Box and it is not received by the close of polls, it will not count.
    • Voters may still appear at the polls to vote in person on November 3 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
    • If you choose to follow the recommended process outlined above, and then you receive the ballot application sent by the SOTS, you can simply destroy the duplicate application.

Should you have any questions regarding the upcoming election, you may email the Town Clerk at townclerk@townlyme.org or call the Town Clerk at 860-434-7733, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 

Primary Day: Polls Open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

by | Aug 11, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

Polls will be open at Town Hall from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to enable Lyme residents to vote in-person in the Democratic Presidential Preference Primary, Republican Presidential Preference Primary and Republican 2nd Congressional District Primary.  Masks will be required to enter Town Hall and social distancing protocols will be observed. Town Hall will be closed to all other public business today to reduce the number of people in the building and reduce potential virus exposure. 

Town Hall: Polls Open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11

by | Aug 7, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

The polls will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to enable Lyme residents to vote in-person at Town Hall for the:

  • Democratic Presidential Preference Primary;
  • Republican Presidential Preference Primary; and
  • Republican 2nd Congressional District Primary.

Town Hall will be closed to all other public business on Election Day to reduce the number of people in the building and reduce potential virus exposure.  Masks will be required to enter Town Hall and social distancing protocols will be observed.