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.

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.

Legal Notice: Warning of Primary

by | Jul 3, 2020 | Announcements, Voting & Elections

Notice is hereby given that a Presidential Preference Primary of the Republican and Democratic Party will be held on August 11, 2020, in each town.

Notice is also hereby given that the following are the names of the candidates (including the category “Uncommitted”) which are to appear on the ballot at said primary in the manner and in the order in which such names and category are herein listed, under the office designation “Nomination for President of the United States”, together with the addresses of such candidates:

Democrats                                                                Republicans
Names and Address:                                               Names and Address:
Joe Biden, Wilmington, DE                                      Donald J Trump, Palm Beach, FL
Bernie Sanders, Burlington, VT                              Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente, San Diego, CA 
Tulsi Gabbard, Kapolei, HI                                      Uncommitted
Uncommitted

Additionally, Notice is hereby given that a Primary of the Republican Party for Representative in Congress 2nd District listed below will be held on August 11, 2020 for nomination for the office indicated below. The party-endorsed candidate is noted with an asterisk.

Republican
Names and Address:
*Thomas Gilmer, 216 Neck Rd, Madison, CT 06443
Justin Anderson, 157 West Rd, Salem, CT 06420

Dated at Hartford, Connecticut, this 30th Day of June, 2020.
Denise Merrill
Secretary of the State

The foregoing is a copy of the notice which I have received from the Office of the Secretary of the State in accordance with Secs. 9-433 and 9-471 of the General Statutes.  As provided, such primary will be held on August 11, 2020.  The hours of voting at said primary and the location of the polls will be as follows:

Hours of Voting:  6:00 AM. to 8:00 PM

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

Dated at Lyme, Connecticut, this 2nd day of July, 2020.
Linda A. Winzer
Lyme Town Clerk

Information on Voting by Absentee Ballot in the Aug. 11 Primaries

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

The following is important information for Lyme residents who wish to vote by absentee ballot in the upcoming August 11 Presidential Preference Primary (Democratic & Republican) and State Primary (Republican):

  • MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE. If you aren’t sure, go here.  If you need to register, contact Lyme’s Registrars of Voters at registrar@townlyme.org or go here.
  • WATCH YOUR MAILBOX FOR AN APPLICATION. Because of the pandemic, all active voters registered as either Democrat or Republican in Connecticut will be able to vote by absentee ballot in the August 11 primaries. The Secretary of the State is mailing an application to all eligible voters. You must fill out and return this application in order to receive an absentee ballot.
  • FILL THE APPLICATION OUT, MAIL IT IN, WAIT FOR YOUR BALLOT. Fill out the ballot application according to the instructions. Return the ballot application to the Lyme Town Clerk in the postage-prepaid envelope provided. Your absentee ballot will arrive by mail from the Secretary of the State (not the Lyme Town Clerk) about three weeks before the August 11 primaries.
  • COMPLETE THE BALLOT, COMPLETE THE INNER ENVELOPE, SEAL BOTH INSIDE THE OUTER ENVELOPE. Your ballot package will have three items: a ballot, an inner envelope and an outer envelope.
    • Complete your ballot by completely filling in the oval next to your choice using a black pen.
    • Seal, sign and date the inner envelope. Insert your completed ballot into the inner envelope provided. Seal the envelope. Sign and date the outside of the inner envelope where indicated.
    • Place the inner envelope into the larger postage-prepaid outer envelope and seal the outer envelope.
  • RETURN BALLOT TO THE LYME TOWN CLERK. Mail the completed ballot via the postage-paid outer envelope to the Town Clerk. It must be received by the Town Clerk no later than 8:00 PM ON AUGUST 11 in order to be counted. If you choose to return your absentee ballot in person, please be aware of these rules and deadlines:
    • The ballot must be sealed inside the inner and outer envelopes just as if you were returning it by mail.
    • If you return the absentee ballot in person PRIOR TO AUGUST 11, you must hand it to the Town Clerk no later than 4:00 PM ON AUGUST 10.
    • If you return the absentee ballot in person ON AUGUST 11, you must place it in the drop box at Town Hall no later than 8:00 PM ON AUGUST 11.