Absentee Ballots Available for Municipal Election in Ridgefield

Absentee Ballots

SAMPLE ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR THE NOVEMBER 7, 2017 MUNICPAL ELECTION

Can I vote absentee? Connecticut has strict laws regarding who can vote absentee.

  • Are you an active member of the armed forces of the United States?
  • Will you be out of town during all the hours of voting on Election Day?
  • Does illness prevent you from voting in person on Election Day?
  • Do your religious beliefs prevent you from performing secular activities like voting on Election Day?
  • Will you be performing duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own during all the hours of voting on Election Day?
  • Do you have a physical disability that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are eligible to vote absentee.

How do I vote absentee?

For a general election, please use the Application for Absentee Ballot:

For an emergency ballot within 6 days of an election, please use the Emergency Application for Absentee Ballot:

For a referendum with less than 3 weeks’ notice, please use the Application for Absentee Ballot for Referendum Authorized to Be Held With Less than 3 Weeks’ Notice:

If you have a permanent disability, you may be eligible to apply for a permanent absentee ballot. Contact your local Town Clerk for details.

Who can download an application for absentee ballot? An application for absentee ballot may be downloaded by an individual for:

  • The individual's own use
  • The use of a member of the individual's immediate family
  • The use of a designee of the applicant

NOTE: Any person who will distribute five (5) or more absentee ballot applications to persons other than the individual's immediate family must register with and obtain forms from the Town Clerk of the municipality where such forms will be distributed before distributing such forms. 

What happens after I send in my application?

  • Your Town Clerk will process your application.
  • An absentee ballot will be mailed to you beginning:
  • 31 days before a general election
  • 21 days before a primary
  • 19 days before a referendum
  • Or if your application is received after the above dates, your ballot will be mailed to you as soon as your application is processed.
  • Complete the ballot, carefully following the instructions that are included and return it by mail or in person.
  • Only complete absentee ballots received before the close of polls on the day of the election will be counted.

What if I am in the military or currently living overseas?

Absentee Ballot fact sheet

Absentee Ballot Application Process information

The Secretary of the State has unveiled a new web feature allowing voters to confirm their voter registration and locate polling places. You may visit www.sots.ct.gov and click the "Vote-EZ-CT" link or click on the direct link here.

***NEW LEGISLATION*

Public Act 12-57, “An Act Concerning Permanent Absentee Ballot Status for the Permanently Disabled” created 
permanent absentee balloting status for certain individuals and became 
effective January 1, 2013.

IN GENERAL

To be eligible for permanent absentee ballot status, an elector must file with the Town Clerk an absentee ballot application together with a doctor’s certificate stating that they have a permanent disability and are unable to appear in person at their polling place. The doctor’s note should be on letterhead. There is no prescribed form—the doctor’s note and the absentee ballot application would satisfy the requirement of the law.

Permanent absentee ballot status enables the elector to receive an absentee ballot for each election, primary, and referendum in the municipality in which they are eligible to vote. Absentee ballots are available 21 days before a Primary and 31 days before an Election. 

ELIGIBILITY
In January of each year the Registrars of Voters will send written notice to each elector with permanent absentee ballot status to determine if the elector continues to reside at the address on the permanent absentee ballot application. If the elector fails to respond to the notice, the permanent absentee ballot status will be removed, but the elector will remain on the voter registration list.

PROCEDURE
The Freedom of Information Commission has indicated that they feel that any doctor’s note on file with the Town Clerk is not subject to disclosure. The original absentee ballot application, however, would continue to be subject to disclosure just like any other application for absentee ballot.

R
Submitted by Ridgefield, CT

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