Permanent Absentee Ballots

APPLYING FOR A PERMANENT ABSENTEE BALLOT

If a registered voter is unable to vote in person on Election  Day, he may  apply  to the Town  Clerk  for an absentee ballot for any of the following  reasons:

Absence from the Town during all hours of voting

Sickness

Physical disability

Active service in the armed forces

Duties as an election official at a polling place

Religious tenets

Before a ballot can be issued to the voter, a Permanent Absentee Ballot Application must be completed and returned to this office 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 application can be obtained in person, by mail or by clicking here (the application must be printed from the web page, signed by the voter and mailed or hand delivered to the Clerk's office).

Absence or inability to vote in person does not mean that you must forfeit your right to vote!

Voters are urged to contact the Clerk's office at 860-485-9613 with any specific questions.

********************************************************************************************************************************

**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  an  Absentee Ballot  Application with the Town Clerk's office 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  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.

**************************************************************************************************************

The Federal MOVE ACT (Military   and Overseas Voter Empowerment) was signed into law by President Obama  on October 28, 2009, and makes provisions for mailing a ballot electronically, upon request, to a voter who is in the military or who is an overseas citizen, and their dependents. Electronic voting is only for elections that have federal offices on the ballot.               (Electronic means faxing as well as e-mailing).

     The actual ballot is a blank ballot format that is sent along with a list of candidates.  If you qualify for an e-mailed ballot, please contact the Town Clerk at townclerk@harwinton.us.  The absentee ballot application can now be faxed or e-mailed to us, as well as the ballot. If you are not military personnel, an overseas voter or their dependent, please follow the instructions outlined below to request an absentee ballot.

                                               INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Click here to open the absentee ballot application form.

2.  Print the form on white paper.

3.  Complete the required information on the form.

4.  Mail the form to:  Town Clerk

                                 Town of Harwinton

                                  100 Bentley Dr

                                  Harwinton, CT  06791