Greenwich Registrars Prioritizing Election Safety

With Connecticut’s presidential preference primary coming up on Aug. 11, and the general election slated for Nov. 3, Greenwich’s Registrars of voters are diligently working to come up with plans to ensure safe, fair and effective voting for all.

Registrars Fred Decaro (Republican) and Mary Hegarty (Democrat) recently held a webinar which outlined how Greenwich is preparing for the upcoming elections. Although the coronavirus has impacted nearly every facet of everyday life, it will not change the ultimate goal on election day.

“The fact that we find ourselves in the midst of a health crisis does not change our overriding goal to run fair and safe elections,” said Hegarty. “Let’s make casting our ballots in spite of the difficulties posed by COVID-19 our collective expression of our belief in democracy. Casting our ballots is one way we can reclaim a piece of our normal lives.”

Polling places will be designed to accommodate for social distancing, and Decaro said there is space in each location to do that. Single-privacy voting booths will be utilized.

Hand sanitizer will be available for all to use, Decaro said, noting that the Registrars office has even gone so far as to determine how many squirts of sanitizer are in a 12 ounce bottle.

Surgical and KN95 masks, as well as gloves and face shields, will be distributed to all poll workers. Unfortunately, for the primary, there won’t be any “I Voted” stickers dispensed.

“We are very concerned about protecting both voters and our poll workers. We’re doing everything we can to make sure we have enough equipment for everyone,” Decaro said.

Staffing for the primary is being revamped and streamlined. Because turnout numbers during a primary aren’t big, there will be one person solely responsible for cleaning at his or her polling place.

Hegarty added that it’s a “two-way street.” Voters are expected to wear a mask and gloves, maintain social distancing, and bring a clipboard or something to write against. Hegarty stressed that there is a chance polling places are consolidated, and you may not be voting at your usual location.

The coronavirus has changed a lot with regards to methods of voting.

“The voting landscape in Connecticut and across the country is changing almost daily,” Hegarty remarked.

Previously, voters in Connecticut could only vote by absentee ballot if they met one of six statutorily described excuses, one of which focused on voter illness.

Due to the coronavirus, Gov. Ned Lamont signed an Executive Order that expanded the excuses, allowing all eligible voters (voters who are affiliated with a party that’s having a primary) to vote by absentee ballot in the Aug. 11 primary.

Lamont has power to issue Executive Orders related to COVID-19 until Sept. 9. If an extension occurs, Lamont could issue a similar order pertaining to absentee ballots for the November election. If there is no extension, Hegarty said a special session of the state legislature could be called to expand the use of absentee ballots.

Hegarty and Decaro said residents who choose to vote by absentee ballot should get their applications and ballots in quickly. In Connecticut, absentee ballots must be received by the Town Clerk by election day. Two drop-off boxes will be available in town for those who aren’t comfortable with using the postal service.

In the 2018 election, 39 absentee ballots were rejected because instructions were not followed. In the 2019 municipal election, 63 weren’t counted because they arrived late. In the 2020 special election for the 151st legislate District, 71 absentee ballots were rejected.

“Do not delay the process. Allow plenty of time for back and forth,” Decaro said.

In the future, voting by mail could be an option for Connecticut, as other states have started the process or implemented a vote-by-mail system.

“Voting by mail can be fairly administered when it’s done correctly,” Decaro said, noting there are significant cost savings benefits associated with it.

However, voting by mail doesn’t bring about a higher turnout, Decaro said. In other states in the first election after a system has been introduced, there is a “novelty effect”, but in subsequent elections turnout numbers return to what they previously were.

Decaro said voting by mail cannot be implemented overnight.

“One thing that is key related to moving forward, is you cannot do this in a single election cycle. States have to create a comfort level for their voters. Election administrators have to make sure concerns are being addressed and voters are educated. It’s not something that’s done until there’s a critical mass of folks who are used to voting by mail,” Decaro said.

Right now, he added, Connecticut doesn’t have the information and infrastructure necessary to verify signatures, track ballots, and allow voters to cure any errors with their ballots.

“The process can be fairly administered, but it’s not something to be rushed into. There are best practices we need to follow, and we can really learn from what other states have done related to thism,” Decaro said.

The webinar on voting in Greenwich was presented by Greenwich Library and the League of Women Voters of Greenwich. To view the entire presentation and for more information on voting in general, go to greenwichct.gov/vote.

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