Plans for the August primaries

GOSHEN — Sue Larsen, president of the Registrars of Voters Association of Connecticut, told the 21 first selectmen, mayors and town managers of the Northwest Hills  Council of Governments (COG) that all registered Republicans and Democrats in the state will receive applications for absentee voting in the mail for the Aug.11 primary elections. (The primary date was originally scheduled for June but was postponed to August.)

Larsen spoke to the COG in a Zoom meeting online on Thursday, May 14.

She went down a list of changes — coming from Secretary of the State Denise Merrill — to election procedures, emphasizing that they apply to the party primaries only.

“We’re doing things for the primaries that we can’t do in November,” during the general election.

The eligibility restrictions on absentee ballots will be relaxed, Larsen said. Anyone over the age of 65 will qualify, as will anyone with an “underlying condition” that makes them susceptible to COVID-19. 

Caretakers of the elderly or infirm will also qualify.

At polling locations, everyone will be required to maintain a distance of 6 feet from each other, and no more than five people will be allowed into any location at a time.

Personal protective equipment will be made available at polling places, as well as Plexiglas shields and single-use pens.

Larsen said one problem is not having enough poll workers, who tend to be retired and/or elderly people.

The secretary of the state is upgrading the computer systems, and scanners for the expected increase in absentee ballots will be provided. This will require some initial financial outlay from municipalities, but Larsen said the state will “try to make towns whole” with reimbursements.

“Everything we’re talking about now could change by Aug. 11,” she reiterated.

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