Thursday, October 8, 2020

Election Day 2020: Vote!


 submitted by Frank LoGiudice


NEWS ALERT! ELECTION DAY 2020! VOTE ON NOVEMBER 3rd EITHER IN PERSON OR BY ABSENTEE BALLOT DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC!  

 

During President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863 he stated, “We here highly resolve that…government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”  Each one of us has a responsibility to ensure this never happens today and tomorrow.  You can do this by voting on November 3rd and every Election Day.   

 

On November 3rd you will be asked to vote for the offices of President & Vice President, Congress, State Representative, State Senator, and the $55 million-dollar infrastructure   

referendum question. Voters will be asked to vote yes or no on this question.  To view a sample ballot go to https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Town-Ballots/2020-Town-Ballots & click on Middletown.  

 

Please take the time to vote either in person or by absentee ballot if you choose due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you choose to vote by absentee ballot please fill out your ballot as soon as you receive it and either mail it by U.S. Mail or drop it off in the ballot boxes outside of City Hall.  For this election unlike the August Primary “The absentee ballots will be sent out by the Town Clerk’s Office,” according to Middletown Town Clerk Ashley Flynn-Natale.  She also stated the absentee ballot drop off boxes outside of City Hall will be checked “At least twice a day sometimes more.”  

 

According to the United States Postal Service “We recommend that domestic, non-military voters mail their completed ballots before Election Day and at least one week prior to your state’s deadline. We also recommend that voters request ballots at the earliest point allowable but no later than 15 days prior to the election date.”  

 

There is still time to request an absentee ballot.  All voters were sent an absentee ballot application for the November 3rd election from the Secretary of State’s office in mid-September due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.  If you would like to vote by absentee, you still have time to send it in and get a ballot.  If you did not receive one or misplaced your ballot application you could get one from the Town Clerk’s office or downloading an application from https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/Absentee-Ballot-Application-ED-3/ED-3-Rev-20-Final.pdf.  The Town Clerk’s office is open from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. during the week.  

 

The deadline to file an application for an absentee ballot is November 2nd.  All ballots must be received by the close of polls, 8:00 p.m. on Election Day,” according to the Secretary of State’s website.  Someone could request an application up until the day before the election. We need to have the ballot back no later than 8pm either in the absentee ballot drop box or in the mail” according to Town Clerk Ashley Flynn-Natale. Please don’t delay much longer.  

 

If you vote in person on November 3rd please wear a mask and follow the social distancing guidelines by remaining six feet apart. To find out where your polling place is please call either the Town Clerk Ashley Flynn-Natale’s Office at (860) 344-3459 or the Democratic & Republican Registrar of Voters Elizabeth Santangelo & David Bauer.  Their email addresses are Elizabeth.Santangelo@middletownct.gov and David.Bauer@middletownct.gov and the phone number is 860-638-4950.  The Town Clerk’s email is Ashley.Fynn-Natale@middletownct.gov.  

   

Reminder:  The Last Day to Register To Vote both in person and online is Tuesday, October 27, 2020.  All towns in Connecticut will be holding in person voter registration at their respective town halls from 9 a.m. -8 p.m. on October 27th according to Middletown Democratic Registrar Elizabeth Santangelo.  All voter registration applications must be received or postmarked by October 27th to be accepted stated Santangelo.  To register to vote online please go tohttps://voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR/welcome.do & follow the prompts.  You can also register to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles, but it must be done by the October 27th deadline.  If you turned 18, moved into a new town, became a U.S. Citizen after October 27, 2020 you have until November 2nd to register in person at your Town Hall during regular hours.  

 

In Connecticut, there is Election Day Voter Registration on November 3rdwhere people could register and vote if they meet certain eligibility requirements.  In Middletown, Election Day Voter Registration will be held at the City Hall Lobby and 161 Cross Street behind the Fire Department according to Democratic Registrar Elizabeth Santangelo.  

 

If you have any questions about voting on November 3rd please call the Town Clerk & Registrar of Voters at 860-(860) 344-3459 and 860-638-4950.  

 

Please vote on November 3, 2020.  The polling hours are from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.  

 

Enjoy the videos.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMR6d_9GsCQ  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x8zBzxCwsM  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZ9drv78dCQ  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQPUTMU4Lho  

 

 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is the exact location of absentee ballot drop box? Does anyone know?

Frank LoGiudice said...

The ballot drop boxes are located outside the Middletown City Hall Building located at 245 Dekoven Drive in the Melilli Plaza. Please vote either by absentee ballot or in person on November 3rd. This election is too important to miss.