Connecticut will hold the Dual Presidential Preference Primary on August 11, 2020. The Darien Registrars, Susan Gray and John Visi, along with the Town Clerk, Caryn Diller, have been coordinating for several months with Governor Lamont’s legal team and the Secretary of the State’s office. We are following state and federal agency guidelines to provide our voters with a safe election during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and safeguarding our CT voting database amid recurrent fears of election meddling from foreign agents.
In Person Voting:
Connecticut law mandates the opening of all poll sites for in person voting. To provide and maintain a streamlined, sanitized voting environment throughout the election day, the Registrars have submitted a Safe Poll Plan to the Connecticut Secretary of State, which includes:
• PPE including masks, gloves, plastic shields, sanitizers, and disinfectant wipes for all poll workers and poll sites, purchased, in part, with funding from the U.S. Congress.
• Sanitizers for voter use in poll site.
• New poll worker positions to assist in disinfecting poll booths and equipment, and to ensure adherence to safe social distancing at the polls.
• Signage alerting voters of the required 6’ social distancing at the poll site.
• Signage alerting voters to wear masks while inside the poll site buildings.
• Limiting of poll site occupancy to 50% of maximum building capacity.
• Reduction of 4 voter capacity polling station booths to 2, and placement of booths at 6’ intervals.
• Voting booths disinfected after each use, and poll site equipment and building restrooms sanitized throughout election day.
• Stationary Plexi-glass shields with pass through openings separating voters from poll workers.
• Voter ID shown through Plexi-glass shield.
• Ballots passed through opening in shield to voters.
• Pens or pencils available for every voter, not to be re-used during election day.
• Voter option to bring #2 pencil or black or blue ink pen to poll site to mark ballot.
Absentee Voting:
For the August 11, 2020 Primary, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and to ensure public health and safety, exceptions are being made to absentee ballot voting availability:
• All eligible Democratic and Republican voters will be receiving an absentee ballot application from the Secretary of the State’s office in early July, along with a pre-paid return envelope.
• When the Secretary of the State’s designated mailing vendor receives the voter’s returned and completed application, an absentee ballot will be sent to voter beginning July 21.
• Absentee ballots are to be completed and returned in the pre-paid envelope either by the US Postal Service, or placed in the designated absentee ballot mailbox at Town Hall, or brought to the Darien Town Clerk’s office.
• All absentee ballots must be received by the Darien Town Clerk’s office by Close of Election in order to be counted.
• Per Executive Order 7QQ, Covid-19 may be used as a valid reason for voting by absentee ballot.
Voter Registration:
• Please refer to the Darien Registrar of Voters website for relevant registration dates.
• Please note that there is no Election Day Registration in CT for primaries.
Please contact our office at (203) 656-7316, with any questions or concerns.
Susan Gray and John Visi
Darien Registrars