Election Info
Absentee Ballots
An application for an absentee ballot may be obtained in person or by mail through the Office of the Town Clerk. You can also download an application from the Secretary of State’s web site by clicking here.
An Elector may vote by absentee ballot for one of the following reasons:
- Active service in the Armed Forces of the United States;
- Absence from the town during all hours of voting;
- Illness;
- Religious tenets forbid secular activity on the day of the election, primary or referendum;
- Duties as a primary, election or referendum official at a polling place other than my own during all hours of voting;
- Physical disability.
Although anyone may pick up an absentee ballot application for another person, the ballot can only be given to the person named on the application or mailed to that person. In addition, there are restrictions on who may personally return the ballot to the Town Clerk’s Office. Ballots may also be returned by mail. Absentee ballot applications may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s office by calling 203-879-8100 or by sending a written request to:
Wolcott Town Hall
Town Clerk’s Office
10 Kenea Avenue
Wolcott, CT 06716
***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 with the Town Clerk an absentee ballot application 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 that 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.