The primary election is upon us. According to the Vermont Secretary of State website “Your town clerk will receive ballots for the Primary election by Friday July 11, 2014 and early voting may begin. You can vote at the town clerk’s office during normal business hours or request that an absentee ballot be sent to you. If voting absentee, ballots must be returned to the clerk before the close of the polls on election day August 26th.”
With Early Voting in the town clerk’s office or on Primary Election Day you must select a voting ballot envelope from one of three political parties: Progressive, Democrat, or Republican. In the 2012 election we had 76, 263 voters who Voted Early, not on Election Day itself.
If don’t want to or cannot vote early, our primary election date is Tuesday, August 26, 2014.
For the State Assembly senate race you have up to two votes. Senator Jeanette White (D), our most experience current senator, is up for reelection. Joining the field of senate candidates are Becca Balint (economic development), Joan Bowman (healthcare navigator) and Roger Albee (former VT Secretary of Agriculture).
:: BE AN INFORMED VOTER ::
Go to : https://www.sec.state.vt.us/elections.aspx and click Who has qualified to be a candidate in the Primary Election in August?
Or, go to: http://ballotpedia.org/Vermont_elections,_2014
Letter Box: Be sure to vote
Editor of the Reformer: Posted: 07/24/2014
Elections. It seems that elections come earlier and earlier. This year we will have a primary on Aug. 26. The primary is a party function, allowing the major parties — in Vermont that means Republican, Democrat, Progressive, and Liberty Union — to determine their candidates. Voters do not register for a particular party so the primary is open. When voting, you will be given four ballots; you will use one and discard the other three. No one will know which party’s primary you voted in.
Primaries are important. You can register for the primary anytime before 5 p.m. on Aug. 20 (your town clerk is required to be open that day). If you have move, you must register in your new town.
Although the primary is Aug. 26, the ballots are at the town clerks’ offices now. You can call and request an early ballot or you can just go in and vote; you do not have to wait until election day. The reason ballots are prepared so early is that the federal government requires they be mailed to overseas voters 45 days before any election.
The general election is Nov. 4 and even if you didn’t vote in the primary you can still register until 5 p.m. on Oct. 29 to vote in the general election.
Who can register to vote? Anyone who resides in Vermont. If this is your primary residence you can vote; if you are homeless, your address is wherever you lay your head at night; if you are a convicted felon you are still a citizen and you can vote; if you are a college student you can vote; if you are away for an extended time but maintain your residence and plan to return, you can vote. In Vermont we believe that this is an important right that should be given to all residents.
Voting is both a right and a responsibility. Many people have fought very hard for the right to vote — don’t take it for granted. While it might seem that just one vote doesn’t matter, it does. Don’t let decisions be made by others — make sure your voice is among them.
Vote on (or before) Aug. 26, and on (or before) Nov. 4.
Sen. Jeanette White,
Brattleboro, July 23
http://www.reformer.com/letterstotheeditor/ci_26205810/letter-box
one more detail
Who can vote? You must be 18 on or before the date of the election. If you will be turning 18 after the cutoff date for registering, but before or on election day, you may still apply — and must apply — by the registration deadline, not election day. For specifics of this, please contact your town clerk.
Towns & Gores
One more detail to Andie’s “18 years-or-older” important specifics::
“To search for a town clerk’s contact information – CLICK: CHOOSE A TOWN dropdown box, or, enter a town in the search field (including un-organized towns & gores) from the drop-down menu.”
Enter Here: http://www.vermontattorneystitle.com/vermont-attorneys-title-corp/town-clerk-directory-choose-a-town/
Early/Absentee Ballots available
With a phone call you can have a ballot sent to your home and simply mail it back, saving you the trip and time of going to the polls. If you are unsure if your name is listed as a registered voter in your town or, for more information about voter registration and early/absentee voting, contact your town clerk. In Brattleboro, call 251-8157. They’re always happy to help.