“It is important to remember that this is only a temporary backstop. It’s imperative that the Trump administration reach an agreement with Congress on comprehensive legislation that provides stable and long-term funding to supplement weekly unemployment benefits.”

“This program will certainly provide some level of assistance to Connecticut’s weekly filers who, without the federal supplement, receive an average of $269.00 per week,” Connecticut Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said.

The program requires states to establish an entirely new process for claimants to access the FEMA funding. New unemployment claimants and existing state and extended benefits claimants will be required to self-certify that they are eligible under the federal guidelines.

“It is important to remember that this is only a temporary backstop. It’s imperative that the Trump administration reach an agreement with Congress on comprehensive legislation that provides stable and long-term funding to supplement weekly unemployment benefits.”

“This program will certainly provide some level of assistance to Connecticut’s weekly filers who, without the federal supplement, receive an average of $269.00 per week,” Connecticut Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said.

The program requires states to establish an entirely new process for claimants to access the FEMA funding. New unemployment claimants and existing state and extended benefits claimants will be required to self-certify that they are eligible under the federal guidelines.

Each absentee ballot will have two envelopes. The outside one “with a serial number identifying the voter as you,” and an internal one with the candidate form to guarantee anonymity.

Strauss said that counting the votes, as well as processing requests for absentee ballots, however, will be easier thanks to bar codes that are easily scanned.

That’s not to say that absentee, mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic will not have it glitches considering what the town saw during the buildup to and aftermath of the Aug. 11 primary.

True, more people voted by mail as opposed to the one polling location Democratic Registrar of Voters Marla Cowden and Republican Registrar of Voters Richard Ruggiano had set up.

For example, 2,726 registered Democrats voted by mail in the primary and only 518 in person, Straus said. For the 4,076 registered Republicans there only a 23% turnout, 965. Of that amount, 549 were absentee and 416 voted in person.

With unaffiliated voters added, Westport has approximately 19,000 potential voters for the November election.

For the August primary, 4,788 applications were requested and mailed out, yet only 3,275 were returned on time.

“About 1,500 people didn’t return their ballots,” Strauss said.

“Electors must be aware that the absentee ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk by the close of polls Nov. 3 by 8 p.m.,” she added, saying that a Nov. 3 postmark along will not qualify the ballot.

The First Selectman’s Office issued the following news release:

Town Clerk Patricia Strauss announced the following information concerning voting at the Nov. 3 election.

This year, an elector can vote either in person at the polls from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, or by mail in (absentee) ballot.

The Secretary of the State (SOTS) will be sending applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters the first two weeks in September.  Completed applications should be delivered to the town clerk’s office as soon as possible, either by dropping off in the black drop box located at the rear entrance of Town Hall or by mailing to Westport Town Clerk, 110 Myrtle Ave, Westport, CT 06880.

Ballots will be issued by the town clerk’s office starting Monday, Oct. 5 by mail or in person by appointment only. 

Beginning Oct. 5, your completed ballot may be dropped off at Town Hall using the Official Ballot Drop Box located at the rear entrance of Town Hall or by mailing to Westport Town Clerk, 110 Myrtle Ave, Westport, CT 06880.

Please note – you do not have to vote by absentee ballot.  The polls will be open on Election Day for in person voting.

More information regarding absentee voting, checking your voter registration, registering to vote, or making changes to your voter registration can be found on our website at http://www.westportct.gov under the 2020 Elections Information page.

If you have already submitted an application to receive a mail in ballot for the Nov. 3 election, please disregard the additional application you will receive from SOTS in September.

Each absentee ballot will have two envelopes. The outside one “with a serial number identifying the voter as you,” and an internal one with the candidate form to guarantee anonymity.

Strauss said that counting the votes, as well as processing requests for absentee ballots, however, will be easier thanks to bar codes that are easily scanned.

That’s not to say that absentee, mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic will not have it glitches considering what the town saw during the buildup to and aftermath of the Aug. 11 primary.

True, more people voted by mail as opposed to the one polling location Democratic Registrar of Voters Marla Cowden and Republican Registrar of Voters Richard Ruggiano had set up.

For example, 2,726 registered Democrats voted by mail in the primary and only 518 in person, Straus said. For the 4,076 registered Republicans there only a 23% turnout, 965. Of that amount, 549 were absentee and 416 voted in person.

With unaffiliated voters added, Westport has approximately 19,000 potential voters for the November election.

For the August primary, 4,788 applications were requested and mailed out, yet only 3,275 were returned on time.

“About 1,500 people didn’t return their ballots,” Strauss said.

“Electors must be aware that the absentee ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk by the close of polls Nov. 3 by 8 p.m.,” she added, saying that a Nov. 3 postmark along will not qualify the ballot.

The First Selectman’s Office issued the following news release:

Town Clerk Patricia Strauss announced the following information concerning voting at the Nov. 3 election.

This year, an elector can vote either in person at the polls from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, or by mail in (absentee) ballot.

The Secretary of the State (SOTS) will be sending applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters the first two weeks in September.  Completed applications should be delivered to the town clerk’s office as soon as possible, either by dropping off in the black drop box located at the rear entrance of Town Hall or by mailing to Westport Town Clerk, 110 Myrtle Ave, Westport, CT 06880.

Ballots will be issued by the town clerk’s office starting Monday, Oct. 5 by mail or in person by appointment only. 

Beginning Oct. 5, your completed ballot may be dropped off at Town Hall using the Official Ballot Drop Box located at the rear entrance of Town Hall or by mailing to Westport Town Clerk, 110 Myrtle Ave, Westport, CT 06880.

Please note – you do not have to vote by absentee ballot.  The polls will be open on Election Day for in person voting.

More information regarding absentee voting, checking your voter registration, registering to vote, or making changes to your voter registration can be found on our website at http://www.westportct.gov under the 2020 Elections Information page.

If you have already submitted an application to receive a mail in ballot for the Nov. 3 election, please disregard the additional application you will receive from SOTS in September.