referendum

THE REFERENDUM PROCESS: Not so easy to do any more in Weston since the Referendum of 2003 - post-Referendum charter revision made change: Now 5% of "qualified"voters (instead of 50) needed to call a Town Meeting to override an action of the Board of Selectmen.

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING NOVEMBER 7, 2001 PRECEDED NOVEMBER 15, 2001 REFERENDUM:

The people have spoken. Although those who filed absentee ballots voted "no, no, no" it was the rest of the voters voting in person "yes, yes, yes" who won the day. Totals for the three items, and dollar amounts for each (these are not official numbers) were:
1) 2501 - 1613 (yes over no) $48,265,000
2) 2200 - 1892 (yes over no) $28,070,000
3) 2268 - 1837 (yes over no) $ 3,100,000

Referendum voting Thursday, November 15, 2001, from 6am to 8pm in the Weston Middle School--click HERE for Observer Corps report on adjourned Town Meeting of November 7.

Town Will Be Tested Again
January 2, 2002 Hartford COURANT editorial

                    GRANBY -- Deciding which of three expansion proposals
                    would best accommodate Granby's rapidly growing
                    school enrollment isn't as important as securing resident
                    support for whatever plan is chosen.

                    One plan would revamp three schools for students in
                    kindergarten through sixth grade. Another would reserve
                    one school for kindergarten through second grade and
                    two schools for third through sixth grade. The third option
                    is for two schools to house kindergarten through third
                    grade and one for fourth through sixth grade. All three
                    plans would pull the sixth grade from Granby Memorial
                    Middle School.

                    Superintendent Gwen Van Dorp has wisely discounted
                    using long-term portable classrooms, which can hinder
                    the learning process and are a less desirable solution.

                    Although the planning is its infancy, the cost, as yet
                    undetermined, could test the town's five-year commitment
                    to hold tax increases to no more than 3.7 percent a year.

[Please read the rest of this article at the Hartford COURANT website]

More words about previous votes taken...
This is what happened after ATBM 2001...
School Budget the big winner April 24 - 72% at ATBM and then 70% at non-binding Referendum (with more than three times as many voters participating in a secret ballot)
To be eligible to vote in the April 24 referendum, an individual must meet one of the two following criteria:

Be a registered voter in the Town of Weston, or

Be a U.S. citizen age 18 or more who is listed on the October 1, 2000 Grand List as liable to the town for taxes on an assessment of not less than 1000 dollars.

An individual owning property purchased recently, and therefore not reflected on the Grand List dated October 1, 2000, must be a registered voter to be eligible to vote in the April 24 referendum.

VOTER REGISTRATION

Weston residents may register to vote in person at Town Hall, Monday through Friday from 9:00 to 4:30. Voter registration by mail is also available. Registration forms may be requested by phoning the Registrars of Voters at 222-2686, and are also available at Town Hall. The deadline for registration for the April 24 referendum is 4:30pm on Monday, April 23.

The above information was retyped as received from the Registrar of Voters

Below is re-typed version of instructions presented at the Town Clerk's Office

ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR THE REFERENDUM TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2001 ARE NOW AVAILABLE.

WHERE: Town Clerk's Office, Town Hall, 56 Norfield Road
WHEN:

Monday - Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm;

April 17th through April 23rd and

Saturday, April 21, 8:00-11:00

WHO CAN VOTE?

All electors of the Town of Weston OR

A person who is not an elector of the Town of Weston...who is a citizen of the United States of America

who is over 18 years of age

who has real property, motor vehicle(s) or personal property listed on the October 1, 2000 Grand List with a value greater than $1000.

TO VOTE ABSENTEE: Any qualified voter may vote absentee if unable to vote in person due to:

active service in the armed forces
absence from the town during all hours of voting
illness or physical disability
religious tenets
duties as a referendum official at a polling place

This referendum is authorized to be held with less than three weeks notice. The qualified voter must apply in person or must designate a designee to deliver the ballot in person or return the ballot to the municipal clerk.

DESIGNEE IS:

A person who is caring for them because of illness, including but not limited to a licensed physician or a registered or practical nurse.
A member of the family.
A police officer in Weston.
A Registrar or Dep. Registrar of Voters in Weston

HOW:

Request application for ballot from Town Clerk in person or by designee
Complete application and return it to the Town Clerk in person, by mail or by designee

BY WHEN:

Completed ballots must be received by the Town Clerk.
By mail before the polls close on Tuesday, April 24.
In person by 8pm on Monday, April 23.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
If you have an unexpected illness or physical disability within 6 days before the polls close on April 24, you can still vote. You can designate a person (see "Designee" above) to deliver the ballot to you and to return it to the Town Clerk.

If you find that you can vote in person after having voted by absentee ballot, you must go to the Town Clerk's office before noon on the day of the referendum to request withdrawal of your ballot. The Town Clerk will issue a signed statement to present to the Moderator at the polls so that you can vote in person.