COVID-19 has disrupted several of Wilton’s long-standing voting traditions, including holding elections at the Town Hall and hand-counting ballots. But, Moderator Bill Keefe said the show will still go on.
In an announcement mailed to voters at the end of July, Keefe announced a new polling place for both the State Primary on Sept. 8 and the general election on Nov. 3. Traditionally held in the former court room at Town Hall, the elections are moving this year to the Wilton-Lyndeborough High School gymnasium, which has more space and thus more room for social distancing.
Voting both days will start and end at the usual time, beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m.
Wilton has counted ballots by hand since the founding of the town 265 years ago. This year breaks that tradition, and the town has purchased an optical counting scanner to count ballots, a cost the state is expected to reimburse.
“We will still cast paper ballots but, at least for the next two elections, we’ll use the new counter to count most ballots,” Keefe said. Write-in ballots will be reviewed by human volunteers.
There will be extra precautions taken by voting personnel this year. Polling locations are expecting to receive enough personal protective equipment from the state to provide for all poll workers. There is also expected to be sneeze guards up between the public and personnel, and voting stations will be spread out to socially distance.
If voters have concerns about voting in person, they can request an absentee ballot. This year, concerns of COVID-19 infection are being considered a valid reason to request a ballot. Absentee ballots can be requested at the Town Clerk’s office, and can be returned by mail or in person via a secured dropbox posted at Town Hall front door. Absentee ballots must be received by the Town Clerk no later than 5 p.m. on election day to be counted.
If voters need to see what party they are registered for, or to check if they are registered, the status of their absentee ballot, or to find voting times and locations, they may do so at the New Hampshire Secretary of State Voter Information Look-up at app.sos.nh.gov/Public/PartyInfo.aspx.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.