The presidential election is always a busy season for the town clerks office but in West Hartford Essie Labrot said she's seen nothing like this year.
"We are planning to potentially do 30,000 absentee ballots in West Hartford," she said. "I look back historically and the most we ever issued is 5,000 so this being we are already at the 16,000 today I think we're going to do around 25,000 or so."
The veteran town clerk said it's critical for voters to check off several of boxes if they want to their ballot to be cast successfully.
- The application must have an original signature. Parents/guardians can't sign for a college students that's out of state. Voters also can't sign for a spouse, the only exception is for people unable to write or have a physical disability.
2. Get that application in as early as possible. Voters should sent ballots at least two weeks in advance to give it plenty of time for it to be processed.
3. Voters should sign the inner envelope that will not be counted unless that inner envelope has a signature on it and then put it in the numbered envelope with the name and address.
Local
With an increased scrutiny surrounding the post office the town clerk said the use of the ballot drop box has sky rocketed.
Barbara Shepard has been voting for her whole adult life and says she wasn't going to let anything get in the way letting her voice be heard.
"I decided to to bring my ballot to the box instead of taking it to the post office" says Shepard, "I trust the post office but this is crucial and therefore I just wanted to make sure my ballot my vote was counted."
Polling locations across the state will be open till 8 p.m. on election day.
