Town Clerks Talk Early Voting

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Created on Thursday, 03 November 2016 19:40

Written by Rebecca Reese

AROUND THE NEK - Towns around the Northeast Kingdom are doing the legwork before November 8 and early voting is part of the process to prepare for Election Day.

This year's election is expected to bring a large turnout. "It's a big election and it will probably be one of the biggest turnouts that the town has ever seen," said St. Johnsbury Town Clerk Stacy Jewell. Jewell said they have given out 727 absentee ballots and so far 550 have been returned early.

Early voting is one way to help keep Election Day managable for the town and to deal with those big numbers and St. Johnsbury isn't the only Vermont town doing it.

Town Clerk William St. Peter said in Sheffield residents are casting their ballot early as well. "There are some people that just cannot make it," he said. "Especially if they're working well away from town it's difficult to even make it back for 7." St. Peter said they are making sure everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Election Day is not a holiday and people still need to work, which makes early voting so popular. It will also help lines stay shorter-- a common problem in the Northeast Kingdom on that Tuesday.

"I'm not anticipating any line out the door or anything like that," St. Peter said. "Partly because people have taken advantage of the early voting."