Clerk warns of slow mail returns: 470 ballots issued, 308 returned with roughly 160 outstanding

The city clerk told the Board of Civil Authority the office has issued 470 ballots ahead of the March 3 election and so far received 308 back, leaving roughly 160 outstanding. The clerk urged residents concerned about postal delays to vote in person or return ballots to City Hall.

“Out of those 470, we've returned 308,” the clerk said. The clerk described external processing steps — ballots are routed to Hartford, Connecticut, for processing before returning to the town — and warned that mail can be slow. The clerk noted the office stops mailing ballots the Thursday before the election and the local office closes at noon the Monday before election day.

The clerk also summarized how returned ballots are tracked: staff scan or enter returned ballots, log the date and method of receipt (Dropbox, mail, hand delivery), group ballots by district, and produce daily reports from the election management system. Ballots received after poll closing at 7 p.m. on election night are recorded in the system as received after the election but are not opened or counted and are retained for 90 days.