Submitting the following facts in support of ballot question #2 for Election Day:
FACT: Ansonia is a town of only 6.2 square miles.
FACT: Voter turnout in Ansonia is considerably low; i.e., averaging the last 5 elections only 43% of registered voters came out to vote; this means an average of only 4,000 voters.
FACT: In the 2012 election Ansonia had almost 10,000 enrolled voters.
FACT: Since the last Presidential election Ansonia voting population has dropped to 9,300 Voters.
FACT: At no time was reducing the number of wards a fiscal goal. As it happens ward reduction will save Ansonia some money.
FACT: Voting lines and wait time are not an absolute outcome of fewer wards; checkers will keep lines moving.
FACT: Most towns of similar population to Ansonia are significantly larger geographically yet use few wards; i.e., Shelton 32 square miles with 4 wards; Seymour 15 square miles with 3 wards and Derby 5.2 square miles and 3 wards at 2 locations.
FACT: Poll workers are getting harder and harder to come by to work a long election day — 5 AM to 9 PM is 16 hours.
FACT: All workers must be trained by the Registrars prior to every election and Moderators must be certified by the State of Connecticut every two years.
FACT: Currently Ansonia requires at least 58 workers for the day; this could be reduced to 24 to 29 poll workers.
FACT: There is new, modern, efficient technology for checkers at polling locations and it is cost prohibitive for Ansonia to purchase equipment and software for 7 wards x 2 machines for each polling location for a total of 14 machines at an average cost of $700, or an expenditure of $5,000 for 7 polling locations. Technology advances provide more accurate checking and reporting results more expeditiously.
VOTE YES ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2014
The writer is Ansonia’s Republican Registrar of Voters.
