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03/18/2016 01:09 PM

Pick Your Party: Register Now to Vote in April's Presidential Primaries


Branford's seven voting districts are marked out on this map; electors vote at the poll site listed in the district where they live.Photo from www.branford.ct-gov

It's no surprise Connecticut's upcoming Presidential Preference Primaries are attracting a lot of interested voters, including residents eager to enroll in a party for the first time to cast their vote for the candidate they support.

At the town's Registrar of Voters office, "...we are getting calls every day," said Marion Burkhardt, Branford Registrar of Voters (R). Burkhardt shares the elected post with Dan Hally, Branford Registrar of Voters (D).

The state's April 26 Presidential Preference Primaries are open only registered voters (also known as electors) enrolled in the Republican or Democratic Party. For Branford residents seeking to register to vote for the first time as a member of either party, Burkhardt shares the following important information on voter registration and party enrollment deadlines, as well as Branford's polling locations and other details:

Tuesday April 12, 2016 Special Primary Registration/Enrollment Session:

The Branford Registrars of Voters Office will be open at 40 Kirkham St. for a Special Voter Registration/Enrollment Session on Tues. April 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to register or enroll electors to be entitled to vote in the Presidential Preference Republican and Democratic Primaries to be held April 26, 2016.(Note: Tues. Jan. 26, 2016 was the deadline for enrolled party members to transfer enrollment from one party to the other, for voting in their "new" party's Presidential Preference Primary).

Thursday April 21, 2016 Registration/Enrollment Cut-Off by Mail:

Mail-In registration/enrollment applications for the April 26, 2016 Presidential Preference Primary must be post-marked by Thursday April 21, 2016 in order to be eligible. Mail-in applications, online registration and other election information can be found on the Town of Branford website Registrar of Voters page http://www.branford-ct.gov/Voter (Additional registration information is available at www.sots.ct.gov, click on Voter Information.)

Monday April 25, 2016 Registration/Enrollment Cut-Off In-Person

Deadline to register and/or enroll in-person for voting in the statewide 2016 Presidential Preference Primary is Mon. April 25 from 9 a.m. to noon (12 p.m.). Applicants must appear in person with identification at Branford's Registrars of Voters Office at 40 Kirkham St.

Tuesday, April 26, CT Presidential Preference Primary

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. By state law, any elector standing in line at the polls at 8 p.m. will be allowed to cast a vote.

Branford Voting Sites:

Branford's seven district voting sites are set up for residents to vote within the district where they reside (see related file: Branford Voter District Map for district boundaries). In Sept. 2015, Branford voters living in District 4 were notified of the district's permanent polling place change to Branford Fire Headquarters (up until then, District 4 residents voted at Branford Hills School).

The seven Branford district voting locations are: District 1, Community Center, 46 Church St.; District 2, St. Therese Church, 105 Leetes Island Rd.; District 3, Orchard House, 421 Shore Drive; District 4, Fire Headquarters, 45 N. Main St.; District 5, Indian Neck School, 12 Melrose Ave.; District 6, Mary T. Murphy School, 14 Brushy Plain Rd.; District 7, Walsh Intermediate School, 185 Damascus Rd.

For Absentee Ballot information for the Primaries, or other information, please call the Branford Town Clerks Office at (203) 315-0678.