Registrar Outlines Eligibility Requirements for Voting on $74.5 Million 2011-12 Budget Proposal

The Avon Registrars of Voters Office is expecting much lower turnout than last year for Wednesday's budget referendum.

"We put through almost 5,200 in the senior center [last year]. We had 48 percent [of registrated voters], which is unheard of, not counting the absentee ballots," registrar Genevieve A. Clark (D) said. "I would say there are going to be less [this year]...."

Clark said that if less than nine percent of registered voters in Avon vote in a budget referendum, the proposed budget automatically passes, as defined by the town charter.

Any residents who are registered as of 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday are eligible to vote on the proposed $74.5 million budget for fiscal year 2011-12. Unregistered residents may only vote in the referendum if they are 18 or older, a United States citizen and own property worth $1,000 or more. So, in addition to checking voter registration, Town Clerk Ann Dearstyne said she will be at a table with the entire grand list, a list of all people with taxable property in town, to check that unregistered voters are on it.

The grand list was produced based on property values up to Oct. 1, so even if unregistered voters own more than $1,000 of property and moved into town after that date, they cannot vote on the budget. Even if an Avon resident does not own a house, but has a car worth more than $1,000, he or she may be eligible to vote. Every now and then, Clark has caught people trying to vote who do not meet the criteria.

"That's what catches people on referendum," Clark said. "People who own property and are not registered to vote still may vote as property owners. Some towns do not allow that."

If the budget is voted down, it goes back to the Board of Finance, Clark said. There's no defined procedure for how to adjust the budget.

Board of Finance Chairman Thomas Harrison previously said that if a budget is voted down, it is unlikely that the amount will be increased.

Clark said that some towns have three questions in addition to the budget vote: Is the budget alright? Is the budget too high? Is the budget too low? Those questions help the town's leaders understand why the majority of people voted no. Avon does not have these three questions in the town charter.

The absentee ballots will be counted by noon, Clark said, and the polls are open between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the senior center. Since the rest of the votes are counted electronically, the result will most likely be available by 8:05 p.m., Clark said. The Board of Finance has scheduled a special meeting at 8 p.m. to announce the results and report the next step.