Politics & Government

Low Voter Turnout Wednesday Morning at the Budget Referendum

Only 315 people voted as of 10 a.m.

Voter turnout was low on Wednesday morning at the budget referendum.

The polls have been open since 6 a.m., and by noon, only 562 people, or 4.6 percent of eligible voters cast their votes on the $74.5 million budget. That is just under a 250-person jump from the 315 people, or 2.6 percent, that voted as of 10 a.m. There were 36 people who voted by 7 a.m., or .5 percent.

Registrar Genevieve A. Clark (D) said that 9 percent of voters are needed, otherwise the budget automatically passes.

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By noon at the 2010 budget referendum, 1,920 voted, which amounts to 15 percent, and by 10 a.m.m 1,179 people, 10 percent of registered voters. Overall, 48 percent of registered voters participated in the referendum in 2010.

That was the year that the Coalition of Citizens for Avon organized a rally of people to march from Avon Middle School to Avon High School before the Board of Finance public hearing, garnering support for the budget, which passed in the first referendum. The voter turnout was much larger than usual, Town Clerk Ann Dearstyne said.

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Kerry Ladouceur, Avon deputy registrar, said that last year was her first year working at a budget referendum, and the veterans who worked at past referendums told her to bring a book because it was slow. That was not the case.

"Definitely a big younger group  [of voters] came out last year," Ladoucer said, though she acknowledged that there could be more later in the day after school lets out.

This year she brought a book and her smartphone, so she said she has had plenty of downtime so far to catch up on emails.

Board of Finance Chairman Thomas Harrison said that the low voter turnout might mean there is less of a concern about the budget this year.

“I think the whole level of concern was lower this year," Harrison said Wednesday afternoon. "Turnout at the public hearing was smaller and e-mail traffic was lower."

She said that 2009 was closer to a typical budget referendum, in terms of voter turnout. By 10 a.m. that year, 648 people had voted, 5.42 percent of registered voters. This year is low in comparison, Ladoucer said.

Dearstyne said that she counted 60 absentee ballots, as of 10 a.m., but that some more might come in the mail later today. She said there will be a more finalized number around 3 p.m., or so, but that some people might come to hand in absentee ballots after the mail comes.

An official absentee ballot tally will be incorporated into the final electronic vote count results from the senior center today, and Mary Harrop, the moderator, will anounce the total shortly after 8 p.m. Then, the Board of Finance will set the tax rate if the budget passes and determine the next step if it does not.


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