Car Caravan 'Protests' Vernon In-House Ballot Box

VERNON, CT — A caravan of about 50 cars took several laps around Vernon Town hall Monday evening to "protest" the town's official refusal to place a state-issued absentee ballot box at the curb and instead use one made in-house and attached to the town clerk's office.

The battle cry of "I'm looking for a ballot box," from one participant made the mission's intent clear.

The cars came and went both in sequence and in clumps, depending on the traffic light timing.

The box was not actually there because it is taken in after hours.

"The protest will call on Vernon Mayor and State Sen. Daniel Champagne to support the common-sense absentee ballot bill being considered in the State Senate (Tuesday), which would allow all voters to vote absentee in November’s election due to COVID-19."

The bill passed the House 144-2 late last week.

"Vernon town officials, led by Mayor Champagne, have so far refused to install an official Connecticut absentee ballot drop box paid for by the federal government to allow for safe absentee ballot voting during the COVID-19 pandemic — a paper-thin attempt to create artificial obstacles to voting," rally organizers said. "The location also lacks wheelchair accessibility, making it in clear violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The effort amounts to a transparent, political attempt to undermine voters’ rights during the COVID-19 crisis."

Those participating included:

• Coventry Councilwoman Lisa Thomas, the 2020 Democratic candidate for the 35th state Senate District, Champagne's challenger.
• "Voters" from "across Connecticut"

• Cheri Quickmire from Common Cause in Connecticut
• Tom Swan from CCAG

• SEIU – CT State Council
• CSEA SEIU Local 2001
• Sierra Club – CT Chapter
• Voter Choice Connecticut
• The Vernon Democratic Town Committee
• "Local Activists"

Participants gathered at the Northeast School Parking Lot and then traveled past the Vernon Town Hall.

Vernon officials refused to accept the metal state box that resembles a mailbox. The state directive was to place it near town hall "in a safe and well-lit area." It is designed for voters to manually open the box and place their ballots inside.

Town officials last week directed the Vernon Department of Public Works to fashion a ballot box, which is attached to the town clerk's office. When approached by a voter from the distance-marked sidewalk, staffers are alerted via a sensor and camera.

Voters can they show their ID on the camera, at which time a staffer opens the ballot box. The voters can then insert his or her ballot.

It is designed to be "contactless," Champagne said both Friday and Monday. Champagne added the box is accessible not only in terms of measurements, but it sits between two curb cuts, therefore "exceeding" the state guidelines.

Champagne said one of the reasons for the "contactless" box was to create a "safer alternative during the pandemic" after seeing a large amount of fingerprints on a state-issued box in a neighboring town. He said the box at town hall would be "sanitized" after each use. He also said he worried about contraband that could be stuffed inside the state box, thus creating an "unsafe situation" for voters filing and staffers collecting.

The town hall box is designed for regular business hours plus the full primary day hours.

See more on the ballot box here.

Mailing in absentee ballots is an option, both sides are saying, as are state election officials.