To my neighbors,

We are less than two weeks away from our State’s primary elections. Both Republicans and Democrats are eligible to vote in the August 11 primaries and I urge you to do so. You have the option to vote early, between August 3-9th at Town Hall. Check here for information on your August 11 polling location and hours. Some locations have changed for the primary! 

This year, Absentee Voting for all is available to any eligible voter. Until now, if you wanted to vote by absentee ballot, you needed to have one of five reasons to qualify. In 2024, CT residents overwhelmingly approved Absentee Voting for all and, in May, the CT General Assembly voted to implement it. You can visit the Town Clerk Office starting now at Greenwich Town Hall to pick up an absentee ballot application and then you can fill in the ballot right there, or place it in an official drop box by 8pm on August 11th.

I’m so proud that Connecticut has some of the strongest election safeguards in the country, for example: the fact that we use paper ballots makes it easier to audit and recount votes if necessary; we have teams of bipartisan election workers who oversee the voting and the counting of ballots; and audits held after election means that results are reported accurately. 

I’m also proud that Connecticut has implemented measures to give eligible voters access to the ballot in a secure and accessible way through early and absentee voting in addition to voting on election day. This ensures that people can exercise this most fundamental right in a way that is convenient to them. And for those people opting to go to the polls on election day, the state enacted laws to make sure that they are not subject to intimidation or made to feel unsafe.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me at: Rachel.Khanna@greenwichct.gov or (203) 622-7706.

Best Regards,

A mis vecinos:

Faltan menos de dos semanas para las elecciones primarias de nuestro estado. Tanto republicanos como demócratas pueden votar en las primarias del 11 de agosto, y les animo a hacerlo. Tienen la opción de votar por adelantado en el Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) entre el 3 y el 9 de agosto. Consulten aquí la información sobre el lugar de votación y el horario para el 11 de agosto. ¡Algunos centros de votación han cambiado para estas primarias!

Este año, el voto en ausencia está disponible para cualquier votante elegible. Hasta ahora, para votar mediante boleta en ausencia, era necesario cumplir con una de cinco razones específicas. En 2024, los residentes de Connecticut aprobaron mayoritariamente el voto en ausencia para todos y, en mayo, la Asamblea General de Connecticut votó a favor de implementarlo. Puede acudir desde ahora a la Oficina del Secretario Municipal (Town Clerk Office) en el Ayuntamiento de Greenwich para recoger una solicitud de boleta en ausencia; allí mismo puede completar la boleta o depositarla en un buzón oficial antes de las 8:00 p. m. del 11 de agosto.

Me enorgullece que Connecticut cuente con algunas de las garantías electorales más sólidas del país; por ejemplo: el uso de boletas en papel facilita la auditoría y el recuento de votos si fuera necesario; contamos con equipos bipartidistas de trabajadores electorales que supervisan la votación y el recuento de boletas; y las auditorías posteriores a las elecciones aseguran que los resultados se informen con precisión.

También me enorgullece que Connecticut haya implementado medidas para facilitar a los votantes elegibles el acceso a las urnas de manera segura y accesible, mediante el voto anticipado y el voto en ausencia, además de la votación el día de las elecciones. Esto garantiza que las personas puedan ejercer este derecho fundamental de la manera que les resulte más conveniente. Y para quienes decidan acudir a las urnas el día de las elecciones, el estado ha promulgado leyes para asegurar que no sufran intimidación ni se sientan inseguros.

Como siempre, no dude en ponerse en contacto conmigo a través de Rachel.Khanna@greenwichct.gov o llamando al (203) 622-7706.

Video: The Elections Assistance Commission

This Elections Assistance Commission was created in 2002 as part of the Help America VOTE Act, signed by President George W. Bush. In early July, President Trump fired two members of the Election Assistance Commission. Then a third member resigned which left the bipartisan commission without any remaining members. With no one serving on the Commission right now, the smooth and safe functioning of the voting process is at risk.

Upcoming Events

July 29th: 36th Anniversary of the ADA Celebration

Please join the Town in celebrating more than three decades of progress since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law. The ADA forced open the doors to education, employment, public spaces and services, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate fully in society and thus, fully in life.

The event will be at noon in the Cone Room at Greenwich Town Hall.

Learn About Old-Growth Forests

The Greenwich Conservation Commission and the Greenwich Tree Conservancy is hosting two events with Dr. Neil Pederson, a forest ecologist who has studied trees and old-growth forests across the eastern US and in five regions of Asia over the past 35 years.

• Lecture by Dr. Neil Pederson - Eastern Old-Growth Forests Are More Than Old Trees: The Science and History of the Movement and What We Learn from Old Trees on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 pm, Eastern Greenwich Civic Center

• Forest Walk with Dr. Neil Pederson on Friday, August 7 at 9:00 am, Mianus River Park (Cognewaugh Road Entrance)

Both events are free to attend. Please register separately for each event. Register here

Family Centers Community Health Fair

Help a Greenwich Child Start School with Confidence

The Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund’s Boots & Shoes Program provides footwear assistance to Greenwich children from income-eligible families, helping them start the school year prepared, confident, and ready to learn. Last year, the program helped 185 local children get ready for the first day of school. With the continued support of our community, we hope to help even more students this year. 

How You Can Help:

• Donate online at GreenwichDHSFund.org
• Purchase DSW gift cards through our Amazon Wish List Mail a check payable to GDHS Fund to: Attn: Boots & Shoes Department of Human Services 101 Field Point Road Greenwich, CT 06830