YourNNY Your Source for News & Sports in Northern New York

COVID-19 pandemic changes the way Vermonters vote on Town Meeting Day

Many towns seeing the majority of voters submitting absentee ballots early

TOWN MEETING DAY IN VERMONT KICKS OFF THIS MORNING. WHICH MEANS VOTERS HAVE THE CHANCE TO CAST THEIR BALLOT IN PERSON. LET’S GET RIGHT TO NBC5’S LAUREN GRANADA. .. WHO’S LIVE IN THE NEWSROOM FOR US THIS MORNING. LAUREN, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN MANY TOWNS…ACROSS THE STATE… HAVE ACTUALLY ALREY AD SUITBMTED THEIR BALLOTS. SARAHBETH AND ZURI, THAT’S BECAUSE ABSENTEE VOTG IN HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND EVEN WITH COVID RESTRICTIONS LOOSENING, MANY VERMONTERS ARE STILL CHOOSING TO VOTE EARLY. NAT: close up shot of baotll being dropped into box (:11-:12 from pkg) 07;36;35;20– 07;36;37;22 (COVER WITH B- RO) LL <R GOBIBSON, WILLISTON :02 “IT’S JUST VERY EASY, VERY CONVENIENT.”> TWO ADJECTIVES COMMONLY USED TO DESCRIBE ABSENTEE VOTING HERE IN WILLISTON. 07;37;05;00– 07;37;06;20 <ROB GIBSON, WILLISTON :02 “JUST A PART OF OUR CIVIC DU TY.”> NEIGHBOR, ROB GIBSON, HAS BECOME FOND OF THE BALLOT DROP BOX BEHIND THE WNTO HALL. NOT JUST BECAUSE IT’S QUICK… 07;36;46;14– 07;36;53;03 <ROB GIBSON, WILLISTON :07 “WITH THE CORONAVIRUS RECENTLY IT JUST LIMITS COMMUNICATION – OR, BEING IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE.”> IT’S AN OPTION THAS T’ BECOME EXTREMELY POPULAR DURING THE PANDEMIC. 08;09;15;12– 08;09;21;11 <CAMILLE GEORGE, WILLISTON :06 “IT’S SAFER THAN GOING TO THE POLLS AND I’VE GOT A LOT GOING ON SO NOW I CAN GET TO IT.”> LAST TOWN MEETING DAY, ABOUT 800 VOTED EARLY AND 500 VOTED INER PSON IN WILLISTON. NAT: Sarah saying ’70 maybe 50-60, I don’t kno w’ TOWN CLERK, SARAH MASON, IS EXPECTING TO SEE AN EQUIVALENT TURNOUT THIS TIME. 07;20;52;22– 07;20;548 ;2 Sarah Mason, Town Clerk, Williston :02 “it’s hard to tell really, it’s really kind of a guessingam ge.”> COVID PRECAUTIONS WILL LOOK THE SAME FOR THOSE VOTING IN PERSON. 07;20;27;15– 07;20;31;27 Sarah Mason, Town Clerk, Williston :05 “we’ll have a bar of plexiglass and masks and IF YOU REQUESTED AN ABSENTEE BALLOT AND HAVE NOT YET SUBMITTED IT YOU STILL CAN DROP IT OFF AT YOUR NEAREST POLLING LOCATION BEFORE IT CLOSES TODAY. YOU CAN

COVID-19 pandemic changes the way Vermonters vote on Town Meeting Day

Many towns seeing the majority of voters submitting absentee ballots early

As Vermonters cast their ballots this Town Meeting Day, the pandemic is changing the way people vote.In Williston, about 800 absentee ballots have been sent in already. That’s equivalent to the amount they received last year, with around 500 people turning out to vote in person last Town Meeting Day. Over in Essex Junction – absentee ballots are also, by far, the more popular option this year. Voters say it’s about more than just convenience.“It’s safer than going to the polls and I’ve got a lot going on so now I can get to it,” explained Camille George, who submitted her ballot in a drop box. Covid precautions look the same at most polling places with masks available, plexiglass in place and sanitized pens.You can find your nearest polling location here.

WILLISTON, Vt. —

As Vermonters cast their ballots this Town Meeting Day, the pandemic is changing the way people vote.

In Williston, about 800 absentee ballots have been sent in already. That’s equivalent to the amount they received last year, with around 500 people turning out to vote in person last Town Meeting Day.

Over in Essex Junction – absentee ballots are also, by far, the more popular option this year.

Voters say it’s about more than just convenience.

“It’s safer than going to the polls and I’ve got a lot going on so now I can get to it,” explained Camille George, who submitted her ballot in a drop box.

Covid precautions look the same at most polling places with masks available, plexiglass in place and sanitized pens.

You can find your nearest polling location here.