Voter’s remorse? Conn. allows do-overs

Derby Town Clerk Marc Garofalo sorts through dozens of absentee ballots at Derby City Hall in Derby, Conn., on Tuesday Nov. 1, 2016. A person could submit an absentee ballot to their town or city and then tell their local election officials that they will be able to vote in-person on Nov. 8. Their absentee ballot would then be voided. They cannot request a second absentee ballot as a do-over, however. less Derby Town Clerk Marc Garofalo sorts through dozens of absentee ballots at Derby City Hall in Derby, Conn., on Tuesday Nov. 1, 2016. A person could submit an absentee ballot to their town or city and then tell ... more Photo: Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Voter’s remorse? Conn. allows do-overs 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Casting a ballot for Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump has a permanence to it like a tattoo — but not in Connecticut.

Thanks to a quirk in the state’s election law, thousands who have already taken advantage of early voting via absentee ballot can get a do-over.

It makes Connecticut one of the few states to allow switches and creates a subplot with each emerging bombshell in the presidential race — from the FBI reopening its probe of Clinton’s emails to sexual misconduct allegations against Trump.

But it’s not so simple.

A person could submit an absentee ballot to their town or city, then tell their local election officials they will be able to vote in-person on Nov. 8. Their absentee ballot would then be voided.

“That’s possible,” said Patrick Gallahue, a spokesman for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. “However that person votes is up to the voter. The legal rationale is that the person no longer needs an absentee ballot.”

The deadline for making the notification is 10 a.m. on Election Day. Voters cannot simply request a second absentee ballot as a do-over, however.

Cities and towns are already bracing for potential mayhem when voters go to the polls Tuesday, from long lines and ballot shortages to confusion over registration and absentee ballots.

This year, election officials reported extremely high demand for absentee ballots. It has coincided with a peak in voter registration in the state, where a record 2.1 million people are on the state’s election rolls.

“It’s like a zoo here,” said Carmella Budkins, Republican town clerk of Greenwich.

In 2012, 10 percent of the 1.6 million votes counted in the presidential election in Connecticut were cast by absentee ballot.

As of Monday, Budkins’ office had mailed 3,869 absentee ballots, including 658 overseas. Of those, 2,500 have been returned to the town clerk, which will count the votes on Election Day.

Absentee ballots have historically been used by voters who will be out of town for the election, as well as homebound senior citizens. In some cases, voters request an absentee ballot if they don’t want to wait in line at their polling place.

The state does not keep centralized records of the total number of absentee ballots mailed.

Budkins said counting absentee ballots is already pressure-filled without the specter of people asking for their votes to be voided.

“Election Day is crazy enough,” Budkins said. “We have people calling here saying everything is rigged.”

In Derby, Marc Garofalo, the Democratic city/town clerk and former mayor, reported a flurry of absentee ballot requests.

His office has mailed out 267 — 209 of which have been returned — 108 from registered Democrats, 73 from unaffiliated voters and 31 from Republicans.

Garofalo downplayed the potential for late switches.

“We have not had any do-overs, not yet,” Garofalo said. “Most of the people who vote by absentee ballot are going to be out of town or physically can’t make it to the polls. I guess it’s always a potential issue.”

neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy