Voters in Easton and across America turned out in record numbers for the Nov. 3 Presidential Election. They cast an unprecedented number of absentee ballots, which states sanctioned to keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Voters also showed up at the polls.
Area voters returned the Connecticut incumbents who represent Easton to their posts. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, Connecticut Senator Tony Hwang and Connecticut Rep. Anne Hughes will continue to serve for another two-year term.
The determination of who would occupy the Oval Office took longer than the regional contests, as we awaited the final tallies and certification from each of the 50 states and the Electoral College. President-Elect Joseph Biden won both the popular and the Electoral College vote and will be inaugurated Jan. 20, 2021.
President Donald J. Trump signaled in early fall that he would refuse to accept defeat, and has since filed and lost numerous court appeals claiming fraud. The Supreme Court denied a last-minute attempt by Trump’s allies to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania.
The State of Connecticut provided each municipality with an official absentee ballot drop box to provide voters with a safe and trusted method for contactless delivery of their absentee ballot during the pandemic.
The box, located on the Easton Public Library green, across from the Easton Police Department, was available 24/7 for drop off of absentee ballot applications or absentee ballots for Easton only. The box was monitored by surveillance cameras in the Police Department.
Tom Herrmann, Easton’s election moderator, attributed the smooth-running local polling operation to the well-trained poll workers. The line of masked and socially distanced voters moved quickly and efficiently.
Easton elects both Democratic and Republican registrars of voters during state and presidential election years, that is, during even years, 2020, 2018, etc. Both Democrat David Smith and Republican Dori Wollen will serve as Easton registrars for the next two years.
Graphic images by Emily Gentile.
