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Registrar approved to attend conference amid concerns about new statewide voter software and canvass process
Summary
The board approved the Registrar of Voters' travel to the annual ROVAC conference and discussed a forthcoming statewide voter-registration software rollout and the town's rules for removing voters from the list.
The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a travel request for Elizabeth Orteg, the town's registrar of voters, to attend the Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut conference (ROVAC) April 21'3, 2026 in Windsor at a cost not to exceed $275.
Orteg told the board she and other registrars expect a statewide voter-registration software rollout, which officials have postponed repeatedly; she said town staff are concerned about how the change could affect workload, for example the possibility of needing to re-register voters individually if automation is not sufficient.
"What I'm really worried about is having to re-register every, you know, 15,000 voters one by one," Orteg said, describing potential manual burdens if the state system does not automate data transfers. She also described the town's canvassing process: staff send letters to people the state flags as potentially moved and remove voters from the rolls only with signed written evidence or other reliable documentation, such as an obituary.
Board members encouraged Orteg to attend the conference and report back on the state timeline and any tools that could reduce staff burden. The motion to approve the travel passed unanimously.
Next steps: Orteg will attend the conference and brief the board on developments with the new statewide software and any recommended changes to local process or resources.
