The Acting City Clerk met with City Attorney and Sec. of State's Office Election Director to clarify the use of Affirmation of Domicile/Residence at the polls as required in state election statutes. Here's a link to the form:
AFFIRMATION OF RESIDENCE/DOMICILE . It is used when a voter has been mailed a notice of challenge because they have not voted recently, and have not confirmed residency before the election.
The failure to use the affirmation form at Burlington polls was pointed out to the Board by NEVIS, and by one of the Board Members who was appointed in June 2010. The Board Chair apparently consulted with the State Elections Director who she says told her the affirmation of domicile/residence form was for a specialized use not relevant to Burlington. The Board member, a home-schooling mom, researched the question for herself and came back with the information that the law is not being followed if the Affirmation is not used to affirm the residency of inactive/challenged voters.
When the use of the Affirmation was discussed at a meeting of the Board for Registration of Voters most recently, the board member asked if the State Elections Director could attend their next meeting. Her request was ignored. Instead, at the next meeting, the Acting Clerk told them he would ask for a meeting with the State Elections Director, and that board members could attend. Subsequent discussion confirmed the meeting, and that the Board Chair and any interested board members would be included. However, when the meeting took place, a board member who attended was told the meeting was CLOSED, that it was a lawyer-client discussion between the parties listed above, and she was waved away by the Acting Clerk.
Report on that meeting at next Board for Registration of Voters, June 7, 6 pm, Rm 17.
