The Secretary of the State will be sending out applications for absentee ballots to all eligible, active, registered voters on a rolling basis between September 8th and September 11th.  Residents can check their registration status at myvote.ct.gov/lookup. All voters are eligible to vote by absentee ballot for the 2020 election by checking the COVID-19 excuse on the application.  Although applications will be mailed after Labor Day, the Bethel Town Clerk is cautioning that the absentee ballots themselves cannot be distributed before October 2nd, by Connecticut law.  Lisa Bergh says the small amount of time between October 2nd and November 3rd makes it imperative that voters return their applications and their ballots as soon as possible.  Connecticut law only allows the counting of ballots that have arrived by the close of polls, 8pm on Election Day.  Residents are urged to use the Absentee Ballot drop box located at the entrance of Town Hall, to avoid delays that may occur from mailing a ballot close to election day.