Dear Constituents –

Screen time for the House of Representatives this week has really picked up — Committees are meeting to hear testimony, draft bills, and listen to amendments.  The House and Senate are seeing hours of floor session to debate and pass bills before adjournment (hopefully) next week.  This week’s action included passing S.54 – Tax and Regulation of Cannabis – in concurrence with the Committee of Conference report, and overriding the Governor’s veto of the Global Warming Solutions Act, both of which I have shared concerns about with my constituents in this publication and on my website www.hangoforhouse.com. More screen time for the Franklin Selectboard and the Richford REAC Committee filled two evenings, and a wonderful extended family Zoom session took place on another.

The other important news that I am sharing with you is that Universal Mail-In Balloting has begun — The USPS was scheduled to begin mailing ballots to all voters in the United States today, September 18, and they should be arriving in our mailboxes the week of September 21.  If you choose to participate in mail-in balloting, you may begin voting immediately.  Please know that it is still perfectly acceptable for anyone to request a traditional absentee ballot from your Town Clerk if you know that you will be unable to vote otherwise, and it is also perfectly acceptable to vote in person at your local polling place on Tuesday, November 3.  If you choose to do so, please wear a mask and practice physical distancing for the safety of the poll workers. If you have ANY questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Town Clerk for clarification.  One important point that I need to make is that if you do receive a ballot by mail, and you choose not to vote in that manner, please bring that unused ballot with you when you vote in person, as those ballots are being tracked. If you don’t have a mail-in ballot to bring with you, you will be asked at the polls to sign an affidavit that you have not received one.Absentee ballots may be returned as you normally would in person at the town clerk’s office or through the mail.

It is an honor and a pleasure to be able to serve Franklin-5. You may contact me with your comments at [email protected]or through my website www.hangoforhouse.com

Stay well,

Rep Lisa Hango

Richford-Berkshire-Franklin-Highgate