School was canceled for students at West Hartford’s Braeburn Elementary School Tuesday due to power problems but the polls opened at 6 a.m. and will remain open for voting until 8 p.m. [UPDATED, 8:40 a.m.]

By Ronni Newton

Updated

Superintendent of Schools Tom Moore said that because of continued issues with power phasing, there is no school at Braeburn Elementary School. Voting is not impacted, he said.

Original Story

Power issues which prompted a two-hour delay for Braeburn Elementary School students are not impacting voting for the 5th District State Senate Election, Republican Registrar of Voters Beth Kyle said Tuesday morning.

Voting is taking place in a portable classroom on the east side of the school, which was the planned location. Since Tuesday’s special election falls on the school day, the cafeteria cannot be used for voting as it is in November.

Braeburn is one of West Hartford’s nine polling places – often one of the busiest – and Kyle said that she learned of a problem with the power at the school late Monday night from Director of Plant Services Bob Palmer. Plans were put into place to use a generator, but then the power came back on at 4 a.m.

The power kept going on and off, however, and school officials notified Braeburn families that the school would open two hours later on Tuesday.

Palmer said that it was discovered that the intermittent power problem is being caused by a tree that is resting on the power lines. “That’s causing phasing,” he said. The lights can be used, but not equipment that creates a big draw on the system.

Voting, he reiterated, is not affected.

Palmer said he is hopeful that Eversource will come out and remedy the situation in time for school to open.

Several programs that West Hartford Public Schools runs at the American School for the Deaf are closed Tuesday because of the same issue with phasing, Palmer said.

Voting in the 5th District special election will remain open until 8 p.m. at all nine West Hartford polling places, Kyle said.

Any questions should be addressed to the the Registrars of Voters office at 860-561-7451.

Click here for information about the four candidates.

Monday’s strong winds knocked down trees and power lines throughout West Hartford and the rest of the state.

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