Sec. 9-16. Notice of sessions of registrars of voters. The registrars of voters in each town shall give notice of the time and place of each session for the admission of electors held pursuant to section 9-17 by publication in a newspaper published or circulated in such town not more than fifteen nor less than five days before each such session. Nothing herein shall require that such publication be in the form of a legal advertisement.
(1953, S. 517d; 1957, P.A. 441, S. 3; 1959, P.A. 684, S. 2; 1961, P.A. 266, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 393, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 275, S. 2; 443, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 352, S. 3; P.A. 83-391, S. 2, 24; P.A. 93-230, S. 5.)
History: 1959 act allowed town clerk's statement that applicant is an elector in lieu of proof of citizenship; 1961 act added registrar of voters to same provision; 1963 act deleted requirement of posting notice of session on signpost and changed time for giving notice by publication; 1965 acts required notice be published no more than 10 nor less than 5 days before each session and deleted provision for notice to include requirements for presentation of naturalization or other papers; 1967 act amended notice requirement to no more than 15 days instead of 10 days prior to session; P.A. 83-391 amended section to provide for notice of sessions to be given by registrars of voters not board for admission of electors; P.A. 93-230 specified that publication need not be in form of a legal advertisement.
See Sec. 9-25 re admission of armed forces members as electors.
See Sec. 9-31a re special admission procedure for permanently physically disabled persons.
Sec. 9-17. Sessions of registrars of voters. (a) For the purposes of this section, “primary day” means the day that a primary for state, district and municipal offices is being held in accordance with section 9-423, and “election day” means the day of each regular election. (1) The registrars of voters of each town shall hold sessions to examine the qualifications of electors and admit those found qualified on the dates and at the times set forth in this section. Such sessions shall be held on the following days during the hours indicated, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection:
Day
Hours
Fourteenth day
before primary day
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
any two hours between
5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Seventh day
before election day
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The session of the registrars of voters on the seventh day before election day shall be the last session for admission of electors prior to an election, as defined in subsection (y) of section 9-1. (2) No town having a population of less than twenty-five thousand persons shall be required to hold sessions for admission of electors on the fourteenth day before primary day.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the registrars of voters shall hold a limited session on the last week day before each regular election from nine o'clock a.m. to five o'clock p.m. for the purpose of admitting only those persons whose qualifications as to age, citizenship or residence in the municipality were attained after the last session for admission of electors prior to an election. The registrars shall enter the names of those electors admitted at such limited session on the proper list, with their residences by street and numbers.
(c) In addition to the sessions held pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the registrars of voters in each town shall hold one session each year, between the first of January and the last day of the school year, at each public high school in such town, for the admission of persons who are eligible for admission under subsection (a) or (b) of section 9-12, provided, in the case of a public high school in a regional school district, such session shall be held on a rotating basis by the registrars of voters for each town which is a member of the regional school district. The registrars of voters need not give notice of this session by publication in a newspaper.
(1949 Rev., S. 1015; 1953, 1955, S. 518d; 1957, P.A. 441, S. 4; 1963, P.A. 530, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 694, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 708; 768, S. 2; 1972, P.A. 144; P.A. 73-630, S. 2, 19; P.A. 75-12, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-330, S. 1; 77-604, S. 83, 84; P.A. 79-189, S. 2, 9; P.A. 83-391, S. 3, 24; P.A. 84-319, S. 5, 49; 84-546, S. 18, 173; P.A. 87-210; P.A. 89-297, S. 1; P.A. 91-351, S. 21, 23, 28; P.A. 93-230, S. 1; P.A. 94-121, S. 10, 33; 94-203, S. 1, 12; P.A. 95-171, S. 3, 14; P.A. 96-134, S. 1, 9; P.A. 97-67, S. 6, 9; P.A. 98-67, S. 4, 10; P.A. 05-235, S. 27; P.A. 07-217, S. 40; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1, S. 36; P.A. 16-31, S. 1.)
History: 1963 act reduced duration of session in sixth week before election from 11 to “at least four” hours, and deleted variations in length of session according to the towns' sizes; 1969 act deleted provisions for towns holding a municipal election on the first Monday in October in the even-numbered years; 1971 acts added a session “on the first Saturday after Labor Day”, added clarifying language to the provision of adjournment of session on the Saturday of the sixth week, deleted reference to the third week as the case may be and added a provision for additional sessions if the Saturday of the sixth or fourth week before election falls on day on which tenets of religion forbid secular activity; 1972 act added provision for two evening sessions between the Saturdays of the sixth and fourth weeks before election; P.A. 73-630 substituted clarifying language for “rights have matured” as age citizenship or residence attained after the Saturday of the fourth week before the election; P.A. 75-12 provided for additional session on Saturday of fifth week before election and for adjournment of that session from time to time instead of provision for adjournment of the session on sixth Saturday, further provided for one evening session rather than two between the Saturday of fifth week (instead of sixth) and the Saturday of the fourth week and further substituted fifth week for sixth week in the requirement for additional session where that Saturday falls on a day on which religious tenets forbid secular activity; P.A. 77-330 provided for evening session before primary, changed provisions for hours of sessions before elections to “from at least nine o'clock a.m. to one o'clock p.m.”, specified that the evening session between the fifth and fourth week be on Wednesday, provided for a session on the twenty-first day before election between the hours of nine a.m. and eight p.m., changed the hours for the session on the last weekday before election to “from at least nine a.m. to eleven a.m.”, changed the purpose of that admitting session to “those persons whose qualifications as to age or citizenship were attained after the twenty-first day before the election”, changed provision for extra session where religious tenet forbids secular activity on Saturday of fifth or fourth week to twenty-first day and provided that admission of electors on the last weekday before election would be determined from that next succeeding day; P.A. 77-604 made technical changes; P.A. 79-189 divided statute into three Subsecs. with Subsec. (a) including information set forth in schedule format; P.A. 83-391 amended section to delete references to board for admission of electors and eliminated certain mandatory sessions in towns having a population under twenty-five thousand; P.A. 84-319 and P.A. 84-546 made technical amendment to Subsec. (b), restoring language inadvertently omitted from 1983 revision; P.A. 87-210 added Subsec. (c) re sessions at public high schools; P.A. 89-297 changed May ninth to May twelfth in Subsec. (c); P.A. 91-351 amended Subsec. (a) to move all sessions one week closer to election day and changed ending time for last Saturday session before election day from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m; P.A. 93-230 amended Subsec. (a) to repeal requirement that session be held on Saturday of fifth week before election day and to change hours for session to be held on the Wednesday falling between fourth and third Saturdays before election day, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to “any two hours between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.”; P.A. 94-121 deleted reference to elector's oath in Subsec. (a)(1), effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 94-203 amended Subsec. (a) by changing hours of session on fourteenth day before primary day, from “7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.” to “any two hours between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.”, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-171 amended Subsec. (b) by extending session from eleven o'clock a.m. to noon and requiring names be entered by one o'clock p.m. rather than noon, effective October 1, 1995, and applicable to elections held on or after that date; P.A. 96-134 amended Subsec. (a) to delete references to mandatory sessions on the Saturday of fourth week before election day and the Wednesday between fourth and third Saturdays before election day and to change session hours for Saturday of third week before election day and amended Subsec. (c) to replace “May twelfth” with “the first of January” and add provision that the registrars of voters need not give notice of session by publication, effective May 29, 1996; P.A. 97-67 amended Subsec. (a) by changing hours of Saturday session from “9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.” to “10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.”, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-67 amended Subsec. (a) to change definition of “primary day” from day scheduled for primary to day that primary is being held, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 05-235 amended Subsec. (a) by changing “fourteenth day before election day” to “seventh day before election day”, effective January 1, 2006; P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 12, 2007; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1 amended Subsec. (b) by extending end time of limited session from 12 o'clock noon to 5 o'clock p.m. and by eliminating deadline re entering of names of electors, effective June 22, 2010; P.A. 16-31 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision re Saturday session on third week before election day and make technical and conforming changes, and amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change, effective July 1, 2016.
Board being, under the constitution, quasi-judicial, its members acting in good faith are not liable in damages; 53 C. 527; having to act under discretion, are not subject to mandamus. 34 C. 415.
Sec. 9-19b. Applications for admission submitted to town clerk or registrar of voters. Locations for admission of electors. (a) Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, the town clerk or assistant town clerk, during office hours and at the office of such official, may examine the qualifications of any person applying in person to be admitted as an elector and approve such application.
(b) Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, either registrar of voters, or a deputy registrar or assistant registrar appointed in accordance with the provisions of section 9-192 may examine the qualifications of any person applying to be admitted as an elector in the town and, except for applications submitted pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection, approve such application submitted in person (1) at the office of such official; (2) at any enrollment session of the registrars of voters; (3) at any public place; (4) at any time and at any place in the town, other than a public place; or (5) at any public office of the Department of Motor Vehicles, Labor Department or Department of Social Services which is located in the town in which the registrar, deputy registrar or assistant registrar serves, if written notice of the date and time is given seven days in advance thereof to the commissioner of such department. Upon receipt of a written notice under subdivision (5) of this subsection, the commissioner of the department may designate a portion of the public office which shall be used for the admission of electors. The other registrar, or any deputy or assistant registrar, shall be permitted to be present during the admission of any person pursuant to subdivisions (4) and (5) of this subsection. Applications accepted and examined prior to the last session for admission of electors prior to an election pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection may be approved after such last session. The admission of any person pursuant to subdivision (4) shall be effective on the date when both registrars approve such application. The registrar who receives such application from the applicant shall give written notice to the other registrar within one business day after such receipt and the registrars shall forthwith act on such applications. No rejection of any application under subdivision (4) of this subsection shall be effective until the registrar has mailed to the other registrar and the applicant a notice stating any reason for the rejection. Any applicant whose application is rejected may appeal under the provisions of section 9-31l.
(c) Such registrar, deputy or assistant registrar accepting applications in accordance with subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section shall provide the applicant with a receipt. Upon approval or disapproval of the application, the registrars shall send a notice thereof by first-class mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown thereon. If such notice of approval is returned undeliverable, the registrars shall take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43.
(d) During the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the opening of the limited session for the admission of electors held on the last weekday before such election under section 9-17, the town clerk or assistant town clerk during office hours and at the office of such official and either registrar of voters or a deputy or assistant registrar at the office of such official may examine the qualifications of any person applying in person to be admitted in such town and approve the application of such person whose qualifications as to age, citizenship or residence in the municipality were attained after such last session and on or before the last weekday prior to such election.
(1967, P.A. 559, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 491; 677; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 4; P.A. 73-130; 73-430; 73-630, S. 3, 19; P.A. 75-28, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-330, S. 2; 77-604, S. 83, 84; P.A. 79-143, S. 1; 79-189, S. 3, 9; P.A. 80-281, S. 3, 31; P.A. 81-350, S. 5, 17; P.A. 82-472, S. 24, 183; P.A. 88-347, S. 2, 4; P.A. 89-297, S. 2, 18; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 94-121, S. 11, 33; P.A. 15-224, S. 8.)
History: 1969 acts added provision for town clerk and registrars of voters, during the period between the last regular session and the opening of the limited session held on the last weekday before election, to process applications of persons who attained qualifications as to age, residence or citizenship during that period and added provision for enrollment at any public place where 5 days prior notice in newspaper published; 1971 act added assistant town clerk and a deputy or assistant registrar where appropriate, substituted “any of such admitting officials” for “the town clerk or either registrar of voters”, deleted “accept the application for admission as an elector of” and deleted provisions requiring approval of application by the board for admission of electors and notification where the board's action is unfavorable; P.A. 73-130 added “with the consent of both registrars of voters” to the provision for enrollment at any public place; P.A. 73-430 defined “during office hours” where the registrars of voters do not maintain regular office hours; P.A. 73-630 deleted “residence” as qualification, attainment of which during period between last regular session and on or before the last weekday prior to election makes person eligible for special enrollment and substituted “were attained” for “matured” in context of when qualifications for enrollment arose; P.A. 75-28 clarified “office hours” and changed provisions concerning enrollment at any public place to remove requirement for consent of both registrars so that either registrar may conduct enrollment upon 7 days prior notice to other registrar and the 5-day prior notice by newspaper, such notice to be signed by each registrar, deputy, or assistant who intends to participate; P.A. 77-330 where appearing deleted the word “regular” from “last regular session”; P.A. 77-604 made technical changes; P.A. 79-143 divided the section into Subsecs. (a) to (d), inclusive, additionally provided for enrollment at other than a public place, for admission to be effective on occurrence of certain conditions or for rejection of application, for provision of receipt to applicant upon administration of oath, for notice of action taken on application, for application for reexamination where application has been rejected and deleted references to newspaper notice; P.A. 79-189 added “residency in the municipality” to qualifications as to age or citizenship to be attained during the period between the last session and the opening of the limited session held on the last weekday before election in order for person to be registered during that time; P.A. 80-281 made technical changes; P.A. 81-350 required notice of location and opportunity to be present be given to registrar of other party by registrar conducting door-to-door registration and allowed rejected applicants to appeal under Sec. 9-31l, replacing provision allowing them to apply for reexamination under Sec. 9-31j; P.A. 82-472 added the reference to Sec. 9-43 in Subsec. (c); P.A. 88-347 added Subsec. (b)(5) re examination of qualifications of applicants for admission at offices of motor vehicles, labor and income maintenance departments, effective April 1, 1989; P.A. 89-297 amended Subsec. (b) by providing that the admission of any person pursuant to Subdiv. (4), instead of pursuant to “this subdivision”, shall be effective one week after receipt of application, except as otherwise provided; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-121 applied provisions of Subsec. (a) to any person applying “in person” and substituted “approve such application” for “administer the elector's oath” in Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (b) by substituting “in the town and, except for applications submitted pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection, approve such application submitted in person” for “and administer the elector's oath”, deleting requirement of advance notice to other registrar in Subdivs. (3), (4) and (5), and amending Subdiv. (4) to require place to be “in the town”, allow approval of applications received prior to last session for admission of electors to occur after such last session, make application effective only on date when both registrars approve it and require registrars to act forthwith on such applications, amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “accepting applications” for “administering the elector's oath”, and applied provisions of Subsec. (d) to any person applying “in person” and “in such town” and substituted “approve the application” for “administer the elector's oath”, effective January 1, 1995; (Revisor's note: In 1997 a reference in Subsec. (b) to “Department of Labor” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with “Labor Department” for consistency with customary statutory usage); P.A. 15-224 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) to delete references to “special assistant registrar” and made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 7, 2015.
Sec. 9-19c. Application for admission at place of employment, residence or study. (a) Upon the presentation to the town clerk or either registrar of voters of any town of the signed application of twenty-five or more persons who are employed by the same employer at the same place of employment in such town, or twenty-five or more persons who attend the same school, college or university which is located in such town, or who reside at the same hospital, residential care home, rest home, nursing home or convalescent home located in such town and who believe that they possess the qualifications for admission as electors, which application may be made at any time except during the period between seven days before the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following such election, and shall be in form substantially as provided in section 9-19d; an admitting official, within the time hereinafter specified, shall go to such place of employment, school, college, or university or hospital, residential care home, rest home, nursing home or convalescent home for the purpose of taking and acting upon applications for admission as electors of any persons who reside in any Connecticut town and who are authorized to be on the premises. No application need be accepted by such town clerk or registrars from persons working at any such place of employment, attending any such school, college or university or residing at any such hospital, residential care home, rest home, nursing home or convalescent home if a session for the admission of electors has been held on such premises within one hundred twenty days prior to the making of such petition. Such official to whom such application is presented shall, within seven days after the receipt of such application, inform each registrar of voters and the employer, or chief administrative officer of the school, college or university or hospital, residential care home, rest home, nursing home or convalescent home of the date and time at which he will go to such place for such purpose, which date shall be not less than seven days nor more than ten days after the sending of the notice by such official to such employer or chief administrative officer, except that no session shall be held after the last session for admission of electors prior to an election. The official with whom the application is filed may request any other admitting official to go in his stead.
(b) Such employer, or chief administrative officer, upon receipt of such notice, shall provide a suitable place for the taking of applications for admission as electors and shall forthwith cause a prominent notice to be posted on the bulletin board or other place where general notices to employees, students or residents are customarily posted, which notice shall specify the date, place and hour at which such official will receive such applications, and such notice shall remain posted through the day of such taking of applications. Procedures under this section shall conform as nearly as may be to the procedures for applications for admission submitted pursuant to sections 9-19b, 9-19e, 9-20 and 9-23a. No employer shall penalize or refuse to pay an employee who proceeds under this section and section 9-19d, and any employee proceeding under said sections shall be entitled to be paid at his regular rate for up to one-half hour for the purpose of making application to become an elector.
(1969, P.A. 412, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 5; P.A. 75-17, S. 1; 75-565, S. 3, 5; P.A. 76-128, S. 4, 11; P.A. 77-330, S. 3; 77-604, S. 83, 84; P.A. 79-363, S. 7, 38; P.A. 87-382, S. 3, 55; P.A. 97-112, S. 2.)
History: 1971 act in Subsec. (a) changed enumeration of town clerk, assistant, either registrar of voters or their deputies to “an admitting official”, deleted reference to “all members of the board for admission as electors”, deleted reference to enumerated officials to go to the place of employment and provided that the officer with whom application is filed may request any other admitting official to go in his stead; P.A. 75-17 in Subsec. (a) to signed request of twenty-five added attendance at same school, college or university, residence at same hospital, home for aged, rest home, nursing home, convalescent home all of which located in same town where admission as elector desired, also these terms added to other appropriate references, changed the period during which a request may not be made from 60 to 45 days prior to a regular election, changed limiting date of notice from no more than 14 to 10 days and in Subsec. (b) added “or chief administrative officer” following “employer” and “students or residents” following “employee”; P.A. 75-565 in Subsec. (a) provided for taking and acting upon applications of employees, students or residents whether residents of that or any other Connecticut town, effective January 1, 1976; P.A. 76-128 removed language restricting the request signed by twenty-five to residents of such town and also restriction for admission only in that same town, changed the time during which request may not be made to the period between the last regular session and the day following the election, changed limitation to applications of employees, students or residents to any persons authorized to be on the premises and residing in any Connecticut town and provided that requests need not be accepted where session has been held on premises within four months prior to making of the petition; P.A. 77-330 changed period during which request may not be made to between 7 days before the last session and the day following the election and added exception that no session shall be held after the last session; P.A. 77-604 made technical changes; P.A. 79-363 changed “request” to “application” throughout Subsec. (a), in Subsec. (b) where word “applications” first appears “for admission as electors” was added and where “applications” next appears “for admission as electors” was deleted; P.A. 87-382 substituted “one hundred twenty days” for “four months” in Subsec. (a); P.A. 97-112 replaced “home for the aged” with “residential care home”.
Sec. 9-19d. Form of application. The application provided for in section 9-19c shall be in form substantially as follows:
To …. (name), Town Clerk,
of the Town of
Registrar of Voters,
…., Connecticut,
We the undersigned, being citizens of the United States of voting age, are
[ ] employed, and all being employees of .... (name of employer)
or
[ ] students attending .... (name of school, college or university)
or
[ ] residing at the (name of hospital, residential care home, rest home, nursing home or convalescent home) .... in said town and each of us believing that he or she possesses the qualifications for admission as an elector, do hereby request you to come to our place of employment, or school, college or university or residence, as the case may be, at .... (address), in said town, for the purpose of receiving applications for admission as an elector.
…. (signatures)
…. (addresses)
Dated at ...., Connecticut, this .... day of ...., 20...
(1969, P.A. 412, S. 2; P.A. 73-630, S. 4, 19; P.A. 75-17, S. 2; P.A. 76-128, S. 5, 11; P.A. 97-112, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 73-630 removed the words “now reside, and for at least six months have resided, in” and substituted “are bona fide residents of” in the application; P.A. 75-17 changed format of application to provide three alternatives, one to be indicated, of categories including employees, students of institutions of higher learning or residents of certain health care facilities; P.A. 76-128 removed recital of residency in town in which as employees, students or residents the signers request a voter-making session and deleted recital of possession of qualification for admission as an elector “in said town”; P.A. 97-112 replaced “home for the aged” with “residential care home”; (Revisor's note: In 2001 the reference in this section to the date “19..” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “20..” to reflect the new millennium).
Sec. 9-19e. Cross-town application for admission. Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, an admitting official of any town, as defined in section 9-17a, may, at the times and places prescribed by law, accept applications for admission as an elector from persons who reside in any Connecticut town and examine their qualifications. Each such application for admission shall be made on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State and shall provide a space for application for enrollment in a political party as provided in section 9-23a. Such admitting official shall hand a receipt to the applicant and immediately mail the application to the town clerk or registrars of voters of the town of residence of the applicant. The town clerk or registrars of voters of the town of residence of such applicant shall act upon such application, upon its receipt, and shall note on such copy his or their action and the date thereof, and if disapproved, his or their reasons therefor. If the town clerk acts on the application, he shall deliver such copy to the registrars as provided in section 9-20 and whoever acts upon the application shall immediately send written notification to the applicant, and if the application is disapproved, he or they shall send such notification by certified mail. No person shall be admitted as an elector under this section unless his application has been approved by the town clerk or registrars of voters of his town of residence. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an admitting official to approve applications for admission as an elector in places located outside the boundaries of the municipality or district of which he is an official. Appeals may be taken from the action of such town clerk or registrars of voters under this section in accordance with section 9-31l. Any person making application for registration under this section shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector and party enrollment, if applicable, from the time such application for admission as an elector is approved by the town clerk or registrars of voters of his voting residence, provided if such application is made after twelve o'clock noon on the last business day before a primary, such applicant shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the primary and provided if such application is made on the day of a caucus or convention, such applicant shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the caucus or convention.
(P.A. 75-565, S. 1, 5; P.A. 77-216, S. 1; 77-298, S. 12; 77-330, S. 4; 77-604, S. 83, 84; P.A. 78-87, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-281, S. 4, 31; P.A. 81-350, S. 13, 17; P.A. 83-213, S. 2; P.A. 84-118, S. 1, 5; P.A. 94-121, S. 12, 33; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2, S. 47.)
History: P.A. 77-216 deleted requirement that application be in quadruplicate, provided for retention of a copy by admitting official, mailing of one copy to town clerk or registrars of voters of town of residence of applicant and furnishing of a receipt to applicant, allowed either town clerk or registrar of voters of residence of applicant to act on the application, inserted provision that no application be approved after last session for admission before election, provided that official acting on application send written notification to applicant and, if disapproved, send it by certified mail and that if action taken by town clerk, copy to be delivered to the registrars, inserted “registrars of voters” to follow “town clerk” except in the preceding context; P.A. 77-298 made “fourteenth day” rather than “third Saturday” before a primary the date after which enrollment does not become effective until immediately after the primary; P.A. 77-330 changed “last regular session” to “last session” in delineating period before day following election during which admitting officials may not accept applications; P.A. 77-604 made technical changes; P.A. 78-87 deleted provision forbidding approval of applications after last session for admission of electors; P.A. 80-281 substituted “registration” for “enrollment” and simplified wording in provision re effective dates of electoral privileges; P.A. 81-350 made technical changes; P.A. 83-213 amended section to provide that admitting official may accept but not approve applications for admission as an elector in places located outside of his district or municipality; P.A. 84-118 changed time limit for enrollment from fourteenth day to noon of last business day before primary; P.A. 94-121 deleted provisions authorizing admitting official to administer elector's oath and requiring such official to retain copy of application and required such official to mail application, instead of copy of application, to clerk or registrars of town of residence of applicant, effective January 1, 1995; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2 made a technical change.
Sec. 9-19f. Out-of-town assistance permitted at admission sessions. The registrar of voters or the deputy or any assistant registrar of voters of any town may, upon the request of the registrar of voters of any other town, assist such registrar or deputy or assistant registrar at any session for the admission of electors held pursuant to section 9-19b or subsection (a) of section 9-19c in the town in which the requesting registrar resides.
(P.A. 76-128, S. 2, 11.)
Sec. 9-19g. Application for admission after established cutoff date. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-19b, during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the opening of the limited session for such admission held on the last weekday before the election, the town clerk or assistant town clerk during office hours and at the office of such official, and either registrar of voters or a deputy or assistant registrar at the office of such official, may examine the qualifications of any person applying in person to be admitted as an elector in such town and act on such application, except the privileges of an elector shall not attach to any such applicant until written approval is sent to him by such official no earlier than two days following the election. If the application is disapproved, such official shall send notification thereof by certified mail no earlier than two days following the election. At the time of application, the official examining the applicant shall retain a copy of the application and shall hand a receipt thereof to the applicant.
(P.A. 79-357, S. 1; P.A. 94-121, S. 13, 33.)
History: P.A. 94-121 applied provisions of section to any person applying “in person” and substituted “in such town and act on such application” for “and administer the elector's oath to any person found qualified”, effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 9-19h. Availability of admissions information and materials at certain state agencies and libraries. Application for admission through Department of Motor Vehicles. (a) The Department of Social Services, the Labor Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles shall make voter registration information and materials available to the public. Such information and materials shall be placed in public areas of the offices of such departments. The State Library and the libraries of the state's public institutions of higher education shall also make such information and materials available to users of the libraries. The Secretary of the State shall provide such departments, such libraries and any libraries open to the public with suitable nonpartisan literature, materials and voter registration application forms authorized under sections 9-23g and 9-23h. The secretary shall also provide to the Department of Social Services, the Labor Department and the Department of Motor Vehicles any furniture needed to display such literature, materials and forms.
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, not later than January 1, 1994, shall include an application for the admission of an elector with each application form provided for a motor vehicle operator's license and a motor vehicle operator's license renewal, which are issued under subpart (B) of part III of chapter 246, and with each application form provided for an identity card issued under section 1-1h. Such application form for the admission of an elector (1) shall be subject to the approval of the Secretary of the State, (2) shall not include any provisions for the witnessing of the application, and (3) shall contain a statement that (A) specifies each eligibility requirement, (B) contains an attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement, and (C) requires the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall accept any such completed application for admission which is submitted in person or by mail. The applicant shall state on such form, under penalty of perjury, the applicant's name, bona fide residence address, date of birth, whether the applicant is a United States citizen, party enrollment, if any, prior voting address, if registered previously, and that the applicant's privileges as an elector are not forfeited by reason of conviction of a felony. No Social Security number on any such application form for the admission of an elector filed prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to any governmental agency. The commissioner shall indicate on each such form the date of receipt of such application to ensure that any eligible applicant is registered to vote in an election if it is received by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles by the last day for registration to vote in an election. The commissioner shall provide the applicant with an application receipt, on a form approved by the Secretary of the State and on which the commissioner shall record the date that the commissioner received the application, using an official date stamp bearing the words “Department of Motor Vehicles”. The commissioner shall provide such receipt whether the application was submitted in person or by mail. The commissioner shall forthwith transmit the application to the registrars of voters of the applicant's town of residence. If a registration application is accepted within five days before the last day for registration to vote in a regular election, the application shall be transmitted to the registrars of voters of the town of voting residence of the applicant not later than five days after the date of acceptance. The procedures in subsections (c), (d), (f) and (g) of section 9-23g which are not inconsistent with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, shall apply to applications made under this section. The commissioner is not an admitting official and may not restore, under the provisions of section 9-46a, electoral privileges of persons convicted of a felony.
(P.A. 88-347, S. 1, 4; P.A. 92-238; P.A. 93-262, S. 32, 87; 93-384, S. 27; P.A. 94-121, S. 14, 33; P.A. 99-268, S. 39, 46; P.A. 00-169, S. 22; P.A. 01-26, S. 6; P.A. 02-83, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 88-347, S. 1 effective April 1, 1989; P.A. 92-238 designated existing section as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) requiring commissioner to include application for admission of an elector with each operator's license and license renewal application and identity card application; P.A. 93-262 replaced references to department on aging and department of income maintenance with references to department of social services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-384 substantially revised application form requirements and procedure under Subsec. (b); P.A. 94-121 amended Subsec. (b) by requiring application form to contain statement instead of elector's oath, changing penalty of false statement to penalty of perjury, deleting requirement that applicant submit satisfactory identification to commissioner, requiring commissioner to indicate date of receipt on application, to “forthwith transmit”, instead of “promptly forward”, application to registrars, and to so transmit application within five days if accepted within five days before last day for registration to vote in a regular election, amending Subsec. references to Sec. 9-23g and inserting provision re consistency with National Voter Registration Act of 1993, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-268 amended Subsec. (b) by repealing requirement that form include request for applicant to furnish Social Security number and extending prohibition on disclosure of Social Security numbers on forms to the public or to any governmental agency, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 00-169 revised effective date of P.A. 99-268 but without affecting this section; P.A. 01-26 made technical changes and eliminated an obsolete reporting requirement in Subsec. (b); P.A. 02-83 amended Subsec. (b) to make a technical change and require Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to accept completed applications for admission submitted by mail and to provide applicants with application receipts, effective January 1, 2003.
Sec. 9-19i. Change of address form submitted for purposes of motor vehicle operator's license to serve as notification of change of address for voter registration purposes; exception; procedure. Any change of address form submitted by a person in accordance with law for purposes of a motor vehicle operator's license shall serve as notification of change of address for voter registration for the person unless the person states on the form that the change of address is not for voter registration purposes. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall forthwith transmit such change of address information to the registrars of voters of the town of the former address of the person. If the name of the person appears on the registry list of the town, and if the new address is also within such town, the registrars shall enter the name of such elector on the registry list at the place where he then resides. If the name of the person appears on the registry list of the town and if the new address is outside such town, the registrars shall remove the name of such elector from the registry list and send the elector the notice, information and application required by section 9-35.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 5, 33.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 9-19j. Election day registration. Designation and certification to Secretary of one or more locations for processing applications. Applicant confirmation procedures. Counting of ballots. Activities prohibited near election day registration location. (a) As used in this subsection and subsections (b) to (i), inclusive, of this section, “election day” means the day on which a regular election, as defined in section 9-1, is held.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a person who (1) is (A) not an elector, or (B) an elector registered in a municipality who wishes to change such elector's registration to another municipality pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of this section, and (2) meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) of section 9-12, may apply for admission as an elector on election day pursuant to the provisions of subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section.
(c) (1) The registrars of voters shall designate a location for the completion and processing of election day registration applications on election day, provided (A) the registrars of voters shall have access to the state-wide centralized voter registration system from such location, and (B) such location shall be certified in writing to the Secretary of the State not later than thirty-one days before election day. The written certification under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision shall (i) include the name, street address and relevant contact information associated with such location, (ii) list the name and address of each election official appointed to serve at such location, if any, and (iii) provide a description of the design of such location and a plan for effective completion and processing of such applications. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove such written certification not later than fifteen days before election day and may require the registrars of voters to appoint one or more additional election officials or alter such design or plan.
(2) The registrars of voters may apply to the Secretary of the State not later than sixty days before election day, in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary, to designate any additional location for the completion and processing of election day registration applications on election day. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove such application not later than forty-five days before election day. If the Secretary approves such application, the registrars of voters may so designate any such additional location. The provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall apply to any such additional location.
(3) The registrars of voters may delegate to each election official appointed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, if any, any of the responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters. The registrars of voters shall supervise each such election official and train each such election official to be an election day registration election official.
(d) Any person applying to register on election day under the provisions of subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section shall make application in accordance with the provisions of section 9-20, provided (1) on election day, the applicant shall appear in person not later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with subsection (b) of section 9-174, at the location designated by the registrars of voters for election day registration, (2) an applicant who is a student enrolled at an institution of higher education may submit a current photo identification card issued by such institution in lieu of the identification required by section 9-20, and (3) the applicant shall declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the election. If the information that the applicant is required to provide under section 9-20 and subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section does not include proof of the applicant's residential address, the applicant shall also submit identification that shows the applicant's bona fide residence address, including, but not limited to, a learner's permit issued under section 14-36 or a utility bill that has the applicant's name and current address and that has a due date that is not later than thirty days after the election or, in the case of a student enrolled at an institution of higher education, a registration or fee statement from such institution that has the applicant's name and current address.
(e) If the registrars of voters determine that an applicant satisfies the application requirements set forth in subsection (d) of this section, the registrars of voters shall check the state-wide centralized voter registration system before admitting such applicant as an elector.
(1) If the registrars of voters determine that the applicant is not already an elector, the registrars of voters shall admit the applicant as an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately.
(2) If the registrars of voters determine that such applicant is an elector in another municipality and such applicant states that he or she wants to change the municipality in which the applicant is an elector, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-21, the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register shall immediately notify the registrars of voters in such other municipality that such elector is changing the municipality in which the applicant is an elector. The registrars of voters in such other municipality shall notify the election officials in such municipality to remove such elector from the official voter list of such municipality. Such election officials shall cross through the elector's name on such official voter list and mark “off” next to such elector's name on such official voter list.
(A) If it is reported that such applicant already voted in such other municipality, the registrars of voters of such other municipality shall immediately notify the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. In such event, such elector shall not receive an election day registration ballot from the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. For any such elector, the election day registration process shall cease in the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register and such matter shall be reviewed by the registrars of voters in the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. After completion of such review, if a resolution of the matter can not be made, such matter shall be reported to the State Elections Enforcement Commission which shall conduct an investigation of the matter.
(B) If there is no such report that such applicant already voted in the other municipality, the registrars of voters of the municipality in which the applicant seeks to register shall admit the applicant as an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately.
(f) If the applicant is admitted as an elector, the registrars of voters shall provide the elector with an election day registration ballot and election day registration envelope and shall make a record of such issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted upon the back of the envelope for an election day registration ballot and shall declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the election. The affirmation shall be in the form substantially as follows and signed by the voter:
AFFIRMATION: I, the undersigned, do hereby state, under penalty of false statement, (perjury) that:
1. I am the person admitted here as an elector in the town indicated.
2. I am eligible to vote in the election indicated for today in the town indicated.
3. The information on my voter registration card is correct and complete.
4. I reside at the address that I have given to the registrars of voters.
5. If previously registered at another location, I have provided such address to the registrars of voters and hereby request cancellation of such prior registration.
6. I have not voted in person or by absentee ballot and I will not vote otherwise than by this ballot at this election.
7. I completed an application for an election day registration ballot and received an election day registration ballot.
.... (Signature of voter)
(g) The elector shall forthwith mark the election day registration ballot in the presence of the registrars of voters in such a manner that the registrars of voters shall not know how the election day registration ballot is marked. The elector shall place the election day registration ballot in the election day registration ballot envelope provided, and deposit such envelope in a secured election day registration ballot depository receptacle. At the time designated by the registrars of voters and noticed to election officials, the registrars of voters shall transport such receptacle containing the election day registration ballots to the central location or polling place, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, where absentee ballots are counted and such election day registration ballots shall be counted by the election officials present at such central location or polling place. A section of the head moderator's return shall show the number of election day registration ballots received from electors. The registrars of voters shall seal a copy of the vote tally for election day registration ballots in a depository envelope with the election day registration ballots and store such election day registration depository envelope with the other election results materials. The election day registration depository envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of voters for the period of time required to preserve counted ballots for elections.
(h) The provisions of the general statutes and regulations concerning procedures relating to the custody, control and counting of absentee ballots shall apply as nearly as possible, to the custody, control and counting of election day registration ballots under subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section.
(i) After the acceptance of an election day registration, the registrars of voters shall forthwith send a registration confirmation notice to the residential address of each applicant who is admitted as an elector on election day under subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section. Such confirmation shall be sent by first class mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown on the envelope. If a confirmation notice is returned undelivered, the registrars shall forthwith take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43, as applicable, notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35.
(j) No person shall solicit in behalf of or in opposition to the candidacy of another or himself or herself or in behalf of or in opposition to any question being submitted at the election, or loiter or peddle or offer any advertising matter, ballot or circular to another person within a radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in use as an entry to any location designated by the registrars of voters for election day registration balloting or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside entrance to any such location or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach.
(P.A. 12-56, S. 1, 2; P.A. 18-124, S. 10; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3, S. 9.)
History: P.A. 12-56 effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 18-124 amended Subsec. (g) to replace references to district or central area with references to central location or polling place, effective June 6, 2018; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3 amended Subsec. (c) to add Subpara. (A) designator, add Subpara. (B) re certification of election day registration location, add new Subdiv. (2) re application by registrars of voters for designation of additional locations, and designate existing Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (3) and amend same to replace “appoint one or more election officials to serve at such location and may delegate to such election officials” with “delegate to each election official appointed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, if any,” amended Subsec. (d) to add “not later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with subsection (b) of section 9-174,” and made technical changes, effective July 31, 2020.
Sec. 9-19k. Online voter registration system. (a) The Secretary of the State shall establish and maintain a system for online voter registration. Such system shall also permit a registered elector to apply for changes to such elector's registration. An applicant may register to vote through this system, provided the applicant's (1) registration information is verifiable in the manner described in subsection (b) of this section, and (2) signature is in a database described in said subsection (b) and such signature may be imported into such system for online voter registration.
(b) A state agency, upon the request of the Secretary of the State, shall provide any information to the Secretary that the Secretary deems necessary to maintain the system for online voter registration. The Secretary may cross reference the information input into the system by applicants with data or information contained in any state agency's database or a database administered by the federal government, or any voter registration database of another state, in order to verify the information submitted by applicants. The Secretary shall not use the information obtained from any such database except to verify information submitted by the applicant, provided the applicant's signature, if part of data contained in the state agency's database, shall be included as part of the applicant's information contained in the system for online voter registration.
(c) The submission of an online application shall contain all of the information that is required for an application under section 9-23h, except that a signature shall be obtained from another state agency's database pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
(d) In order for an applicant's registration or change in registration to be approved, the applicant shall mark the box associated with the following statement included as part of the online application:
“By clicking on the box below, I swear or affirm all of the following under penalty of perjury:
(1) I am the person whose name and identifying information is provided on this form, and I desire to register to vote in the State of Connecticut.
(2) All of the information I have provided on this form is true and correct as of the date I am submitting this form.
(3) I authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles or other Connecticut state agency to transmit to the Connecticut Secretary of the State or my town's registrars of voters my signature that is on file with such agency and understand that such signature will be used by the Secretary of the State or my town's registrars of voters on this online application for admission as an elector as if I had signed this form personally.”
(e) Upon approval of such application, the registrars of voters shall send a notice of approval pursuant to section 9-19b to the applicant.
(f) If an applicant registers to vote pursuant to the provisions of this section after the seventh day before an election or after the fifth day before a primary, the privileges of an elector shall not attach until the day after such election or primary, as the case may be. In such event, the registrars of voters may contact such applicant, either by telephone or mail, in order to inform such applicant of the effect of such late received application and any applicable deadline for applying for admission in person.
(g) Nothing in this section shall prevent the registrars of voters or any election official appointed by such registrars of voters to admit any applicant as an elector from utilizing the online voter registration system established pursuant to this section for the purpose of admitting such applicant on election day pursuant to section 9-19j.
(P.A. 12-56, S. 10; P.A. 15-224, S. 9; P.A. 16-53, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 12-56 effective January 1, 2014; P.A. 15-224 added Subsec. (g) re use of online voter registration system on election day, effective July 7, 2015; P.A. 16-53 amended Subsec. (f) to change “fourteenth day” to “seventh day”, effective May 31, 2016.
Sec. 9-20. Admission of electors; procedure. (a) Each person who applies for admission as an elector in person to an admitting official shall, upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State and signed by the applicant, state under penalties of perjury, his name, bona fide residence by street and number, date of birth, whether he is a United States citizen, whether his privileges as an elector are forfeited by reason of conviction of crime, and whether he has previously been admitted as an elector in any town in this or any other state. Each such applicant shall present his birth certificate, drivers' license or Social Security card to the admitting official for inspection at the time of application. Notwithstanding the provisions of any special act or charter to the contrary, the application form shall also, in a manner prescribed by the Secretary of the State, provide for application for enrollment in any political party, including, on any such form printed on or after January 1, 2006, a list of the names of the major parties, as defined in section 9-372, as options for the applicant. The form shall indicate that such enrollment is not mandatory.
(b) The applicant's statement shall be delivered to the registrars immediately and shall be kept by the registrars as a public record in a safe depository, except that no Social Security number obtained by the registrars prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to any governmental agency. Any such statement of an elector whose name has been removed from the registry list for a period of at least five years may be placed on microfilm, destroyed or otherwise disposed of by such registrars, in the manner provided in section 7-109. Upon the request of any elector, or if the applicant does not present a birth certificate, drivers' license or Social Security card as required by subsection (a) of this section, at the time an application is made in person to an admitting official or prior to the approval of such an application, any admitting official shall require the applicant to prove his identity, place of birth, age and bona fide residence by the testimony under oath of at least one elector or by the presentation of proof satisfactory to such admitting official. Each person found qualified shall thereupon be admitted as an elector, except as provided in sections 9-12, 9-19e, 9-19g and 9-30. The registrars may request an elector whose date of birth is missing from their records to voluntarily furnish his date of birth. Any admitting official may administer oaths in any matter coming before him under section 9-12, 9-17, 9-19b, subsection (a) of section 9-19c, section 9-19e, 9-19g, 9-23, 9-23a, 9-25, 9-31a, 9-31b, 9-31l, 9-40a or this section. Said admitting official shall prohibit any activity which interferes with the orderly process of admission of electors.
(c) The application for admission as an elector shall include a statement that (1) specifies each eligibility requirement, (2) contains an attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement, and (3) requires the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury. Each registrar of voters and town clerk shall maintain a copy of such statement in braille, large print and audio form. The Department of Aging and Disability Services shall produce a videotape presenting such statement in voice and sign language and provide the videotape to the Secretary of the State who shall make copies of the videotape and provide a copy to the registrars of voters of any municipality, upon request and at a cost equal to the cost of making the copy. If a person applies for admission as an elector in person to an admitting official, such admitting official shall, upon the request of the applicant, administer the elector's oath.
(1949 Rev., S. 1017; 1949, S. 251b; 1953, S. 523d; 1957, P.A. 441, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 684, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 74; 266, S. 2; 1963, P.A. 645, S. 2; February, 1965, P.A. 407, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 100; 390, S. 1; 559, S. 2; 831, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 694, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 6; P.A. 73-99; 73-630, S. 5, 19; P.A. 75-47, S. 1, 5; 75-174, S. 1, 3; 75-565, S. 4, 5; P.A. 77-216, S. 2; 77-244, S. 2, 4; P.A. 78-153, S. 5, 32; 78-331, S. 5, 58; P.A. 79-357, S. 2; P.A. 81-350, S. 6, 17; P.A. 83-391, S. 5, 24; P.A. 89-234, S. 1; P.A. 93-230, S. 2, 8; P.A. 94-121, S. 15, 33; P.A. 97-154, S. 26, 27; P.A. 99-268, S. 40, 46; P.A. 00-169, S. 22; P.A. 05-235, S. 15; P.A. 11-44, S. 37; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 36; P.A. 19-157, S. 16.)
History: 1959 act provided as an alternative to presenting a certificate of citizenship or a passport issued on or after 1948 to prove citizenship a written statement by a town clerk of previous admission as an elector in some other town; this was expanded to include such a statement by a registrar of voters by 1961 act which also provided for delivery of applicant's statement to registrars and retention by them; provisions for proof of citizenship were deleted by 1963 act and placed in present Sec. 9-20a and 1963 act further deleted requirement married applicant state whether her husband was alien or native born; 1965 act removed requirement for recital of residency in the state; 1967 acts substituted “member of board” for “selectmen” in administering oaths, deleted “occupation” from application and added “whether he is a United States citizen” and where applicant a married woman deleted requirement for date of marriage and birthplace of husband and added provision for furnishing maiden name, added to the provision re elector's request that board require proof of certain qualifications of an applicant requirement that this request be made at time of application or prior to its approval and made permissive selection of lines to be read by applicant, removed reference to three lines in testing literacy of applicant and provided instead for reading of any article of constitution or section of statutes; 1969 act permitted registrars to administer oaths in matters concerning Sec. 9-19b and deleted provision empowering board members or town clerk to select materials to be read in literacy test; 1971 act substituted “admitting official” for “board”, “town clerk” or “registrar”; P.A. 73-99 provided that statements on applications of electors whose names have been removed from registry list for at least five years may be placed on microfilm or destroyed; P.A. 73-630 included provision on application for bona fide residence by street and number and deleted provision for length of time of continuous residence in town in which he applies; P.A. 75-47 added provision for application form to contain application for optional enrollment in any party, effective January 1, 1976; P.A. 75-174 added reference to disposal of electors' statements under Sec. 7-109; P.A. 75-565 added reference to quadruplicate statements and made other minor changes; P.A. 77-216 removed requirement for inclusion of marital status and maiden name; P.A. 77-244 provided for preregistration within a four-month period prior to the election of those becoming 18 years of age on or before the day of the election; P.A. 78-153, 78-331 and 79-357 made technical changes; P.A. 81-350 divided section into Subsecs. and amended provisions to require positive identification by birth certificate, drivers' license or social security card at time of registration or to provide testimony of an elector under oath to establish identity of person seeking to become an elector; P.A. 83-391 deleted references to board for admission of electors; P.A. 89-234 added Subsec. (c) re braille, large print, audio and video forms of elector's oath; P.A. 93-230 added provisions to Subsec. (a) re request for applicant to furnish his Social Security number, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 94-121 applied provisions of Subsecs. (a) and (b) to persons applying “in person to an admitting official”, amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “penalties of perjury” for “oath” and deleting requirement that applicant state his birthplace on form, amended Subsec. (b) by deleting authorization for qualified person to take oath, and amended Subsec. (c) by adding provision re statement required to be included in application, substituting “such statement” for “the elector's oath” and requiring official to administer oath upon request of applicant, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 97-154 authorized registrars to request elector to voluntarily furnish birthdate when missing from their records, effective June 24, 1997; P.A. 99-268 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by repealing requirement that form include request for applicant to furnish Social Security number and extending prohibition on disclosure of Social Security numbers to the public or to any governmental agency, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 00-169 revised effective date of P.A. 99-268 but without affecting this section; P.A. 05-235 amended Subsec. (a) to require form to include list of names of major parties, effective January 1, 2006; P.A. 11-44 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “Commission on the Deaf and Hearing Impaired” with “Bureau of Rehabilitative Services”, effective July 1, 2011; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “Bureau of Rehabilitative Services” with “Department of Rehabilitation Services”, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 19-157 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “Department of Rehabilitation Services” with “Department of Aging and Disability Services”.
Social custom of woman changing name upon marriage, recognized. 30 CS 385.
Cited. 2 Conn. Cir. Ct. 204.
Sec. 9-20a. Proof of citizenship. If the applicant is a naturalized citizen, or if the applicant has acquired citizenship by reason of being born abroad to a United States citizen parent or has derived citizenship through the naturalization of a parent or spouse, the certificate of his naturalization, under the seal of the court issuing the same, or a copy thereof issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service in lieu of the original certificate, or a certificate of citizenship issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, or a passport issued by the State Department of the United States on or after January 1, 1948, or a written statement signed by a town clerk or registrar of voters of a town of this state or by an election official of another state in the United States or a town or political subdivision of such state that the records of such state, town or political subdivision show that such applicant has previously been admitted as an elector therein, shall be conclusive proof of citizenship. Any applicant submitting documentary evidence of citizenship shall make oath that he is the person named therein.
(1963, P.A. 645, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 548, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 390, S. 2, 6.)
History: 1965 act added provision for a written statement signed by election official of another state, town or subdivision that their records show applicant previously admitted as an elector as alternative to naturalization papers or passport issued after January 1, 1948 where citizenship is by naturalization, derived through naturalization of parent or spouse, or applicant born abroad of a U.S. citizen parent; 1967 act clarified provisions for conclusive proof of citizenship by certificates of citizenship, passport or statement by election officials from other states or town clerk or registrars of any Connecticut towns that records show applicant previously admitted as elector, applicant submitting such documentary evidence to make oath that he is person named therein, effective January 1, 1968.
Sec. 9-20b. Voter registration services for new citizens at naturalization ceremonies. The Secretary of the State, within available appropriations and in consultation with registrars of voters and nonprofit organizations promoting voter registration, shall provide or arrange for voter registration services for new citizens at each naturalization ceremony held in the state by the federal Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services for twenty-five or more new citizens.
(P.A. 05-188, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 05-188 effective July 1, 2005.
Sec. 9-21. Removal of elector from registry list. (a) If any applicant for admission as an elector in any town has previously been admitted as an elector in any other town in this state, or in any other state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, Guam or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, he shall, under penalties of perjury, so declare, and shall also declare by what name and in what town and state, district or territory he was last admitted as an elector and the street address from which he last voted therein. The admitting official shall within forty-eight hours thereafter transmit a notice of cancellation of such registration, upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State to the registrars of such other town or, in the case of a town in another state, district or territory, to the appropriate registration official or officials in such other town. Upon receipt of such notice of cancellation of registration, the registrars of the town from which such elector has removed shall forthwith erase the name of such elector from the registry list of the town, if the same has not been erased therefrom.
(b) When the Secretary of the State receives information from a registration official of another state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, Guam or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands that an elector of this state has registered in such other state, district or territory, the Secretary of the State may transmit a notification of such registration to the registrars of the town where such individual may be an elector in this state. If the registrars determine that the individual identified in the notice is an elector in this state, the registrars shall remove the name of such elector from the registry list.
(1949 Rev., S. 1018; 1953, S. 522d; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 7; P.A. 73-630, S. 6, 19; P.A. 83-213, S. 3; P.A. 84-319, S. 7, 49; P.A. 94-121, S. 16, 33; P.A. 96-134, S. 7, 9.)
History: 1971 act replaced reference to “registrars” with “admitting official”; P.A. 73-630 added provision for notification to election officials in another state as well as any other town in Connecticut of cancellation of previous registration in such other state or town where applicant was previously admitted as elector elsewhere; P.A. 83-213 amended section to include references to United States districts and territories; P.A. 84-319 amended section to require cancellation of registration by admitting official instead of applicant; P.A. 94-121 substituted “penalties of perjury” for “oath” and “transmit” for “mail”, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 96-134 lettered existing section as Subsec. (a) and added new Subsec. (b) re notification of registration of an elector in another state or voting venue, effective January 1, 1997.
See Sec. 9-31 re inapplicability of this section to electors admitted under provisions of Secs. 9-26 to 9-30, inclusive.
Sec. 9-21a. Search of computerized voter registration records. Duplicate registrations. (a) The Secretary of the State, at such times as the Secretary determines, may cause a search to be made of computerized voter registration records to identify electors who may be registered in more than one town. The Secretary may compile, from such search, a list of possible duplicate registrations in any town or towns and transmit such list to the registrars of voters of the appropriate town or towns.
(b) Upon receipt of such list from the Secretary, the registrars may make such additional investigation as they deem necessary to determine if any elector in their town whose name appears on such list was previously registered in another town. The registrars of voters shall send to each elector on the registry list in their town, who the registrars of voters determine to be the same person who was previously registered in another town, a notice of duplicate registration in a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State stating that (1) based on a computer search of voter registration records it appears that the elector may have been registered to vote in another town before registering in the registrars' town, (2) as the result of such previous registration, the elector is no longer entitled to remain on the registry list in the previous town, and (3) unless the elector contacts the registrars of voters within thirty days to confirm that the elector is still entitled to be on the registry list in the previous town, the elector's name shall be removed from the list. The notice of duplicate registration shall include a form on which the elector may confirm that the elector is entitled to be on an active registry list because the elector is a bona fide resident of the registrars' town and either is not the person whose name appears on the registry list of another town, or has registered in the registrars' town after registering in any other town.
(c) When an elector whose name appears on the inactive list files the confirmation provided for in this section, the elector's name shall be restored to the active list. No elector shall be removed from the registry list pursuant to this section unless both registrars of voters agree that such elector has subsequently registered to vote in another town.
(P.A. 97-154, S. 21, 27; P.A. 11-173, S. 29.)
History: P.A. 97-154 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 11-173 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing references to “subsequently registered”, “after having registered”, “subsequent registration” and “registrars' town” with references to “previously registered”, “before registering”, “previous registration” and “previous town”, respectively, and made technical changes, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-23. Registrars of voters. Posting of public hours. Maintenance of voter information. (a) The registrars of voters shall post, at the town hall or municipal building in the town in which they serve, the hours they are available to the public. Any change in the regular business hours of the office of the registrars of voters, and any hours for said office required under the general statutes for a specific day, shall be posted at least ten days before such change or day.
(b) The registrars shall enter the name, residence, date of birth and date of admission of each person admitted as an elector in the records of the registrars' office, which shall be prima facie evidence that each such person possesses the requisite qualifications of an elector. The registrars shall also enter such voter information in the state-wide centralized voter registration system and shall maintain such voter information for active electors in a fire-proof cabinet in the registrars' office. The registrars shall file monthly in the office of the town clerk an updated list of active electors in the town.
(1949 Rev., S. 1019; 1953, S. 525d; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 8; 1972, P.A. 39, S. 1; P.A. 79-363, S. 8, 38; P.A. 90-156, S. 3; P.A. 04-113, S. 1.)
History: 1971 act following “... persons admitted as electors” deleted “at any session of the board for admission of electors held for that purpose”; 1972 act provided for application of section by adding “In towns which do not have full-time registrars of voters with regular office hours”; P.A. 79-363 added requirements that information to be recorded by town clerk to include residence, date and place of birth and date of admission of electors and added provision for towns having full-time registrars which includes those whose offices maintain daily office hours, such registrars to file that information in the office of town clerk; P.A. 90-156 added Subsec. (b) re exceptions to Subsec. (a); P.A. 04-113 eliminated former Subsec. (b) re inapplicability of Subsec. (a) to certain towns, divided existing Subsec. (a) into new Subsecs. (a) and (b), amended Subsec. (a) to require registrars to post hours they are available to the public and revised Subsec. (b) re registrars' duties, effective July 1, 2004.
See Sec. 11-8(b) re appointment of Public Records Administrator.
Sec. 9-23a. When person admitted as an elector permitted to vote in primary. Exception. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, no person admitted as an elector after twelve o'clock noon on the last business day before a primary shall be permitted to vote in such primary.
(b) An applicant for admission or enrollment under section 9-26 shall be entitled to vote in a primary if he files his application for admission or enrollment with the town clerk before the day of the primary and is otherwise eligible to vote in the primary.
(1967, P.A. 559, S. 3; 1969, P.A. 678; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 9; P.A. 75-47, S. 2, 5; 75-269, S. 1; P.A. 76-128, S. 7, 11; P.A. 77-298, S. 13; P.A. 78-153, S. 4, 32; P.A. 79-357, S. 3; 79-363, S. 33, 38; P.A. 84-118, S. 2, 5; P.A. 87-509, S. 2, 24; P.A. 94-121, S. 17, 33; P.A. 97-67, S. 3, 9.)
History: 1967 act, effective January 1, 1968; 1969 act provided for application for enrollment in a political party at any time before board has acted on applicant's admission thus entitling applicant privileges of party enrollment from time his admission is approved; 1971 act further provided for offering applications for enrollment upon administration of elector's oath and for immediate entitlement to the privileges of party enrollment; P.A. 75-47 provided for combined application for registration and enrollment and further provided that person applying for enrollment is entitled to privileges of party enrollment upon administration of elector's oath, effective January 1, 1976; P.A. 75-269 provided that if application for enrollment is made after session held on third Saturday before primary, applicant shall only be entitled to privileges of party enrollment immediately after primary; P.A. 76-128 provided that where qualification for age or citizenship for admission is attained following the third Saturday before primary and prior to day of primary such person shall upon being made an elector and applying for enrollment be immediately entitled to all privileges of party membership; P.A. 77-298 changed “third Saturday” to “fourteenth day” before a primary where appearing; P.A. 78-153 provided that if application for enrollment made on day of caucus or convention, entitlement to privileges of party enrollment arises immediately after caucus or convention, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 79-357 added “residence” to “age” or “citizenship” qualifications where, if attained after the fourteenth day before a primary and prior to day of primary, admission as elector and application for enrollment immediately entitles elector to all privileges of party enrollment; P.A. 79-363 made technical changes; P.A. 84-118 changed time limit for enrollment from fourteenth day to noon of last business day before primary, deleting obsolete proviso entitling certain persons to enroll after fourteenth day before primary; P.A. 87-509 deleted provision requiring admitting official to initial both copies of application for enrollment, deliver one copy to registrars of voters and return one copy to elector and added sentence providing that no person admitted after twelve o'clock noon on last business day before primary shall be permitted to vote in such primary; P.A. 94-121 deleted provision requiring admitting official to notify applicant re application for enrollment, substituted “on an application for admission as an elector shall upon acquisition of electoral privileges” for “in such manner shall upon administration of the elector's oath” in second sentence, inserted reference to Sec. 9-59 and applied Subdivs. (1) and (2) to application for enrollment filed with registrars of applicant's town of residence instead of application made by applicant, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 97-67 repealed provisions re entitlement to privileges of party enrollment for person applying for enrollment on application for admission as an elector, designated remaining provision as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re exception for an applicant under Sec. 9-26 to vote in a primary, effective July 1, 1997.
See Sec. 9-57 re application for enrollment by new elector at time of admission and attachment of party privileges.
Sec. 9-23g. Mail-in application for admission. (a) In addition to the procedures for admission of electors under sections 9-19b, 9-19c, 9-19e, 9-20 and 9-31, any person may apply to a registrar of voters of the town of his residence for admission as an elector in accordance with the provisions of this section and section 9-23h.
(b) The Secretary of the State shall prescribe, and provide to registrars of voters, town clerks and voter registration agencies, as defined in section 9-23n, application forms and other materials necessary to complete such application and admission process. The Secretary of the State, registrars of voters and town clerks shall provide a reasonable number of such forms and materials to any elector who requests such forms and materials. The Secretary shall also, in the course of the Secretary's elections duties, prepare instructions and related materials describing procedures for such application and admission process and shall provide the materials to registrars of voters and town clerks. The application shall contain the information required under section 9-23h. All statements of the applicant shall be made under the penalties of perjury. The application for admission as an elector shall include a statement that (1) specifies each eligibility requirement, (2) contains an attestation that the application meets each such requirement, and (3) requires the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury. Nothing in this section or section 9-23h shall require that the application be executed in the state. An applicant who is unable to write may cause the applicant's name to be signed on the application form by an authorized agent who shall, in the space provided for the signature, write the name of the applicant followed by the word “by” and the agent's own signature. The completed application may be mailed or returned in person to the office of the registrars of voters or the office of the town clerk of the applicant's town of residence or a voter registration agency. If the applicant entrusts the applicant's application to another person or to such a voter registration agency for mailing or return to the registrars of voters, such person or agency shall immediately mail or return the application. Any such voter registration agency shall also provide the applicant with an application receipt, on which the agency shall record (A) the date that the agency received the application, using an official date stamp bearing the name of the agency, and (B) the party affiliation, if any, of the applicant. The agency shall provide such receipt whether the application was submitted in person or by mail. The town clerk shall promptly forward any application which the town clerk receives to the registrars of voters. Such application form shall be provided by or authorized by the Secretary of the State.
(c) Forthwith upon receipt of a registration application in the office of the registrars of voters, the registrar shall mark such date on the application and review the application to determine whether the applicant has properly completed it and is legally qualified to register. Forthwith upon completing his review, the registrar shall (1) indicate on the application whether the application has been accepted or rejected, (2) mail a notice to the applicant, (3) indicate on the application the date on which such notice is mailed, and (4) provide a copy of such notice to the other registrar. If the registrar determines that the applicant has not properly completed the application or is not legally qualified to register, the notice shall indicate that the application has been rejected and shall state any reason for rejection. If the registrar determines that the applicant has properly completed the application and is legally qualified to register, the notice shall indicate that the application has been accepted. A notice of acceptance or a notice of rejection shall be sent (A) not later than four days after receipt of an application during the period beginning on the forty-ninth day before an election and ending on the twenty-first day before such election, (B) on the day of receipt of an application if it is received (i) during the period beginning on the twentieth day before such election and ending on the seventh day before such election, (ii) during the period beginning on the sixth day before an election and ending on election day if the application has been received by the seventh day before an election by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, (iii) during the period beginning on the twenty-first day before a primary and ending on the fifth day before a primary, or (iv) during the period beginning on the fourth day before a primary and ending at twelve o'clock noon on the last weekday before a primary, if the application has been postmarked by the fifth day before the primary and is received in the office of the registrars of voters during such period or if the application is received by the fifth day before a primary by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, and (C) within ten days of receipt of an application at any other time. A notice of acceptance shall be sent by first-class mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown on the envelope. A notice of acceptance shall indicate the effective date of the applicant's registration and enrollment, the date of the next regularly scheduled election or primary in which the applicant shall be eligible to vote and the applicant's precinct and polling place. If a notice of acceptance of an application is returned undelivered, the registrars shall forthwith take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43, notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35. An applicant for admission as an elector pursuant to this section and section 9-23h may only be admitted as an elector by a registrar of voters of the town of his residence. Not later than December thirty-first, annually, the Secretary of the State shall establish an official calendar of all deadlines set forth in this subsection for regularly scheduled elections and primaries to be held in the following calendar year.
(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the privileges of an elector for any applicant for admission under this section and section 9-23h shall attach immediately upon approval by the registrar, and the registrars shall enter the name of the elector on the registry list.
(2) Except as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, if a mailed application is postmarked, or if a delivered application is received in the office of the registrars of voters, after the seventh day before an election or after the fifth day before a primary, the privileges of an elector shall not attach until the day after such election or primary, as the case may be. In such event, the registrars of voters may contact such applicant, either by telephone or mail, in order to inform such applicant of the effect of such late received mail-in application and any applicable deadline for applying for admission in person.
(3) If an application is received after the seventh day before an election or after the fifth day before a primary by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, the privileges of an elector shall not attach until the day after the election or primary, as the case may be, or on the day the registrar approves it, whichever is later.
(4) If on the day of an election or primary, the name of an applicant does not appear on the official check list, such applicant may present to the moderator at the polls either a notice of acceptance received through the mail or an application receipt that was previously provided to the applicant pursuant to section 9-19e, subsection (b) of section 9-19h, subsection (b) of this section or section 9-23n. If an applicant presents said notice or receipt, and either the registrars of voters find the original application or the applicant submits a new application at the polls, the registrar, or assistant registrar upon notice to and approval by the registrar, shall add such person's name and address to the official check list on such day and the person shall be allowed to vote if otherwise eligible to vote and the person presents to the checkers at the polling place a preprinted form of identification pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-261.
(e) A registration application filed under this section shall be rejected if the application (1) has not been signed or dated by the applicant or the authorized agent of the applicant pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, (2) does not indicate the applicant's date of birth or bona fide residence, (3) does not indicate United States citizenship, provided the registrars of voters have contacted such applicant to provide an opportunity to answer such question, or (4) is determined by the Secretary of the State to be substantially defective. No registration application filed under this section shall be rejected if the application fails to provide the applicant's Social Security number or the zip code of the applicant's bona fide residence.
(f) Upon admission of an applicant under subsection (d) of this section, who indicated on his registration application that he changed residence since voting last in Connecticut, the registrar of voters of the town of such applicant's current residence shall notify the registrar of any other town who accepted the voter's last registration and the registrar of the town of the voter's last residence, if different. Notification shall be made upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State. A registrar receiving such a notification shall delete the elector's name from the registry list.
(g) All provisions of the general statutes relating to electors, which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, shall apply to electors admitted under the provisions of this section.
(h) The Secretary of the State may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the purposes of this section and section 9-23h.
(P.A. 87-409, S. 1, 3; P.A. 88-344, S. 1, 5; P.A. 91-351, S. 24, 28; P.A. 93-386, S. 1, 5; P.A. 94-121, S. 18, 33; P.A. 97-67, S. 1, 9; 97-154, S. 20, 27; P.A. 99-112, S. 1; P.A. 02-83, S. 4, 5; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 91; P.A. 04-113, S. 2; P.A. 07-194, S. 42; P.A. 15-224, S. 10.)
History: P.A. 88-344 inserted new Subsec. (a) defining “witnessing official”, relettered former Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b) and substituted “in accordance with the provisions of this section and sections 9-23h and 9-23i” for “by mail” in Subsec. (b), relettered former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and amended Subsec. (c) to require each application form to have a receipt attached and secretary to prepare and provide materials, to substitute “witnessing official” for “notary public, commissioner of the superior court or justice of the peace”, to substantially modify procedure for execution of application, to allow application to be returned in person instead of by mail only and to office of town clerk instead of to registrar of voters only and to restrict reproduction of form, inserted new Subsec. (d) re restriction on witnessing and certifying execution of applications by candidates, relettered former Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (e) and substantially amended procedures in Subsec. (e) for review of applications and notification of applicants, repealed former Subsec. (d) and substituted new Subsec. (f) re time of attachment of privileges of an elector, relettered former Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (g) and substantially revised provisions re when an application shall be rejected, not rejected, relettered former Subsec. (f) as Subsec. (h) and former Subsec. (g) as Subsec. (i) and added Subsec. (j) re adoption of regulations; P.A. 91-351 added Subsec. (e)(B)(i) re notice requirement for application received during period beginning on twentieth day before election and ending on fourteenth day before election and substituted “fourteenth” for “twenty-first” day in Subsec. (f)(2); P.A. 93-386 repealed requirement that execution of applications be witnessed, deleting former Subsecs. (a) and (d) and all other references to witnessing officials and relettering remaining Subsecs. accordingly, amended relettered Subsec. (b) to require that applicant's statements be made under penalties for false swearing before election officials instead of false statement and that elector's oath be self-administered by applicant, to provide that this section and Sec. 9-23h do not require application to be executed in the state and to allow member of immediate family of applicant or designee of ill or disabled applicant to mail or return application, amended relettered Subsec. (c) by adding “Forthwith” and requiring registrars to take necessary action in accordance with Sec. 9-35 or 9-43 if notice of acceptance of application is returned undelivered, instead of requiring registrars to reject if so returned within ten days, amended Subdiv. (1) of relettered Subsec. (d) to require privileges of an elector to attach immediately upon approval of application by registrar instead of on tenth day after registrar mails notice of acceptance to applicant and deleted former Subdiv. (3) and amended relettered Subdiv. (3) for consistency, amended Subdiv. (2) by substituting “If a mailed application is postmarked, or if a delivered application is received” for “If an application is received” and amended relettered Subsec. (e) to prohibit an application from being rejected for failure to provide applicant's Social Security number, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 94-121 amended Subsec. (b) by adding references to voter registration agencies, repealing requirements that form have receipt attached, be completed by applicant and be returned by specified persons and that applicant self-administer the oath, substituting “penalties of perjury” for “penalties for false swearing”, adding sentence re statement required to be included in application, and repealing restrictions on reproduction of form and adding sentence requiring form to be provided by or authorized by secretary of the state, amended Subsec. (c) by inserting new subclause (ii) re application received by fourteenth day before election by commissioner of motor vehicles or voter registration agency and requiring registrars to act “forthwith” if notice is returned, “notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35”, and renumbering former subclause (ii) to subclause (iii), added new Subsec. (d)(3) re application received after fourteenth day before an election by commissioner of motor vehicles or voter registration agency and renumbered former Subdiv. (3) as Subdiv. (4), and amended Subsec. (e) by deleting references to birthplace and sex, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 97-67 amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “on the fifth day before a primary” for “at twelve o'clock noon on the last weekday before a primary” in subclause (B)(iii), adding new subclause (B)(iv) re postmarked applications, and deleting text for consistency with such changes and amended Subsec. (d)(2) and (3) by inserting “or after the fifth day before a primary” and “or primary, as the case may be”, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 97-154 amended Subsec. (b) to require person or agency entrusted to mail or return an application to do so immediately, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-112 made technical changes; P.A. 02-83 amended Subsec. (b) to make technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality and to add provisions requiring voter registration agencies to provide applicants with application receipts, and amended Subsec. (d)(4) to establish procedure under which applicant may submit receipt to moderator and to revise procedure under which applicant may submit notice of acceptance to moderator, effective January 1, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (e)(3) by inserting “provided the registrars of voters have contacted such applicant to provide an opportunity to answer such question”, effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 04-113 amended Subsec. (b) to designate existing recording requirement for voter registration agency as Subpara. (A) and add Subpara. (B) requiring voter registration agency to record any party affiliation of applicant on receipt, effective January 1, 2005; P.A. 07-194 amended Subsec. (g)(2) to authorize registrars to contact applicants and inform them of effect of late received application and deadline for applying in person, effective July 5, 2007; P.A. 15-224 amended Subsec. (c) to change “fourteenth” to “seventh” in Subpara. (B)(i) and (ii), change “thirteenth” to “sixth” in Subpara. (B)(ii) and make technical changes, amended Subsec. (d) to change “fourteenth” to “seventh” in Subdivs. (2) and (3) and amended Subsec. (f) to make technical changes, effective July 7, 2015.
See Sec. 1-2a re construction of references to “United States mail”, “postmark” or “registered or certified mail”.
Sec. 9-23h. Application form. The application provided for in section 9-23g shall provide spaces for the following information for each applicant: (1) Name, (2) bona fide residence, including street number, street address, apartment number if applicable, town and zip code, (3) telephone number, (4) date of birth, (5) whether the applicant is registered as an elector in any other town in the state of Connecticut or in any other state, and if so, the applicant's last previous voting residence, (6) whether the applicant is a United States citizen, (7) whether the applicant will be eighteen years of age on or before election day, (8) party affiliation, if any, (9) the applicant's signature and date of signature, and (10) the applicant's Connecticut motor vehicle operator's license number or, if none, the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number. The spaces for the applicant's telephone number and party affiliation shall indicate that such information does not have to be provided. On any such application printed on or after January 1, 2006, the space for the applicant's party affiliation shall also include a list of the names of the major parties, as defined in section 9-372, as options for the applicant. The spaces regarding United States citizenship and whether the applicant will be eighteen years of age on or before election day shall indicate that if the applicant answers “No” to either question, the applicant may not complete the voter registration form. No Social Security number on any such form filed prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to any governmental agency. The application shall contain a notice that if the applicant does not receive a notice of acceptance or rejection of the application from the office of the registrars of voters for the municipality in which the applicant resides, the applicant should contact said office. The application shall also contain any other information, questions or instructions prescribed by the Secretary of the State.
(P.A. 88-344, S. 2, 5; P.A. 93-386, S. 2, 5; P.A. 94-121, S. 19, 33; P.A. 99-268, S. 41, 46; P.A. 00-169, S. 22; P.A. 02-83, S. 7; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 92; P.A. 05-235, S. 16.)
History: P.A. 93-386 required form to provide space for applicant's Social Security number, required secretary and registrars to comply with Privacy Act re request for such number and prohibited public disclosure of the number, amended Subpara. (A) by substituting “until approved by the registrars of voters,” for “until he receives a notice of acceptance from the registrars of voters, which should be within three weeks,” amended Subpara. (B) by adding reference to Sec. 9-27, deleted former Subparas. (C), (E) and (F), re witnessing official, and renumbered remaining Subparas. accordingly, substituted new Subpara. (D) for former Subpara. (H), requiring summary of applicable penalties to be contained on application instead of full text and amended relettered Subpara. (E) to provide for applicant to retain receipt, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 94-121 deleted requirements that application provide spaces for applicant's sex, birthplace and printed or typed name and address and contain instructions re question re citizenship and information specified in former Subparas. (A) to (E), inclusive, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-268 repealed requirement that application provide space for applicant's Social Security number and extended prohibition on disclosure of Social Security numbers on forms to the public or to any governmental agency, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 00-169 revised effective date of P.A. 99-268 but without affecting this section; P.A. 02-83 made a technical change for purposes of gender neutrality and required application to contain notice that applicant should contact registrars' office if applicant does not receive notice of acceptance or rejection, effective January 1, 2003; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 added new Subdiv. (7) to require application to provide space for whether applicant will be 18 years of age on or before election day, renumbered former Subdivs. (7) and (8) as Subdivs. (8) and (9), added Subdiv. (10) to require application to provide space for applicant's Connecticut motor vehicle operator's license number or, if none, the last four digits of applicant's Social Security number, and added provision to require spaces re citizenship and whether applicant will be 18 years of age to indicate that if applicant answers “No”, applicant may not complete form, effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 05-235 required application to include list of names of major parties, effective January 1, 2006.
Sec. 9-23j. Definition. As used in sections 9-7b and 9-12, subsection (a) of section 9-17, sections 9-19b, 9-19e, 9-19g, 9-19h, 9-19i, 9-20, 9-21, 9-23a, 9-23g, 9-23h, 9-23k to 9-23o, inclusive, 9-26, 9-31a, 9-32, 9-35, 9-35b, 9-35c, 9-40a, 9-42, 9-43, 9-50a, 9-56 and 9-59, “public assistance offices” means offices of state agencies that administer or provide services under the supplemental nutrition assistance, Medicaid, Women, Infants and Children, and temporary family assistance programs.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 1, 33; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 11, 165; P.A. 09-9, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 replaced a reference to “Aid to Families with Dependent Children” with “temporary family assistance”, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 09-9 replaced “food stamp” with “supplemental nutrition assistance”, effective May 4, 2009.
Sec. 9-23k. National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Coordination of state responsibilities. Enforcement. The Secretary of the State shall be the chief state election official responsible for coordination of state responsibilities under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, except that the State Elections Enforcement Commission shall be responsible for the investigation of any complaint alleging a violation of sections 9-7b and 9-12, subsection (a) of section 9-17, sections 9-19b, 9-19e, 9-19g to 9-19k, inclusive, 9-20, 9-21, 9-23a, 9-23g, 9-23h, 9-23j to 9-23o, inclusive, 9-26, 9-31a, 9-32, 9-35, 9-35b, 9-35c, 9-40a, 9-42, 9-43, 9-50a, 9-56 and 9-59 and shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of said sections by use of its powers as prescribed in section 9-7b.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 2, 33; P.A. 12-56, S. 13.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 12-56 added references to Secs. 9-19j and 9-19k, effective January 1, 2014.
Sec. 9-23l. Mail voter registration application form prescribed by Federal Election Commission. Registrars of voters shall accept the mail voter registration application form prescribed by the Federal Election Commission pursuant to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, as an application for admission as an elector for all elections in Connecticut. The procedures in subsections (c), (d), (f) and (g) of section 9-23g which are not inconsistent with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, shall apply to applications made under this section.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 3, 33.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 9-23m. Secretary to make form available. Changes to conform to federal law. The Secretary of the State shall make available for distribution the mail voter registration application form prescribed by the Federal Election Commission pursuant to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time. The secretary may make any changes in any forms required by this title which, in the opinion of the secretary, are necessary to cause said forms to conform to the provisions of applicable federal law.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 4, 33.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; (Revisor's note: In 1997 a reference to “title 9” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with “this title” for consistency with customary statutory usage).
Sec. 9-23n. Voter registration agencies. Duties. (a) As used in this section, “voter registration agency” means (1) public assistance offices, (2) all offices in the state that provide state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities, (3) libraries that are open to the public, and (4) such other appropriate offices as the Secretary of the State shall designate in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time.
(b) Voter registration agencies shall (1) distribute mail voter registration application forms, (2) assist applicants for such assistance or services in completing voter registration application forms, except for applicants who refuse such assistance, (3) accept completed voter registration application forms and provide each applicant with an application receipt, on which the agency shall record the date that the agency received the application, using an official date stamp bearing the name of the agency, and (4) immediately transmit all such applications to the registrars of voters of the town of voting residence of the applicants. The agency shall provide such receipt whether the application was submitted in person or by mail. If a registration application is accepted within five days before the last day for registration to vote in a regular election, the application shall be transmitted to the registrars of voters of the town of voting residence of the applicant not later than five days after the date of acceptance. The voter registration agency shall indicate on the completed mail voter registration application form, without indicating the identity of the voter registration agency, the date of its acceptance by such agency, to ensure that any eligible applicant is registered to vote in an election if it is received by the registration agency by the last day for registration to vote in an election. If a state-funded program primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities provides services to a person with a disability at the person's home, the agency shall provide such voter registration services at the person's home. The procedures in subsections (c), (d), (f) and (g) of section 9-23g that are not inconsistent with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, shall apply to applications made under this section. Officials and employees of such voter registration agencies are not admitting officials, as defined in section 9-17a, and may not restore, under the provisions of section 9-46a, electoral privileges of persons convicted of a felony.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 6, 33; P.A. 99-112, S. 2; P.A. 02-83, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-112 divided existing provisions into Subsec. (a) which defines “voter registration agency” and Subsec. (b) which sets out the duties of voter registration agencies; P.A. 02-83 amended Subsec. (b) to make technical changes and to require voter registration agencies to provide applicants with application receipts, effective January 1, 2003.
Sec. 9-23o. Distribution of form by voter registration agencies. Declinations. Assistance. A voter registration agency, as defined in section 9-23n shall comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, and shall distribute with each application for service or assistance provided by the agency, and with each recertification, renewal or change of address form relating to such service or assistance a mail voter registration application form approved by the Secretary of the State unless the applicant declines to register to vote pursuant to the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time. Such declination shall be in writing, except in the case of an application for service or assistance provided by a library, or a recertification, renewal or change of address form relating to such library service or assistance. Such voter registration agency shall provide each applicant to register to vote the same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the registration application form as is provided by the agency with regard to the completion of its own forms, unless the applicant refuses such assistance.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 7, 33; P.A. 99-112, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-112 made technical changes.
Sec. 9-23p. Public institutions of higher education to distribute voter registration application forms and provide assistance. Each public institution of higher education shall (1) distribute mail voter registration application forms, and (2) assist applicants who request assistance in completing voter registration application forms.
Sec. 9-23q. State-wide student voter registration drive. The Secretary of the State shall annually designate, after consultation with registrars of voters, a period of time between January first and May thirty-first for a state-wide student voter registration drive and shall coordinate and publicize such drive.
(P.A. 03-54, S. 1.)
Sec. 9-23r. Submission of identifying information with mail voter registration application. (a) On or after January 1, 2003, any person who is applying, by mail, to register to vote for the first time in this state may submit as part of such voter registration application: (1) A copy of a current and valid photo identification, (2) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows the name and address of the voter, (3) a valid Connecticut motor vehicle operator's license number, or (4) the last four digits of the individual's Social Security number. Members of the armed forces and persons entitled to use the federal post card application for absentee ballots under section 9-153a are not required to provide identification when registering by mail. No information submitted as part of a voter registration application under this subsection shall be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act pursuant to chapter 14, except for the name, address, date of birth and telephone number of the applicant.
(b) If an individual submits such information pursuant to this section as part of the individual's voter registration application and, with respect to subdivision (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of this section, the registrars of voters are able to match the information submitted with an existing Connecticut identification record bearing the same number, name and date of birth as provided, such individual shall not be required to produce identification when voting in person or by absentee ballot and may sign a statement as described in subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-261 in lieu of presenting identification when voting in person.
(c) Any additional documentation submitted as part of the voter registration application pursuant to this section may be destroyed by the registrars of voters after verification pursuant to the Help America Vote Act, P.L. 107-252, as amended from time to time.
(d) If an individual described in subsection (a) of this section does not submit the identification described in subsection (a) of this section as part of the individual's application for admission as an elector, when the individual has entered the polling place in an election for federal office, the individual shall present: (1) A current and valid photo identification, or (2) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If an individual does not meet the requirements of this subsection in an election for federal office, such individual may cast a provisional ballot prescribed under sections 9-232i to 9-232o, inclusive.
(e) If an individual described in subsection (a) of this section does not submit the identification described in subsection (a) of this section as part of the individual's application for admission as an elector, and if the individual votes by absentee ballot in an election for federal office, the individual shall enclose in the outer absentee ballot envelope, and not in the inner envelope with the ballot: (1) A copy of a current and valid photo identification, or (2) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If an individual does not meet the requirements of this subsection in an election for federal office, such individual's absentee ballot shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 9-150a and treated as a provisional ballot for federal office only, pursuant to sections 9-232i to 9-232o, inclusive.
(June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 90; P.A. 05-188, S. 2.)
History: June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 05-188 amended Subsec. (a) to prohibit disclosure of information submitted as part of application, except for name, address, date of birth and telephone number of applicant, effective July 1, 2005.
See Sec. 9-232i for definition of “election for federal office”.
Sec. 9-24. Admission as electors of persons in armed forces; definitions. As used in sections 9-25 to 9-31, inclusive, the term “members of the armed forces” shall include members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force or Merchant Marine of the United States, or any of their respective components.
(1949 Rev., S. 1022; 1953, S. 526d; P.A. 73-630, S. 7, 19.)
History: P.A. 73-630 deleted provision concerning period of residency.
Sec. 9-25. Admission of members of the armed forces as electors. The town clerk or assistant town clerk or either registrar of voters or deputy or assistant registrar, on any week day and at any time before five o'clock p.m. on the last week day before any regular election, when requested in writing by any member of the armed forces desiring to be made an elector, or by any former member of the armed forces discharged therefrom within the calendar year immediately preceding such request, may forthwith examine the qualifications of such person and admit him to the elector's oath if he is qualified.
(1949 Rev., S. 1021; 1953, S. 527d; 1969, P.A. 718, S. 1; P.A. 75-9, S. 1, 2.)
History: 1969 act added provision for former member of armed forces discharged within calendar year immediately preceding request to be eligible for special session; P.A. 75-9 substituted town clerk and other officials for board of admission, deleted “hold a special session” leaving provision to examine qualifications forthwith.
Sec. 9-25a. Definitions. As used in this section and sections 9-26 and 9-28, “armed forces” has the meaning provided in section 27-103; “member of the Merchant Marine” means a person, other than a member of the armed forces, employed as an officer or member of the crew of a vessel documented under the laws of the United States, or of a vessel owned by the United States, or of a vessel of foreign-flag registry under charter to or control of the United States, or a person, other than a member of the armed forces, enrolled with the United States for employment, or for training for employment, or maintained by the United States for emergency relief service, as an officer or member of the crew of any such vessel, but does not include persons so employed, or enrolled for such employment or for training for such employment, or maintained for such emergency relief services, on the Great Lakes or the inland waterways; “dependent” means any person who in fact is dependent; and “induction into the armed forces” shall be construed to include the latest reenlistment in the armed forces.
(1963, P.A. 403, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 210; P.A. 73-630, S. 8, 19; P.A. 81-350, S. 7, 17; P.A. 93-384, S. 19, 28; P.A. 14-122, S. 83.)
History: 1965 act defined “induction into the armed forces”; P.A. 73-630 added “bona fide” to residence and clarified “town in this state in which he last resided” with respect to spouse or dependent; P.A. 81-350 eliminated a definition of the term “town in this state in which he last resided”; P.A. 93-384 deleted provision applying definitions to Sec. 9-27, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 14-122 made technical changes.
Sec. 9-26. Application of member of armed forces or related group or person temporarily residing outside of the United States who is unable to appear in person. Any person who, because of service in the armed forces, membership in the United States Merchant Marine, membership in a religious or welfare group or agency attached to and serving with the armed forces or civilian employment with the United States or because he is a spouse or dependent of any such person, and any person who because of temporary residence outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District of Columbia, may, at any time, in the manner and upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, make application, in person or by mail, to the town clerk of such town for such examination and for admission as an elector. Upon such form, signed by the applicant, he shall state under penalties of perjury, his name, bona fide residence by street and number, if any, in such town and date of birth, and that he is, at the time of making such application, a citizen of the United States. He shall also state that he is (1) a member of the armed forces, of the merchant marine or of a religious or welfare group or agency attached to and serving with the armed forces, (2) a civilian employee of the United States, (3) a spouse or dependent of any person described in subdivision (1) or (2), or (4) a person temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District of Columbia. The person shall also state the date of his induction into such armed forces or the date of his joining the merchant marine or such religious or welfare group or agency or of his entering United States employment or moving temporarily outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District of Columbia; whether his privileges as an elector are forfeited by reason of conviction of crime; and whether he is, at the time of making such application, registered as an elector in any other town in this or any other state. The application form shall provide for application for enrollment in any political party and shall indicate that such enrollment is optional. No Social Security number on any such form filed prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to any governmental agency. The town clerk may accept such fully completed form as evidence of the qualifications of the applicant to be admitted as an elector. The application for admission as an elector shall include a statement that (A) specifies each eligibility requirement, (B) contains an attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement and (C) requires the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury. In lieu of the application form prescribed by the secretary under this section, any such person may apply for registration and enrollment on the federal postcard application form provided pursuant to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 100 Stat. 924, 42 USC 1973ff et seq., as amended from time to time, or any other applicable law.
(1949 Rev., S. 1023; 1953, S. 528d; 1961, P.A. 266, S. 3; 1963, P.A. 403, S. 2; February, 1965, P.A. 407, S. 9; 1967, P.A. 390, S. 3; 1969, P.A. 694, S. 3; 1972, P.A. 264, S. 3; P.A. 73-630, S. 11, 19; P.A. 79-366, S. 1; P.A. 80-281, S. 5, 31; P.A. 81-350, S. 8, 17; 81-472, S. 7, 159; P.A. 82-472, S. 25, 183; P.A. 83-391, S. 6, 24; P.A. 93-30, S. 10, 14; 93-230, S. 3, 8; 93-384, S. 20, 28; P.A. 94-121, S. 20, 33; P.A. 99-268, S. 42, 46; P.A. 00-169, S. 22.)
History: 1961 act added requirement that, if applicant acquired citizenship by reason of being born abroad of a United States citizen parent or through the naturalization of a parent or spouse, he must present evidence of citizenship as prescribed in Sec. 9-27; 1963 act extended absentee admission privilege to members of the United States merchant marine and of religious or welfare groups or agencies attached to and serving with the armed forces, to civilian employees of the United States and to spouses or dependents of any such persons and provided that attestation of the application form may be executed by a consul, vice consul or deputy consul representing the United States in a foreign country in addition to a commissioned officer in the armed forces; 1965 act amended requirement for information on length of time in residency to include only in such town; 1967 act deleted requirement in case of married woman for information on the date of marriage and birthplace of husband, added requirement for information on maiden name and deleted requirement for applicant who was foreign born to furnish documentary evidence of citizenship, effective January 1, 1968; 1969 act changed reading requirements to any article of the constitution or any section of the statutes; 1972 act changed inability to appear before board for admission to inability to appear at office of town clerk or registrars or at any session of the board, and further provided for town clerk rather than board to accept fully completed form, effective January 1, 1973; P.A. 73-630 deleted certain provisions applying only to spouses or dependents and deleted requirement that form contain attestation concerning the ability to read the English language; P.A. 79-366 deleted requirement for information as to single or married status, and, if married woman, name of husband and maiden name; P.A. 80-281 added provision that members of the armed forces or merchant marine and their spouses and dependents may use the federal postcard application form in lieu of form prescribed and that failure of applicant to take elector's oath of Connecticut on such postcard application will not invalidate the application; P.A. 81-350 clarified that application is to be made to the clerk or board for admission of electors of the town in which the applicant is a bona fide resident at the time of application; P.A. 81-472 and P.A. 82-472 made technical corrections; P.A. 83-391 deleted references to sessions of board for admission of electors and provided for administration of elector's oath in a foreign country by any American citizen; P.A. 93-30 updated reference to federal act, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-230 added provisions re request for applicant to furnish his Social Security number, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 93-384 extended provisions of section to persons having temporary residence outside the United States and the District of Columbia, provided for application form to be prescribed by secretary of the state instead of the form prescribed in Sec. 9-27, required form to provide for application for enrollment and required applicant to complete form and self-administer oath under penalties of false statement instead of taking oath before an official, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 94-121 repealed applicability to persons who expect to be unable to appear in person for examination, substituted “penalties of perjury” for “penalties of false statement”, repealed requirement that applicant state birthplace and requirements re elector's oath and added provision re statement required to be included in application, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-268 repealed requirement that form include request for applicant to furnish Social Security number and extended prohibition on disclosure of Social Security numbers on forms to the public or to any governmental agency, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 00-169 revised effective date of P.A. 99-268 but without affecting this section.
Sec. 9-28. Town clerk to mail forms. Either registrar of any town may, in writing, direct the town clerk to mail a copy of the form prescribed in section 9-26, with an envelope for its return, to the last-known address of any person who, in the opinion of such registrar possesses the qualifications required of an applicant for admission as an elector under the provisions of section 9-26, and the town clerk shall forthwith comply with such direction. Upon request to the town clerk by any person, a copy of such form, with an envelope for its return, shall be mailed by the town clerk to any member of the armed forces, of the merchant marine or of any religious or welfare group or agency attached to and serving with the armed forces or any civilian employee of the United States employed outside of this state or to the spouse or a dependent of any of such persons or to any person temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District of Columbia, or it may be delivered in person if so requested.
(1949 Rev., S. 1026; 1953, S. 530d; 1963, P.A. 403, S. 4; P.A. 73-630, S. 9, 19; P.A. 93-384, S. 22, 28.)
History: 1963 act extended provision to groups allied with armed forces, U.S. civilian employees, spouses and dependents; P.A. 73-630 deleted requirement that extract from Connecticut constitution and statutes be mailed with the form; P.A. 93-384 deleted references to Sec. 9-27 and required mailing of form to “any person temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District of Columbia”, effective January 1, 1994.
Sec. 9-29. Printing and distribution of forms. The Secretary of the State shall cause to be printed, at the expense of the state, a sufficient quantity of such forms and envelopes and shall distribute to each town such number of copies thereof as the town clerk thereof requests or as the Secretary of the State deems sufficient.
(1949 Rev., S. 1027; 1953, S. 531d; P.A. 73-630, S. 10, 19.)
History: P.A. 73-630 deleted requirement for printing of extracts from the constitution and statutes.
Sec. 9-30. Action by town clerk. Notice. Appeal from rejection of application. All such applications shall be examined by the town clerk and, after such examination, he shall decide upon the right of the applicant to be admitted as an elector. If the town clerk decides that such applicant possesses all the qualifications required by law of applicants for admission as electors, he shall so certify, in writing, upon the form submitted by such applicant, who shall thereupon be an elector and shall be so advised in writing by the clerk. Said clerk shall forthwith notify, by mail, any person whose application to be admitted as an elector under the provisions of sections 9-26 to 9-29, inclusive, is denied, with his reasons therefor. The applicant may appeal the rejection of his application under section 9-31l.
(1949 Rev., S. 1024; 1953, S. 532d; 1972, P.A. 264, S. 2; P.A. 81-350, S. 14, 17.)
History: 1972 act deleted references to board for admission substituting the town clerk therefor; P.A. 81-350 amended section to delete reference to reexamination and refer to appeal under Sec. 9-31l.
Sec. 9-31. Application of other statutes. All provisions of the general statutes relating to electors, not inconsistent with the provisions of sections 9-24 to 9-30, inclusive, shall apply to electors admitted under the provisions of said sections, except that the provisions of section 9-21 shall not apply to electors admitted under the provisions of sections 9-26 to 9-30, inclusive.
(1949 Rev., S. 1028; 1953, S. 533d.)
Sec. 9-31a. Special admission procedures for permanently physically disabled persons. (a) As used in this section and section 9-31b, “permanently physically disabled person” means a person who, by reason of a major defect or infirmity of body, whether congenital or acquired by accident, injury or disease, is permanently physically incapacitated to a degree that prevents him and will continue to prevent him from appearing in person at the office of the town clerk or registrars of the town where he temporarily or permanently resides.
(b) Any permanently physically disabled person may, in the manner prescribed under this section and upon a form as prescribed under section 9-31b, apply to the town clerk or either registrar of voters of such town for examination and admission as an elector of any Connecticut town. (1) In the case of a permanently physically disabled person whose qualifications as to age, citizenship or residence in such town are attained on or before the last session for admission of electors prior to an election to be held in the town, the application shall be submitted so that it will be received by such town clerk or either registrar of voters not later than such last session. Upon receipt of the application, the town clerk or either registrar of voters shall notify the applicant of the day, and the hour, such day to be within ten days of the receipt of the application, at which an admitting official shall meet with the applicant at the temporary or permanent residence of the applicant. (2) In the case of a permanently physically disabled person whose qualifications as to age, citizenship or residence in such town are attained after the last session for admission of electors prior to an election to be held in the town, the application shall be submitted so that it will be received by such town clerk or either registrar of voters not later than the opening of the limited session for the admission of electors held, under section 9-17, on the last weekday prior to the election. Upon receipt of the application, the town clerk or either registrar of voters shall notify the applicant of the day, and the hour, such day and hour to be not later than 5:00 p.m. on the last weekday before the election, at which an admitting official shall meet with the applicant at the temporary or permanent residence of the applicant.
(c) Such admitting official shall meet at the appointed time with the applicant for the purpose of examining his qualifications as an elector and for the purpose of admitting him as an elector if the applicant is found qualified. Such official shall make available to the applicant at such time, upon request, a copy of the statement that specifies each eligibility requirement and contains an attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement (1) in video form in accordance with procedures established by the registrars of voters and (2) in braille, large print and audio form. Such official shall provide the applicant with a written notice of approval or disapproval at that time, except as otherwise provided in section 9-19e. Any person making application for registration under this section shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector and party enrollment, if applicable, from the time such application for admission as an elector is approved by the town clerk or registrars of voters of his voting residence.
(1959, P.A. 200, S. 1, 2, 5; 1969, P.A. 198, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 10; P.A. 75-567, S. 59, 80; P.A. 83-391, S. 7, 24; P.A. 84-319, S. 8, 49; P.A. 85-613, S. 89, 154; P.A. 88-48, S. 3; P.A. 89-234, S. 2; P.A. 91-351, S. 25, 28; P.A. 94-121, S. 21, 33.)
History: 1969 act provided that application by mail may be made to either registrar as well as town clerk, to be mailed so as not to be received later than three weeks, in lieu of three months, prior to next regular election and that upon receipt, applicant to be notified of day and hour within two weeks, in lieu of two months, of receipt at which time, at place of confinement applicant to be examined by either town clerk or a registrar and made admission conditioned on approval of application by board; 1971 act added “at the office of the town clerk or registrars” to any session held by board, as places where physical incapacity prevents attendance, substituted admitting official for town clerk or registrars and deleted reference to admission subject to approval of board; P.A. 75-567 deleted reference to Sec. 9-31c re applicability of definitions; P.A. 83-391 eliminated references to board for admission of electors and to Secs. 9-16 and 9-22; P.A. 84-319 amended section to provide uniformity in statutes pertaining to on-location admissions sessions for handicapped persons, students and patients at hospitals and nursing homes; P.A. 85-613 made technical changes; P.A. 88-48 divided section into Subsecs. And added Subsec. (b)(2) establishing procedure for admission of permanently physically disabled persons after last session for admission prior to election; P.A. 89-234 amended Subsec. (c) to require admitting official to make elector's oath available in video, braille, large print and audio form; P.A. 91-351 substituted “ten days” for “two weeks” in Subsec. (b); P.A. 94-121 amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “admitting him as an elector” for “administering the elector's oath” and “statement that specifies each eligibility requirement and contains an attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement” for “elector's oath”, effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 9-31b. Application form. Such application shall be in form substantially as follows:
APPLICATION OF PERMANENTLY PHYSICALLY DISABLED
PERSON FOR ADMISSION AS AN ELECTOR
To the Town Clerk of the town of .... or to the registrar of voters of the .... Party of the town of .... I hereby apply for admission as an elector:
(1) My name is .... (last name) (first name) (initial).
(2) My bona fide residence is .... (street and number), but I am presently residing at .... (street, number and town if different from residence above).
(3) I am a permanently physically disabled person and my permanent physical disability prevents me and will continue to prevent me from appearing in person at your office.
(4) I am a United States Citizen who has attained the age of eighteen and my electoral privileges are not forfeited by reason of conviction of any disfranchising crime.
Dated at ...., Connecticut, this .... day of ...., 20...
.... (Signature of Applicant)
(1959, P.A. 200, S. 3; 684, S. 4; February, 1965, P.A. 407, S. 4; 1967, P.A. 390, S. 5; 1969, P.A. 198, S. 2; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 11; 871, S. 65; P.A. 73-630, S. 17, 19; P.A. 78-153, S. 8, 32; P.A. 83-391, S. 8, 24; P.A. 84-319, S. 9, 49.)
History: 1965 act deleted section of form for continuous residence in Connecticut; 1967 act deleted date of marriage and birthplace of husband and whether husband alien or native born in reference to married women, added provision to include maiden name and deleted provision for occupation, effective January 1, 1968; 1969 act changed title of application by deleting “for special session” and adding “of permanently physically disabled person” and added “or to the registrar of voters of the ... Party of the town of ....” to the address line; 1971 acts added provision in form for recital of incapacity to prevent applicant from appearing in person at office of town clerk and registrars of voters as well as session held by board, substituted penalty of false statement for penalty of perjury; P.A. 73-630 substituted “my bona fide residence is” for “I reside at”; P.A. 78-153 removed section where marital status to be checked, also section where married woman to indicate name of husband and maiden name, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 83-391 deleted reference to board for admission of electors; P.A. 84-319 amended section to provide uniformity in statutes pertaining to on-location admission sessions for handicapped persons, students and patients at hospitals and nursing homes; (Revisor's note: In 2001 the reference in this section to the date “19..” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “20..” to reflect the new millennium).
Sec. 9-31d. Town clerk or registrar to provide forms. The form of application provided for in section 9-31a shall be provided by the town clerk or either registrar of voters of the town in which the individual desiring to make application resides.
(1961, P. A. 144, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 198, S. 4; P.A. 75-83, S. 1.)
History: 1969 act added either registrar of voters as providing application form; P.A. 75-83 deleted provision for physician's certificate.
Secs. 9-31e to 9-31k. Transfer of voting privileges between towns. Application for transfer and enrollment. Cancellation of registration in prior town. Town clerk's compensation. Reexamination of rejected applicant. Appeal from decision of admitting official. Sections 9-31e to 9-31k, inclusive, are repealed.
(1963, P.A. 392, S. 1–5; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 14–16; P.A. 79-143, S. 4; P.A. 81-350, S. 16, 17.)
Sec. 9-31l. Appeals of decisions re right of person to be or remain an elector. (a)(1) A person who is denied admission as an elector may appeal a decision of an admitting official of a town concerning the right of such person to be or remain an elector. Any such appeal shall be made to the registrars of voters of such town, except that if the admitting official who made such decision is a registrar of voters, the appeal shall be made to the board for admission of electors of such town.
(2) Notice of an appeal shall be in writing and delivered to the registrars or to the board for admission of electors. Within seven days after receipt of a notice of appeal, the registrars or the board, as the case may be, shall give written notice of the time and place where such appeal will be heard to the appellant and to the admitting official whose decision is the subject of the appeal. Such appeal shall be heard within twenty-one days after notice of the appeal is delivered to the registrars or the board. Neither a registrar whose decision is the subject of the appeal nor a registrar who is an appellant shall be a voting member of the board which hears the appeal.
(3) The registrars or the board may receive sworn testimony and any other evidence relating to the qualifications of such person to be or remain an elector.
(4) Within seven days after hearing an appeal, the registrars or the board shall render a decision and shall send written notice of the decision to the appellant and the admitting official whose decision was the subject of the appeal.
(b) (1) The person whose right to be or remain an elector is in dispute may appeal the decision of the registrars or the board for the admission of electors under subsection (a) of this section to the State Elections Enforcement Commission. If an appeal is not made to the commission as provided in this subsection, the decision of the registrars or the board shall be final.
(2) Any such appeal shall be in writing and filed with the State Elections Enforcement Commission at its principal offices not later than fourteen days following the decision of the registrars or the board. A copy of any such notice of appeal shall also be delivered within such time to the registrars or the board that rendered the decision under subsection (a) of this section.
(3) The registrars or the board shall, not later than ten days after receipt of a copy of the notice of appeal, deliver the record of the hearing of the registrars or board under subsection (a) of this section to the commission.
(4) The commission shall hear such appeal not later than twenty-one days after notice of appeal is filed with the commission. Such hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and section 4-181a. The commission may consider the record of the hearing delivered by the registrars or the board and may examine witnesses, documents and any other evidence that it determines may have a bearing on the proper determination of the issues brought on appeal. The commission's hearing shall be recorded.
(5) The commission shall render its decision not later than sixty days after the close of its hearing, except that an extension of time may be granted by the commission upon application of any party that sets forth circumstances that the commission determines is appropriate to granting an extension of time. The commission may also initiate an extension of time for rendering its decision, after written notice to the parties, provided all of the parties before the commission give their prior written consent.
(6) The decision of the commission shall determine the person's right to be or remain an elector. If any such decision is adverse to such individual's right, the commission shall order both registrars to remove the elector's name from the town's active and inactive registry list and any enrollment list. Any person whose name has been so removed may reapply for admission as an elector with the registrars of voters of the same town at any time. If such application is made within four years after the commission's decision, both registrars may approve such application only after they find that there has been a substantial change in the circumstances that provided the basis for the commission's decision and that the individual is eligible to be an elector. Registrars who approve an individual's application for admission within this time period without a substantial change in circumstances may be subject to a civil penalty imposed by the commission in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-7b if the commission determines, following a written complaint filed with the commission pursuant to said section 9-7b, that the registrars' action was without good cause and constitutes a wilful violation of a prior order of the commission.
(P.A. 81-350, S. 1, 17; P.A. 05-235, S. 7; P.A. 06-196, S. 51.)
History: P.A. 05-235 redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (a)(1), redesignated existing Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) as Subdivs. (2), (3) and (4), respectively, of Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (a)(2) to prohibit a registrar who is an appellant from being a voting member of the board hearing the appeal, made conforming changes throughout Subsec. (a) and added new Subsec. (b) allowing appeal of decision of registrars or board to State Elections Enforcement Commission, effective July 1, 2005; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(4), effective June 7, 2006.
Sec. 9-32. Canvass to ascertain changes of residence. (a) In each municipality the registrars, between January first and May first, annually, shall cause either (1) a complete house to house canvass to be made in person of each residence on each street, avenue or road within such municipality, (2) a complete canvass to be made by mail of each residence located on each street, avenue or road within such municipality, provided, upon agreement of both registrars, the National Change of Address System of the United States Postal Service may be used instead of such mailing, (3) a complete canvass to be made by telephone of each residence located on each street, avenue or road within such municipality, or (4) a complete canvass of each residence within such municipality by any combination of such methods, for the purpose of ascertaining the name of any elector formerly residing on such street, avenue or road who has removed therefrom; provided in the odd-numbered years, no canvass need be conducted by the registrars in a town which holds its regular municipal election on the first Monday of May in odd-numbered years. The Secretary of the State shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 setting forth the procedure to be followed in conducting any such canvass by either mail or telephone.
(b) No elector's name shall be removed from the registry list, pursuant to section 9-35, unless (1) the elector confirms in writing that the elector has moved out of the municipality, or (2) the elector has been sent, by forwardable mail, a notice and a postage prepaid preaddressed return card in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, four years prior to removal from the registry list and such elector has failed to respond and has not restored the elector's name to the active registry list under section 9-42 or voted in an election or primary in the municipality during the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending four years later. If a registrar or a registrar's designee conducts a telephone canvass, a telephone call by any such person shall constitute an attempt to contact the elector only if the elector's household has a published telephone number and the telephone is in operating order. If a registrar, or a registrar's designee, during a telephone canvass contacts a telecommunication device for the deaf in an elector's household, such call shall not constitute an attempt to contact the elector unless the registrar, or the registrar's designee, uses a similar device or uses a message relay center. No elector's name shall be removed from the active registry list pursuant to said section 9-35 as a result of information obtained during a telephone canvass, unless the registrar believes such information is reliable and sufficient to enable the registrar to determine if the elector is entitled to remain on the list under the provisions of this chapter.
(c) During any such canvass, a canvasser may distribute nonpartisan literature, prescribed by the Secretary of the State, which describes opportunities for voter registration. No Social Security number obtained by the registrars during the canvass prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to any governmental agency. Each municipality shall provide its registrars of voters with funds sufficient to conduct the annual canvass in accordance with the requirements of this section. Not later than the thirtieth day following each regular election held in a municipality, the registrars of the municipality shall file with the Secretary of the State a certificate that the canvass was conducted prior to the election in accordance with the requirements of this section. The certificate shall be on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, shall specify the method or methods by which, and the date or dates on which, the canvass was conducted, and shall be signed under penalty of false statement by all registrars of voters of the municipality.
(1949 Rev. S. 1001; 1953, S. 534d; 1967, P.A. 55; 831, S. 7; 1969, P.A. 76; P.A. 75-7, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-379, S. 1, 3; P.A. 82-426, S. 2, 14; P.A. 83-475, S. 5, 43; P.A. 87-382, S. 4, 55; P.A. 88-37, S. 1; 88-193; P.A. 90-156, S. 4, 11; P.A. 93-384, S. 8, 28; P.A. 94-121, S. 22, 33; P.A. 99-268, S. 43, 46; P.A. 00-66, S. 17; 00-169, S. 22.)
History: 1967 acts deleted application limited to municipalities having population of more than 5,000 and in later act provided for P.A. 55 to take effect with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 1968; 1969 act added requirement that the canvass be made house to house and in person; P.A. 75-7 further provided that canvasser be permitted to distribute nonpartisan literature prescribed by the secretary of the state on opportunities for voter registration; P.A. 80-379 provided for canvass by mail as an alternative, under regulations to be adopted by the secretary of the state, effective January 1, 1981; P.A. 82-426 amended section to allow canvass by combination of mail and personal contact in new Subdiv. (3); P.A. 83-475 established earlier date for conducting canvass, required municipalities to provide registrars with sufficient funds to conduct canvass and required registrars to certify that canvass has been conducted; P.A. 87-382 substituted “one hundred eighty days” for “six months” and “the thirtieth day” for “one month”; P.A. 88-37 added a new Subdiv. (3) authorizing a telephone canvass, renumbered the remaining subdivision and added the provision concerning canvass requirements prior to removal of a name from the registry list; P.A. 88-193 amended the section by making technical changes and added the provision re deaf electors; P.A. 90-156 added Subpara. (B), allowing elector's name to be removed from registry list if registrar receives signed notice of canvass card, indicating that elector has moved out of municipality; P.A. 93-384 amended Subdiv. (2) to authorize registrars to use National Change of Address System instead of mailing, included said system as one of the two methods of contacting an elector required before his name may be removed from list and added provisions re request for elector to furnish his Social Security number, effective January 1, 1994; P.A. 94-121 substituted “between January first and May first, annually” for “within the period of one hundred eighty days before the Tuesday of the fifth week before each regular election to be held in such municipality”, substituted “in the odd-numbered years, no canvass need be conducted by the registrars in a town which holds its regular municipal election on the first Monday of May in odd-numbered years” for “not more than one such canvass need be made in any municipality in any period of twelve consecutive months”, and substantially revised conditions for removing elector's name from registry list, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-268 repealed requirement that registrars, during the canvass, request elector to provide Social Security number and extended prohibition on disclosure of Social Security numbers obtained during canvass to the public or to any governmental agency, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 00-66 divided section into Subsecs. and made technical changes; P.A. 00-169 revised effective date of P.A. 99-268 but without affecting this section.
Cited. 28 CS 362.
Sec. 9-35. Making and arrangement of preliminary list. Active and inactive registry lists. Removal of names. Change of address within municipality. (a) The registrars, on the Tuesday of the fifth week before each regular election, shall be in session for the purpose of completing a correct list of all electors who will be entitled to vote at such election. Such registry list shall consist of an active registry list and an inactive registry list. Such session shall be held during such hours between nine o'clock a.m. and five o'clock p.m. as the registrars find necessary to complete the list. Notice of such session shall be given at least five days before the session by publication in a newspaper having a circulation in such municipality, if any, and by posting on the signpost therein, if any, or at some other exterior place near the office of the town clerk. Such publication shall not be required to be in the form of a legal advertisement.
(b) At such session and on any day except on the day of an election or primary, the registrars shall remove from the list the name of each elector who has died, who has been disfranchised or who has confirmed in writing that the elector has moved out of the municipality, except electors entitled to remain on such list under the provisions of this chapter. An elector shall be deemed to have confirmed in writing that the elector has moved out of the municipality if (1) the elector has submitted a change of address form for purposes of a state motor vehicle operator's license, unless the elector states on the form that the change of address is not for voter registration purposes, (2) the elector has submitted a change of address form to a voter registration agency, as defined in section 9-23n, and such agency has provided such change of address to the registrars of voters, or (3) the registrars of voters have received a cancellation of previous registration from any other election official indicating that such elector has registered as an elector outside such municipality.
(c) Whenever the registrars of voters of a town remove from the registry list the name of an elector who has submitted a change of address to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or a voter registration agency under subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (b) of this section, indicating that the elector has moved out of such town, the registrars shall send the elector, by forwardable mail to the elector's former address from such list or current address in the new town, (1) a notice of removal, (2) information explaining how to have the elector's name restored to such list, which shall be in a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, and (3) a mail-in voter registration application which can be used by the elector to apply for admission as an elector in the new town. If such notice, information and application are sent to the elector's former address and are returned undeliverable, the registrars shall mail such documents to the elector's address in the new town.
d) The registrars shall enter the names on such list by street and number of the house, when the houses are numbered, so that there shall be entered on the list first, the street, avenue or road; second, the number of the house or residence in numerical order or, if the registrars of any town find it more convenient, by odd and even numbers in numerical order; and third, the names of the electors in such house in alphabetical order. The names of any electors who cannot be so listed shall be listed alphabetically in the voting district wherein any such elector is a bona fide resident. The registrars of voters may consecutively number the names on the registry list, may include voter identification numbers for the names on the registry list, and may include a mark, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State, next to the name of each first-time registrant on the system who registers to vote on or after January 1, 2003, and does not provide identification with his or her mail-in voter registration application as provided in the Help America Vote Act, P.L. 107-252, as amended from time to time, provided such list shall comply in all respects with the requirements of law other than for the addition of such numbers and marks. The registrars shall not use Social Security numbers for any such voter identification numbers.
(e) In any case in which the registrars have obtained reliable information of an elector's change of address within the municipality, the registrars shall enter the name of such elector on the registry list at the place where the elector then resides, provided, if such reliable information is the National Change of Address System of the United States Postal Service, the registrar shall change the registry list and send the elector a notice of the change by forwardable mail and a postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the elector may verify or correct the address information. If during the canvass the registrars determine that an elector has moved out of the municipality and such elector has not confirmed in writing that the elector has moved out of the municipality, the registrars shall, not later than May first, send to the elector, by forwardable mail, a notice required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, together with a postage prepaid preaddressed return card on which the elector may state the elector's current address. In the year of a presidential preference primary, the registrars shall send such notice not earlier than the date of such primary. If the registrar does not receive the return card within thirty days after it is sent, the elector's name, including the name of an elector who has not voted in two consecutive federal elections, shall be placed on the inactive registry list for four years. At the expiration of such period of time on the inactive registry list, such name shall be removed from the registry list. If such elector applies to restore the elector's name to the active registry list or votes during such period, the elector's name shall be restored to the active registry list. Such registrars shall retain a duplicate copy or record of each such notice in their office or, if the registrars do not have a permanent office, in the office space provided under section 9-5a, and shall note on such duplicate copy or record the date on which such notice was mailed. In each municipality, any elector, upon change of residence within the municipality, may cause the elector's registration to be transferred to the elector's new address by presenting to the registrars a new application for voter registration. The registrars shall thereupon enter the elector's name on the list at the elector's new residence; provided no transfer of registration shall be made on the registry list on election day without the consent of each registrar.
(1949 Rev., S. 1001; 1953, 1955, S. 537d; 1961, P.A. 61; 1963, P.A. 174; 645, S. 5; P.A. 75-287, S. 1; P.A. 77-283, S. 1; P.A. 79-189, S. 4, 9; P.A. 83-213, S. 4; 83-391, S. 9, 24; 83-475, S. 6, 43; P.A. 84-146, S. 4; P.A. 88-37, S. 2; 88-48, S. 4, 5; P.A. 89-19, S. 1, 4; P.A. 94-121, S. 23, 33; P.A. 97-154, S. 24, 27; P.A. 98-67, S. 1, 10; P.A. 99-112, S. 5; P.A. 00-66, S. 18; P.A. 02-130, S. 16; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 93; P.A. 13-290, S. 1.)
History: 1961 act added requirement that notice of removal of an elector's name must specify the cause of removal and voting privileges to which elector is entitled; 1963 acts made technical change in language; P.A. 75-287 added provision that at any time prior to the session held on the Tuesday of the fifth week the registrars may notify an elector that his name will be removed from the registry list 60 days after the sending of the notice unless a transfer or continuance is effected except that if notice is sent within 60 days of that session, the name will be removed at that session and, unless a transfer or continuance is effected not later than 7 days before such election, the registration shall remain cancelled and also provided that if notice is sent within 60 days before the session on the third Saturday before a primary, the name shall be removed after such primary, further provided that where a registration within a municipality is being transferred to a new address no changes shall be made during the 5 days before a primary, caucus or convention; P.A. 77-283 changed wording but made no substantive change; P.A. 79-189 changed reference to “third Saturday” before a primary to “fourteenth day”; P.A. 83-213 deleted obsolete provisions concerning registrars' duties relating to making of preliminary registry list; P.A. 83-391 authorized removal of elector's name from registry list without notice if elector has indicated that he is no longer a bona fide resident of the municipality; P.A. 83-475 permitted change of address within municipality to be made on election day with permission of both registrars; P.A. 84-146 included a reference to posting of notice on a place other than a signpost; P.A. 88-37 authorized the registrar to publish a legal notice of an elector's removal as an alternative to sending a notice of removal if the notice of canvass was returned to the registrar marked undeliverable; P.A. 88-48 required session to be held “during such hours between nine o'clock a.m. and five o'clock p.m. as the registrars find necessary to complete the list” instead of “continuously from nine o'clock a.m. to five o'clock p.m.”; P.A. 89-19 deleted provision requiring list to be alphabetical in each municipality having population of less than 5,000; P.A. 94-121 specified that registry list consists of active and inactive lists, substantially modified procedures for removing electors' names from list and provided for certain electors' names to be placed on inactive list, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 97-154 deleted provision specifying that four-year period, during which elector's name must be on inactive registry list, starts on date notice was sent, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-67 authorized registrars to send notice of removal to elector's current address in the new town and to include voter identification numbers for names on registry list, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-112 made technical changes; P.A. 00-66 divided section into Subsecs. and made technical changes; P.A. 02-130 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that publication of notice of registrars' session not required to be in form of legal advertisement, effective May 10, 2002; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (d) to allow registrars to include mark next to name of first-time registrant who does not provide identification with mail-in voter registration application, and amended Subsec. (e) to require inclusion of name of elector who has not voted in two consecutive federal elections on inactive registry list, effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 13-290 amended Subsec. (e) by making technical changes and by replacing provision requiring electors to make signed request to change an address with provision requiring electors to present a new application for voter registration, effective July 1, 2013.
See Secs. 54-240g and 54-240k re confidentiality of address of participant in address confidentiality program.
Cited. 231 C. 602.
Sec. 9-35a. Posting of names removed from registry list. Immediately after the close of the session or immediately after the sending of notice of intended removal provided for in section 9-35, the registrars of voters shall post at the town hall or municipal building in the municipality in which they serve, in a place readily accessible to the public, a list of the names of the electors whose names were removed from the registry list at such session or will be removed on the date specified in section 9-35, together with the address of each such elector as it appeared on the registry list at the time the name was so removed. Together with such list, and as a part thereof, such registrars shall also cause to be posted a statement that complete information as to such removal and as to the privileges and remedies of those whose names were removed from the registry list is available from such registrars, specifying when and where such registrars are available for such purpose and, in the case of registrars of voters having office hours, specifying such office hours.
(1967, P.A. 613, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 94; P.A. 75-287, S. 2.)
History: 1971 act added “in a place readily accessible to the public”; P.A. 75-287 following “Immediately after the close of the session” added “or immediately after the sending of notice of intended removal” and further added, following “whose names were removed from the registry list at such session” “or will be removed on the date specified ...”.
Sec. 9-35b. Relinquishment of registration by elector. Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, any elector of any municipality who desires to relinquish his rights as an elector and to have his name erased from the registry list shall make a signed written request to the registrars of voters of such municipality. Upon receipt of such application, the registrars shall remove the elector's name from the registry list and any enrollment list. Any person whose name has been removed from the registry list pursuant to this section may reapply for admission as an elector at any time, without prejudice on account of such removal. In the event such person is admitted as an elector, the registrar of the municipality shall notify the registrars of the municipality where such person resided at the time of his relinquishment that his electoral privileges have been restored.
(P.A. 81-350, S. 2, 17; P.A. 85-207, S. 1; P.A. 94-121, S. 24, 33.)
History: P.A. 85-207 amended section to delete language which had limited electors' right to relinquish electoral privileges by requiring that relinquishment be for religious reasons; P.A. 94-121 repealed requirement that elector desiring to relinquish rights as an elector appear before either registrar and make application on form prescribed by secretary, effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 9-35c. Names on inactive registry list not to be counted for computing required number of petition signatures, minimum percentage of voting electors. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 9-238, 9-406 and 9-436 and other provisions of the general statutes, the names of electors on the inactive registry list compiled under section 9-35 shall not be counted for purposes of computing the number of petition signatures required. Each elector on such inactive registry list who, in the determination of the registrars, has signed a petition pursuant to the general statutes, giving the same address as appears on the inactive registry list, shall forthwith be placed on the active registry list compiled under said section 9-35. Each such elector shall be counted for purposes of future computations of the number of signatures required on future petitions issued for other electoral events. The names of electors on the inactive registry list compiled pursuant to section 9-35 shall not be counted for purposes of computing the minimum percentage of the number of electors required in any charter or special act, if such charter or special act requires approval of a referendum by a minimum percentage of electors qualified on the last-completed registry list or has a similar requirement.
(P.A. 94-121, S. 8, 33; P.A. 96-134, S. 8, 9; P.A. 11-173, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 96-134 added language re discounting names of electors on inactive registry list for purposes of computing minimum percentage of electors required in charter or special act, effective May 29, 1996; P.A. 11-173 deleted language re voting machines, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-36. Availability of preliminary registry list. Distribution. The list for which provision is made in section 9-35 shall be termed the preliminary registry list and such list shall be available in the office of the registrars of voters for public inspection and copies shall be made available for distribution by the registrars of voters. Whenever the registrars of voters are not in their office, such list shall be available at another municipal office. The registrars of voters shall, upon request, give to any candidate for election a copy of the preliminary registry list for each voting district for which such person is a candidate.
(1949 Rev., S. 1003; 1953, S. 538d; 1967, P.A. 227; 1971, P.A. 92; P.A. 89-19, S. 2, 4; P.A. 11-173, S. 2.)
History: 1967 act added “and shall be on file in such office until the printing of the next preliminary registry list”; 1971 act substituted “has been completed and filed” for “the printing of” and substituted in the order appearing “reproduced” for “printed” and “made available” for “printed”; P.A. 89-19 added provision requiring registrars to give copies of lists to general assembly candidates; P.A. 11-173 replaced provisions re completion and certification of list with provisions re availability of list and deleted references to General Assembly, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-37. Final registry list. Availability of registrars of voters. The registrars of voters or the assistant registrars of voters shall be available for at least one day during the fourteen-day period immediately before all elections for revisions and corrections of the preliminary list which, when completed, shall be termed “the final registry list” for such election. In each municipality, availability of the registrars of voters shall be the posted office hours in such municipality for the registrars of voters.
(1949 Rev., S. 1004; 1953, S. 539d; 1963, P.A. 202; P.A. 75-287, S. 3; P.A. 77-298, S. 1; P.A. 81-350, S. 10, 17; P.A. 83-391, S. 10, 24; P.A. 84-146, S. 5; P.A. 96-134, S. 2, 9; P.A. 11-173, S. 3.)
History: 1963 act placed the fixing of the number of sessions in the registrars rather than the selectmen; P.A. 75-287 added provision that any person whose name has been removed since the last regular election may apply to registrars to add his name to list and further provided that on the third Saturday before a primary, registrars shall hold an additional session to hear requests for adding names, having published notice of such session at least five days in advance; P.A. 77-298 added “fourteenth day” to “third Saturday before a primary” and changed “session” to “sessions”; P.A. 81-350 amended section to require registrars to post notice of sessions to revise and correct preliminary registry list at the office of the town clerk on and after July 1, 1981, and eliminated the procedure whereby electors were permitted to apply to the registrars to have a name added to or deleted from the registry list; P.A. 83-391 deleted reference to board for admission of electors; P.A. 84-146 made technical change re posting of notice on signpost; P.A. 96-134 deleted reference to mandatory session on the third Saturday before a primary and added provision that publication need not be in the form of a legal advertisement, effective May 29, 1996; P.A. 11-173 replaced former provisions with provisions re final registry list and availability of registrars, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-38. Availability of final registry list. Updated registry list. The registrars of voters in all towns shall produce a final registry list in accordance with the provisions of section 9-37 and certified by such registrars of voters to be correct. Such final registry list and an updated list that contains the names and addresses of electors to be transferred, restored or added to such list, shall be available in the municipal clerk's office not later than the day following the last day that an elector may make changes to the elector's registration and shall be available in the registrars of voters' office for public inspection. Whenever the registrars of voters are not in their office, such list shall be available at another municipal office.
(1949 Rev., S. 1008; 1953, S. 540d; 1963, P.A. 211; P.A. 78-153, S. 22, 32; P.A. 83-391, S. 11, 24; P.A. 99-276, S. 2, 15; P.A. 05-235, S. 28; P.A. 06-196, S. 52; P.A. 11-173, S. 4.)
History: 1963 act provided same time for filing list prior to state and town elections and gave towns of under 25,000 option of printing supplementary list or writing names on list; P.A. 78-153 substituted “for a period of two years” for “until the printing of the next such list”, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 83-391 deleted reference to board for admission of electors; P.A. 99-276 added references to “or updated” list, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 05-235 required that supplementary or updated list be deposited in town clerk's office not later than “fourth” rather than “sixth” day before election, effective January 1, 2006; P.A. 06-196 made a technical change, effective June 7, 2006; P.A. 11-173 replaced former provisions re deposit of final registry list and supplementary list with provisions re production, certification and availability of final registry list and re updated list and made a technical change, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-39. Distribution of copies of final registry list. The registrars of voters of each municipality shall print copies of the final registry list for distribution in such municipality and in all the voting districts located therein. The registrars shall, upon request, produce for any candidate for election the final registry list for each voting district for which such person is a candidate and shall maintain such list, either on paper or in electronic format, for a period of two years.
(1949 Rev., S. 1009; 1953, S. 541d; 1963, P.A. 201, S. 1; P.A. 78-153, S. 23, 32; P.A. 89-19, S. 3, 4; P.A. 11-173, S. 5.)
History: 1963 act provided for registrars to retain at least six copies of the final registry list to be available for public use until the next printing; P.A. 78-153 substituted “for a period of two years” for “until the printing of the next such list”, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 89-19 reduced from six to two the number of copies of registry lists that registrars are required to retain, and required registrars to give copies of lists to general assembly candidates; P.A. 11-173 deleted language referencing Secs. 9-12 to 9-45, requirement re retention of 2 copies of lists and references to General Assembly, added language re maintenance of list on paper or in electronic format and made technical changes, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-40a. Continuance of residence in certain cases. Procedure for removal of names for failure to vote. (a) No person shall be deemed to have lost his residence in any municipality for purposes of qualification as an elector by reason of his absence therefrom in the service of this state or of the United States, including service in the armed forces or their auxiliaries, nor shall the spouse or dependent of any such person be deemed to have lost his residence in any municipality for such purpose by reason of such absence therefrom; provided such person, except one in the service of the armed forces of the United States or any auxiliary thereof, or his spouse or dependent, shall make written application for continuance on the registry list before each state election. No person shall be deemed to have lost such residence in any municipality by reason of his absence therefrom because of imprisonment on conviction of crime.
(b) Not later than May first in each year in which a canvass of electors is conducted, the registrars of voters shall send the notice of removal and return card required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, to each member of the armed forces of the United States or their auxiliaries, or a spouse or dependent of such member, whose name has not been checked as having voted in at least one election, primary, referendum or town meeting during the four preceding calendar years. If such elector does not return the card within thirty days, the registrars of voters shall place the name of such elector on the inactive registry list compiled under section 9-35 for four years, and if such name remains on the inactive list for four years, such name shall thereupon be removed from the registry list. Such removal shall not affect the right of such member, spouse or dependent to apply for admission as an elector in such town.
(1971, P.A. 768, S. 13; P.A. 83-475, S. 7, 43; P.A. 94-121, S. 25, 33.)
History: P.A. 83-475 added reference to dependents and added Subsec. (b) permitting removal from list for failure to vote during four previous calendar years; P.A. 94-121 substantially modified procedure for removal of electors' names from registry list and provided for the placing of certain electors' names on the inactive list, effective January 1, 1995.
Sec. 9-42. Restoration of names to active registry list under certain circumstances. Requirements re completion and use of inactive registry list. (a) If it appears at any time that the name of an elector who was formerly admitted or registered as an elector in a town and who is a bona fide resident of such town has been omitted from the active registry list compiled under section 9-35 by clerical error, the registrars of voters shall add such name to such list; provided no name shall be added to the active registry list on election day without the consent of both registrars of voters.
(b) If it appears at any time that the name of an elector who was formerly admitted or registered as an elector in a town and who is a bona fide resident of such town has been omitted from the active registry list, the registrars of voters shall, upon submission of a new application for voter registration signed by the elector under penalties of false statement, add such name to the active registry list, provided no name shall be added to the active registry list on election day without the consent of both registrars of voters.
(c) The registrars of voters shall cause the inactive registry list compiled under section 9-35 to be completed and printed and available to the public. The registrars of voters shall provide copies for use in the polling place on election day. If on election day the name of an elector appears on such inactive registry list, including the name of an elector who has not responded to a confirmation of voting residence notice under subsection (e) of section 9-35 and has not voted in two consecutive federal elections, such name shall be added to the active registry list upon submission of a new application for voter registration signed by the elector, under penalties of false statement, before an election official at the polling place and upon the consent of both registrars of voters or assistant registrars of voters, as the case may be, in the polls.
(d) The name of no elector shall be added to the active registry list under the provisions of this section, unless the elector's name or some name intended for his name was on the active registry list for at least one of the four years previous.
(1949 Rev., S. 1011; 1953, S. 544d; February, 1965, P.A. 407, S. 6; P.A. 73-630, S. 14, 19; P.A. 75-23, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-283, S. 2; P.A. 83-213, S. 5; P.A. 85-577, S. 1; P.A. 94-121, S. 26, 33; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 94; P.A. 11-173, S. 6.)
History: 1965 act removed the reference to one year residency in state; P.A. 73-630 substituted “is a bona fide resident of such town” for “has resided in the town the six months next preceding such election”; P.A. 75-23 deleted provision that name not be restored which was passed on by the registrars at any of the sessions previously held for correction of list and further provided that name to be restored must have been on the corrected list for either of the two years previous instead of the year previous; P.A. 77-283 added provision “upon presentation under oath of satisfactory evidence that such elector is still a bona fide resident of the town” name shall be added to list; P.A. 83-213 amended section to provide that name may be added at any time and not just at election; P.A. 85-577 required that elector's name have been on list for at least one of the four previous years rather than for one of the two previous years; P.A. 94-121 divided the section into subsections and amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “active registry list compiled under section 9-35” for “corrected list”, added Subsec. (b) by transferring provisions from Subsec. (a) and repealing requirement that evidence be presented under oath to registrar, added Subsec. (c) re completion and use of inactive registry list, and amended Subsec. (d) for consistency with amendment to Subsec. (a), effective January 1, 1995; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (c) by inserting “including the name of an elector who has not responded to a confirmation of voting residence notice under subsection (e) of section 9-35 and has not voted in two consecutive federal elections”, effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 11-173 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) by replacing language re written request and affirmation stating elector still a bona fide resident with language re submission of new application, amended Subsec. (c) by replacing language re deposit of list with language re availability of list, amended Subsec. (d) by deleting language re preliminary active registry lists, and made technical changes, effective July 13, 2011.
Cited. 231 C. 602.
Sec. 9-42a. Change of name on registry list. Change in name of candidate not to affect name appearing on ballot. (a) On the written request of any elector who identifies himself to the satisfaction of the registrars of voters, such registrars shall make any changes in the name of such elector as it appears on the registry list, provided such elector furnishes reasonable evidence to the registrars that the name as changed is a lawful name of such elector. No such change shall be made between the Tuesday of the fifth week before a regular election and the day of such election.
(b) No such change in the name of a candidate at a primary shall affect the name of the candidate as it appears on the primary ballot. No such change in the name of a major party candidate at an election shall affect the name of such candidate as it appears on the election ballot. No such change in the name of a minor party candidate or a nominating petition candidate for any office at an election shall affect the name of such candidate as it appears on the election ballot.
(February, 1965, P.A. 308, S. 1; P.A. 77-163; P.A. 79-363, S. 9, 38; P.A. 83-475, S. 8, 43; P.A. 87-382, S. 5, 55; P.A. 11-173, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 77-163 deleted enumeration of changes in name authorized; P.A. 79-363 added provision that the elector furnish reasonable evidence to the registrars that the name is a lawful name and deleted other restrictions; P.A. 83-475 established time limits for candidate name changes prior to primary or election; P.A. 87-382 divided section into Subsecs., added Subsec. (a) defining “municipal office” and amended Subsec. (c) to provide that change in name under Subsec. (b) does not affect name of candidate on primary ballot unless elector is candidate for town committee or municipal office, name of major party candidate on election ballot unless elector is candidate for municipal office or name of any minor party candidate or nominating petition candidate on election ballot unless change made by fifty-fifth day preceding election day; P.A. 11-173 deleted former Subsec. (a) re definition of “municipal office”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (b) and (c) as Subsecs. (a) and (b) and amended redesignated Subsec. (b) by deleting language re candidate for town committee or municipal office and re changes made not later than a certain day, effective July 13, 2011.
Sec. 9-43. Procedure for removal of name for nonresidence. When the registrars in any municipality are unable to agree upon the removal from the registry list of such municipality of the name of any elector concerning whom the claim is made by either registrar that such elector does not maintain a residence within such municipality, the registrars shall send to such elector, by registered or certified mail at the address at which his name appears on such list, a notice and return card required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, that his right to have his name retained on such list has been challenged; and, unless such elector has filed with the registrars, not later than seven days before the next succeeding regular election or primary to be held in such municipality, an application for the retention of his electoral privileges therein, the registrars shall place his name on the inactive registry list compiled under section 9-35. Such challenge may be made, and notice thereof sent, at any time except for the period of five weeks before any regular election to be held in such municipality. Such application for the retention of electoral privileges shall be a signed and sworn application in form substantially as follows:
“I, ...., (insert name of elector) an elector of the town of .... (insert name of town) now registered at .... (insert name of street, and number, if any) do hereby state under oath that I maintain a place of abode at .... (insert name of street, and number, if any) within such town; that my absence is temporary from said town for the following reasons: ....; that it is my present intention to maintain a domicile and residence in said town and return thereto whenever the necessity for temporary absence has ceased; that I am not now registered elsewhere as an elector nor have I any present intention so to register.
.... (Signature of elector)
Sworn to and subscribed before me on this .... day of ...., 20.., at ....
Notary Public or other officer
empowered to administer oaths”.
Upon receipt of such application, if either registrar, in writing signed by him, certifies on such application that he believes such claim of residence has sufficient foundation in fact, the name of such elector shall be retained on the active registry list of the municipality and his right to vote therein at the next succeeding regular election or primary shall not be challenged by the registrars because of any question of residence. Otherwise, the name of such elector shall be placed on the inactive registry list for four years and then removed from the registry list. All applications herein provided for shall be kept by the registrars as a permanent record; and, when no application for retention of his electoral privilege is received from any elector whose right to have his name retained on the registry list is challenged under the provisions of this section, the registrars shall keep as a permanent record evidence that the notice required by this section has been sent in the manner provided herein.
(1949 Rev., S. 1005; 1953, S. 545d; 1959, P.A. 125; P.A. 75-348, S. 6, 11; P.A. 80-281, S. 6, 31; P.A. 94-121, S. 27, 33.)
History: 1959 act added provisions for oath, statement of reasons for absence, and notarization of elector's signature; P.A. 75-348 added provision that where elector's name restored to list his right to vote at next succeeding regular election shall not be challenged by the registrars on any question of residence; P.A. 80-281 added “a primary” to “next succeeding regular election” where appearing; P.A. 94-121 added reference to return cards required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and added requirements re inactive registry list, effective January 1, 1995; (Revisor's note: In 2001 the reference in this section to the date “19..” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “20..” to reflect the new millennium).
Sec. 9-45. Removal from registry list of convicted felons who are committed to custody of Commissioner of Correction. (a) The Commissioner of Correction shall, on or before the fifteenth day of each month, transmit to the Secretary of the State a list of all persons who, during the preceding calendar month, have been convicted in the Superior Court of a felony and committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction for confinement in a correctional institution or facility or a community residence. Such lists shall include the names, birth dates and addresses of such persons, with the dates of their conviction and the crimes of which such persons have been convicted. The Secretary of the State shall transmit such lists to the registrars of the towns in which such convicted persons resided at the time of their conviction and to the registrars of any towns where the secretary believes such persons may be electors. The registrars of such towns shall compare the same with the list of electors upon their registry lists and, after written notice mailed by certified mail to each of the persons named at the last-known place of address of such person, shall erase such names from the registry lists in their respective towns or voting districts.
(b) Any person who procures such person or another to be registered after having been disfranchised by reason of conviction of crime and committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction for confinement in a correctional institution or facility or a community residence, and any person who votes at any election after having forfeited such privileges by reason of conviction of crime and confinement, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars and imprisoned not more than one year.
(1949 Rev., S. 1007; 1953, S. 547d; 1961, P.A. 105, S. 2; P.A. 96-207, S. 1, 4; P.A. 01-11, S. 1, 4.)
History: 1961 act changed annual removal of convicts' names to monthly removal and added the requirements of furnishing birth dates and sending notice by certified mail; P.A. 96-207 designated provision re transmittal of list of convicted felons to registrars of voters and removal of names from registry list as Subsec. (a), designated provisions re penalty as Subsec. (b) and amended said Subsec. (a) to replace “clerk of each court of this state having criminal jurisdiction” with “Judicial Department” and to require the Secretary of the State to receive list from Judicial Department and transmit list to appropriate registrars of voters, effective January 1, 1997; P.A. 01-11 required Commissioner of Correction, instead of Judicial Department, to transmit lists to Secretary of the State in Subsec. (a) and added provisions re committal to custody of Commissioner of Correction for confinement and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective January 1, 2002.
For what crimes privileges are forfeited. 86 C. 622.
Cited. 34 CS 96.
