Sec. 9-19k. Online voter registration system.
Sec. 9-23g. Mail-in application for admission.
Sec. 9-50b. State-wide centralized voter registration system.
Sec. 9-55. Printing of complete enrollment lists and lists of unaffiliated electors.
Sec. 9-17. Sessions of registrars of voters. Distribution of eligibility information at public high schools. (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:
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Day |
Hours |
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Eighteenth day |
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before primary day ………………. |
any two hours between |
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5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. |
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Eighteenth day |
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before election day ………………. |
9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
The session of the registrars of voters on the eighteenth 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 eighteenth 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:
(1) 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; and
(2) Distribute each year, on the fourth Tuesday of September, at each public high school in such town, information regarding eligibility for admission under subsection (a) or (b) of section 9-12 and procedures for applying for such admission. The registrars of voters and the principal of any such public high school shall determine the best means of distributing such information at such public high school.
(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; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 93; P.A. 23-5, S. 24; P.A. 23-204, S. 183.)
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; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (c) to designate existing provisions re admission sessions at public high schools as Subsec. (c)(1) and added Subsec. (c)(2) re distribution of eligibility information, effective June 23, 2021; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “seventh day before election day” with “fourteenth day before election day” in Subdiv. (1) and replacing “fourteenth day before primary day” with “eighteenth day before primary day” in Subdivs. (1) and (2), effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 24, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023.
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Sec. 9-19j. Same-day election registration on day of regular election or during period of early voting at such regular election. Designation and certification to Secretary of one or more locations for processing applications. Applicant confirmation procedures. Custody and counting of ballots. Activities prohibited near same-day election registration location; exceptions. (a) As used in this section:
(1) “Election day” means the day on which a regular election, as defined in section 9-1, is held; and
(2) “Same-day election registration” means admission as an elector during the period of early voting at a regular election, as provided in section 9-163aa, or on election day.
(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 same-day election registration pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(c) (1) The registrars of voters shall designate a location for the completion and processing of same-day election registrations on election day, provided (A) the registrars of voters have access to the state-wide centralized voter registration system from such location, and (B) such location is certified in writing to the Secretary of the State not later than forty-five 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 who shall be appointed by the registrars of voters 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 twenty-nine 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 legislative body of the municipality may apply to the Secretary of the State not later than seventy-four days before election day, in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary, to designate any additional location for the completion and processing of same-day election registration applications on election day. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove such application not later than fifty-nine 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 any of the responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters. The registrars of voters shall supervise each such election official and train each such official to be a same-day election official.
(d) Any person applying for same-day election registration under the provisions of this section shall make application in accordance with the provisions of section 9-20, provided (1) (A) 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 same-day election registration, and (B) during the period of early voting prior to election day, the applicant shall appear in person at such times as provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 9-174, at such location, (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, as provided in subsection (f) of this section. If the information that the applicant is required to provide under section 9-20 and 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 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 a same-day election registration ballot from the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. For any such elector, the same-day election 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 cannot 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 a same-day election registration ballot and same-day election registration envelope and shall make a record of such issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted upon the back of the same-day election registration envelope 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 a same-day election registration ballot and received a same-day election registration ballot.
.... (Signature of voter)
(g) The elector shall forthwith mark the same-day election registration ballot in the presence of the registrars of voters in such a manner that the registrars of voters shall not know how the same-day election registration ballot is marked. The elector shall place the same-day election registration ballot in the same-day election registration ballot envelope provided, and deposit such envelope in a secured same-day election registration ballot depository receptacle. At the conclusion of each day during the early voting period, the registrars of voters shall transport such receptacle containing such day's same-day election registration ballots to the municipal clerk, who shall retain and securely store such ballots in as near a manner as possible to that for the retention and secure storage of absentee ballots, as provided in subsection (h) of this section, except that, if such manner is not practicable, such same-day election registration ballots shall be retained and securely stored as provided in an alternate plan submitted by the registrars of voters to the Secretary of the State and approved by the Secretary. On election day, the previously retained and securely stored same-day election registration ballots shall be delivered to the registrars of voters and, at the time designated by the registrars of voters and noticed to election officials, the registrars of voters shall transport such receptacle containing the same-day election registration ballots received on such election day to the central location or polling place, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, where absentee ballots are counted and such same-day election 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 same-day election registration ballots received from electors. The registrars of voters shall seal a copy of the vote tally for same-day election registration ballots in a depository envelope with the same-day election registration ballots and store such same-day election registration depository envelope with the other election results materials. The same-day election registration depository envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of voters for the period of time required to preserve counted ballots for elections.
(h) Except as provided in section 9-163bb, the provisions of this title and any regulation adopted under this title 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 same-day election registration ballots under this section.
(i) After the acceptance of a same-day election registration, the registrars of voters shall forthwith send a registration confirmation notice to the residential address of each applicant who was admitted as an elector on election day or during the period of early voting prior to election day under 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) (1) No person shall solicit on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate or on 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 same-day election 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.
(2) A person, including any candidate or any campaign or party employee or volunteer, may be within such radius of seventy-five feet (A) only for purposes related to the performance of such person's official duties or to the conduct of government business within such radius, (B) only for as long as necessary to perform such duties or conduct such business, and (C) provided such person is not engaged in any conduct described in subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(P.A. 12-56, S. 1, 2; P.A. 18-124, S. 10; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3, S. 9; P.A. 23-5, S. 5; 23-204, S. 183.)
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; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing definition of “election day” as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re definition of “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (b)(2) by replacing “admission as an elector on election day” with “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (c)(1) by replacing “election day registration applications” with “same-day election registrations”, changing from 31 days to 45 days re written certification to Secretary in Subpara. (B), replacing “election official appointed” with “election official who shall be appointed by the registrars of voters” in Subpara. (B)(ii) and changing 15 days to 29 days re approval or disapproval of written certification in Subpara. (B)(iii), amended Subsec. (c)(2) by replacing “registrars of voters” with “legislative body of the municipality”, changing from 60 days to 74 days re application to Secretary, replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration” and changing from 45 days to 59 days re Secretary's approval or disapproval of application, amended Subsec. (c)(3) by deleting “, if any,” re appointed election officials and replacing “election day registration election official” with “same-day election official”, amended Subsec. (d) by replacing references to election day registration with references to same-day election registration, designating existing provision as Subpara. (A) and adding Subpara. (B) re registration during period of early voting in Subdiv. (1) and adding “as provided in subsection (f) of this section” in Subdiv. (3), amended Subsec. (e)(2) by deleting “states that he or she” and replacing “election day registration” with “same-day registration” in Subpara. (A), amended Subsec. (f) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (g) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration” and adding provisions re retention of and secure storage of ballots during early voting period and re delivery of such ballots to registrars on election day, amended Subsec. (h) by adding exception re Sec. 9-163bb, replacing “the general statutes and regulations concerning” with “this title and any regulation adopted under this title” and replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (i) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration” and adding provision re admission as elector during period of early voting, amended Subsec. (j) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration”, designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re allowances within 75-foot radius and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 5, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023.
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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 eighteenth day before an election or after the eighteenth 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. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent an individual from (1) applying to be admitted as an elector pursuant to section 9-19j during a period of early voting at an election, or (2) subject to the provisions of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 9-163aa, applying to be enrolled in a political party during a period of early voting at a primary.
(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; P.A. 23-5, S. 25; 23-204, S. 183.)
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; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (f) by replacing “seventh day before an election” with “eighteenth day before an election”, replacing “fifth day before a primary” with “eighteenth day before a primary” and adding provision re prevention of applications for admission as elector pursuant to Sec. 9-19j and for enrollment in political party, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 25, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023.
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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 sixtieth day before an election and ending on the thirty-second day before such election, (B) on the day of receipt of an application if it is received (i) during the period beginning on the thirty-first day before such election and ending on the eighteenth day before such election, (ii) during the period beginning on the seventeenth day before an election and ending on election day if the application has been received by the eighteenth day before an election by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, (iii) during the period beginning on the thirty-fourth day before a primary and ending on the eighteenth day before a primary, or (iv) during the period beginning on the seventeenth 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 eighteenth 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 eighteenth 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 eighteenth day before an election or after the eighteenth 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. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent an individual from (A) applying to be admitted as an elector pursuant to section 9-19j during a period of early voting at an election, or (B) subject to the provisions of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 9-163aa, applying to be enrolled in a political party during a period of early voting at a primary.
(3) If an application is received after the eighteenth day before an election or after the eighteenth 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. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prevent an individual from (A) applying to be admitted as an elector pursuant to section 9-19j during a period of early voting at an election, or (B) subject to the provisions of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 9-163aa, applying to be enrolled in a political party during a period of early voting at a primary.
(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; P.A. 23-5, S. 26; 23-204, S. 183.)
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; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (c)(4) by replacing “forty-ninth” with “sixtieth” and “twenty-first” with “thirty-second” in Subpara. (A), replacing “twentieth” with “thirty-first” and “seventh” with “eighteenth” in Subpara. (B)(i), replacing “sixth” with “seventeenth” and “seventh” with “eighteenth” in Subpara. (B)(ii), replacing “twenty-first” with “thirty-fourth” and “fifth” with “eighteenth” in Subpara. (B)(iii) and replacing “fourth” with “seventeenth” and “fifth” with “eighteenth” in Subpara. (B)(iv), amended Subsec. (d)(2) by replacing “seventh day before an election” with “eighteenth day before an election” and “fifth day before a primary” with “eighteenth day before a primary” and adding provision re prevention of applications for admission as elector pursuant to Sec. 9-19j and for enrollment in political party and amended Subsec. (d)(3) by replacing “seventh day before an election” with “eighteenth day before an election” and “fifth day before a primary” with “eighteenth day before a primary” and adding provision re prevention of applications for admission as elector pursuant to Sec. 9-19j and for enrollment in political party, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 26, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023.
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Sec. 9-50b. State-wide centralized voter registration system. (a) As used in this section, “state-wide centralized voter registration system” means a computerized system designed and maintained by the Secretary of the State which includes: (1) Voter registration information prescribed by the Secretary, (2) information contained in applications for admission as electors described in section 9-20, (3) information needed to compile registry lists and enrollment lists under sections 9-35 and 9-54, (4) information required by section 9-50a, and (5) other information for use in complying with the provisions of this title.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2003, each registrar of voters shall transmit to the office of the Secretary of the State all elector information required by the office to complete the state-wide centralized voter registration system. Each registrar shall transmit such information in a format prescribed by the Secretary. Not later than September 1, 2003, each registrar of voters shall participate in the state-wide centralized voter registration system in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.
(c) Not later than sixty days after each election or primary, the registrars of voters shall update the state-wide centralized voter registration system and indicate whether the eligible voters on the official registry list for such election or primary voted and, if so, if they voted in person on the day of such election or primary, in person during the period of early voting at such election or primary or by absentee ballot.
(P.A. 03-117, S. 1; P.A. 07-194, S. 11; P.A. 11-173, S. 25; P.A. 23-5, S. 22; 23-204, S. 183.)
History: P.A. 03-117 effective June 18, 2003; P.A. 07-194 added Subsec. (d) requiring that state-wide system be updated after each election or primary, effective July 5, 2007; P.A. 11-173 deleted former Subsec. (c) re maintenance of separate list, redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (c) and amended same to add 60-day deadline and delete “promptly”, effective July 13, 2011; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “if they voted in person” with “if they voted in person on the day of such election or primary, in person during the period of early voting at such election or primary”, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 22, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023.
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Sec. 9-55. Printing of complete enrollment lists and lists of unaffiliated electors. (a) The registrars of voters shall cause to be printed at least once during the calendar year a complete enrollment list and shall make such list available to the public upon request.
(b) If a political party authorizes unaffiliated electors to vote in a primary, under section 9-431, and a notice of primary is published, the registrars shall cause a list of all unaffiliated electors eligible to vote in the primary to be printed before the commencement of the period of early voting at such primary. If unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote in only one party's primary and are authorized to vote for all offices to be contested at the primary, the registrars may print the list of unaffiliated electors in combination with such party's enrollment list, indicating party affiliation where applicable.
(c) If the legislative body of the municipality votes to eliminate separate enrollment lists under section 9-54 and:
(1) Notices of primaries are published for two parties to be held on the same day, the registrars of voters shall print complete separate enrollment lists and, if unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote in the primary, the registrars of voters shall print a separate list of unaffiliated electors as provided in subsection (b) of this section; or
(2) A notice of primary is published for one party in which unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at the primary, the registrars of voters shall print a complete separate enrollment list and a separate list of unaffiliated electors as provided in subsection (b) of this section; or
(3) A notice of primary is published for only one party and (A) unaffiliated electors are not authorized to vote, or (B) unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote for all offices to be contested at the primary, a registry list may be used as a checklist at the primary and the registrars of voters shall print a supplementary or updated list indicating those electors who have become eligible to vote in the primary since the printing of the registry list.
(d) Whenever a list is required by this section to be printed, a supplement to such list shall be compiled by the registrars of voters of persons who after such date and prior to twelve o'clock noon of the last business day before the primary become eligible to vote in such primary. The registrars of voters may combine such separate compilation with the foregoing printed list by reprinting the list or incorporating the updated list.
(e) The registrars of voters shall make available for public use such list in the office of the registrars of voters until the printing of the next completed enrollment list; and they shall deliver to the chairman of the town committee of each political party copies of each such list for each voting district in the town. Whenever the registrars of voters are not in their office, such list shall be available at another municipal office. Upon request, the registrars of voters shall give one complete set of such lists to each candidate for nomination for any office or for election as a town committee member. The registrars of voters shall deliver a sufficient number of copies thereof to the moderator of each primary. No petition brought under the provisions of section 9-63 shall operate to delay the completion and printing of such lists. If the petition of any elector is granted after any such list has been completed, the registrars of voters or assistant registrars of voters, as the case may be, shall issue to such elector a certificate showing that the elector is entitled to the privileges accompanying enrollment in the political party named in the elector's petition.
(1949 Rev., S. 1182; 1953, 1955, June, 1955, S. 556d; November, 1955, S. N40; 1957, P.A. 442, S. 6; 1963, P.A. 201, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 370; P.A. 75-269, S. 3; P.A. 76-128, S. 8, 11; P.A. 77-298, S. 6; P.A. 80-281, S. 7, 31; P.A. 87-382, S. 7, 55; 87-509, S. 4, 24; P.A. 99-276, S. 3, 15; P.A. 03-241, S. 4; P.A. 11-173, S. 9; P.A. 23-5, S. 16.)
History: 1963 act reduced copies of registry lists to be filed with town clerk to one and added provision requiring registrars to keep copies available for public use; 1967 act added provision for one copy to be filed with the town clerk, available for public use until next completed corrected list is available; P.A. 75-269 provided for a supplementary list to be printed within two weeks after session held on third Saturday before primary; P.A. 76-128 provided for separate supplementary list of those attaining age or citizenship qualifications after third Saturday and before day of primary and enrolling during that period; P.A. 77-298 deleted provision for printing of list within three weeks after completion of each mandatory enrollment session and substituted provision for printing of list at least once during calendar year, changed provision for supplementary list to be printed within one, instead of two weeks after session held on fourteenth day, instead of third Saturday, before a primary and, with reference to the separate supplementary list of those attaining qualifications within period before primary, changed reference to fourteenth day, instead of third Saturday; P.A. 80-281 added “residence” to qualifications of “age and citizenship” attained during period between fourteenth day before and day of primary; P.A. 87-382, in first sentence, deleted “attains the qualification as to age, citizenship or residence for admission as an elector”, substituted “twelve o'clock noon on the last business day before” for “the day of”, added reference to Sec. 9-56 and deleted “during such period”, but changes were superseded by provisions of P.A. 87-509; P.A. 87-509 divided section into Subsecs., added new Subsecs. (b), (c) and (d) re, respectively, when registrars required to cause list of unaffiliated electors to be printed, requirements when legislative body of municipality votes to eliminate separate enrollment lists and compilation of supplementary list and, in Subsec. (e), required registrars to give one complete set of list to each candidate for election as town committee member or delegate to convention; P.A. 99-276 added references to “or updated” list, effective January 1, 2000; P.A. 03-241 amended Subsec. (e) by eliminating requirement that registrars give set of lists to each candidate for election as delegate to a convention, effective January 1, 2004, and applicable to primaries and elections held on or after that date; P.A. 11-173 deleted language re deadline one week after the session held on the fourteenth day before the primary and requirements re specific numbers of copies, amended Subsec. (a) by replacing language re copies of corrected enrollment list with language re availability of complete enrollment list, amended Subsec. (d) by deleting language re insertion of names and re supplementary list, amended Subsec. (e) by deleting language re filing of copy with town clerk, by making list available in registrars of voters' office or another municipal office, rather than town clerk's office, and by deleting language re retention of copies, and made technical changes, effective July 13, 2011; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (b) to add reference to commencement of early voting period, effective January 1, 2024.
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