| 16 | | - | Section 1. (Effective from passage) The Secretary of the State shall conduct a study of municipal options for elections. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Secretary of the State shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections concerning the findings of such study. |
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| 28 | + | Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Notwithstanding any provision of title 9 of the general statutes, the Secretary of the State, in consultation and coordination with The University of Connecticut, may authorize the use of electronic equipment for the purpose of conducting any audit required pursuant to section 9-320f of the general statutes for any primary or general election held on or after January 1, 2016, provided (1) the Secretary of the State prescribes specifications for (A) the testing, set-up and operation of such equipment, and (B) the training of election officials in the use of such equipment; and (2) the Secretary of the State and The University of Connecticut agree that such equipment is sufficient in quantity to accommodate the total number of audits to be conducted. Nothing in this section shall preclude any candidate or elector from seeking additional remedies pursuant to chapter 149 of the general statutes as a result of any information revealed by such process. |
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| 29 | + | |
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| 30 | + | Sec. 2. Section 9-164 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016): |
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| 31 | + | |
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| 32 | + | (a) [Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law] Unless otherwise provided by charter or ordinance, beginning January 1, 2017, and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be held in each municipality [, biennially,] a municipal election on the first Monday of May or the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, [of the odd-numbered years,] whichever date the legislative body of such municipality determines, provided, if no action is taken by the legislative body to so designate the date of such election, such election shall be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November [of the odd-numbered years] 2017 and quadrennially thereafter. In any municipality where the term of any elected official would expire prior to the next regular election held under the provisions of this section, the term of such official shall be extended to the date of such election. |
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| 33 | + | |
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| 34 | + | (b) Upon the occurrence of a vacancy in a municipal office or upon the creation of a new office to be filled prior to the next regular election, a special municipal election may be convened either by the board of selectmen of the municipality or upon application of twenty electors of the municipality filed with the municipal clerk. The date of such election shall be determined by the board of selectmen of the municipality, and notice of such date shall be filed with the municipal clerk. In determining the date of such election, the board of selectmen shall allow the time specified for holding primaries for municipal office in section 9-423 and the time specified for the selection of party-endorsed candidates for municipal office in section 9-391. On application of twenty electors of the municipality, the date of such election, as determined by the board of selectmen, shall be not later than the one hundred fiftieth day following the filing of such application, provided, if such date of such election is not more than thirty days before a regular election is to be held in such municipality, the Secretary of the State may combine such special municipal election with the regular election. Except as otherwise provided by general statute, the provisions of the general statutes pertaining to elections and primaries shall apply to special municipal elections. No such election may be held unless the municipal clerk first files notice of the office or offices to be filled at such election with the town chairman of the town committee of each major and minor party within the municipality and with the Secretary of the State at least three weeks in advance of the final time specified for the selection of party-endorsed candidates for municipal office in section 9-391. The municipal clerk shall forthwith warn such election in the same manner as the warning of municipal elections pursuant to section 9-226. |
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| 35 | + | |
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| 36 | + | (c) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (b) of this section to the contrary, any town which by charter provides that a vacancy in its legislative body shall be filled by a special election held no later than forty-five days after the effective date of the vacancy shall hold such election not later than forty-five days after the occurrence of the vacancy. No such election may be held unless the municipal clerk forthwith upon the occurrence of the vacancy files notice of the office to be filled at the election with the town chairman of the town committee of each major and minor party within the municipality and with the Secretary of the State. Nominations by political parties for such office shall be made as the rules of such parties which are filed with the town clerk provide, in accordance with section 9-390. Such nominations may be made and certified at any time after the vacancy occurs but not later than the thirty-sixth day before the day of the election. No such nomination shall be effective until the presiding officer and secretary of the town committee certify the nomination to the town clerk. No primary shall be held for the nomination of any political party to fill any vacancy in such office and the party-endorsed candidate so certified shall be deemed the nominee of such party. Nominations may also be made by petition in the manner provided in sections 9-379 and 9-453a to 9-453p, inclusive, which petitions shall be submitted to the town clerk of the town in which the signers reside not later than the thirty-sixth day before the day of the election and filed in the office of the Secretary of the State not later than two days thereafter. The municipal clerk shall forthwith warn such election in the same manner as the warning of municipal elections pursuant to section 9-226. |
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| 37 | + | |
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| 38 | + | (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of this section, any borough may, by a vote of the legislative body of such borough, hold a meeting, pursuant to the procedures set forth in chapter 90, for the purposes of nominating and electing officials for such borough on the first Monday of May of an odd-numbered year. Any person who is an elector within such borough may vote at such meeting. If, however, a petition is filed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section not later than one hundred eighty days prior to the date of such meeting, the municipal clerk shall warn and the municipality shall hold, as prescribed by said subsection, a municipal election, pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter. |
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| 39 | + | |
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| 40 | + | Sec. 3. Section 9-187a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2016): |
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| 41 | + | |
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| 42 | + | Except as provided in sections 9-164a to 9-164f, inclusive, the term of each elected municipal official shall begin within seventy days after the municipal election at which such official is elected, on the day within such period prescribed by special act or charter provision, or, in the absence of such special act or charter provision, on the day within such period as is prescribed by action of the legislative body of such municipality, provided, in accordance with subsection (a) of section 9-164, as amended by this act, (1) in each municipality which holds its municipal election on the first Monday of May, [in the odd-numbered years,] in the absence of such special act or charter provision, or action of the legislative body, such terms shall begin on the first day of July following the municipal election at which such official is elected, and (2) in each municipality which holds its municipal election on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, [in the odd-numbered years,] with the exception of the term of the town clerk, [in the absence of such special act, or charter provision, or action of the legislative body, such term shall begin on the second Tuesday next] such terms shall begin on the first day of December following the day of the municipal election at which such official is elected, and (3) in each municipality which holds its municipal election on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, [in the odd-numbered years,] the term of the town clerk shall be [two] four years, in accordance with sections 9-189 and 9-189a, from the first Monday of January next succeeding his election. [, unless otherwise provided by charter or special act.] Whenever the beginning date of the terms of elected municipal officials is so determined or changed, within the limits hereinabove specified, the authority providing therefor may provide for the conforming diminution or extension of terms of incumbents. |
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| 43 | + | |
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| 44 | + | Sec. 4. Section 9-250 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): |
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| 45 | + | |
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| 46 | + | Ballots shall be printed in plain clear type and on material of such size as will fit the tabulator, and shall be furnished by the registrar of voters. The size and style of the type used to print the name of a political party on a ballot shall be identical with the size and style of the type used to print the names of all other political parties appearing on such ballot. The name of each major party candidate for a municipal office, as defined in section 9-372, except for the municipal offices of state senator and state representative, shall appear on the ballot [as it appears on the registry list of the candidate's town of voting residence, except as provided in section 9-42a] as authorized by each candidate. The name of each major party candidate for a state or district office, as defined in section 9-372, or for the municipal office of state senator or state representative shall appear on the ballot as it appears on the certificate or statement of consent filed under section 9-388, subsection (b) of section 9-391, or section 9-400 or 9-409. The name of each minor party candidate shall appear on the ballot [as it appears on the registry list in accordance with the provisions of section 9-452] as authorized by each candidate. The name of each nominating petition candidate shall appear on the ballot as it is verified by the town clerk on the application filed under section 9-453b. The size and style of the type used to print the name of a candidate on a ballot shall be identical with the size and style of the type used to print the names of all other candidates appearing on such ballot. Such ballot shall contain the names of the offices and the names of the candidates arranged thereon. The names of the political parties and party designations shall be arranged on the ballots and followed by the word "party", either in columns or horizontal rows as set forth in section 9-249a, immediately adjacent to the column or row occupied by the candidate or candidates of such political party or organization. The ballot shall be printed in such manner as to indicate how many candidates the elector may vote for each office, provided in the case of a town adopting the provisions of section 9-204a, such ballot shall indicate the maximum number of candidates who may be elected to such office from any party. If two or more candidates are to be elected to the same office for different terms, the term for which each is nominated shall be printed on the official ballot as a part of the title of the office. If, at any election, one candidate is to be elected for a full term and another to fill a vacancy, the official ballot containing the names of the candidates in the foregoing order shall, as a part of the title of the office, designate the term which such candidates are severally nominated to fill. No column, under the name of any political party or independent organization, shall be printed on any official ballot, which contains more candidates for any office than the number for which an elector may vote for that office. |
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| 47 | + | |
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| 48 | + | Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 9-437 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): |
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| 49 | + | |
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| 50 | + | (a) At the top of each ballot shall be printed the name of the party holding the primary, and each ballot shall contain the names of all candidates to be voted upon at such primary, except the names of justices of the peace. The vertical columns shall be headed by the designation of the office or position and instructions as to the number for which an elector may vote for such office or position, in the same manner as a ballot used in a regular election. The name of each candidate for town committee or municipal office, except for the municipal offices of state senator and state representative, shall appear on the ballot [as it appears on the registry list of such candidate's town of voting residence, except as provided in section 9-42a] as authorized by each candidate. The name of each candidate for state or district office or for the municipal offices of state senator or state representative shall appear on the ballot as it appears on the certificate or statement of consent filed under section 9-388, 9-391, 9-400 or 9-409. On the first horizontal line, below the designation of the office or position in each column, shall be placed the name of the party-endorsed candidate for such office or position, such name to be marked with an asterisk; provided, where more than one person may be voted for any office or position, the names of the party-endorsed candidates shall be arranged in alphabetical order from left to right under the appropriate office or position designation and shall continue, if necessary, from left to right on the next lower line or lines. In the case of no party endorsement there shall be inserted the designation "no party endorsement" at the head of the vertical column, immediately beneath the designation of the office or position. On the horizontal lines below the line for party-endorsed candidates shall be placed, in the appropriate columns, the names of all other candidates as hereinafter provided. |
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