House Bill No. 7164
Public Act No. 17-143
AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS OF ENDORSEMENT OR NOMINATION AND CLARIFYING RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN STATE OFFICE CANDIDATES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 9-391 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) Each endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for municipal office to be voted upon at a municipal election, or for the election of town committee members, shall be made under the provisions of section 9-390 not earlier than the fifty-sixth day or later than the forty-ninth day preceding the day of such primary. [In the case of an endorsement of a candidate for a municipal office of state senator or state representative, such endorsement may be made of a candidate whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within the municipality or political subdivision within which such candidate is to run for nomination. ] The endorsement shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by either [(1) the chairman or presiding officer, or (2)] the chairperson or presiding officer or the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention, as the case may be, not later than four o'clock p. m. on the forty-eighth day preceding the day of such primary. [Such certification shall be signed by such candidate and] Each such candidate, except a candidate for the election of town committee member, shall sign such certification. Each such certification shall contain the name and street address of each [person] candidate so endorsed, the title of the office or the position as committee member and the name or number of the political subdivision or district, if any, for which each such [person] candidate is endorsed. Such certification shall be made on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State or on such other form as may comply with the provisions of this subsection. If such a certificate of a party's endorsement is not received by the [town] clerk of the municipality by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for the purposes of sections 9-417, 9-418 and 9-419, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified such endorsement of any candidate for such office.
(b) Each selection of delegates to a state or district convention shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 9-390 not earlier than the one-hundred-fortieth day and not later than the one-hundred-thirty-third day preceding the day of the primary for such state or district office. Such selection shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by [the chairman or presiding officer and] either the chairperson or presiding officer or the secretary of the town committee or caucus, as the case may be, not later than four o'clock p. m. on the one-hundred-thirty-second day preceding the day of such primary. Each such certification shall contain the name and street address of each person so selected, the position as delegate, and the name or number of the political subdivision or district, if any, for which each such person is selected. If such a certificate of a party's selection is not received by the [town] clerk of the municipality by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for the purposes of sections 9-417 and 9-420, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified any selection of any person for the position of delegate.
(c) Each endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election shall be made under the provisions of section 9-390 not earlier than the eighty-fourth day or later than the seventy-seventh day preceding the day of such primary. [Any] Each certification to be filed under this subsection shall be received by the Secretary of the State not later than four o'clock p. m. on the fourteenth day after the close of the town committee meeting, caucus or convention, as the case may be. If such a certificate of a party's endorsement is not received by the Secretary of the State by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for the purposes of sections 9-417 and 9-418, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified any endorsement of any candidate for such office. The candidate so endorsed for a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election, other than the office of justice of the peace, shall file with the Secretary of the State a certificate, signed by that candidate, stating that such candidate was so endorsed, the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full street address and the title and district of the office for which the candidate was endorsed. Such certificate may be filed by a candidate whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within the senatorial district within which the candidate is endorsed to run for nomination in the case of the municipal office of state senator, or the assembly district within which [a person] the candidate is endorsed to run for nomination in the case of the municipal office of state representative, or the municipality or political subdivision within which [a person] the candidate is to run for nomination for other municipal offices to be voted on at a state election. Such certificate shall be attested by either the chairperson or presiding officer or the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention which made such endorsement. The endorsement of any candidate for the office of justice of the peace shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by either the chairperson or presiding officer or the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention, and shall contain the name and street address of each [person] candidate so endorsed and the title of the office for which each such [person] candidate is endorsed. Such certification shall be made on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State or on such other form as may comply with the provisions of this subsection.
Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 9-215 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(d) (1) If such vacancy resulting from the resignation or death of a member or member-elect of the General Assembly exists in a senatorial or assembly district composed of a single town or part of a single town, such nominations by political parties shall be made as the rules of such parties provide, in accordance with section 9-390, and filed with the [town clerk] Secretary of the State; except that (A) if such rules provide for selection by delegates and the vacancy exists in a senatorial or assembly district composed of a single town, the delegates to the convention held for the nomination of a candidate for the office of state senator or state representative in such town at the last state election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy; (B) if such rules provide for the selection by delegates and the vacancy exists in a senatorial or assembly district composed of part of a single town, the delegates to the convention held for the nomination of a candidate for the office of state senator or state representative in such district at the last state election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy; and (C) if such rules provide for direct primaries under section 9-390, the nomination shall be made by the town committee of such party in the case of a vacancy in a senatorial or assembly district composed of a single town and, in a senatorial or assembly district composed of part of a single town, by the members of the town committee from such political subdivision or senatorial or assembly district.
(2) If such vacancy [is] resulting from the resignation or death of a member or member-elect of the General Assembly exists in a district office, as defined in section 9-372, the delegates to the senatorial or assembly convention for the last state election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy.
(3) If a vacancy occurs in the delegation from any town, political subdivision or district, such vacancy may be filled by the town committee of the town in which the delegate resided.
(4) Nominations by political parties pursuant to this section may be made and certified at any time after the resignation or death of the member or member-elect of the General Assembly and not later than the thirty-sixth day before the day of the election. No such nomination shall be effective until the presiding officer [and] or secretary of any district convention [have] has certified the nomination to the Secretary of the State or, in the case of a vacancy in a senatorial or assembly district composed of a single town or part thereof, until the presiding officer [and] or secretary of the town committee or single town convention [have] has certified the nomination to the [town clerk] Secretary of the State. If a certificate of a party's nomination to fill a vacancy resulting from the resignation or death of a member or member-elect of the General Assembly is not received by the Secretary of the State on or before the thirty-sixth day prior to the day of the election, such certificate shall be invalid and, for purposes of section 9-224a, shall be deemed to have made no valid certification of nomination by a political party for such senatorial or assembly office.
Sec. 3. Section 9-217 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
[Notwithstanding the requirement of twenty-eight days' notice to the Secretary of the State under sections 9-434 and 9-461, the clerk of the municipality in which such election is to be held shall file with the] The Secretary of the State shall provide to the clerk of the municipality in which such election is to be held a list of the candidates of each party for such office by the [thirty-second] thirty-fourth day before such special election.
Sec. 4. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-400 of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(a) A candidacy for nomination by a political party to a state office may be filed by or on behalf of any person whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party in any municipality within the state and who has either (1) received at least fifteen per cent of the votes of the convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call vote taken on the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate for such state office, whether or not the party-endorsed candidate for such office received a unanimous vote on the last ballot, or (2) circulated a petition and obtained the signatures of at least two per cent of the enrolled members of such party in the state, in accordance with the provisions of sections 9-404a to 9-404c, inclusive. Candidacies described in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting to the Secretary of the State not later than four o'clock p. m. on the fourteenth day following the close of the state convention, a certificate, signed by such candidate and attested by either (A) the chairman or presiding officer, or (B) the secretary of the convention, that such candidate received at least fifteen per cent of such votes, and that such candidate consents to be a candidate in a primary of such party for such state office. Such certificate shall specify the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full residence address and the title of the office for which the candidacy is being filed. If such certificate for a state office is not received by the Secretary of the State by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and, for purposes of sections 9-416 and 9-416a, shall be deemed to have made no valid certification of nomination by a political party for such state office. A single such certificate or petition for state office may be filed on behalf of two or more candidates for different state offices who consent to have their names appear on a single row of the primary ballot under subsection (b) of section 9-437. Candidacies described in subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting said petition not later than four o'clock p. m. on the sixty-third day preceding the day of the primary for such office to the registrar of voters of the towns in which the respective petition pages were circulated. Each registrar shall file each page of such petition with the Secretary of the State in accordance with the provisions of section 9-404c. A petition filed by or on behalf of a candidate for state office shall be invalid for such candidate if such candidate is certified as the party-endorsed candidate pursuant to section 9-388 or as receiving at least fifteen per cent of the convention vote for such office pursuant to this subsection. Except as provided in section 9-416a, upon the expiration of the time period for party endorsement and circulation and tabulation of petitions and signatures, if any, if one or more candidacies for such state office have been filed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the State shall notify all town clerks and registrars of voters in accordance with the provisions of section 9-433, that a primary for such state office shall be held in each municipality in accordance with the provisions of section 9-415.
(b) A candidacy for nomination by a political party to a district office may be filed by or on behalf of any person whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within the district the person seeks to represent that is in the office of the Secretary of the State at the end of the last day prior to the convention for the party from which the person seeks nomination and who has either (1) received at least fifteen per cent of the votes of the convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call vote taken on the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate for such district office, whether or not the party-endorsed candidate for such office received a unanimous vote on the last ballot, or (2) circulated a petition and obtained the signatures of at least two per cent of the enrolled members of such party in the district for the district office of representative in Congress, and at least five per cent of the enrolled members of such party in the district for the district offices of state senator, state representative and judge of probate, in accordance with the provisions of sections 9-404a to 9-404c, inclusive. Candidacies described in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting to the Secretary of the State not later than four o'clock p. m. on the fourteenth day following the close of the district convention, a certificate, signed by such candidate and attested by either (A) the chairman or presiding officer, or (B) the secretary of the convention, that such candidate received at least fifteen per cent of such votes, and that the candidate consents to be a candidate in a primary of such party for such district office. Such certificate shall specify the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full residence address and the title and district of the office for which the candidacy is being filed. If such certificate for a district office is not received by the Secretary of the State by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and, for purposes of sections 9-416 and 9-416a, shall be deemed to have made no valid certification of nomination by a political party for such district office. Candidacies described in subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting said petition not later than four o'clock p. m. on the sixty-third day preceding the day of the primary for such office to the registrar of voters of the towns in which the respective petition pages were circulated. Each registrar shall file each page of such petition with the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of section 9-404c. A petition may only be filed by or on behalf of a candidate for the district office of state senator, state representative or judge of probate who is not certified as the party-endorsed candidate pursuant to section 9-388 or as receiving at least fifteen per cent of the convention vote for such office pursuant to this subsection. A petition filed by or on behalf of a candidate for the district office of representative in Congress shall be invalid if said candidate is certified as the party-endorsed candidate pursuant to section 9-388 or as receiving at least fifteen per cent of the convention vote for such office pursuant to this subsection. Except as provided in section 9-416a, upon the expiration of the time period for party endorsement and circulation and tabulation of petitions and signatures, if any, if one or more candidacies for such district office have been filed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the State shall notify all town clerks within the district, in accordance with the provisions of section 9-433, that a primary for such district office shall be held in each municipality and each part of a municipality within the district in accordance with the provisions of section 9-415.
Sec. 5. Subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of section 9-450 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(1) (A) In the case of nominations for representatives in Congress and judges of probate in probate districts composed of two or more towns, provided for in sections 9-212 and 9-218, the delegates to the convention for the last state election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy. If a vacancy occurs in the delegation from any town, political subdivision or district, such vacancy may be filled by the town committee of the town in which the delegate resided. Endorsements by political party conventions pursuant to this subsection may be made and certified at any time after the resignation or death creating such vacancy and not later than the fiftieth day before the day of the election. No such endorsement shall be effective until the presiding officer [and] or secretary of any district convention [have] has certified the endorsement to the Secretary of the State.
Sec. 6. Subparagraph (A) of subdivision (3) of section 9-450 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(3) (A) In the case of nominations for senators in Congress provided for in section 9-211, the delegates to the convention for the last state election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy. If a vacancy occurs in the delegation from any town or political subdivision, such vacancy may be filled by the town committee of the town in which the delegate resided. Endorsements by political party conventions pursuant to this subsection may be made and certified at any time after the resignation or death creating such vacancy and not later than the fifty-sixth day before the day of the primary. No such endorsement shall be effective until the presiding officer [and] or secretary of any state convention [have] has certified the endorsement to the Secretary of the State.