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Connecticut House Bill HB06045

Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06045 Compare Versions

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11
22
3+LCO No. 1788 1 of 1
34
4-LCO No. 3794 1 of 9
5-
6-General Assembly Committee Bill No. 6045
5+General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 6045
76 January Session, 2019
8-LCO No. 3794
7+LCO No. 1788
98
109
1110 Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
1211 AND ELECTIONS
1312
1413
1514 Introduced by:
16-(GAE)
15+REP. DOUCETTE, 13th Dist.
16+SEN. CASSANO, 4th Dist.
17+
1718
1819
1920
2021 AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTION DAY AND PRIMARY DAY
2122 REGISTRATION.
2223 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
2324 Assembly convened:
2425
25-Section 1. Section 9-19j of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
26-following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 2
27-(a) As used in [this subsection and subsections (b) to (i), inclusive, 3
28-of] this section, "election day" means the day on which a regular 4
29-election, as defined in section 9-1, is held, "primary day" means the day 5
30-on which a primary, as defined in section 9-372 or 9-463, as applicable, 6
31-is held, "election day registration" means admission as an elector on 7
32-election day and "primary day registration" means both admission as 8
33-an elector and enrollment in a political party holding a primary on 9
34-primary day. 10
35-(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a person who (1) 11
36-is (A) not an elector, or (B) an elector registered in a municipality who 12
37-wishes to change his or her registration to another municipality 13
38-pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of this 14
39-Committee Bill No. 6045
40-
41-
42-LCO No. 3794 2 of 9
43-
44-section, and (2) meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) 15
45-of section 9-12, may apply for admission as an elector on election day, 16
46-or for both admission as an elector and enrollment in a political party 17
47-holding a primary on primary day, pursuant to the provisions of 18
48-[subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of] this section. 19
49-(c) (1) The registrars of voters shall designate a location for the 20
50-completion and processing of election day registration applications on 21
51-election day and primary day registration applications on primary 22
52-day, provided the registrars of voters have access to the state-wide 23
53-centralized voter registration system from such location. 24
54-(2) The registrars of voters may appoint one or more election 25
55-officials or primary officials, as applicable, to serve at such location 26
56-and may delegate to such election or primary officials any of the 27
57-responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters. The registrars of 28
58-voters shall supervise such election or primary officials and train such 29
59-election or primary officials to be election day registration election 30
60-officials or primary day registration primary officials. 31
61-(d) Any person applying [to register] for admission as an elector on 32
62-election day, or for both admission as an elector and enrollment in a 33
63-political party holding a primary on primary day, under the provisions 34
64-[of subsections (a) to (i), inclusive,] of this section shall make 35
65-application in accordance with [the provisions of] section 9-20, 36
66-provided (1) on election day or primary day, the applicant shall appear 37
67-in person not later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with 38
68-subsection (b) of section 9-174, as amended by this act, or section 9-438, 39
69-as amended by this act, as applicable, at the location designated by the 40
70-registrars of voters for election day registration or primary day 41
71-registration, (2) an applicant who is a student enrolled at an institution 42
72-of higher education may submit a current photo identification card 43
73-issued by [said] such institution in lieu of the identification required by 44
74-section 9-20, and (3) the applicant shall declare under oath that the 45
75-applicant has not previously voted in [the] any election or primary 46
76-Committee Bill No. 6045
77-
78-
79-LCO No. 3794 3 of 9
80-
81-held that day. If the information that the applicant is required to 47
82-provide under section 9-20 and [subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of] this 48
83-section does not include proof of the applicant's residential address, 49
84-the applicant shall also submit identification that shows the applicant's 50
85-bona fide residence address, including, but not limited to, a learner's 51
86-permit issued under section 14-36 or a utility bill that has the 52
87-applicant's name and current address and that has a due date that is 53
88-not later than thirty days after the election or primary, as applicable, 54
89-or, in the case of a student enrolled at an institution of higher 55
90-education, a registration or fee statement from such institution that has 56
91-the applicant's name and current address. 57
92-(e) If the registrars of voters determine that an applicant satisfies the 58
93-application requirements set forth in subsection (d) of this section, the 59
94-registrars of voters shall check the state-wide centralized voter 60
95-registration system before admitting such applicant as an elector on 61
96-election day, or before both admitting such applicant as an elector and 62
97-enrolling such applicant in a political party holding a primary on 63
98-primary day. 64
99-(1) If the registrars of voters determine that the applicant is not 65
100-already an elector, the registrars of voters shall admit the applicant as 66
101-an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. On 67
102-primary day, the registrars of voters shall also enroll the applicant in 68
103-the political party holding a primary of such applicant's preference and 69
104-the privileges of party enrollment shall attach immediately. 70
105-(2) If the registrars of voters determine that such applicant is an 71
106-elector in another municipality and such applicant states that he or she 72
107-wants to change the municipality in which the applicant is an elector, 73
108-notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-21, the registrars of voters 74
109-of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register shall 75
110-immediately notify the registrars of voters in such other municipality 76
111-that such elector is changing the municipality in which the applicant is 77
112-an elector. The registrars of voters in such other municipality shall 78
113-Committee Bill No. 6045
114-
115-
116-LCO No. 3794 4 of 9
117-
118-notify the election officials in such municipality to remove such elector 79
119-from the official voter list and, if applicable, any enrollment list of such 80
120-municipality. Such election officials shall cross through the elector's 81
121-name on such official voter list and, if applicable, enrollment list and 82
122-mark "off" next to such elector's name on such official voter list and, if 83
123-applicable, enrollment list. 84
124-(A) If it is reported that such applicant already voted in such other 85
125-municipality, the registrars of voters of such other municipality shall 86
126-immediately notify the registrars of voters of the municipality in which 87
127-such elector now seeks to register. In such event, such elector shall not 88
128-receive an election day registration ballot or a primary day registration 89
129-ballot, as applicable, from the registrars of voters of the municipality in 90
130-which such elector now seeks to register. For any such elector, the 91
131-election day registration or primary day registration process shall 92
132-cease in the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register 93
133-and such matter shall be reviewed by the registrars of voters in the 94
134-municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. After 95
135-completion of such review, if a resolution of the matter [can not] 96
136-cannot be made, such matter shall be reported to the State Elections 97
137-Enforcement Commission which shall conduct an investigation of the 98
138-matter. 99
139-(B) If there is no such report that such applicant already voted in the 100
140-other municipality, the registrars of voters of the municipality in which 101
141-the applicant seeks to register shall admit the applicant as an elector 102
142-and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. On primary 103
143-day, the registrars of voters shall also enroll the applicant in the 104
144-political party holding a primary of such applicant's preference and the 105
145-privileges of party enrollment shall attach immediately. 106
146-(f) If the applicant is admitted as an elector on election day, or both 107
147-admitted as an elector and enrolled in a political party holding a 108
148-primary on primary day, the registrars of voters shall provide the 109
149-elector with an election day registration or primary day registration 110
150-Committee Bill No. 6045
151-
152-
153-LCO No. 3794 5 of 9
154-
155-ballot and [election day registration] envelope and shall make a record 111
156-of such issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted 112
157-upon the back of the envelope for an election day registration or 113
158-primary day registration ballot and shall declare under oath that the 114
159-applicant has not previously voted in [the] any election or primary 115
160-held that day. The affirmation shall be in the form substantially as 116
161-follows and signed by the voter: 117
162-AFFIRMATION: I, the undersigned, do hereby state, under penalty 118
163-of false statement, (perjury) that: 119
164-1. I am the person admitted here as an elector in the town indicated. 120
165-2. I am eligible to vote in the election or primary indicated for today 121
166-in the town indicated. 122
167-3. The information on my voter registration card is correct and 123
168-complete. 124
169-4. I reside at the address that I have given to the registrars of voters. 125
170-5. If previously registered at another location, I have provided such 126
171-address to the registrars of voters and hereby request cancellation of 127
172-such prior registration. 128
173-6. I have not voted in person or by absentee ballot and I will not 129
174-vote otherwise than by this ballot at this election or primary. 130
175-7. I completed an application for an election day registration or 131
176-primary day registration ballot and received an election day 132
177-registration or primary day registration ballot. 133
178- .... (Signature of voter) 134
179-(g) The elector shall forthwith mark the election day registration or 135
180-primary day registration ballot in the presence of the registrars of 136
181-voters in such a manner that the registrars of voters shall not know 137
182-how [the election day registration] such ballot is marked. The elector 138
183-Committee Bill No. 6045
184-
185-
186-LCO No. 3794 6 of 9
187-
188-shall place [the election day registration] such ballot in the election day 139
189-registration or primary day registration ballot envelope provided, and 140
190-deposit such envelope in a secured election day registration or primary 141
191-day registration ballot depository receptacle. At the time designated by 142
192-the registrars of voters and noticed to election officials, the registrars of 143
193-voters shall transport such receptacle containing [the election day 144
194-registration] such ballots to the central location or polling place, 145
195-pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, where absentee ballots are 146
196-counted and such election day registration or primary day registration 147
197-ballots shall be counted by the election or primary officials present at 148
198-such central location or polling place. A section of the head 149
199-moderator's return shall show the number of election day registration 150
200-or primary day registration ballots received from electors. The 151
201-registrars of voters shall seal a copy of the vote tally for [election day 152
202-registration] such ballots in a depository envelope with [the election 153
203-day registration] such ballots and store such [election day registration] 154
204-depository envelope with the other election or primary results 155
205-materials. [The] Each election day registration or primary day 156
206-registration depository envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of 157
207-voters for the period of time required to preserve counted ballots for 158
208-elections or primaries, as applicable. 159
209-(h) The provisions of the general statutes and regulations 160
210-concerning procedures relating to the custody, control and counting of 161
211-absentee ballots shall apply as nearly as possible, to the custody, 162
212-control and counting of election day registration and primary day 163
213-registration ballots under [subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of] this 164
214-section. 165
215-(i) After the acceptance of an election day registration or a primary 166
216-day registration, the registrars of voters shall forthwith send a 167
217-registration confirmation notice to the residential address of each 168
218-applicant who is admitted as an elector on election day, or both 169
219-admitted as an elector and enrolled in a political party holding a 170
220-primary on primary day, as applicable, under [subsections (a) to (i), 171
221-Committee Bill No. 6045
222-
223-
224-LCO No. 3794 7 of 9
225-
226-inclusive, of] this section. Such confirmation shall be sent by first class 172
227-mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not 173
228-deliverable at the address shown on the envelope. If a confirmation 174
229-notice is returned undelivered, the registrars shall forthwith take the 175
230-necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43, as applicable, 176
231-notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35. 177
232-(j) No person shall solicit in behalf of or in opposition to the 178
233-candidacy of another or himself or herself or in behalf of or in 179
234-opposition to any question being submitted at the election, or loiter or 180
235-peddle or offer any advertising matter, ballot or circular to another 181
236-person within a radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in 182
237-use as an entry to the registrars' of voters designated location for 183
238-election day registration or primary day registration balloting or in any 184
239-corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside 185
240-entrance to such registrars' of voters designated location or in any 186
241-room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach. 187
242-Sec. 2. Section 9-174 of the general statutes is repealed and the 188
243-following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 189
244-(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, special 190
245-act or municipal charter to the contrary, at any regular election, or at 191
246-any special election held to fill a vacancy in a state, district or 192
247-municipal office, the polls shall remain open for voting from six o'clock 193
248-a.m. until eight o'clock p.m. No elector shall be permitted to cast his 194
249-vote after the hour prescribed for the closing of the polls in any 195
250-election unless such elector is in line at eight o'clock p.m. An election 196
251-official or a police official of the municipality, who is designated by the 197
252-moderator, shall be placed at the end of the line at eight o'clock p.m. 198
253-Such official shall not allow any electors who were not in such line at 199
254-eight o'clock p.m. to enter such line. 200
255-(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, special 201
256-act or municipal charter to the contrary, at any regular election, the 202
257-location designated for election day registration, as defined in section 203
258-Committee Bill No. 6045
259-
260-
261-LCO No. 3794 8 of 9
262-
263-9-19j, as amended by this act, pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection 204
264-(c) of said section, shall remain open for election day registration and 205
265-voting from six o'clock a.m. until eight o'clock p.m. No applicant for 206
266-election day registration shall be admitted as an elector or permitted to 207
267-cast such applicant's vote after the hour prescribed for the closing of 208
268-the location designated for such purposes in any regular election 209
269-unless such applicant is in line at eight o'clock p.m. An election official 210
270-or a police official of the municipality, who is appointed by the 211
271-registrars of voters, shall be placed at the end of the line at eight o'clock 212
272-p.m. Such official shall not allow any applicants for election day 213
273-registration who were not in such line at eight o'clock p.m. to enter 214
274-such line. 215
275-Sec. 3. Section 9-438 of the general statutes is repealed and the 216
276-following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 217
277-In each municipality or voting district, the polling places for 218
278-primaries held under sections 9-382 to 9-450, inclusive, shall be the 219
279-same as those used for the election to be held. When unaffiliated 220
280-electors are authorized under section 9-431 to vote in the primary of 221
281-either of two parties, both parties shall hold their primaries in the same 222
282-room of each such polling place. On the day of the primary, (1) the 223
283-polls shall remain open for voting from six o'clock a.m. until eight 224
284-o'clock p.m., and (2) the location designated for primary day 225
285-registration, as defined in section 9-19j, as amended by this act, 226
286-pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of said section, shall 227
287-remain open for primary day registration and voting from six o'clock 228
288-a.m. until eight o'clock p.m. 229
289-This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
290-sections:
291-
292-Section 1 from passage 9-19j
293-Sec. 2 from passage 9-174
294-Sec. 3 from passage 9-438
295-
296-Committee Bill No. 6045
297-
298-
299-LCO No. 3794 9 of 9
300-
26+That title 9 of the general statutes be amended to (1) allow 1
27+applicants in line for election day registration prior to eight o'clock 2
28+p.m. to be admitted as electors and cast a vote in a regular election, and 3
29+(2) apply such change, as well as those other procedures at regular 4
30+elections for elector registration, party enrollment and voting, to 5
31+primaries. 6
30132 Statement of Purpose:
30233 To permit applicants in line for election day registration prior to eight
30334 o'clock p.m. to be admitted as electors and cast a vote in a regular
30435 election, as well as apply to primaries the procedures at regular
30536 elections for elector registration, party enrollment and voting.
306-[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
307-except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
308-not underlined.]
309-
310-Co-Sponsors: REP. DOUCETTE, 13th Dist.; SEN. CASSANO, 4th Dist.
311-
312-H.B. 6045
313-
314-