Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB07213 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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7	5		General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7213
8	6		January Session, 2019
9	7		LCO No. 4448
10	8
11	9
12		-	Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT
13		-	~~ADMINISTRATION~~ AND ELECTIONS
	10	+	Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
	11	+	AND ELECTIONS
14	12
15	13
16	14		Introduced by:
17	15		(GAE)
	16	+
18	17
19	18
20	19
21	20		AN ACT CONCERNING EL ECTORAL PRIVILEGES OF CERTAIN
22	21		PAROLEES AND CHALLEN GERS IN THE POLLING PLACE.
23	22		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
24	23		Assembly convened:
25	24
26	25		Section 1. Section 9-46a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
27	26		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 2
28	27		(a) A person who has been convicted of a felony and committed to 3
29	28		confinement in a federal or other state correctional institution or 4
30	29		facility or community residence shall have such person's electoral 5
31	30		privileges restored [upon the payment of all fines in conjunction with 6
32	31		the conviction and] once such person has been [discharged] released 7
33	32		from confinement. [, and, if applicable, parole.] 8
34	33		(b) Upon the release from confinement in a correctional institution 9
35	34		or facility or a community residence of a person who has been 10
36	35		convicted of a felony and committed to the custody of the 11
37	36		Commissioner of Correction, [and, if applicable, the discharge of such 12
38		-	person from parole,] (1) the person shall have the right to become an 13
39		-	elector, (2) the Commissioner of Correction shall give the person a 14 Raised Bill No. 7213
	37	+	person from parole,] (1) the person shall have the right to become an 13 Raised Bill No. 7213
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	43	+	elector, (2) the Commissioner of Correction shall give the person a 14
46	44		document certifying that the person has been released from such 15
47	45		confinement, [and, if applicable, has been discharged from parole,] (3) 16
48	46		if the person was an elector at the time of such felony conviction and, 17
49	47		after such release, [and any such discharge,] is residing in the same 18
50	48		municipality in which the person resided at the time of such felony 19
51	49		conviction, the person's electoral privileges shall be restored, and (4) if 20
52	50		the person was an elector at the time of such felony conviction and, 21
53	51		after such release, [and any such discharge,] is residing in a different 22
54	52		municipality or if the person was not an elector at the time of such 23
55	53		felony conviction, the person's electoral privileges shall be restored or 24
56	54		granted upon submitting to an admitting official satisfactory proof of 25
57	55		the person's qualifications to be admitted as an elector. The provisions 26
58	56		of subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection shall not apply to 27
59	57		any person convicted of a felony for a violation of any provision of this 28
60	58		title until such person has been discharged from any parole or 29
61	59		probation for such felony. 30
62	60		(c) The registrars of voters of the municipality in which a person is 31
63	61		admitted as an elector pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section, 32
64	62		within thirty days after the date on which such person is admitted, 33
65	63		shall notify the registrars of voters of the municipality wherein such 34
66	64		person resided at the time of such person's conviction that such 35
67	65		person's electoral rights have been so restored. 36
68	66		(d) The Commissioner of Correction shall establish procedures to 37
69	67		inform those persons who have been convicted of a felony and 38
70	68		committed to the custody of said commissioner for confinement in a 39
71	69		correctional institution or facility or a community residence, and are 40
72	70		eligible to have their electoral privileges restored or granted pursuant 41
73	71		to subsection (b) of this section, of the right and procedures to have 42
74	72		such privileges restored. The Office of Adult Probation shall, within 43
75	73		available appropriations, inform such persons who are on probation 44
76	74		on January 1, 2002, of their right to become electors and procedures to 45
77	75		have their electoral privileges restored, which shall be in accordance 46
78	76		with subsections (b) and (c) of this section. 47 Raised Bill No. 7213
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85	82		(e) The Commissioner of Correction shall, on or before the fifteenth 48
86	83		day of each month, transmit to the Secretary of the State a list of all 49
87	84		persons convicted of a felony and committed to the custody of said 50
88	85		commissioner who, during the preceding calendar month, have been 51
89	86		released from confinement in a correctional institution or facility or a 52
90	87		community residence. [and, if applicable, discharged from parole.] 53
91	88		Such lists shall include the names, birth dates and addresses of such 54
92	89		persons, with the dates of their convictions and the crimes of which 55
93	90		such persons have been convicted. The Secretary of the State shall 56
94	91		transmit such lists to the registrars of the municipalities in which such 57
95	92		convicted persons resided at the time of their convictions and to the 58
96	93		registrars of any municipalities where the secretary believes such 59
97	94		persons may be electors. 60
98	95		Sec. 2. Section 9-453e of the general statutes is repealed and the 61
99	96		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 62
100	97		Each circulator of a nominating petition page shall be a United 63
101	98		States citizen, at least eighteen years of age and a resident of a town in 64
102	99		this state. [and shall not be on parole for conviction of a felony.] Any 65
103	100		individual proposed as a candidate in any nominating petition may 66
104	101		serve as circulator of the pages of such nominating petition. 67
105	102		Sec. 3. Section 9-453j of the general statutes is repealed and the 68
106	103		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 69
107	104		Each page of a nominating petition submitted to the town clerk or 70
108	105		the Secretary of the State and filed with the Secretary of the State under 71
109	106		the provisions of sections 9-453a to 9-453s, inclusive, or section 9-216 72
110	107		shall contain a statement as to the residency in this state and eligibility 73
111	108		of the circulator and authenticity of the signatures thereon, signed 74
112	109		under penalties of false statement, by the person who circulated the 75
113	110		same. Such statement shall set forth (1) such circulator's residence 76
114	111		address, including the town in this state in which such circulator is a 77
115	112		resident, (2) the circulator's date of birth and that the circulator is at 78
116	113		least eighteen years of age, (3) that the circulator is a United States 79 Raised Bill No. 7213
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123	119		citizen, [and not on parole for conviction of a felony,] and (4) that each 80
124	120		person whose name appears on such page signed the same in person 81
125	121		in the presence of such circulator and that either the circulator knows 82
126	122		each such signer or that the signer satisfactorily identified himself to 83
127	123		the circulator. Any false statement committed with respect to such 84
128	124		statement shall be deemed to have been committed in the town in 85
129	125		which the petition was circulated. 86
130	126		Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 9-232 of the general statutes is 87
131	127		repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 88
132	128		1, 2019): 89
133	129		(a) [Each registrar may appoint one or more challengers in his town 90
134	130		or district, one of whom may be present at the offering of any vote; and 91
135	131		any such challenger or any] Any elector may challenge the right of any 92
136	132		person offering to vote, on the ground of want of identity with the 93
137	133		person on whose name the vote is offered, or disfranchisement or lack 94
138	134		of bona fide residence, and the moderator shall decide upon the right 95
139	135		of the person so challenged to vote. 96
140	136		Sec. 5. Section 9-235d of the general statutes is repealed and the 97
141	137		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2019): 98
142	138		(a) Notwithstanding any provision of sections 9-233, 9-235 and 9-99
143	139		258, as amended by this act, to the contrary, a United States citizen 100
144	140		who is sixteen or seventeen years of age and a bona fide resident of a 101
145	141		town may be [(1)] appointed as [a challenger or] (1) an unofficial 102
146	142		checker in an election, or (2) [appointed as] a checker, translator, ballot 103
147	143		clerk or voting tabulator tender in an election after (A) attending poll 104
148	144		worker training, and (B) receiving the written permission of a parent, 105
149	145		guardian or the principal of the school that the citizen attends if the 106
150	146		citizen is a secondary school student and the citizen is to be appointed 107
151	147		to work on a day when such school is in session. 108
152	148		(b) Notwithstanding any provision of section 9-436 or 9-436a to the 109
153		-	contrary, a United States citizen who is sixteen or seventeen years of 110 Raised Bill No. 7213
	149	+	contrary, a United States citizen who is sixteen or seventeen years of 110
	150	+	age and a bona fide resident of a town or political subdivision holding 111 Raised Bill No. 7213
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160		-	age and a bona fide resident of a town or political subdivision holding 111
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161	156		a primary may be [(1)] appointed as [a challenger or] (1) a candidate 112
162	157		checker in the primary, or (2) [appointed as] a checker, translator, 113
163	158		ballot clerk or voting tabulator tender in a primary after (A) attending 114
164	159		poll worker training, and (B) receiving the written permission of a 115
165	160		parent, guardian or the principal of the school that the citizen attends 116
166	161		if the citizen is a secondary school student and the citizen is to be 117
167	162		appointed to work on a day when such school is in session. 118
168	163		Sec. 6. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-258 of the general statutes 119
169	164		are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 120
170	165		July 1, 2019): 121
171	166		(a) For municipalities with more than one voting district, the 122
172	167		election officials of each polling place shall be electors of the state and 123
173	168		shall consist of (1) one moderator, (2) at least one but not more than 124
174	169		two official checkers, (3) two assistant registrars of voters of opposite 125
175	170		political parties, each of whom shall be residents of the town, (4) [not 126
176	171		more than two challengers if the registrars of voters have appointed 127
177	172		challengers pursuant to section 9-232, (5)] at least one but not more 128
178	173		than two ballot clerks, and [(6)] (5) at least one but not more than two 129
179	174		voting tabulator tenders for each voting tabulator in use at the polling 130
180	175		place. A known candidate for any office shall not serve as an election 131
181	176		official on election day or serve at the polls in any capacity, except that 132
182	177		(A) a municipal clerk or a registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the 133
183	178		same office, may perform his or her official duties, and (B) a deputy 134
184	179		registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the office of registrar of 135
185	180		voters, may perform his or her official duties. If, in the opinion of the 136
186	181		registrar of voters, the public convenience of the electors in any voting 137
187	182		district so requires, provision shall be made for an additional line or 138
188	183		lines of electors at the polling place and, if more than one line of 139
189	184		electors is established, at least one but not more than two additional 140
190	185		official checkers and at least one but not more than two ballot clerks 141
191	186		for each line of electors shall be appointed and, if more than one 142
192		-	tabulator is used in a polling place, at least one but not more than two 143 Raised Bill No. 7213
	187	+	tabulator is used in a polling place, at least one but not more than two 143
	188	+	additional voting tabulator tenders shall be appointed for each 144
	189	+	additional machine so used. Head moderators, central counting 145 Raised Bill No. 7213
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199		-	~~additional voting tabulator tenders shall be appointed for each 144~~
200		-	~~additional machine so used. Head moderators, central counting 145~~
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201	195		moderators and absentee ballot counters appointed pursuant to law 146
202	196		shall also be deemed election officials. 147
203	197		(b) For municipalities with one voting district, the election officials 148
204	198		of such polling place shall be electors of the state and shall consist of 149
205	199		(1) one moderator, (2) at least one but not more than two official 150
206	200		checkers, (3) [not more than two challengers if the registrars of voters 151
207	201		have appointed challengers pursuant to section 9-232, (4)] at least one 152
208	202		but not more than two voting tabulator tenders for each voting 153
209	203		tabulator in use at the polling place, and [(5)] (4) at least one but not 154
210	204		more than two ballot clerks. Additionally, such election officials may 155
211	205		consist of two registrars of voters of opposite political parties, or two 156
212	206		assistant registrars of voters of opposite political parties, as the case 157
213	207		may be, subject to the requirements of sections 9-259 and 9-439, 158
214	208		provided if the registrars of voters are present in the polling place, they 159
215	209		shall appoint at least one designee to be present in their office. A 160
216	210		known candidate for any office shall not serve as an election official on 161
217	211		election day or serve at the polls in any capacity, except that (A) a 162
218	212		municipal clerk or a registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the same 163
219	213		office, may perform his or her official duties, and (B) a deputy registrar 164
220	214		of voters, who is a candidate for the office of registrar of voters, may 165
221	215		perform his or her official duties. If, in the opinion of the registrar of 166
222	216		voters, the public convenience of the electors in any voting district so 167
223	217		requires, provision shall be made for an additional line or lines of 168
224	218		electors at the polling place and, if more than one line of electors is 169
225	219		established, at least one but not more than two additional official 170
226	220		checkers for each line of electors shall be appointed and, if more than 171
227	221		one tabulator is used in a polling place, at least one but not more than 172
228	222		two additional voting tabulator tenders shall be appointed for each 173
229	223		additional tabulator so used. Head moderators, central counting 174
230	224		moderators and absentee ballot counters appointed pursuant to law 175
231		-	shall be deemed to be election officials. 176 Raised Bill No. 7213
	225	+	shall be deemed to be election officials. 176
	226	+	Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 9-436 of the general statutes is 177
	227	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 178
	228	+	1, 2019): 179 Raised Bill No. 7213
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238		-	Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 9-436 of the general statutes is 177
239		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 178
240		-	1, 2019): 179
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241	234		(c) The registrar shall appoint from among the enrolled party 180
242	235		members in the state, to serve in each polling place, the primary 181
243	236		polling place officials, who shall consist of (1) one moderator, (2) at 182
244	237		least one [,] but not more than two official checkers, [not more than 183
245	238		two challengers if the registrar deems it necessary, and] (3) at least one 184
246	239		[and] but not more than two ballot clerks, [and] (4) at least one but not 185
247	240		more than two voting tabulator tenders for each tabulator in use at 186
248	241		such primary, and [,] (5) in towns with two or more voting districts, at 187
249	242		least one [and] but not more than two assistant registrars, provided 188
250	243		[(1)] (A) in the case of either a municipality or a political subdivision 189
251	244		holding a primary, if no enrolled party member can be found or no 190
252	245		such person consents to serve as a moderator, the registrar may 191
253	246		appoint any elector who resides in the state and is a certified 192
254	247		moderator to be moderator, [(2)] (B) in the case of a political 193
255	248		subdivision holding a primary, if an insufficient number of enrolled 194
256	249		party members who reside in the state consent to serve as checkers, 195
257	250		[challengers,] voting tabulator tenders or assistant registrars, the 196
258	251		registrar may appoint any elector who resides in the state to be a 197
259	252		checker, [challenger,] voting tabulator tender or assistant registrar, and 198
260	253		[(3)] (C) in the case of either a municipality or a political subdivision 199
261	254		holding more than one primary on the same day for different political 200
262	255		parties, one certified moderator may serve as moderator for both 201
263	256		primaries, if the registrars of voters so agree. If unaffiliated electors are 202
264	257		authorized under section 9-431 to vote for some but not all of the 203
265	258		offices to be contested at the primary, the registrar shall appoint two 204
266	259		additional checkers to check the list of unaffiliated electors who are 205
267	260		authorized to vote on the separate tabulators. If unaffiliated electors 206
268	261		are authorized under section 9-431 to vote in the primary of either of 207
269	262		two parties in the same polling place, whether for some or for all 208
270	263		offices to be contested at the primary, each such registrar shall appoint 209
271		-	two additional checkers to check the list of unaffiliated electors who 210 Raised Bill No. 7213
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	264	+	two additional checkers to check the list of unaffiliated electors who 210
278	265		are authorized to vote in either such primary. 211
279	266		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
280	267		sections:
	268	+	Raised Bill No. 7213
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	270	+
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281	273
282	274		Section 1 July 1, 2019 9-46a
283	275		Sec. 2 July 1, 2019 9-453e
284	276		Sec. 3 July 1, 2019 9-453j
285	277		Sec. 4 July 1, 2019 9-232(a)
286	278		Sec. 5 July 1, 2019 9-235d
287	279		Sec. 6 July 1, 2019 9-258(a) and (b)
288	280		Sec. 7 July 1, 2019 9-436(c)
289	281
290		-	GAE Joint Favorable
	282	+	Statement of Purpose:
	283	+	To eliminate registrar-appointed challengers from who may be present
	284	+	in the polling place during a primary or election.
	285	+	[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
	286	+	except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
	287	+	not underlined.]
291	288