Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB01046 Compare Versions

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7	7		General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1046
8	8		January Session, 2019
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14	14		AN ACT CONCERNING EL ECTION DAY REGISTRAT ION IN POLLING
15	15		PLACES AND EXTENDING THE HOURS OF ELECTION DA Y
16	16		REGISTRATION.
17	17		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
18	18		Assembly convened:
19	19
20	20		Section 1. Section 9-19j of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
21	21		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 2
22	22		(a) As used in this subsection and subsections (b) to (i), inclusive, of 3
23	23		this section, "election day" means the day on which a regular election, 4
24	24		as defined in section 9-1, is held. 5
25	25		(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a person who (1) 6
26	26		is (A) not an elector, or (B) an elector registered in a municipality who 7
27	27		wishes to change his or her registration to another municipality 8
28	28		pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of this 9
29	29		section, and (2) meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) 10
30	30		of section 9-12, may apply for admission as an elector on election day 11
31	31		pursuant to the provisions of subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this 12
32	32		section. 13
33	33		(c) (1) [The registrars of voters shall designate a location for the 14
34	34		completion and processing of] In each polling place, the location of 15
35	35		which is determined pursuant to sections 9-168 to 9-169a, inclusive, the 16
36	36		registrars of voters shall complete and process election day registration 17 Substitute Bill No. 1046
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43	43		applications on election day. [, provided the] The registrars of voters 18
44	44		shall have access to the state-wide centralized voter registration system 19
45	45		from such [location] polling place. 20
46	46		(2) [The] In addition to the election officials appointed pursuant to 21
47	47		section 9-258, the registrars of voters may appoint one or more election 22
48	48		officials to serve at such [location] polling place for the completion and 23
49	49		processing of election day registration applications and may delegate 24
50	50		to such election officials any of the responsibilities assigned to the 25
51	51		registrars of voters. The registrars of voters shall supervise such 26
52	52		election officials and train such election officials to be election day 27
53	53		registration election officials. 28
54	54		(d) Any person applying to register on election day under the 29
55	55		provisions of subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section shall make 30
56	56		application in accordance with the provisions of section 9-20, provided 31
57	57		(1) on election day, the applicant shall appear in person at the [location 32
58	58		designated by the registrars of voters for election day registration] 33
59	59		polling place not later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with 34
60	60		subsection (b) of section 9-174, as amended by this act, (2) an applicant 35
61	61		who is a student enrolled at an institution of higher education may 36
62	62		submit a current photo identification card issued by [said] such 37
63	63		institution in lieu of the identification required by section 9-20, and (3) 38
64	64		the applicant shall declare under oath that the applicant has not 39
65	65		previously voted in the election. If the information that the applicant is 40
66	66		required to provide under section 9-20 and subsections (a) to (i), 41
67	67		inclusive, of this section does not include proof of the applicant's 42
68	68		residential address, the applicant shall also submit identification that 43
69	69		shows the applicant's bona fide residence address, including, but not 44
70	70		limited to, a learner's permit issued under section 14-36 or a utility bill 45
71	71		that has the applicant's name and current address and that has a due 46
72	72		date that is not later than thirty days after the election or, in the case of 47
73	73		a student enrolled at an institution of higher education, a registration 48
74	74		or fee statement from such institution that has the applicant's name 49
75	75		and current address. 50 Substitute Bill No. 1046
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82	82		(e) If the registrars of voters determine that an applicant satisfies the 51
83	83		application requirements set forth in subsection (d) of this section, the 52
84	84		registrars of voters shall check the state-wide centralized voter 53
85	85		registration system before admitting such applicant as an elector. 54
86	86		(1) If the registrars of voters determine that the applicant is not 55
87	87		already an elector, the registrars of voters shall admit the applicant as 56
88	88		an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. 57
89	89		(2) If the registrars of voters determine that such applicant is an 58
90	90		elector in another municipality and such applicant states that he or she 59
91	91		wants to change the municipality in which the applicant is an elector, 60
92	92		notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-21, the registrars of voters 61
93	93		of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register shall 62
94	94		immediately notify the registrars of voters in such other municipality 63
95	95		that such elector is changing the municipality in which the applicant is 64
96	96		an elector. The registrars of voters in such other municipality shall 65
97	97		notify the election officials in such municipality to remove such elector 66
98	98		from the official voter list of such municipality. Such election officials 67
99	99		shall cross through the elector's name on such official voter list and 68
100	100		mark "off" next to such elector's name on such official voter list. 69
101	101		(A) If it is reported that such applicant already voted in such other 70
102	102		municipality, the registrars of voters of such other municipality shall 71
103	103		immediately notify the registrars of voters of the municipality in which 72
104	104		such elector now seeks to register. In such event, such elector shall not 73
105	105		receive an election day registration ballot from the registrars of voters 74
106	106		of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. For any 75
107	107		such elector, the election day registration process shall cease in the 76
108	108		municipality in which such elector now seeks to register and such 77
109	109		matter shall be reviewed by the registrars of voters in the municipality 78
110	110		in which such elector now seeks to register. After completion of such 79
111	111		review, if a resolution of the matter cannot be made, such matter shall 80
112	112		be reported to the State Elections Enforcement Commission which 81
113	113		shall conduct an investigation of the matter. 82 Substitute Bill No. 1046
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120	120		(B) If there is no such report that such applicant already voted in the 83
121	121		other municipality, the registrars of voters of the municipality in which 84
122	122		the applicant seeks to register shall admit the applicant as an elector 85
123	123		and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. 86
124	124		(f) If the applicant is admitted as an elector, the registrars of voters 87
125	125		shall provide the elector with an election day registration ballot and 88
126	126		election day registration envelope and shall make a record of such 89
127	127		issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted upon the 90
128	128		back of the envelope for an election day registration ballot and shall 91
129	129		declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the 92
130	130		election. The affirmation shall be in the form substantially as follows 93
131	131		and signed by the voter: 94
132	132		AFFIRMATION: I, the undersigned, do hereby state, under penalty 95
133	133		of false statement, (perjury) that: 96
134	134		1. I am the person admitted here as an elector in the town indicated. 97
135	135		2. I am eligible to vote in the election indicated for today in the town 98
136	136		indicated. 99
137	137		3. The information on my voter registration card is correct and 100
138	138		complete. 101
139	139		4. I reside at the address that I have given to the registrars of voters. 102
140	140		5. If previously registered at another location, I have provided such 103
141	141		address to the registrars of voters and hereby request cancellation of 104
142	142		such prior registration. 105
143	143		6. I have not voted in person or by absentee ballot and I will not 106
144	144		vote otherwise than by this ballot at this election. 107
145	145		7. I completed an application for an election day registration ballot 108
146	146		and received an election day registration ballot. 109
147	147		.... (Signature of voter) 110 Substitute Bill No. 1046
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154	154		(g) The elector shall forthwith mark the election day registration 111
155	155		ballot in the presence of the registrars of voters in such a manner that 112
156	156		the registrars of voters shall not know how the election day 113
157	157		registration ballot is marked. The elector shall place the election day 114
158	158		registration ballot in the election day registration ballot envelope 115
159	159		provided, and deposit such envelope in a secured election day 116
160	160		registration ballot depository receptacle. At the time designated by the 117
161	161		registrars of voters and noticed to election officials, the registrars of 118
162	162		voters shall transport such receptacle containing the election day 119
163	163		registration ballots to the central location or polling place, pursuant to 120
164	164		subsection (b) of section 9-147a, where absentee ballots are counted 121
165	165		and such election day registration ballots shall be counted by the 122
166	166		election officials present at such central location or polling place. A 123
167	167		section of the head moderator's return shall show the number of 124
168	168		election day registration ballots received from electors. The registrars 125
169	169		of voters shall seal a copy of the vote tally for election day registration 126
170	170		ballots in a depository envelope with the election day registration 127
171	171		ballots and store such election day registration depository envelope 128
172	172		with the other election results materials. The election day registration 129
173	173		depository envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of voters for 130
174	174		the period of time required to preserve counted ballots for elections. 131
175	175		(h) The provisions of the general statutes and regulations 132
176	176		concerning procedures relating to the custody, control and counting of 133
177	177		absentee ballots shall apply, as nearly as possible, to the custody, 134
178	178		control and counting of election day registration ballots under 135
179	179		subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section. 136
180	180		(i) After the acceptance of an election day registration, the registrars 137
181	181		of voters shall forthwith send a registration confirmation notice to the 138
182	182		residential address of each applicant who is admitted as an elector on 139
183	183		election day under subsections (a) to (i), inclusive, of this section. Such 140
184	184		confirmation shall be sent by first class mail with instructions on the 141
185	185		envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown on 142
186	186		the envelope. If a confirmation notice is returned undelivered, the 143 Substitute Bill No. 1046
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193	193		registrars shall forthwith take the necessary action in accordance with 144
194	194		section 9-35 or 9-43, as applicable, notwithstanding the May first 145
195	195		deadline in section 9-35. 146
196	196		(j) No person shall solicit in behalf of or in opposition to the 147
197	197		candidacy of another or himself or herself or in behalf of or in 148
198	198		opposition to any question being submitted at the election, or loiter or 149
199	199		peddle or offer any advertising matter, ballot or circular to another 150
200	200		person within a radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in 151
201	201		use as an entry to the registrars' of voters designated location for 152
202	202		election day registration balloting or in any corridor, passageway or 153
203	203		other approach leading from any such outside entrance to such 154
204	204		registrars' of voters designated location or in any room opening upon 155
205	205		any such corridor, passageway or approach. 156
206	206		Sec. 2. Section 9-174 of the general statutes is repealed and the 157
207	207		following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 158
208	208		(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, special 159
209	209		act or municipal charter to the contrary, at any regular election, or at 160
210	210		any special election held to fill a vacancy in a state, district or 161
211	211		municipal office, the polls shall remain open for voting from six o'clock 162
212	212		a.m. until eight o'clock p.m. No elector shall be permitted to cast his 163
213	213		vote after the hour prescribed for the closing of the polls in any 164
214	214		election unless such elector is in line at eight o'clock p.m. An election 165
215	215		official or a police official of the municipality, who is designated by the 166
216	216		moderator, shall be placed at the end of the line at eight o'clock p.m. 167
217	217		Such official shall not allow any electors who were not in such line at 168
218	218		eight o'clock p.m. to enter such line. 169
219	219		(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, special 170
220	220		act or municipal charter to the contrary, at any regular election, the 171
221	221		polls shall remain open for the completion and processing of election 172
222	222		day registration applications and voting from six o'clock a.m. until 173
223	223		eight o'clock p.m. No applicant for election day registration shall be 174
224	224		admitted as an elector or permitted to cast such applicant's vote after 175 Substitute Bill No. 1046
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231	231		the hour prescribed for the closing of the polls in any election unless 176
232	232		such applicant is in line at eight o'clock p.m. An election official or a 177
233	233		police official of the municipality, who is designated by the moderator, 178
234	234		shall be placed at the end of the line at eight o'clock p.m. Such official 179
235	235		shall not allow any applicants for election day registration who were 180
236	236		not in such line at eight o'clock p.m. to enter such line. 181
237	237		This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
238	238		sections:
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240	240		Section 1 from passage 9-19j
241	241		Sec. 2 from passage 9-174
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	243	+	Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
	244	+	In Section 1(c)(1), "section 9-169" was changed to "sections 9-168 to 9-
	245	+	169a, inclusive" for accuracy.
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244	248		GAE Joint Favorable Subst.
245		-	APP Joint Favorable
246	249