Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00005 Latest Draft

Bill / Comm Sub Version Filed 04/22/2021

                             
 
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General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 5  
January Session, 2021 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING IN CREASED OPPORTUNITIE S FOR 
ABSENTEE VOTING, SAF E AND SECURE IN-PERSON VOTING, 
VOTER REGISTRATION A ND CERTAIN OTHER CHA NGES 
REGARDING ELECTION A DMINISTRATION.  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 9-19h of the general statutes is 1 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2 
passage): 3 
(b) (1) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, 4 
and except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the 5 
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles [, not later than January 1, 1994,] shall 6 
include an application for the admission of an elector with each 7 
application form provided for a motor vehicle operator's license and a 8 
motor vehicle operator's license renewal, which are issued under 9 
subpart (B) of part III of chapter 246, and with each application form 10 
provided for an identity card issued under section 1-1h. Such 11 
application form for the admission of an elector [(1)] (A) shall be subject 12 
to the approval of the Secretary of the State, [(2)] (B) shall not include 13 
any provisions for the witnessing of the application, and [(3)] (C) shall 14 
contain a statement that [(A)] (i) specifies each eligibility requirement, 15 
[(B)] (ii) contains an attestation that the applicant meets each such 16 
requirement, and [(C)] (iii) requires the signature of the applicant under 17  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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penalty of perjury. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall accept 18 
any such completed application for admission which is submitted in 19 
person, [or] by mail [. The] or through an electronic system pursuant to 20 
subdivision (2) of this subsection. Except as provided in said 21 
subdivision, the applicant shall state on such form, under penalty of 22 
perjury, the applicant's name, bona fide residence address, date of birth, 23 
whether the applicant is a United States citizen, party enrollment, if any, 24 
prior voting address, if registered previously, and that the applicant's 25 
privileges as an elector are not forfeited by reason of conviction of a 26 
felony. No Social Security number on any such application form for the 27 
admission of an elector filed prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed 28 
to the public or to any governmental agency. The commissioner shall 29 
indicate on each such form the date of receipt of such application to 30 
ensure that any eligible applicant is registered to vote in an election if it 31 
is received by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles by the last day for 32 
registration to vote in an election. The commissioner shall provide the 33 
applicant with an application receipt, on a form approved by the 34 
Secretary of the State and on which the commissioner shall record the 35 
date that the commissioner received the application, using an official 36 
date stamp bearing the words "Department of Motor Vehicles". The 37 
commissioner shall provide such receipt whether the application was 38 
submitted in person, [or] by mail or through an electronic system 39 
pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. The commissioner shall 40 
forthwith transmit the application to the registrars of voters of the 41 
applicant's town of residence. If a registration application is accepted 42 
within five days before the last day for registration to vote in a regular 43 
election, the application shall be transmitted to the registrars of voters 44 
of the town of voting residence of the applicant not later than five days 45 
after the date of acceptance. The procedures in subsections (c), (d), (f) 46 
and (g) of section 9-23g which are not inconsistent with the National 47 
Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to 48 
time, shall apply to applications made under this section. The 49 
commissioner is not an admitting official and may not restore, under the 50 
provisions of section 9-46a, as amended by this act, electoral privileges 51 
of persons convicted of a felony. 52  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(2) (A) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall provide an 53 
electronic system, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the State, to 54 
effectuate the purposes of subdivision (1) of this subsection regarding 55 
application for admission of an elector, except that the condition that an 56 
applicant state and attest to meeting each eligibility requirement may be 57 
waived for any such eligibility requirement verified independently by 58 
said commissioner through a federally approved identity verification 59 
program or other evidence acceptable to said commissioner. Such 60 
electronic system may provide for the transmittal to the Secretary of an 61 
applicant's signature on file with said commissioner. The use of any 62 
such electronic system shall comply with the National Voter 63 
Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time. 64 
(B) (i) Unless otherwise provided in this subparagraph, if the 65 
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles determines that a person applying for 66 
a motor vehicle operator's license, a motor vehicle operator's license 67 
renewal or an identity card meets each eligibility requirement for 68 
admission as an elector, said commissioner shall forthwith transmit an 69 
application for such person's admission as an elector to the registrars of 70 
voters of the town of residence of such person through an electronic 71 
system pursuant to this subdivision, in accordance with the provisions 72 
of subdivision (1) of this subsection, except that no such application 73 
shall be transmitted if such person declines to apply for such admission. 74 
(ii) If said commissioner determines that a person applying for a 75 
motor vehicle operator's license, a motor vehicle operator's license 76 
renewal or an identity card is not a United States citizen, said 77 
commissioner shall not provide such person an opportunity to apply for 78 
admission as an elector through an electronic system pursuant to this 79 
subdivision and shall not transmit any application for such admission 80 
on behalf of such person. 81 
(iii) If said commissioner cannot determine whether a person 82 
applying for a motor vehicle operator's license, a motor vehicle 83 
operator's license renewal or an identity card is a United States citizen, 84 
such person shall attest to his or her United States citizenship as a 85  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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precondition of said commissioner processing such person's application 86 
for admission as an elector through an electronic system pursuant to this 87 
subdivision. 88 
(C) In the case of an individual already admitted as an elector and 89 
who is also enrolled in a party, if use of such electronic system results in 90 
such elector being removed from the enrollment list of such party 91 
because such elector did not affirmatively confirm an intent to continue 92 
enrollment in such party, such removal shall be presumed unintentional 93 
and such elector shall be restored to such list upon such elector's 94 
notification of such removal to the registrar of voters of the town of 95 
residence of such elector. 96 
Sec. 2. Section 9-19i of the general statutes is repealed and the 97 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 98 
(a) Any change of address form submitted by a person in accordance 99 
with law for purposes of a motor vehicle operator's license shall serve 100 
as notification of change of address for voter registration for the person 101 
unless the person states on the form that the change of address is not for 102 
voter registration purposes. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall 103 
forthwith transmit such change of address information to the registrars 104 
of voters of the town of the former address of the person. If the name of 105 
the person appears on the registry list of the town, and if the new 106 
address is also within such town, the registrars shall enter the name of 107 
such elector on the registry list at the place where he then resides. If the 108 
name of the person appears on the registry list of the town and if the 109 
new address is outside such town, the registrars shall remove the name 110 
of such elector from the registry list and send the elector the notice, 111 
information and application required by subsection (c) of section 9-35, 112 
except that if said commissioner is using an electronic system pursuant 113 
to subsection (b) of this section, the Secretary of the State may prescribe 114 
alternative procedures for sending such notice and information and 115 
may waive the requirement to send such application. 116 
(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall provide an electronic 117  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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system, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the State, to effectuate 118 
the purposes of subsection (a) of this section regarding notifications of 119 
change of address for voter registration. Such electronic system may 120 
provide for the transmittal to the Secretary of an applicant's signature 121 
on file with said commissioner. The use of any such electronic system 122 
shall comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-123 
31, as amended from time to time. 124 
Sec. 3. Section 9-23n of the general statutes is repealed and the 125 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2022): 126 
(a) As used in this section, "voter registration agency" means (1) 127 
public assistance offices, (2) all offices in the state that provide 128 
state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to 129 
persons with disabilities, (3) libraries that are open to the public, and (4) 130 
such other appropriate offices as the Secretary of the State shall 131 
designate in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 132 
1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time. 133 
(b) [Voter registration agencies shall] (1) Except as provided in 134 
subdivision (2) of this subsection, each voter registration agency shall 135 
(A) distribute mail voter registration application forms, [(2)] (B) assist 136 
applicants for [such] assistance or services provided by the agency in 137 
completing voter registration application forms, except for applicants 138 
who refuse [such] assistance in completing such forms, [(3)] (C) accept 139 
completed voter registration application forms and provide each 140 
applicant with an application receipt, on which the agency shall record 141 
the date that the agency received the application, using an official date 142 
stamp bearing the name of the agency, and [(4)] (D) immediately 143 
transmit all such applications to the registrars of voters of the town of 144 
voting residence of the applicants. The agency shall provide such receipt 145 
whether the application was submitted in person, [or] by mail or 146 
through an electronic system pursuant to subdivision (2) of this 147 
subsection. If a registration application is accepted within five days 148 
before the last day for registration to vote in a regular election, the 149 
application shall be transmitted to the registrars of voters of the town of 150  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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voting residence of the applicant not later than five days after the date 151 
of acceptance. [The] Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this 152 
subsection, the voter registration agency shall indicate on the completed 153 
mail voter registration application form, without indicating the identity 154 
of the voter registration agency, the date of its acceptance by such 155 
agency, to ensure that any eligible applicant is registered to vote in an 156 
election if it is received by the registration agency by the last day for 157 
registration to vote in an election. If a state-funded program primarily 158 
engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities provides 159 
services to a person with a disability at the person's home, the agency 160 
shall provide such voter registration services at the person's home. The 161 
procedures in subsections (c), (d), (f) and (g) of section 9-23g that are not 162 
inconsistent with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 163 
103-31, as amended from time to time, shall apply to applications made 164 
under this section. Officials and employees of such voter registration 165 
agencies are not admitting officials, as defined in section 9-17a, and may 166 
not restore, under the provisions of section 9-46a, electoral privileges of 167 
persons convicted of a felony. 168 
(2) (A) Each voter registration agency shall provide an electronic 169 
system, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the State, to effectuate 170 
the purposes of subdivision (1) of this subsection regarding application 171 
for admission of an elector, except that the condition that an applicant 172 
state and attest to meeting each eligibility requirement may be waived 173 
for any such eligibility requirement verified independently by the 174 
agency through a federally approved identity verification program or 175 
other evidence acceptable to the agency. Such electronic system may 176 
provide for the transmittal to the Secretary of an applicant's signature 177 
on file with the voter registration agency. The use of any such electronic 178 
system shall comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 179 
P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time. 180 
(B) (i) Unless otherwise provided in this subparagraph, if the voter 181 
registration agency determines that a person applying for assistance or 182 
services provided by the agency meets each eligibility requirement for 183  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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admission as an elector, the agency shall forthwith transmit an 184 
application for such person's admission as an elector to the registrars of 185 
voters of the town of residence of such person through an electronic 186 
system pursuant to this subdivision, in accordance with the provisions 187 
of subdivision (1) of this subsection, except that no such application 188 
shall be transmitted if such person declines to apply for such admission. 189 
(ii) If the voter registration agency determines that a person applying 190 
for assistance or services provided by the agency is not a United States 191 
citizen, the agency shall not provide such person an opportunity to 192 
apply for admission as an elector through an electronic system pursuant 193 
to this subdivision and shall not transmit any application for such 194 
admission on behalf of such person. 195 
(iii) If the voter registration agency cannot determine whether a 196 
person applying for assistance or services provided by the agency is a 197 
United States citizen, such person shall attest to his or her United States 198 
citizenship as a precondition of the agency processing such person's 199 
application for admission as an elector through an electronic system 200 
pursuant to this subdivision. 201 
(C) In the case of an individual already admitted as an elector and 202 
who is also enrolled in a party, if use of such electronic system results in 203 
such elector being removed from the enrollment list of such party 204 
because such elector did not affirmatively confirm an intent to continue 205 
enrollment in such party, such removal shall be presumed unintentional 206 
and such elector shall be restored to such list upon such elector's 207 
notification of such removal to the registrar of voters of the town of 208 
residence of such elector. 209 
Sec. 4. Section 9-23o of the general statutes is repealed and the 210 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2022): 211 
A voter registration agency, as defined in section 9-23n, as amended 212 
by this act, shall comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 213 
1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, and (1) shall distribute 214  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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with each application for [service or] assistance or services provided by 215 
the agency, and with each recertification, renewal or change of address 216 
form relating to such [service or] assistance or services, a mail voter 217 
registration application form approved by the Secretary of the State, and 218 
(2) during each application for such assistance or services and each 219 
recertification, renewal or change of address relating to such assistance 220 
or services, shall use an electronic system described in subdivision (2) of 221 
subsection (b) of section 9-23n, as amended by this act, in accordance 222 
with said subdivision to effectuate the purposes of subdivision (1) of 223 
said subsection regarding application for admission of an elector, unless 224 
the applicant declines to register to vote pursuant to the provisions of 225 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended 226 
from time to time. Such declination shall be in writing, except in the case 227 
of an application for service or assistance provided by a library, or a 228 
recertification, renewal or change of address form relating to such 229 
library service or assistance. Such voter registration agency shall 230 
provide each applicant to register to vote the same degree of assistance 231 
with regard to the completion of the registration application form as is 232 
provided by the agency with regard to the completion of its own forms, 233 
unless the applicant refuses such assistance. 234 
Sec. 5. Section 9-23p of the general statutes is repealed and the 235 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2022): 236 
Each public institution of higher education shall (1) distribute mail 237 
voter registration application forms, and [(2)] assist applicants who 238 
request assistance in completing such voter registration application 239 
forms, and (2) use an electronic system described in subdivision (2) of 240 
subsection (b) of section 9-23n, as amended by this act, in accordance 241 
with said subdivision to effectuate the purposes of subdivision (1) of 242 
said subsection regarding application for admission of an elector, and 243 
assist applicants who request assistance in so applying through such 244 
electronic system. 245 
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Secretary of the State 246 
shall develop and implement a system or systems through which the 247  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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Secretary may permit any person to submit an electronic signature for 248 
the purpose of signing any form or application to be filed pursuant to 249 
chapters 141 to 154, inclusive, of the general statutes. The Secretary may 250 
include in, or exclude from, such system any such form or application. 251 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any such form or 252 
application on which any such electronic signature appears shall be 253 
deemed to have been signed in the original. 254 
(b) A state agency, upon the request of the Secretary of the State, shall 255 
provide any information to the Secretary that the Secretary deems 256 
necessary to maintain the system or systems described in subsection (a) 257 
of this section. The Secretary shall not use the information obtained from 258 
any state agency except for the purpose of allowing any person to sign 259 
any form or application to be filed pursuant to chapters 141 to 154, 260 
inclusive, of the general statutes. 261 
Sec. 7. Subsection (c) of section 9-17 of the general statutes is repealed 262 
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 263 
(c) In addition to the sessions held pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) 264 
of this section, the registrars of voters in each town shall: [hold] 265 
(1) Hold one session each year, between the first of January and the 266 
last day of the school year, at each public high school in such town, for 267 
the admission of persons who are eligible for admission under 268 
subsection (a) or (b) of section 9-12, as amended by this act, provided, in 269 
the case of a public high school in a regional school district, such session 270 
shall be held on a rotating basis by the registrars of voters for each town 271 
which is a member of the regional school district. The registrars of voters 272 
need not give notice of this session by publication in a newspaper; and 273 
(2) Distribute each year, on the fourth Tuesday of September, at each 274 
public high school in such town, information regarding eligibility for 275 
admission under subsection (a) or (b) of section 9-12, as amended by this 276 
act, and procedures for applying for such admission. The registrars of 277 
voters and the principal of any such public high school shall determine 278  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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the best means of distributing such information at such public high 279 
school. 280 
Sec. 8. Section 1-4 of the general statutes is repealed and the following 281 
is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 282 
In each year the first day of January (known as New Year's Day), the 283 
fifteenth day of January of each year prior to 1986, and commencing on 284 
the twentieth day of January in 1986, the first Monday occurring on or 285 
after January fifteenth (known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), [the 286 
twelfth day of February (known as Lincoln Day),] the third Monday in 287 
February (known as [Washington's Birthday] Presidents' Day), the last 288 
Monday in May (known as Memorial Day or Decoration Day), the 289 
fourth day of July (known as Independence Day), the first Monday in 290 
September (known as Labor Day), the second Monday in October 291 
(known as Columbus Day), the Tuesday after the first Monday in 292 
November (known as Election Day), the eleventh day of November 293 
(known as Veterans' Day) and the twenty-fifth day of December (known 294 
as Christmas) and any day appointed or recommended by the Governor 295 
of this state or the President of the United States as a day of 296 
thanksgiving, fasting or religious observance, shall each be a legal 297 
holiday, except that whenever any of such days which are not 298 
designated to occur on Monday, occurs upon a Sunday, the Monday 299 
next following such day shall be a legal holiday and whenever any of 300 
such days occurs upon a Saturday, the Friday immediately preceding 301 
such day shall be a legal holiday. When any such holiday, except 302 
holidays in January and December, occurs on a school day, each local 303 
and regional board of education may close the public schools under its 304 
jurisdiction for such day or hold a session of the public schools on such 305 
day, provided, if a session is held, the board shall require each school to 306 
hold a suitable nonsectarian educational program in observance of such 307 
holiday. If a holiday in January or December occurs on a school day, 308 
there shall be no session of the public schools on such day. 309 
Sec. 9. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Each employer shall grant to (1) 310 
each employee in the case of a state election, or (2) each employee who 311  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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is an elector in the case of any special election for United States senator, 312 
representative in Congress, state senator or state representative, two 313 
hours paid time off from such employee's regularly scheduled work on 314 
the day of any such election, for the purpose of voting at such election 315 
during the hours of voting specified in section 9-174 of the general 316 
statutes, if the employee requests such time off not less than two 317 
working days prior to such election. 318 
Sec. 10. Subsection (a) of section 9-12 of the general statutes is 319 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 320 
passage): 321 
(a) Each citizen of the United States who has attained the age of 322 
eighteen years, and who is a bona fide resident of the town to which the 323 
citizen applies for admission as an elector shall, on approval by the 324 
registrars of voters or town clerk of the town of residence of such citizen, 325 
as prescribed by law, be an elector, except as provided in subsection (b) 326 
of this section. For purposes of this section, a person shall be deemed to 327 
have attained the age of eighteen years on the day of the person's 328 
eighteenth birthday and a person shall be deemed to be a bona fide 329 
resident of the town to which the citizen applies for admission as an 330 
elector if such person's dwelling unit is located within the geographic 331 
boundaries of such town. [No mentally incompetent person shall be 332 
admitted as an elector.] 333 
Sec. 11. Section 9-20 of the general statutes is repealed and the 334 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 335 
(a) (1) Each person who applies for admission as an elector in person 336 
to an admitting official shall, upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of 337 
the State and signed by the applicant, state under penalties of perjury, 338 
his name, bona fide residence by street and number, date of birth, 339 
whether he is a United States citizen, whether his privileges as an elector 340 
are forfeited by reason of conviction of crime, and whether he has 341 
previously been admitted as an elector in any town in this or any other 342 
state. Each such applicant shall present his birth certificate, drivers' 343  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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license or Social Security card to the admitting official for inspection at 344 
the time of application. Notwithstanding the provisions of any special 345 
act or charter to the contrary, the application form shall also, in a manner 346 
prescribed by the Secretary of the State, provide for application for 347 
enrollment in any political party, including, on any such form printed 348 
on or after January 1, 2006, a list of the names of the major parties, as 349 
defined in section 9-372, as options for the applicant. The form shall 350 
indicate that such enrollment is not mandatory. 351 
(2) A person with a developmental disability, as determined by a 352 
licensed physician who specializes in primary care, who applies for 353 
admission as an elector in person to an admitting official may be assisted 354 
in satisfying the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection by 355 
such person's legal representative. At the time of application, such 356 
applicant or such legal representative shall present to the admitting 357 
official documentation from such licensed physician of such 358 
determination. As used in this section, "legal representative" has the 359 
same meaning as provided in section 17a-488. 360 
(b) The applicant's statement shall be delivered to the registrars 361 
immediately and shall be kept by the registrars as a public record in a 362 
safe depository, except that no Social Security number obtained by the 363 
registrars prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to 364 
any governmental agency. Any such statement of an elector whose 365 
name has been removed from the registry list for a period of at least five 366 
years may be placed on microfilm, destroyed or otherwise disposed of 367 
by such registrars, in the manner provided in section 7-109. Upon the 368 
request of any elector, or if the applicant does not present a birth 369 
certificate, drivers' license or Social Security card as required by 370 
subsection (a) of this section, at the time an application is made in person 371 
to an admitting official or prior to the approval of such an application, 372 
any admitting official shall require the applicant to prove his identity, 373 
place of birth, age and bona fide residence by the testimony under oath 374 
of at least one elector or by the presentation of proof satisfactory to such 375 
admitting official. Each person found qualified shall thereupon be 376  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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admitted as an elector, except as provided in sections 9-12, 9-19e, 9-19g 377 
and 9-30. The registrars may request an elector whose date of birth is 378 
missing from their records to voluntarily furnish his date of birth. Any 379 
admitting official may administer oaths in any matter coming before 380 
him under section 9-12, 9-17, 9-19b, subsection (a) of section 9-19c, 381 
section 9-19e, 9-19g, 9-23, 9-23a, 9-25, 9-31a, 9-31b, 9-31l, 9-40a or this 382 
section. Said admitting official shall prohibit any activity which 383 
interferes with the orderly process of admission of electors. 384 
(c) The application for admission as an elector shall include a 385 
statement that (1) specifies each eligibility requirement, (2) contains an 386 
attestation that the applicant meets each such requirement, and (3) 387 
requires the signature of the applicant, or of such applicant's legal 388 
representative in the case of an applicant with a developmental 389 
disability, under penalty of perjury. Each registrar of voters and town 390 
clerk shall maintain a copy of such statement in braille, large print and 391 
audio form. The Department of Aging and Disability Services shall 392 
produce a videotape presenting such statement in voice and sign 393 
language and provide the videotape to the Secretary of the State who 394 
shall make copies of the videotape and provide a copy to the registrars 395 
of voters of any municipality, upon request and at a cost equal to the 396 
cost of making the copy. If a person applies for admission as an elector 397 
in person to an admitting official, such admitting official shall, upon the 398 
request of the applicant, administer the elector's oath. 399 
Sec. 12. Section 9-261 of the general statutes is repealed and the 400 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 401 
(a) In each primary, election or referendum, when an elector has 402 
entered the polling place, the elector shall announce the elector's street 403 
address, if any, and the elector's name to the official checker or checkers 404 
in a tone sufficiently loud and clear as to enable all the election officials 405 
present to hear the same. Each elector who registered to vote by mail for 406 
the first time on or after January 1, 2003, and has a "mark" next to the 407 
elector's name on the official registry list, as required by section 9-23r, 408 
shall present to the official checker or checkers, before the elector votes, 409  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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either a current and valid photo identification that shows the elector's 410 
name and address or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, 411 
government check, paycheck or other government document that shows 412 
the name and address of the elector. Each other elector shall (1) present 413 
to the official checker or checkers the elector's Social Security card or any 414 
other preprinted form of identification which shows the elector's name 415 
and either the elector's address, signature or photograph, or (2) on a 416 
form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, write the elector's 417 
residential address and date of birth, print the elector's name and sign a 418 
statement under penalty of false statement that the elector is the elector 419 
whose name appears on the official checklist. Such form shall clearly 420 
state the penalty of false statement. A separate form shall be used for 421 
each elector. If the elector presents a preprinted form of identification 422 
under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the official checker or checkers 423 
shall check the name of such elector on the official checklist, manually 424 
on paper or electronically. If the elector completes the form under 425 
subdivision (2) of this subsection, the registrar of voters or the assistant 426 
registrar of voters, as the case may be, shall examine the information on 427 
such form and either instruct the official checker or checkers to check 428 
the name of such elector on the official checklist, manually on paper or 429 
electronically, or notify the elector that the form is incomplete or 430 
inaccurate. 431 
(b) In the event that an elector is present at the polling place but is 432 
unable to gain access to the polling place due to a temporary incapacity, 433 
the elector may request that the ballot be brought to him or her. The 434 
registrars of voters or the assistant registrars of voters, as the case may 435 
be, shall take such ballot, along with a privacy sleeve to such elector. 436 
The elector shall show identification, in accordance with the provisions 437 
of this section. The elector shall forthwith mark the ballot in the presence 438 
of the election officials in such manner that the election officials shall not 439 
know how the ballot is marked. The elector shall place the ballot in the 440 
privacy sleeve. The election officials shall mark the elector's name on the 441 
official voter list, manually on paper or electronically, as having voted 442 
in person and deliver such ballot and privacy sleeve to the voting 443  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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tabulator where such ballot shall be placed into the tabulator, by the 444 
election official, for counting. The moderator shall record such activity 445 
in the moderator's diary. 446 
(c) In each polling place in which two or more parties are holding 447 
primaries in which unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote, pursuant 448 
to section 9-431, an unaffiliated elector shall also announce to the 449 
separate table of the official checker or checkers for unaffiliated electors 450 
the party in whose primary the elector chooses to vote and the official 451 
checker or checkers shall note such party when checking such elector's 452 
name on the checklist of unaffiliated electors, manually on paper or 453 
electronically, provided such choice shall not alter the elector's 454 
unaffiliated status. 455 
(d) In each polling place in which two or more parties are holding 456 
primaries in which unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote or in 457 
which one party is holding a primary in which unaffiliated electors are 458 
authorized to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at the 459 
primary, the official checker or checkers shall give to each elector 460 
checked manually on paper or electronically, a receipt provided by the 461 
registrars of voters, in a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, 462 
specifying either (1) the party with which the elector is enrolled, if any, 463 
or (2) in the case of an unaffiliated elector, the party in whose primary 464 
the elector has so chosen to vote, and whether the elector is authorized 465 
to vote for only a partial ballot. 466 
(e) If not challenged by anyone lawfully present in the polling place, 467 
the elector shall be permitted to pass to the separated area to receive the 468 
ballot. The elector shall give any receipt the elector has received to a 469 
ballot clerk who shall give the elector a ballot to vote only in the primary 470 
of the party specified by the receipt. The elector shall be permitted into 471 
the voting booth area, and shall then register his or her vote in secret, 472 
except as provided in subsection (f) of this section. Having voted, the 473 
elector shall immediately exit the voting booth area and deposit the 474 
ballot in the voting tabulator and leave the room. No elector shall remain 475 
within the voting booth longer than the time necessary to complete the 476  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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ballot, and, if the elector refuses to leave such booth after completing the 477 
ballot, the elector shall at once be removed by the election officials upon 478 
order of the moderator. Not more than one elector at a time shall be 479 
permitted to be within the enclosed space which the elector occupies 480 
while the elector completes his or her ballot, [provided] except that an 481 
elector may be accompanied within such enclosed space by (1) one or 482 
more children who are fifteen years of age or younger and supervised 483 
by the elector, if the elector is the parent or legal guardian of such 484 
children, or (2) such elector's legal representative in the case of an elector 485 
with a developmental disability, as described in section 9-20, as 486 
amended by this act, pursuant to subsection (f) of this section. If any 487 
elector, after entering the voting booth area, asks for further instruction 488 
concerning the manner of voting, the election officials shall give such 489 
instructions or directions to the elector; but no election official 490 
instructing or assisting an elector, except as provided in section 9-264, 491 
shall look at the ballot in such a way as to see the elector's markings or 492 
in any manner seek to influence any such elector in the casting of the 493 
elector's vote. 494 
(f) In the case of an elector with a developmental disability, as 495 
described in section 9-20, as amended by this act, the legal 496 
representative of such elector may assist such elector in performing any 497 
action under this section if such legal representative presents to the 498 
registrar of voters or assistant registrar of voters, as the case may be, 499 
information sufficient to prove such a relationship with such elector. 500 
Sec. 13. Section 9-19j of the general statutes is repealed and the 501 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 502 
(a) As used in this subsection and subsections (b) to [(i)] (j), inclusive, 503 
of this section, "election day" means the day on which a regular election, 504 
as defined in section 9-1, is held. 505 
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a person who (1) 506 
is (A) not an elector, or (B) an elector registered in a municipality who 507 
wishes to change such elector's registration to another municipality 508  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of this 509 
section, and (2) meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) 510 
of section 9-12, as amended by this act, may apply for admission as an 511 
elector on election day pursuant to the provisions of subsections (a) to 512 
[(i)] (j), inclusive, of this section. 513 
(c) (1) The registrars of voters shall designate a location for the 514 
completion and processing of election day registration applications on 515 
election day, provided (A) the registrars of voters shall have access to 516 
the state-wide centralized voter registration system from such location, 517 
and (B) such location shall be certified in writing to the Secretary of the 518 
State not later than thirty-one days before election day. The written 519 
certification under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision shall (i) include 520 
the name, street address and relevant contact information associated 521 
with such location, (ii) list the name and address of each election official 522 
appointed to serve at such location, if any, and (iii) provide a description 523 
of the design of such location and a plan for effective completion and 524 
processing of such applications. The Secretary shall approve or 525 
disapprove such written certification not later than fifteen days before 526 
election day and may require the registrars of voters to appoint one or 527 
more additional election officials or alter such design or plan. 528 
(2) The registrars of voters may apply to the Secretary of the State not 529 
later than sixty days before election day, in a form and manner 530 
prescribed by the Secretary, to designate any additional location for the 531 
completion and processing of election day registration applications on 532 
election day. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove such 533 
application not later than forty-five days before election day. If the 534 
Secretary approves such application, the registrars of voters may so 535 
designate any such additional location. The provisions of subdivision 536 
(1) of this subsection shall apply to any such additional location. 537 
(3) The registrars of voters may delegate to each election official 538 
appointed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, if any, any of 539 
the responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters. The registrars of 540 
voters shall supervise each such election official and train each such 541  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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election official to be an election day registration election official. 542 
(d) Any person applying to register on election day under the 543 
provisions of subsections (a) to [(i)] (j), inclusive, of this section shall 544 
make application in accordance with the provisions of section 9-20, 545 
provided (1) on election day, the applicant shall appear in person not 546 
later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with subsection (b) of section 547 
9-174, at the location designated by the registrars of voters for election 548 
day registration, (2) an applicant who is a student enrolled at an 549 
institution of higher education may submit a current photo 550 
identification card issued by such institution in lieu of the identification 551 
required by section 9-20, and (3) the applicant shall declare under oath 552 
that the applicant has not previously voted in the election. If the 553 
information that the applicant is required to provide under section 9-20 554 
and subsections (a) to [(i)] (j), inclusive, of this section does not include 555 
proof of the applicant's residential address, the applicant shall also 556 
submit identification that shows the applicant's bona fide residence 557 
address, including, but not limited to, a learner's permit issued under 558 
section 14-36 or a utility bill that has the applicant's name and current 559 
address and that has a due date that is not later than thirty days after 560 
the election or, in the case of a student enrolled at an institution of higher 561 
education, a registration or fee statement from such institution that has 562 
the applicant's name and current address. 563 
(e) If the registrars of voters determine that an applicant satisfies the 564 
application requirements set forth in subsection (d) of this section, the 565 
registrars of voters shall check the state-wide centralized voter 566 
registration system before admitting such applicant as an elector. 567 
(1) If the registrars of voters determine that the applicant is not 568 
already an elector, the registrars of voters shall admit the applicant as 569 
an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. 570 
(2) If the registrars of voters determine that such applicant is an 571 
elector in another municipality and such applicant states that he or she 572 
wants to change the municipality in which the applicant is an elector, 573  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-21, the registrars of voters 574 
of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register shall 575 
immediately notify the registrars of voters in such other municipality 576 
that such elector is changing the municipality in which the applicant is 577 
an elector. The registrars of voters in such other municipality shall notify 578 
the election officials in such municipality to remove such elector from 579 
the official voter list of such municipality. Such election officials shall 580 
cross through the elector's name on such official voter list and mark "off" 581 
next to such elector's name on such official voter list. 582 
(A) If it is reported that such applicant already voted in such other 583 
municipality, the registrars of voters of such other municipality shall 584 
immediately notify the registrars of voters of the municipality in which 585 
such elector now seeks to register. In such event, such elector shall not 586 
receive an election day registration ballot from the registrars of voters 587 
of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. For any 588 
such elector, the election day registration process shall cease in the 589 
municipality in which such elector now seeks to register and such 590 
matter shall be reviewed by the registrars of voters in the municipality 591 
in which such elector now seeks to register. After completion of such 592 
review, if a resolution of the matter [can not] cannot be made, such 593 
matter shall be reported to the State Elections Enforcement Commission 594 
which shall conduct an investigation of the matter. 595 
(B) If there is no such report that such applicant already voted in the 596 
other municipality, the registrars of voters of the municipality in which 597 
the applicant seeks to register shall admit the applicant as an elector and 598 
the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. 599 
(f) If the applicant is admitted as an elector, the registrars of voters 600 
shall provide the elector with an election day registration ballot and 601 
election day registration envelope and shall make a record of such 602 
issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted upon the 603 
back of the envelope for an election day registration ballot and shall 604 
declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the 605 
election. The affirmation shall be in the form substantially as follows and 606  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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signed by the voter: 607 
AFFIRMATION: I, the undersigned, do hereby state, under penalty 608 
of false statement, (perjury) that: 609 
1. I am the person admitted here as an elector in the town indicated. 610 
2. I am eligible to vote in the election indicated for today in the town 611 
indicated. 612 
3. The information on my voter registration card is correct and 613 
complete. 614 
4. I reside at the address that I have given to the registrars of voters. 615 
5. If previously registered at another location, I have provided such 616 
address to the registrars of voters and hereby request cancellation of 617 
such prior registration. 618 
6. I have not voted in person or by absentee ballot and I will not vote 619 
otherwise than by this ballot at this election. 620 
7. I completed an application for an election day registration ballot 621 
and received an election day registration ballot. 622 
.... (Signature of voter) 623 
(g) The elector shall forthwith mark the election day registration 624 
ballot in the presence of the registrars of voters in such a manner that 625 
the registrars of voters shall not know how the election day registration 626 
ballot is marked. The elector shall place the election day registration 627 
ballot in the election day registration ballot envelope provided, and 628 
deposit such envelope in a secured election day registration ballot 629 
depository receptacle. At the time designated by the registrars of voters 630 
and noticed to election officials, the registrars of voters shall transport 631 
such receptacle containing the election day registration ballots to the 632 
central location or polling place, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-633 
147a, as amended by this act, where absentee ballots are counted and 634  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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such election day registration ballots shall be counted by the election 635 
officials present at such central location or polling place. A section of the 636 
head moderator's return shall show the number of election day 637 
registration ballots received from electors. The registrars of voters shall 638 
seal a copy of the vote tally for election day registration ballots in a 639 
depository envelope with the election day registration ballots and store 640 
such election day registration depository envelope with the other 641 
election results materials. The election day registration depository 642 
envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of voters for the period of 643 
time required to preserve counted ballots for elections. 644 
(h) The provisions of the general statutes and regulations concerning 645 
procedures relating to the custody, control and counting of absentee 646 
ballots shall apply as nearly as possible, to the custody, control and 647 
counting of election day registration ballots under subsections (a) to [(i)] 648 
(j), inclusive, of this section. 649 
(i) After the acceptance of an election day registration, the registrars 650 
of voters shall forthwith send a registration confirmation notice to the 651 
residential address of each applicant who is admitted as an elector on 652 
election day under subsections (a) to [(i)] (j), inclusive, of this section. 653 
Such confirmation shall be sent by first class mail with instructions on 654 
the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown 655 
on the envelope. If a confirmation notice is returned undelivered, the 656 
registrars shall forthwith take the necessary action in accordance with 657 
section 9-35 or 9-43, as applicable, notwithstanding the May first 658 
deadline in section 9-35. 659 
(j) In the case of an elector with a developmental disability, as 660 
described in section 9-12, as amended by this act, the legal 661 
representative of such elector may assist such elector in performing any 662 
action under this section if such legal representative presents to the 663 
registrar of voters or an election official appointed by such registrar 664 
under this section, as the case may be, information sufficient to prove 665 
such a relationship with such elector. 666  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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[(j)] (k) No person shall (1) solicit [in] on behalf of or in opposition to 667 
the candidacy of another or himself or herself or [in] on behalf of or in 668 
opposition to any question being submitted at the election, or loiter or 669 
peddle or offer any advertising matter, ballot or circular to another 670 
person within a radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in 671 
use as an entry to any location designated by the registrars of voters for 672 
election day registration balloting or in any corridor, passageway or 673 
other approach leading from any such outside entrance to any such 674 
location or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway 675 
or approach, or (2) possess a firearm within a radius of two hundred feet 676 
of any such outside entrance or in any such corridor, passageway or 677 
other approach or in any such room, except in the case of a firearm 678 
located in a residence or parked motor vehicle situated within such 679 
radius or in the case of a uniformed on-duty police officer. 680 
Sec. 14. Section 9-45 of the general statutes is repealed and the 681 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 682 
(a) The Commissioner of Correction shall, on or before the fifteenth 683 
day of each month, transmit to the Secretary of the State a list of all 684 
persons who, during the preceding calendar month, have been (1) 685 
convicted in the Superior Court of a felony and committed to the 686 
custody of the Commissioner of Correction for confinement in a 687 
correctional institution or facility, or [a community residence] (2) 688 
returned to confinement in a correctional institution or facility from 689 
parole or special parole, release pursuant to section 18-100, 18-100c, 18-690 
100e, 18-100h or 18-100i or furlough pursuant to section 18-101a. Such 691 
lists shall include the names, birth dates and addresses of such persons, 692 
with the dates of their conviction and the crimes of which such persons 693 
have been convicted, or the dates of the violation of their parole, special 694 
parole, release or furlough and the nature of such violation, as 695 
applicable. The Secretary of the State shall transmit such lists to the 696 
registrars of the towns in which such [convicted] persons who have been 697 
convicted or returned to confinement, as applicable, resided at the time 698 
of their conviction or violation of parole, special parole, release or 699  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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furlough and to the registrars of any towns where the [secretary] 700 
Secretary believes such persons may be electors. The registrars of such 701 
towns shall compare the same with the list of electors upon their registry 702 
lists and, after written notice mailed by certified mail to each of the 703 
persons named at the last-known place of address of such person, shall 704 
erase such names from the registry lists in their respective towns or 705 
voting districts. 706 
(b) Any person who procures such person or another to be registered 707 
after having been disfranchised by reason of conviction of crime and 708 
committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction for 709 
confinement in a correctional institution or facility or a community 710 
residence, and any person who votes at any election after having 711 
forfeited such privileges by reason of conviction of crime and 712 
confinement, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars and 713 
imprisoned not more than one year. 714 
Sec. 15. Section 9-46 of the general statutes is repealed and the 715 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 716 
(a) A person shall forfeit such person's right to become an elector and 717 
such person's privileges as an elector upon conviction of a felony and 718 
(1) committal to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction for 719 
confinement in a correctional institution or facility, [or] but not a 720 
community residence, (2) committal to confinement in a federal 721 
correctional institution or facility, or (3) committal to the custody of the 722 
chief correctional official of any other state or a county of any other state 723 
for confinement in a correctional institution or facility, [or] but not a 724 
community residence, in such state or county. 725 
(b) If a person has forfeited such person's privileges as an elector 726 
under subsection (a) of this section, has regained such privileges under 727 
section 9-46a, as amended by this act, and is subsequently returned to 728 
confinement in a correctional institution or facility, but not a community 729 
residence, from parole or special parole, release pursuant to section 18-730 
100, 18-100c, 18-100e, 18-100h or 18-100i or furlough pursuant to section 731  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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18-101a, such person shall again forfeit such privileges. 732 
[(b)] (c) No person who has forfeited and not regained such person's 733 
privileges as an elector [,] as provided in section 9-46a, as amended by 734 
this act, or who has regained such privileges and again forfeited such 735 
privileges as provided in subsection (b) of this section, may be a 736 
candidate for or hold public office. 737 
Sec. 16. Section 9-46a of the general statutes is repealed and the 738 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 739 
(a) (1) A person who has been convicted of a felony and committed 740 
to confinement in a [federal or other state] correctional institution or 741 
facility [or community residence] of the federal government or of 742 
another state shall have such person's electoral privileges restored 743 
[upon the payment of all fines in conjunction with the conviction and] 744 
once such person has been [discharged] released from confinement. [, 745 
and, if applicable, parole] 746 
(2) A person who has been convicted of a felony and is committed to 747 
confinement in a community residence of the federal government or of 748 
another state shall have such person's electoral privileges restored if 749 
such person had previously forfeited such electoral privileges. 750 
(b) (1) Upon the release from confinement in a correctional institution 751 
or facility [or a community residence] of a person who has been 752 
convicted of a felony and committed to the custody of the Commissioner 753 
of Correction, [and, if applicable, the discharge of such person from 754 
parole, (1)] (A) the person shall have the right to become an elector, [(2)] 755 
(B) the Commissioner of Correction shall give the person a document 756 
certifying that the person has been released from such confinement, 757 
[and, if applicable, has been discharged from parole, (3)] (C) if the 758 
person was an elector at the time of such felony conviction and, after 759 
such release, [and any such discharge,] is residing in the same 760 
municipality in which the person resided at the time of such felony 761 
conviction, the person's electoral privileges shall be restored, and [(4)] 762  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(D) if the person was an elector at the time of such felony conviction and, 763 
after such release, [and any such discharge,] is residing in a different 764 
municipality or if the person was not an elector at the time of such felony 765 
conviction, the person's electoral privileges shall be restored or granted 766 
upon submitting to an admitting official satisfactory proof of the 767 
person's qualifications to be admitted as an elector. The provisions of 768 
[subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection] subparagraphs (A) 769 
to (D), inclusive, of this subdivision shall not apply to any person 770 
convicted of a felony for a violation of any provision of this title until 771 
such person has been discharged from any parole or probation for such 772 
felony. 773 
(2) A person who has been convicted of a felony and committed to 774 
the custody of the Commissioner of Correction and is confined in a 775 
community residence shall have such person's electoral privileges 776 
restored if such person had previously forfeited such electoral 777 
privileges. 778 
(c) The registrars of voters of the municipality in which a person is 779 
admitted as an elector pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section, 780 
within thirty days after the date on which such person is admitted, shall 781 
notify the registrars of voters of the municipality wherein such person 782 
resided at the time of such person's conviction that such person's 783 
electoral rights have been so restored. 784 
(d) The Commissioner of Correction shall establish procedures to 785 
inform those persons who have been convicted of a felony and 786 
committed to the custody of said commissioner for confinement in a 787 
correctional institution or facility or a community residence, and are 788 
eligible to have their electoral privileges restored or granted pursuant to 789 
subsection (b) of this section, of the right and procedures to have such 790 
privileges restored. [The Office of Adult Probation] The Commissioner 791 
of Correction shall, within available appropriations, inform such 792 
persons who are on [probation on January 1, 2002] parole or special 793 
parole, or confined in a community residence, of their right to become 794 
electors and procedures to have their electoral privileges restored, 795  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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which shall be in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section. 796 
(e) The Commissioner of Correction shall, on or before the fifteenth 797 
day of each month, transmit to the Secretary of the State a list of all 798 
persons convicted of a felony and committed to the custody of said 799 
commissioner who, during the preceding calendar month, have (1) been 800 
released from confinement in a correctional institution or facility, or (2) 801 
begun confinement in a community residence. [and, if applicable, 802 
discharged from parole.] Such lists shall include the names, birth dates 803 
and addresses of such persons, with the dates of their convictions and 804 
the crimes of which such persons have been convicted. The Secretary [of 805 
the State] shall transmit such lists to the registrars of the municipalities 806 
in which such convicted persons resided at the time of their convictions 807 
and to the registrars of any municipalities where the [secretary] 808 
Secretary believes such persons may be electors. 809 
Sec. 17. Section 9-236 of the general statutes is repealed and the 810 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 811 
(a) On the day of any primary, referendum or election, no person 812 
shall (1) solicit on behalf of or in opposition to the candidacy of another 813 
or himself or on behalf of or in opposition to any question being 814 
submitted at the election or referendum, or loiter or peddle or offer any 815 
advertising matter, ballot or circular to another person within a radius 816 
of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in use as an entry to any 817 
polling place or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading 818 
from any such outside entrance to such polling place or in any room 819 
opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach, or (2) 820 
possess a firearm within a radius of two hundred feet of any such 821 
outside entrance or in any such corridor, passageway or other approach 822 
or in any such room, except in the case of a firearm located in a residence 823 
or parked motor vehicle situated within such radius or in the case of a 824 
uniformed on-duty police officer. Nothing contained in this section shall 825 
be construed to prohibit [(1)] (A) parent-teacher associations or parent-826 
teacher organizations from holding bake sales or other fund-raising 827 
activities on the day of any primary, referendum or election in any 828  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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school used as a polling place, provided such sales or activities shall not 829 
be held in the room in which the election booths are located, [(2)] (B) the 830 
registrars of voters from directing the officials at a primary, referendum 831 
or election to distribute, within the restricted area, adhesive labels on 832 
which are imprinted the words "I Voted Today", or [(3)] (C) the 833 
registrars of voters in a primary, election or referendum from jointly 834 
permitting nonpartisan activities to be conducted in a room other than 835 
the room in which the election booths are located. The registrars may 836 
jointly impose such conditions and limitations on such nonpartisan 837 
activity as deemed necessary to ensure the orderly process of voting. 838 
The moderator shall evict any person who in any way interferes with 839 
the orderly process of voting. 840 
(b) (1) The selectmen shall provide suitable markers to indicate the 841 
seventy-five-foot [distance] and two-hundred-foot distances from such 842 
entrance. Such markers shall consist of a board resting on an iron rod, 843 
which board shall be not less than twelve inches square and painted a 844 
bright color and shall bear, [the] respectively: 845 
(A) The figures and letters "75 feet" and the following words: "On the 846 
day of any primary, referendum or election no person shall solicit [in] 847 
on behalf of or in opposition to another or himself or peddle or offer any 848 
ballot, advertising matter or circular to another person or loiter within a 849 
radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in use as an entry to 850 
any polling place or in any corridor, passageway or other approach 851 
leading from any such outside entrance to such polling place or in any 852 
room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach."; and 853 
(B) The figures and letters "200 feet" and the following words: "On the 854 
day of any primary, referendum or election no person shall possess a 855 
firearm within a radius of two hundred feet of any outside entrance in 856 
use as an entry to any polling place or in any corridor, passageway or 857 
other approach leading from any such outside entrance to such polling 858 
place or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or 859 
approach. This restriction shall not apply in the case of a firearm located 860 
in a residence or parked motor vehicle situated within such radius of 861  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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two hundred feet or in the case of a uniformed on-duty police officer." 862 
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A) of 863 
subdivision (1) of this subsection, the selectmen may provide the 864 
markers required by the provisions of this subsection in effect prior to 865 
October 1, 1983, in lieu of the markers required by said subparagraph, 866 
except that in the case of a referendum which is not held in conjunction 867 
with an election or a primary, the selectmen shall provide the markers 868 
required by [subdivision (1) of this subsection] said subparagraph. 869 
(3) The moderator and the moderator's assistants shall meet at least 870 
twenty minutes before the opening of a primary, referendum or an 871 
election in the voting district, and shall cause to be placed by a police 872 
officer or constable, or such other primary or election official as they 873 
select, a suitable number of distance markers. Such moderator or any 874 
police officer or constable shall prohibit loitering and peddling of tickets 875 
within that distance. 876 
(c) No person shall be allowed within any polling place for any 877 
purpose other than casting his or her vote, except (1) those permitted or 878 
exempt under this section or section 9-236a, (2) primary officials under 879 
section 9-436, (3) election officials under section 9-258, including (A) a 880 
municipal clerk or registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the same 881 
office, performing his or her official duties, and (B) a deputy registrar of 882 
voters, who is a candidate for the office of registrar of voters, performing 883 
his or her official duties, or (4) party checkers under section 9-235. 884 
Representatives of the news media shall be allowed to enter, remain 885 
within and leave any polling place or restricted area surrounding any 886 
polling place to observe the election, provided any such representative 887 
who in any way interferes with the orderly process of voting shall be 888 
evicted by the moderator. A number of students in grades four to 889 
twelve, inclusive, not to exceed four at any one time in any one polling 890 
place, may enter any polling place between twelve o'clock noon and 891 
three o'clock p.m. for the purpose of observing the activities taking place 892 
in the polling place, provided there is proper parental or teacher 893 
supervision present, and provided further, any such student who in any 894  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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way interferes with the orderly process of voting shall be evicted by the 895 
moderator. An elector may be accompanied into any polling place by 896 
one or more children who are fifteen years of age or younger and 897 
supervised by the elector if the elector is the parent or legal guardian of 898 
such children. 899 
(d) Any person who violates any provision of this section or, while 900 
the polls are open for voting, removes or injures any such distance 901 
marker, shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor. 902 
Sec. 18. Subsection (a) of section 9-225 of the general statutes is 903 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 904 
passage): 905 
(a) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the 906 
town clerk or assistant town clerk of each town shall warn the electors 907 
therein to meet on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November 908 
in the even-numbered years, at six o'clock a.m., which warning shall be 909 
given by publication (A) in a newspaper having a general circulation in 910 
such town, or towns in the case of a joint publication under subsection 911 
(b) of this section, not more than fifteen nor less than five days previous 912 
to holding such election, and (B) on such town's Internet web site, not 913 
more than fifteen nor less than five days previous to holding such 914 
election. The clerk in each town shall, in the warning for such election, 915 
give notice of (i) the time and the location of [the] each polling place in 916 
the town, [and] (ii) in towns divided into voting districts, [of] the time 917 
and the location of [the] each polling place in each district, and (iii) the 918 
time and the location of each location designated for election day 919 
registration in the town, at which such election will be held. The town 920 
clerk shall record each such warning. 921 
(2) For the state election in 2020, the warning under subsection (a) of 922 
this section shall be given not more than seven nor less than four days 923 
previous to holding such election. 924 
Sec. 19. Section 9-226 of the general statutes is repealed and the 925  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 926 
The warning of each municipal election shall specify the objects for 927 
which such election is to be held. Notice of a town election shall be given 928 
by the town clerk or assistant town clerk, by publishing a warning (1) in 929 
a newspaper published in such town or having a general circulation 930 
therein, such publication to be not more than fifteen [,] nor less than five 931 
days previous to holding the election, and (2) on such town's Internet 932 
web site, such publication to be not more than fifteen nor less than five 933 
days previous to holding the election. The town clerk in each town shall, 934 
in the warning for such election, give notice of (A) the time and the 935 
location of [the] each polling place in the town, [and,] (B) in towns 936 
divided into voting districts, [of] the time and the location of [the] each 937 
polling place in each district, and (C) the time and the location of each 938 
location designated for election day registration in the town. The town 939 
clerk shall record each such warning. Notice of an election of a city or 940 
borough shall be given by publishing a warning (i) in a newspaper 941 
published within the limits of such city or borough [,] or having a 942 
general circulation therein, not more than fifteen nor less than five days 943 
previous to holding the election, and (ii) on the Internet web site of such 944 
city or borough, or the town having such city or borough within such 945 
town's limits, not more than fifteen nor less than five days previous to 946 
holding the election, which warning shall include notice of (I) the time 947 
and the location of [the] each polling place in such city or borough, 948 
[and,] (II) in cities and boroughs divided into voting districts, [of] the 949 
time and the location of [the] each polling place in each district, and (III) 950 
the time and the location of each location designated for election day 951 
registration in such city or borough. 952 
Sec. 20. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-140 of the general statutes 953 
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 954 
1, 2021): 955 
(a) (1) [Application] Except as provided in subsection (b) of this 956 
section, application for an absentee ballot shall be made to the clerk of 957 
the municipality in which the applicant is eligible to vote or has applied 958  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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for such eligibility. Any person who assists another person in the 959 
completion of an application shall, in the space provided, sign the 960 
application and print or type his name, residence address and telephone 961 
number. Such signature shall be made under the penalties of false 962 
statement in absentee balloting. The municipal clerk shall not invalidate 963 
the application solely because it does not contain the name of a person 964 
who assisted the applicant in the completion of the application. The 965 
municipal clerk shall not distribute with an absentee ballot application 966 
any material which promotes the success or defeat of any candidate or 967 
referendum question. The municipal clerk shall maintain a log of all 968 
absentee ballot applications provided under this subsection, including 969 
the name and address of each person to whom applications are 970 
provided and the number of applications provided to each such person. 971 
Each absentee ballot application provided by the municipal clerk shall 972 
be consecutively numbered and be stamped or marked with the name 973 
of the municipality issuing the application. The application shall be 974 
signed by the applicant under the penalties of false statement in 975 
absentee balloting on [(1)] (A) the form prescribed by the Secretary of 976 
the State pursuant to section 9-139a, [(2)] (B) a form provided by any 977 
federal department or agency if applicable pursuant to section 9-153a, 978 
or [(3)] (C) any of the special forms of application prescribed pursuant 979 
to section 9-150c, 9-153a, 9-153b, 9-153d, 9-153e, 9-153f or 9-158d, if 980 
applicable. Any such absentee ballot applicant who is unable to write 981 
may cause the application to be completed by an authorized agent who 982 
shall, in the spaces provided for the date and signature, write the date 983 
and name of the absentee ballot applicant followed by the word "by" 984 
and his own signature. If the ballot is to be mailed to the applicant, the 985 
applicant shall list the bona fide personal mailing address of the 986 
applicant in the appropriate space on the application. 987 
[(b)] (2) A municipal clerk may transmit an application to a person 988 
under this subsection by facsimile machine or other electronic means, if 989 
so requested by the applicant. If a municipal clerk has a facsimile 990 
machine or other electronic means, an applicant may return a completed 991 
application to the clerk by such a machine or device, provided the 992  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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applicant shall also mail the original of the completed application to the 993 
clerk, either separately or with the absentee ballot that is issued to the 994 
applicant. If the clerk does not receive such original application by the 995 
close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum, the 996 
absentee ballot shall not be counted. 997 
(b) On and after July 1, 2021: 998 
(1) (A) Application for an absentee ballot may also be made to the 999 
Secretary of the State through a telephonic system established and 1000 
maintained by the Secretary for such purpose if an applicant's signature 1001 
is in a database described in subsection (b) of section 9-19k and such 1002 
signature may be imported into such online system. 1003 
(B) In order for an application for an absentee ballot to be submitted 1004 
through the telephonic system described in subparagraph (A) of this 1005 
subdivision, the applicant's signature shall be obtained from a database 1006 
described in subsection (b) of section 9-19k and the applicant shall, in 1007 
speaking with a respondent from the office of the Secretary of the State, 1008 
(i) provide his or her name, (ii) indicate the municipality in which such 1009 
applicant is eligible to vote or has applied for such eligibility, and (iii) 1010 
swear or affirm under penalties of false statement in absentee balloting 1011 
that: 1012 
(I) Such person is the person whose name was so provided and 1013 
desires to apply for an absentee ballot; 1014 
(II) Such person is eligible to vote in the municipality so indicated or 1015 
has applied for such eligibility; and 1016 
(III) Such person authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles or 1017 
other state agency to transmit to the Secretary such person's signature 1018 
that is on file with such agency and understands that such signature will 1019 
be used by the Secretary through this telephonic application for an 1020 
absentee ballot as if such person had signed this form personally. 1021 
(2) (A) Application for an absentee ballot may also be made to the 1022  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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Secretary of the State through an online system established and 1023 
maintained by the Secretary for such purpose if an applicant's signature 1024 
is in a database described in subsection (b) of section 9-19k and such 1025 
signature may be imported into such online system. 1026 
(B) In order for an application for an absentee ballot to be submitted 1027 
through the online system described in subparagraph (A) of this 1028 
subdivision, the applicant's signature shall be obtained from a database 1029 
described in subsection (b) of section 9-19k and the applicant shall, on 1030 
an online form prescribed by the Secretary, (i) type his or her name, (ii) 1031 
indicate the municipality in which such applicant is eligible to vote or 1032 
has applied for such eligibility, and (iii) mark a box associated with the 1033 
following statement: 1034 
"By clicking on the box below, I swear or affirm all of the following 1035 
under penalty of false statement in absentee balloting: 1036 
1. I am the person whose name is provided on this form, and I desire 1037 
to apply for an absentee ballot. 1038 
2. I am eligible to vote in the municipality provided on this form or 1039 
have applied for such eligibility. 1040 
3. I authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles or other Connecticut 1041 
state agency to transmit to the Connecticut Secretary of the State my 1042 
signature that is on file with such agency and understand that such 1043 
signature will be used by the Secretary on this online application for an 1044 
absentee ballot as if I had signed this form personally." 1045 
(3) Not later than twenty-four hours after receipt of any submitted 1046 
application for an absentee ballot through the telephonic or online 1047 
system described in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection, the 1048 
Secretary shall transmit such application to the clerk of the municipality 1049 
indicated in such application. 1050 
Sec. 21. Subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of section 9-140b of the 1051 
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1052  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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thereof (Effective from passage): 1053 
(a) An absentee ballot shall be cast at a primary, election or 1054 
referendum only if: (1) It is mailed by (A) the ballot applicant, (B) a 1055 
designee of a person who applies for an absentee ballot because of 1056 
illness or physical disability, or (C) a member of the immediate family 1057 
of an applicant who is a student, so that it is received by the clerk of the 1058 
municipality in which the applicant is qualified to vote not later than the 1059 
close of the polls; (2) it is returned by the applicant in person to the clerk 1060 
by the day before a regular election, special election or primary or prior 1061 
to the opening of the polls on the day of a referendum; (3) it is returned 1062 
by a designee of an ill or physically disabled ballot applicant, in person, 1063 
to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, 1064 
primary or referendum; (4) it is returned by a member of the immediate 1065 
family of the absentee voter, in person, to said clerk not later than the 1066 
close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; (5) 1067 
in the case of a presidential or overseas ballot, it is mailed or otherwise 1068 
returned pursuant to the provisions of section 9-158g; or (6) it is returned 1069 
with the proper identification as required by the Help America Vote Act, 1070 
P.L. 107-252, as amended from time to time, if applicable, inserted in the 1071 
outer envelope so such identification can be viewed without opening 1072 
the inner envelope. A person returning an absentee ballot to the 1073 
municipal clerk pursuant to subdivision (3) or (4) of this subsection shall 1074 
present identification and, on the outer envelope of the absentee ballot, 1075 
sign his name in the presence of the municipal clerk, and indicate his 1076 
address, his relationship to the voter or his position, and the date and 1077 
time of such return. As used in this section, "immediate family" means 1078 
a dependent relative who resides in the individual's household or any 1079 
spouse, child, [or] parent or sibling of the individual. 1080 
(b) As used in this section and section 9-150c, "designee" means (1) a 1081 
person who is caring for the applicant because of the applicant's illness 1082 
or physical disability, including but not limited to, a licensed physician 1083 
or a registered or practical nurse, (2) a member of the applicant's family, 1084 
who is designated by an absentee ballot applicant and who consents to 1085  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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such designation, or (3) [if no such person consents or is available, then] 1086 
a police officer, registrar of voters, deputy registrar of voters or assistant 1087 
registrar of voters in the municipality in which the applicant resides. 1088 
(c) (1) For purposes of this section, "mailed" means (A) sent by the 1089 
United States Postal Service or any commercial carrier, courier or 1090 
messenger service recognized and approved by the Secretary of the 1091 
State, or (B) [for the state election in 2020,] deposited in a secure drop 1092 
box designated by the municipal clerk for such purpose, in accordance 1093 
with instructions prescribed by the Secretary. 1094 
(2) In the case of absentee ballots mailed under subparagraph (B) of 1095 
subdivision (1) of this subsection, beginning on the twenty-ninth day 1096 
before [the state election in 2020] each election and on each weekday 1097 
thereafter until the close of the polls at such election, the municipal clerk 1098 
shall (A) retrieve from the secure drop box described in said 1099 
subparagraph each such ballot deposited in such drop box, and (B) if the 1100 
drop box is located outside a building other than the building where the 1101 
clerk's office is located, arrange for the clerk or the clerk's designee to be 1102 
escorted by a police officer during such retrieval. 1103 
Sec. 22. Section 9-140c of the general statutes is repealed and the 1104 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1105 
(a) The municipal clerk shall retain the envelopes containing absentee 1106 
ballots received by him under section 9-140b, as amended by this act, 1107 
and shall not open such envelopes. The municipal clerk shall endorse 1108 
over his signature, upon each outer envelope as he receives it, the date 1109 
and precise time of its receipt. The clerk shall make an affidavit attesting 1110 
to the accuracy of all such endorsements, and at the close of the polls 1111 
shall deliver such affidavit to the head moderator, who shall endorse the 1112 
time of its receipt and return it to the clerk after all counting is complete. 1113 
The clerk shall preserve the affidavit for one hundred eighty days in 1114 
accordance with the requirements of section 9-150b. The clerk shall keep 1115 
a list of the names of the applicants who return absentee ballots to the 1116 
clerk under section 9-140b, as amended by this act. The list shall be 1117  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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preserved as a public record as required by section 9-150b. 1118 
(b) (1) [(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this 1119 
subdivision, beginning not earlier than the seventh] Beginning on the 1120 
fourteenth day before the election, primary or referendum and on any 1121 
weekday thereafter, all absentee ballots received by the municipal clerk 1122 
at or prior to eleven o'clock a.m. of such day may be sorted into voting 1123 
districts by the municipal clerk and checked as provided in this 1124 
[subparagraph] subsection. On any such day, beginning as soon as the 1125 
ballots have been sorted, the registrars of voters, without opening the 1126 
outer envelopes, may check the names of the applicants returning 1127 
ballots on the official checklist to be used at the election, primary or 1128 
referendum by indicating "absentee" or "A" preceding each such name 1129 
and, if unaffiliated electors are authorized under section 9-431 to vote in 1130 
the primary of either of two parties, the designation of the party in 1131 
which the applicants are voting preceding each such name. [Unless 1132 
absentee ballots are to be counted in the respective polling places, 1133 
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, the] The registrars shall also 1134 
place such indication on a duplicate checklist to be retained by the 1135 
municipal clerk until the municipal clerk delivers such duplicate 1136 
checklist to the registrars, in accordance with subsection (e) of this 1137 
section, for the use of the absentee ballot counters pursuant to 1138 
subsection (i) of this section. 1139 
[(B) For the state election in 2020, beginning on the fourteenth day 1140 
before the election and on any weekday thereafter, all absentee ballots 1141 
received by the municipal clerk at or prior to eleven o'clock a.m. of such 1142 
day may be sorted into voting districts by the municipal clerk and 1143 
checked as provided in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision.] 1144 
(2) All absentee ballots received at or prior to eleven o'clock a.m. of 1145 
the last day before the election, primary or referendum which is not a 1146 
Sunday or legal holiday, shall be sorted into voting districts by the 1147 
municipal clerk and checked as provided in [subparagraph (A) of] 1148 
subdivision (1) of this subsection not later than such last day. 1149  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(c) If the name of the applicant returning the ballot is not on the 1150 
official checklist for any polling place in such municipality, the 1151 
registrars shall endorse on the face of such outer envelope the word 1152 
"rejected", followed by a statement of the reasons for rejection, and the 1153 
outer envelope shall not be opened or the ballot counted. 1154 
(d) After such checking has been completed on any such day, the 1155 
municipal clerk shall seal the unopened ballots in a package and retain 1156 
them in a safe place. 1157 
[(e) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, ballots 1158 
received at or prior to eleven o'clock a.m. on the last day before the 1159 
election, primary or referendum shall be delivered by the municipal 1160 
clerk to the registrars between ten o'clock a.m. and twelve o'clock noon 1161 
on the day of the election or primary and at twelve o'clock noon on the 1162 
day of a referendum. Unless absentee ballots are to be counted in the 1163 
respective polling places, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, 1164 
the municipal clerk shall also deliver to the registrars at this time the 1165 
duplicate checklist provided for in subsection (b) of this section, for the 1166 
use of the absentee ballot counters pursuant to subsection (i) of this 1167 
section. 1168 
(2) (A) For the state election in 2020:]  1169 
[(i)] (e) (1) (A) Ballots received, sorted and checked prior to five 1170 
o'clock p.m. on the [(I)] (i) fourth day before the election may be 1171 
delivered by the municipal clerk to the registrars at five o'clock p.m. on 1172 
such fourth day, [(II)] (ii) third day before the election may be so 1173 
delivered at five o'clock p.m. on such third day, and [(III)] (iii) second 1174 
day before the election may be so delivered at five o'clock p.m. on such 1175 
second day;  1176 
[(ii)] (B) Ballots received [not later than] at or prior to eleven o'clock 1177 
a.m. on the last day before the election shall be sorted and checked not 1178 
later than such last day and shall be delivered by the municipal clerk to 1179 
the registrars at six o'clock a.m. on the day of the election. [; and] 1180  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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[(iii)] (C) Each time ballots are delivered pursuant to [this] 1181 
subparagraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision, the municipal clerk shall 1182 
also deliver to the registrars at such time a copy of the duplicate 1183 
checklist provided for in subsection (b) of this section, current as of the 1184 
time of such delivery, for the use of the absentee ballot counters 1185 
pursuant to subsection (i) of this section. 1186 
[(B)] (2) The municipal clerk may deliver the ballots at times later than 1187 
those provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection, [or subparagraph 1188 
(A) of this subdivision, as applicable,] provided any such time is 1189 
mutually agreed upon by the municipal clerk and registrars and is not 1190 
later than eight o'clock p.m. on the day of the election, primary or 1191 
referendum. 1192 
(f) Absentee ballots timely received by the clerk after eleven o'clock 1193 
a.m. of such last day before an election, primary or referendum shall be 1194 
sorted into voting districts by the clerk and retained by the clerk 1195 
separately until delivered to the registrars of voters for checking. 1196 
(g) Any or all of such ballots received after eleven o'clock a.m. of such 1197 
last day before an election, primary or referendum and before six o'clock 1198 
p.m. on the day of the election, primary or referendum shall, upon 1199 
request of the registrars, be delivered to the registrars by the municipal 1200 
clerk at six o'clock p.m. on the day of the election, primary or 1201 
referendum for checking, or at a later time mutually agreed upon by the 1202 
clerk and registrars, provided such time is not later than eight o'clock 1203 
p.m. on the day of the election, primary or referendum. 1204 
(h) Absentee ballots received after six o'clock p.m. on the day of the 1205 
election, primary or referendum and any ballots received prior to six 1206 
o'clock p.m. of such day which were not delivered earlier shall be 1207 
delivered to the registrars at the close of the polls for checking. Although 1208 
absentee ballots shall be checked by the registrars of voters at various 1209 
times throughout the election, primary or referendum day, absentee 1210 
ballots may be counted at one single time during such day. 1211  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(i) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the absentee 1212 
ballot counters, upon receipt of the ballots delivered by the municipal 1213 
clerk to the registrars at six o'clock p.m. on the day of the election, 1214 
primary or referendum and at the close of the polls pursuant to 1215 
subsections (g) and (h) of this section, shall check the names of the 1216 
applicants returning ballots on the duplicate checklist in the same 1217 
manner as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. 1218 
(2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 1219 
the names of applicants whose ballots were delivered at six o'clock p.m. 1220 
on the day of the election, primary or referendum shall be called in to 1221 
the appropriate polling places where they shall be checked by the 1222 
checkers on the official checklists, and they shall also be checked by the 1223 
absentee ballot counters on the duplicate checklist required under 1224 
subsection (b) of this section. 1225 
(B) Whenever absentee ballots are counted in any polling place 1226 
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, the names of applicants 1227 
whose ballots were delivered at six o'clock p.m. on the day of the 1228 
election, primary or referendum shall be checked by the absentee ballot 1229 
counters and checkers at such polling place on the official checklist used 1230 
at such polling place. 1231 
(3) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 1232 
the names of applicants whose ballots were delivered at the close of the 1233 
polls shall be checked by the absentee ballot counters on the official 1234 
checklists used at the polling places and such official checklists, bearing 1235 
the certifications required by section 9-307, shall be delivered by the 1236 
registrars or assistant registrars to the central counting moderator for 1237 
that purpose. 1238 
(B) Whenever absentee ballots are counted in any polling place 1239 
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, the official checklist used at 1240 
such polling place shall remain in such polling place for checking by the 1241 
absentee ballot counters at such polling place. 1242  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(4) If the name of an applicant returning a ballot has been checked on 1243 
the official checklist as having voted in person the absentee ballot 1244 
counters shall, in checking the ballots, endorse on the face of the outer 1245 
envelope the word "rejected" followed by a statement of the reason for 1246 
rejection, and the outer envelope shall not be opened or the ballot 1247 
counted. 1248 
(5) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, 1249 
when central counting is completed and the result is announced, the 1250 
central counting moderator shall deliver the duplicate checklist, the 1251 
official checklists and the returns required by section 9-150b to the head 1252 
moderator. 1253 
(B) Whenever absentee ballots are counted in any polling place 1254 
pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, and such counting is 1255 
completed and the result for such polling place is announced, the 1256 
moderator for such polling place shall deliver the official checklist used 1257 
at such polling place and the return required by section 9-150b to the 1258 
head moderator. 1259 
(j) Each time absentee ballots are delivered by the clerk to the 1260 
registrars pursuant to this section, the clerk and registrars shall execute 1261 
an affidavit of delivery and receipt stating the number of ballots 1262 
delivered. The clerk shall preserve the affidavit for the period prescribed 1263 
in section 9-150b. 1264 
(k) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the 1265 
absentee ballot counters shall count, in the manner provided in section 1266 
9-150a, each group of absentee ballots upon receipt from the registrars. 1267 
(2) [For the state election in 2020, whenever] Whenever absentee 1268 
ballots are to be processed before the day of the election, pursuant to 1269 
subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 9-147a, as amended by this 1270 
act, the absentee ballot counters shall process, in the manner provided 1271 
in section 9-150e, as amended by this act, each group of absentee ballots 1272 
upon receipt from the registrars. 1273  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(l) The municipal clerk shall retain all outer envelopes containing 1274 
absentee ballots received by him after the close of the polls, unopened, 1275 
for the period prescribed in section 9-150b. 1276 
Sec. 23. Section 9-140e of the general statutes is repealed and the 1277 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1278 
(a) Any elector who is permanently physically disabled or suffering 1279 
from a long-term illness and who files an application for an absentee 1280 
ballot with a certification from a primary care provider, indicating that 1281 
such elector is permanently physically disabled or suffering from a long-1282 
term illness and unable to appear in person at such elector's designated 1283 
polling location, shall be eligible for permanent absentee ballot status 1284 
and shall receive an absentee ballot for each election, primary or 1285 
referendum conducted in such elector's municipality for which such 1286 
elector is eligible to vote. Such elector's permanent absentee ballot status 1287 
shall remain in effect until such elector: (1) Is removed from the official 1288 
registry list of the municipality, (2) is removed from permanent absentee 1289 
ballot status pursuant to the provisions of this section, or (3) requests 1290 
that he or she no longer receive such permanent absentee ballot status. 1291 
(b) The registrars of voters shall send written notice to each such 1292 
elector with permanent absentee ballot status in January of each year, 1293 
on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, for the purpose of 1294 
determining if such elector continues to reside at the address indicated 1295 
on the elector's permanent absentee ballot application. If [(1)] such 1296 
written notice is returned as undeliverable, [or (2) not later than thirty 1297 
days after such notice is sent to the elector, the elector fails to return such 1298 
notice to the registrars of voters, as directed on the form,] the elector in 1299 
question shall be removed from permanent absentee ballot status. If 1300 
such elector indicates on such notice that the elector no longer resides at 1301 
such address and the elector's new address is within the same 1302 
municipality, the registrars of voters shall change the elector's address 1303 
pursuant to section 9-35 and such elector shall retain permanent 1304 
absentee ballot status. If the elector indicates on such notice that the 1305 
elector no longer resides in the municipality, the registrars of voters 1306  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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shall remove such individual from the registry list of the municipality 1307 
and send such individual an application for voter registration. Failure 1308 
to return such written notice shall not result in the removal of an elector 1309 
from the official registry list of the municipality or from permanent 1310 
absentee ballot status. 1311 
Sec. 24. Section 9-147a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1312 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1313 
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) or (c) of this section, at any 1314 
election, primary or referendum, all absentee ballots shall, within 1315 
existing resources, be counted in the manner provided in section 9-150a 1316 
at a central location designated by the registrars of voters in writing to 1317 
the municipal clerk at least twenty days before the election, primary or 1318 
referendum, which location shall be published in the warning for the 1319 
election, primary or referendum. Except as provided in subsection (b) of 1320 
this section, if unaffiliated electors are authorized under section 9-431 to 1321 
vote in the primary of either of two parties, all absentee ballots shall be 1322 
separated, counted, tallied and placed in depository envelopes by 1323 
voting district. Any member of the public may observe the counting of 1324 
absentee ballots at such central location. 1325 
(b) At any election, primary or referendum, all absentee ballots may 1326 
be counted in the manner provided in section 9-150a in the respective 1327 
polling places if the registrars of voters agree that such absentee ballots 1328 
should be so counted. If unaffiliated electors are authorized under 1329 
section 9-431 to vote in the primary of either of two parties, absentee 1330 
ballots may be counted in the respective polling places if the parties 1331 
agree that such absentee ballots should be so counted. Any election 1332 
official serving in a polling place may observe the counting of absentee 1333 
ballots at such polling place. 1334 
(c) (1) [For the state election in 2020, absentee] Absentee ballots may 1335 
be processed before the day of [the] any election, primary or referendum 1336 
in the manner provided in section 9-150e, as amended by this act. Any 1337 
such processing shall take place at a central location designated by the 1338  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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registrars of voters in writing to the municipal clerk at least ten days 1339 
before the election, which location shall be published in the warning for 1340 
the election. 1341 
(2) If absentee ballots are to be processed pursuant to subdivision (1) 1342 
of this subsection, the registrars of voters and municipal clerk shall 1343 
jointly certify such fact in writing to the Secretary of the State at least ten 1344 
days before the election. Such written certification shall (A) include the 1345 
name, street address and relevant contact information associated with 1346 
the designated central location, and (B) list the name and address of each 1347 
absentee ballot counter appointed pursuant to section 9-147c. The 1348 
Secretary shall approve or disapprove such written certification not later 1349 
than two days after receipt of such certification and may require the 1350 
appointment of one or more additional absentee ballot counters. 1351 
(3) In the case of absentee ballots delivered to the registrars on the 1352 
day of the election, nothing in this subsection shall preclude the 1353 
counting of such absentee ballots in the respective polling places 1354 
pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 1355 
Sec. 25. Section 9-150e of the general statutes is repealed and the 1356 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1357 
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-150a, [for the state 1358 
election in 2020,] in any municipality in which absentee ballots are 1359 
processed pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 9-147a, 1360 
as amended by this act: 1361 
(a) (1) Not earlier than five o'clock p.m. on the fourth day before the 1362 
election, primary or referendum, the absentee ballot counters shall 1363 
proceed to the central counting location at the times designated by the 1364 
registrars of voters; 1365 
(2) At the time each group of ballots is delivered pursuant to 1366 
[subdivision (2) of] subsection (e) of section 9-140c, as amended by this 1367 
act, the counters shall proceed as hereinafter provided; 1368  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(3) Except with respect to ballots marked "Rejected" pursuant to 1369 
section 9-140c, as amended by this act, or other applicable law, the 1370 
counters shall then remove the inner envelopes from the outer 1371 
envelopes, shall note the total number of absentee ballots received and 1372 
shall report such total to the moderator. The counters shall similarly 1373 
note and separately so report the total numbers of presidential ballots 1374 
and overseas ballots received pursuant to sections 9-158a to 9-158m, 1375 
inclusive; 1376 
(4) If the statement on the inner envelope has not been signed as 1377 
required by section 9-140a, such inner envelope shall not be opened or 1378 
the ballot removed therefrom at that time, and such inner envelope shall 1379 
be replaced in the opened outer envelope which shall be marked 1380 
"Rejected" and the reason therefor endorsed thereon by the counters; 1381 
and 1382 
(5) Not earlier than the day of the election, and after the duties under 1383 
subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection have been 1384 
performed, absentee ballots shall be counted in the manner provided in 1385 
subsections (e) to (m), inclusive, of section 9-150a. 1386 
(b) In accordance with instructions [which shall be] prescribed by the 1387 
Secretary of the State, [not later than ten days before the election,] each 1388 
group of ballots delivered pursuant to subdivision [(2)] (1) of subsection 1389 
(e) of section 9-140c, as amended by this act, shall be kept secure (1) 1390 
throughout the performance of the duties under subdivisions (1) to (4), 1391 
inclusive, of subsection (a) of this section, and (2) after such performance 1392 
until such time on the day of the election that absentee ballots are 1393 
counted in the manner provided in subsections (e) to (m), inclusive, of 1394 
section 9-150a. The requirements of this subsection shall be in addition 1395 
to all other applicable requirements under this title regarding the 1396 
security of absentee ballots and any related materials. 1397 
Sec. 26. Section 9-159o of the general statutes is repealed and the 1398 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1399  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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[(a)] Any elector who has returned an absentee ballot to the municipal 1400 
clerk and who finds such elector is able to vote in person shall proceed 1401 
before [ten o'clock a.m.] five o'clock p.m. on the fourth day before 1402 
election, primary or referendum day to the municipal clerk's office and 1403 
request that such elector's ballot be withdrawn. The municipal clerk 1404 
shall remove the ballot from the sealed package and shall mark the 1405 
serially-numbered outer envelope, which shall remain unopened, 1406 
"rejected" and note the reasons for rejection. The elector shall also 1407 
endorse the envelope. The rejected ballot shall then be returned to the 1408 
sealed package until delivered on election, primary or referendum day 1409 
to the registrars of voters in accordance with section 9-140c, as amended 1410 
by this act. The municipal clerk shall then give the elector a signed 1411 
statement directed to the moderator of the voting district in which the 1412 
elector resides stating that the elector has withdrawn such elector's 1413 
absentee ballot and may vote in person. Upon delivery of the statement 1414 
by the elector to the moderator, the moderator shall cause the absentee 1415 
indication next to the name of the elector to be stricken from the official 1416 
checklist and the elector may then have such elector's name checked and 1417 
vote in person. Unless absentee ballots are to be counted in the 1418 
respective polling places pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, 1419 
the municipal clerk shall also cause the absentee indication next to the 1420 
name of the elector to be stricken from the duplicate checklist to be used 1421 
by the absentee ballot counters. 1422 
[(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, 1423 
for the state election in 2020, any elector who has returned an absentee 1424 
ballot to the municipal clerk and who finds such elector is able to vote 1425 
in person shall proceed before five o'clock p.m. on the fourth day before 1426 
the election to the municipal clerk's office and request that such elector's 1427 
ballot be withdrawn.] 1428 
Sec. 27. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) Whenever voter registration 1429 
information maintained under title 9 of the general statutes by the 1430 
Secretary of the State or any registrar of voters is provided pursuant to 1431 
any provision of the general statutes, disclosure of a voter's date of birth 1432  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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shall be limited to only the year of birth, unless such voter registration 1433 
information is requested and used for a governmental purpose, as 1434 
determined by the Secretary, in which case the voter's complete date of 1435 
birth shall be provided. As used in this section, a governmental purpose 1436 
shall include, but not be limited to, jury administration. 1437 
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any motor 1438 
vehicle operator's license number, identity card number, Social Security 1439 
number and any other unique identifier used for the purpose of 1440 
generating a voter registration record, or added to such record for 1441 
compliance with the requirements of the Help America Vote Act, P.L. 1442 
107-252, as amended from time to time, shall be confidential and shall 1443 
not be disclosed to any person. 1444 
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, if a voter 1445 
submits to the Secretary of the State a signed statement that 1446 
nondisclosure of such voter's name from the official registry list is 1447 
necessary for the safety of such voter or the voter's family, the name and 1448 
address of such voter on his or her voter registration record shall be 1449 
confidential and shall not be disclosed, except that an election, primary 1450 
or referendum official may view such information on the official registry 1451 
list when such list is used by any such official at a polling place on the 1452 
day of an election, primary or referendum. 1453 
Sec. 28. (NEW) (Effective from passage) In the case of a municipality, or 1454 
a voting district within a municipality, in which, as reported in the 1455 
decennial census of the United States, (1) the number of United States 1456 
citizens of voting age in a single language minority group (A) is more 1457 
than seven thousand five hundred, (B) makes up more than three per 1458 
cent of all voting age citizens in such municipality or voting district, or 1459 
(C) if on an Indian reservation, makes up more than three per cent of all 1460 
reservation residents, or (2) the illiteracy rate of a single language 1461 
minority group is higher than the national illiteracy rate, such 1462 
municipality at any election, primary or referendum held within such 1463 
municipality or voting district shall make available ballots in the 1464 
language of each such language minority group to be used in such 1465  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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municipality or voting district at such election, primary or referendum. 1466 
As used in this section, "language minority group" means American 1467 
Indians, Asian Americans, Alaskan Natives or Spanish-heritage 1468 
citizens. 1469 
Sec. 29. Section 9-135 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1470 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 1471 
(a) Any elector eligible to vote at a primary or an election and any 1472 
person eligible to vote at a referendum may vote by absentee ballot if 1473 
such elector or person is unable to appear at such elector's or person's 1474 
polling place [during the hours of voting] on the day of such primary, 1475 
election or referendum for any of the following reasons: (1) Such 1476 
elector's or person's active service with the armed forces of the United 1477 
States; (2) such elector's or person's absence from the town of [such 1478 
elector's or person's voting residence during all of the hours of voting] 1479 
which such elector or person is an inhabitant; (3) [such elector's or 1480 
person's illness] sickness; (4) [such elector's or person's] physical 1481 
disability; (5) the tenets of such elector's or person's religion forbid 1482 
secular activity; [on the day of the primary, election or referendum;] or 1483 
(6) the required performance of such elector's or person's duties as a 1484 
primary, election or referendum official, including as a town clerk or 1485 
registrar of voters or as staff of the clerk or registrar, at a polling place 1486 
other than such elector's or person's own during all of the hours of 1487 
voting at such primary, election or referendum. [; or (7) for the state 1488 
election in 2020, the sickness of COVID-19. As used in this section, 1489 
"COVID-19" means the respiratory disease designated by the World 1490 
Health Organization on February 11, 2020, as coronavirus 2019, and any 1491 
related mutation thereof recognized by said organization as a 1492 
communicable respiratory disease.] 1493 
(b) No person shall misrepresent the eligibility requirements for 1494 
voting by absentee ballot prescribed in subsection (a) of this section, to 1495 
any elector or prospective absentee ballot applicant. 1496 
Sec. 30. Section 9-137 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1497  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 1498 
[(a)] Each absentee ballot shall be returned to the municipal clerk, 1499 
inserted in an inner envelope which shall be capable of being sealed and 1500 
which shall have printed on its face a form containing the following 1501 
statements: 1502 
"I hereby state under the penalties of false statement in absentee 1503 
balloting that I am eligible to vote at the primary, election or referendum 1504 
in the municipality in which this absentee ballot is to be cast and that I 1505 
expect to be unable to appear at my polling place [during the hours of 1506 
voting at] on the day of such primary, election or referendum for one or 1507 
more of the following reasons: (1) My active service in the armed forces; 1508 
(2) my absence from the town in which I am eligible to vote; [during all 1509 
of the hours of voting; (3) my illness] (3) sickness or physical disability; 1510 
(4) the tenets of my religion which forbid secular activity; [on the day of 1511 
the primary, election or referendum;] or (5) my duties as a primary, 1512 
election or referendum official. 1513 
Date .... 1514 
.... (Signature)" 1515 
[(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, 1516 
for the state election in 2020, each inner envelope in which an absentee 1517 
ballot is returned to the municipal clerk shall have printed on its face a 1518 
form containing the following statements: 1519 
"I hereby state under the penalties of false statement in absentee 1520 
balloting that I am eligible to vote at the primary, election or referendum 1521 
in the municipality in which this absentee ballot is to be cast and that I 1522 
expect to be unable to appear at my polling place during the hours of 1523 
voting at such primary, election or referendum for one or more of the 1524 
following reasons: (1) My active service in the armed forces; (2) my 1525 
absence from the town in which I am eligible to vote during all of the 1526 
hours of voting; (3) my illness or physical disability; (4) the tenets of my 1527 
religion which forbid secular activity on the day of the primary, election 1528  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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or referendum; (5) my duties as a primary, election or referendum 1529 
official; or (6) the sickness of COVID-19. 1530 
Date .... 1531 
.... (Signature)"] 1532 
Sec. 31. Section 9-453e of the general statutes is repealed and the 1533 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1534 
Each circulator of a nominating petition page shall be a United States 1535 
citizen [,] and at least eighteen years of age, [and a resident of a town in 1536 
this state] and shall not be on parole for conviction of a felony. Any 1537 
individual proposed as a candidate in any nominating petition may 1538 
serve as circulator of the pages of such nominating petition. 1539 
Sec. 32. Section 9-453j of the general statutes is repealed and the 1540 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1541 
Each page of a nominating petition submitted to the town clerk or the 1542 
Secretary of the State and filed with the Secretary of the State under the 1543 
provisions of sections 9-453a to 9-453s, inclusive, or section 9-216 shall 1544 
contain a statement as to the residency [in this state] and eligibility of 1545 
the circulator and as to the authenticity of the signatures thereon, signed 1546 
under [penalties] penalty of false statement, by the person who 1547 
circulated the same. Such statement shall set forth (1) [such] the 1548 
circulator's residence address, including the town [in this state] in which 1549 
[such] the circulator is a resident, (2) if the circulator is not a resident in 1550 
this state, that the circulator agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of the 1551 
state in any case or controversy arising out of or related to the circulation 1552 
of a petition pursuant to this subpart, (3) the circulator's date of birth 1553 
and that the circulator is at least eighteen years of age, [(3)] (4) that the 1554 
circulator is a United States citizen and not on parole for conviction of a 1555 
felony, and [(4)] (5) that each person whose name appears on such page 1556 
signed the same in person in the presence of [such] the circulator and 1557 
that either the circulator knows each such signer or that the signer 1558 
satisfactorily identified himself or herself to the circulator. Any false 1559  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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statement committed with respect to such statement shall be deemed to 1560 
have been committed in the town in which the petition was circulated. 1561 
Sec. 33. Subsection (a) of section 9-453k of the general statutes is 1562 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 1563 
passage): 1564 
(a) The town clerk or Secretary of the State shall not accept any page 1565 
of a nominating petition unless the circulator thereof has signed before 1566 
[him] the clerk, the Secretary or an appropriate person as provided in 1567 
section 1-29, the statement as to the residency [in this state] and 1568 
eligibility of the circulator and as to the authenticity of the signatures 1569 
thereon required by section 9-453j, as amended by this act. 1570 
Sec. 34. Subsection (a) of section 9-453o of the general statutes is 1571 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 1572 
passage): 1573 
(a) The Secretary of the State may not count for purposes of 1574 
determining compliance with the number of signatures required by 1575 
section 9-453d the signatures certified by the town clerk on any petition 1576 
page filed under sections 9-453a to 9-453s, inclusive, or 9-216 if: (1) The 1577 
name of the candidate, [his] the candidate's address or the party 1578 
designation, if any, has been omitted from the face of the petition; (2) the 1579 
page does not contain a statement by the circulator as to the residency 1580 
[in this state] and eligibility of the circulator and as to the authenticity 1581 
of the signatures thereon as required by section 9-453j, as amended by 1582 
this act, or upon which such statement of the circulator is incomplete in 1583 
any respect; or (3) the page does not contain the certifications required 1584 
by sections 9-453a to 9-453s, inclusive, by the town clerk of the town in 1585 
which the signers reside. The town clerk shall cure any omission on his 1586 
or her part by signing any such page at the office of the Secretary of the 1587 
State and making the necessary amendment or by filing a separate 1588 
statement in this regard, which amendment shall be dated. 1589 
Sec. 35. Subsection (d) of section 9-404b of the general statutes is 1590  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 1591 
passage): 1592 
(d) [Each] Any person qualified to vote under the laws of any state or 1593 
territory of the United States may be a circulator of a primary petition 1594 
page [shall be] if such person (1) is an enrolled party member of a 1595 
municipality in this state, [. Each] or (2) agrees to submit to the 1596 
jurisdiction of this state in any case or controversy arising out of or 1597 
related to the circulation of a primary petition. For any circulator 1598 
described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, each petition page shall 1599 
contain a statement signed by the registrar of voters of the municipality 1600 
in which the circulator is an enrolled party member attesting that the 1601 
circulator is an enrolled party member in the municipality. For any 1602 
circulator described in subdivision (2) of this subsection, each petition 1603 
page shall contain a statement signed by such circulator that he or she 1604 
agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of this state in any case or 1605 
controversy arising out of or related to the circulation of a primary 1606 
petition, which signed statement shall be attested to by the registrar of 1607 
voters of the municipality in which such page was circulated. Unless 1608 
such a statement by the registrar [of voters] appears on each page so 1609 
submitted, the Secretary shall reject the page. Each separate page of the 1610 
petition shall contain a statement as to the authenticity of the signatures 1611 
on the page and the number of such signatures, and shall be signed 1612 
under the [penalties] penalty of false statement by the person who 1613 
circulated the page, setting forth the circulator's address and the town 1614 
in which the circulator is an enrolled party member and attesting that 1615 
each person whose name appears on the page signed the petition in 1616 
person in the presence of the circulator, that the circulator either knows 1617 
each such signer or that the signer satisfactorily identified himself or 1618 
herself to the circulator and that the spaces for candidates supported, 1619 
offices sought and the political party involved were filled in prior to the 1620 
obtaining of the signatures. Each separate page of the petition shall also 1621 
be acknowledged before an appropriate person as provided in section 1622 
1-29. The Secretary shall reject any page of a petition filed with the 1623 
Secretary which does not contain such a statement by the circulator as 1624  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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to the authenticity of the signatures on the page, or upon which the 1625 
statement of the circulator is incomplete in any respect, or which does 1626 
not contain the certification required under this section by the registrar 1627 
of the town in which the circulator is an enrolled party member. Any 1628 
individual proposed as a candidate in any primary petition may serve 1629 
as a circulator of the pages of the petition, provided the individual's 1630 
service as circulator does not violate any provision of this section. 1631 
Sec. 36. Subsection (c) of section 9-410 of the general statutes is 1632 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 1633 
passage): 1634 
(c) [Each] Any person qualified to vote under the laws of any state or 1635 
territory of the United States may be a circulator of a primary petition 1636 
page [shall be] if such person (1) is an enrolled party member of a 1637 
municipality in this state, [who is entitled to vote. Each] or (2) agrees to 1638 
submit to the jurisdiction of this state in any case or controversy arising 1639 
out of or related to the circulation of a primary petition. For any 1640 
circulator described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, each petition 1641 
page shall contain a statement signed by the registrar of voters of the 1642 
municipality in which such circulator is an enrolled party member 1643 
attesting that the circulator is an enrolled party member in such 1644 
municipality. For any circulator described in subdivision (2) of this 1645 
subsection, each petition page shall contain a statement signed by such 1646 
circulator that he or she agrees to submit to the jurisdiction of this state 1647 
in any case or controversy arising out of or related to the circulation of 1648 
a primary petition, which signed statement shall be attested to by the 1649 
registrar of voters of the municipality in which such page was 1650 
circulated. Unless such a statement by the registrar appears on each 1651 
page so submitted, the registrar shall reject such page. No candidate for 1652 
the nomination of a party for a municipal office or the position of town 1653 
committee member shall circulate any petition for another candidate or 1654 
another group of candidates contained in one primary petition for the 1655 
nomination of such party for the same office or position, and any 1656 
petition page circulated in violation of this provision shall be rejected by 1657  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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the registrar. No person shall circulate petitions for more than the 1658 
maximum number of candidates to be nominated by a party for the 1659 
same office or position, and any petition page circulated in violation of 1660 
this provision shall be rejected by the registrar. Each separate sheet of 1661 
such petition shall contain a statement as to the authenticity of the 1662 
signatures thereon and the number of such signatures, and shall be 1663 
signed under the penalties of false statement by the person who 1664 
circulated the same, setting forth such circulator's address and the town 1665 
in which such circulator is an enrolled party member and attesting that 1666 
each person whose name appears on such sheet signed the same in 1667 
person in the presence of such circulator, that the circulator either knows 1668 
each such signer or that the signer satisfactorily identified the signer to 1669 
the circulator and that the spaces for candidates supported, offices or 1670 
positions sought and the political party involved were filled in prior to 1671 
the obtaining of the signatures. Each separate sheet of such petition shall 1672 
also be acknowledged before an appropriate person as provided in 1673 
section 1-29. Any sheet of a petition filed with the registrar which does 1674 
not contain such a statement by the circulator as to the authenticity of 1675 
the signatures thereon, or upon which the statement of the circulator is 1676 
incomplete in any respect, or which does not contain the certification 1677 
hereinbefore required by the registrar of the town in which the 1678 
circulator is an enrolled party member, shall be rejected by the registrar. 1679 
Any individual proposed as a candidate in any primary petition may 1680 
serve as a circulator of the pages of such petition, provided such 1681 
individual's service as circulator does not violate any provision of this 1682 
section. 1683 
Sec. 37. Section 9-450 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1684 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1685 
(a) Nominations by major parties for any state, district or municipal 1686 
office to be filled under the provisions of any law relating to elections to 1687 
fill vacancies, unless otherwise provided therein, shall be made in 1688 
accordance with the provisions of sections 9-382 to 9-450, inclusive, as 1689 
amended by this act. 1690  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(b) (1) [(A)] In the case of nominations for representatives in Congress 1691 
and judges of probate in probate districts composed of two or more 1692 
towns, provided for in sections 9-212, as amended by this act, and 9-218, 1693 
as amended by this act, the delegates to the convention for the last state 1694 
election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to 1695 
fill such vacancy. If a vacancy occurs in the delegation from any town, 1696 
political subdivision or district, such vacancy may be filled by the town 1697 
committee of the town in which the delegate resided. Endorsements by 1698 
political party conventions pursuant to this subsection may be made 1699 
and certified at any time after the resignation or death creating such 1700 
vacancy and not later than the fiftieth day before the day of the election. 1701 
No such endorsement shall be effective until the presiding officer or 1702 
secretary of any district convention has certified the endorsement to the 1703 
Secretary of the State. 1704 
[(B)] (2) If such a vacancy occurs between the one hundred twenty-1705 
fifth day and the sixty-third day before the day of a regular state or 1706 
municipal election in November of any year, no primary shall be held 1707 
for the nomination of any political party and the party-endorsed 1708 
candidate so selected shall be deemed, for the purposes of this chapter, 1709 
the person certified by the Secretary of the State pursuant to section 9-1710 
444 as the nominee of such party. 1711 
[(C)] (3) Except as provided in [subparagraph (B) of this] subdivision 1712 
(2) of this subsection, if a candidacy for nomination is filed by or on 1713 
behalf of any person other than a party-endorsed candidate not later 1714 
than [fourteen days] the day after the party endorsement and in 1715 
conformity with the provisions of section 9-400, as amended by this act, 1716 
a primary shall be held in each municipality of the district and each part 1717 
of a municipality which is a component part of the district, to determine 1718 
the nominee of such party for such office, except as provided in section 1719 
9-416a. Such primary shall be held on the day that the writs of election 1720 
issued by the Governor, pursuant to section 9-212, as amended by this 1721 
act, ordered the election to be held, and new writs of election shall be 1722 
issued by the Governor in accordance with section 9-212, as amended 1723  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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by this act. 1724 
[(D)] (4) Unless the provisions of [subparagraph (B) of this] 1725 
subdivision (2) of this subsection apply, petition forms for candidacies 1726 
for nomination by a political party pursuant to this subdivision shall be 1727 
available from the Secretary of the State beginning on the day following 1728 
the issuance of writs of election by the Governor pursuant to section 9-1729 
212, as amended by this act, except when a primary has already been 1730 
held, and the provisions of section 9-404a shall otherwise apply to such 1731 
petitions. 1732 
[(E)] (5) The registry lists used pursuant to this subsection shall be the 1733 
last-completed lists, as provided in sections 9-172a and 9-172b. 1734 
[(2)] (c) In the case of judges of probate in probate districts composed 1735 
of a single town, the day named for the election shall be not earlier than 1736 
the one hundred fifteenth day following the day on which the writ of 1737 
election is issued, and the times specified in sections 9-391, 9-405 and 9-1738 
423 shall be applicable. 1739 
[(3) (A)] (d) (1) In the case of nominations for senators in Congress 1740 
provided for in section 9-211, as amended by this act, the delegates to 1741 
the convention for the last state election shall be the delegates for the 1742 
purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy. If a vacancy occurs 1743 
in the delegation from any town or political subdivision, such vacancy 1744 
may be filled by the town committee of the town in which the delegate 1745 
resided. Endorsements by political party conventions pursuant to this 1746 
subsection may be made and certified at any time after the resignation 1747 
or death creating such vacancy and not later than the fifty-sixth day 1748 
before the day of the primary. No such endorsement shall be effective 1749 
until the presiding officer or secretary of any state convention has 1750 
certified the endorsement to the Secretary of the State. 1751 
[(B)] (2) If such a vacancy occurs between the one hundred twenty-1752 
fifth day and the sixty-third day before the day of a regular state or 1753 
municipal election in November of any year, no primary shall be held 1754  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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for the nomination of any political party and the party-endorsed 1755 
candidate so selected shall be deemed, for the purposes of this chapter, 1756 
the person certified by the Secretary of the State, pursuant to section 9-1757 
444, as the nominee of such party. In such an event, endorsements by 1758 
political party conventions shall be made not later than sixty days prior 1759 
to the election. 1760 
[(C)] (3) Except as provided in [subparagraph (B) of this] subdivision 1761 
(2) of this subsection, if a candidacy for nomination is filed by or on 1762 
behalf of any person other than a party-endorsed candidate not later 1763 
than [fourteen days] the day after the party endorsement and in 1764 
conformity with the provisions of section 9-400, as amended by this act, 1765 
a primary shall be held on the fifty-sixth day prior to the day of the 1766 
election in each municipality to determine the nominee of such party for 1767 
such office, except as provided in section 9-416a. 1768 
[(D)] (4) Unless the provisions of [subparagraph (B) of this] 1769 
subdivision (2) of this subsection apply, petition forms for candidacies 1770 
for nomination by a political party pursuant to this subdivision shall be 1771 
available from the Secretary of the State beginning on the day following 1772 
the issuance of writs of election by the Governor, pursuant to section 9-1773 
211, as amended by this act, except when a primary has already been 1774 
held and the provisions of section 9-404a shall otherwise apply to such 1775 
petitions. 1776 
[(E)] (5) The registry lists used pursuant to this subsection shall be the 1777 
last-completed lists, as provided in sections 9-172a and 9-172b. 1778 
[(4)] (e) The times specified in sections 9-391, 9-405 and 9-423 shall be 1779 
applicable to any special town election held to fill a vacancy in any town 1780 
office under subsection (b) of section 9-164. Except as provided under 1781 
subsection (c) of section 9-164, any election held to fill a vacancy in any 1782 
municipal office under the provisions of any special act shall be held not 1783 
earlier than the one hundred twenty-seventh day following the day 1784 
upon which warning of such election is issued, and the times specified 1785 
in sections 9-391, 9-405 and 9-423 shall be applicable. 1786  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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Sec. 38. Subsection (a) of section 9-212 of the general statutes is 1787 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 1788 
passage): 1789 
(a) In case of a vacancy in the office of representative in Congress 1790 
from any district, the Governor, except as otherwise provided by law, 1791 
shall not more than ten days after the occurrence of such vacancy issue 1792 
writs of election directed to the town clerks or assistant town clerks, in 1793 
such district, ordering an election to be held on the sixtieth day after the 1794 
issue of such writs on a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, to fill such 1795 
vacancy, provided (1) if such a vacancy occurs between the one hundred 1796 
twenty-fifth day and the sixty-third day before the day of a regular state 1797 
or municipal election in November of any year, the Governor shall so 1798 
issue such writs on the sixtieth day before the day of such regular 1799 
election, ordering an election to be held on the day of such regular 1800 
election, (2) if such a vacancy occurs after the sixty-third day before the 1801 
day of a regular state election but before the regular state election, the 1802 
Governor shall not issue such writs and no election shall be held under 1803 
this section, unless the position vacated is that of member-elect, in which 1804 
case the Governor shall issue such writs and an election shall be held as 1805 
provided in this section, and (3) if a primary for such office occurs 1806 
pursuant to [subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1)] subdivision (3) of 1807 
subsection (b) of section 9-450, as amended by this act, the Governor 1808 
shall, within ten days following the filing of a candidacy for nomination 1809 
by a person other than the party-endorsed candidate, issue new writs of 1810 
election, in place of those first issued pursuant to this section. 1811 
Sec. 39. Subsection (a) of section 9-320f of the general statutes is 1812 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 1813 
passage): 1814 
(a) Not earlier than the fifteenth day after any election or primary and 1815 
not later than two business days before the canvass of votes by the 1816 
Secretary of the State, Treasurer and Comptroller, for any federal or 1817 
state election or primary, or by the town clerk for any municipal election 1818 
or primary, the registrars of voters shall conduct a manual audit or, for 1819  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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an election or primary held on or after January 1, 2016, an electronic 1820 
audit authorized under section 9-320g of the votes recorded in not less 1821 
than five per cent of the voting districts in the state, district or 1822 
municipality, whichever is applicable. For the purposes of this section, 1823 
any central location used in a municipality for the counting of absentee 1824 
ballots shall be deemed a voting district. Such manual or electronic audit 1825 
shall be noticed in advance and be open to public observation. Any 1826 
election official who participates in the administration and conduct of 1827 
an audit pursuant to this section shall be compensated by the 1828 
municipality at the standard rate of pay established by such 1829 
municipality for elections or primaries, as the case may be. 1830 
Sec. 40. Section 9-159q of the general statutes is repealed and the 1831 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1832 
(a) As used in this section: 1833 
(1) "Institution" means a veterans' health care facility, residential care 1834 
home, health care facility for the handicapped, nursing home, rest home, 1835 
mental health facility, alcohol or drug treatment facility, an infirmary 1836 
operated by an educational institution for the care of its students, faculty 1837 
and employees or an assisted living facility; and 1838 
(2) "Designee" means an elector of the same town and political party 1839 
as the appointing registrar of voters, which elector is not an employee 1840 
of the institution at which supervised voting is conducted. 1841 
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, [to the 1842 
contrary,] if less than twenty of the patients in any institution in the state 1843 
are electors, absentee ballots voted by such electors shall, upon request 1844 
of either registrar of voters in the town of such electors' voting residence 1845 
or the administrator of such institution, be voted under the supervision 1846 
of such registrars of voters or their designees in accordance with the 1847 
provisions of this section. The registrars of voters of a town other than 1848 
the town in which an institution is located may refuse a request by the 1849 
administrator of such institution when, in their written opinion, the 1850  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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registrars agree that such request is unnecessary, in which case this 1851 
section shall not apply. Such registrars shall inform the administrator 1852 
and the town clerk of the electors' town of voting residence of their 1853 
refusal. 1854 
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, such request 1855 
shall be made in writing and filed with the town clerk and registrars of 1856 
voters of the town of such electors' voting residence, not more than 1857 
forty-five days prior to an election or thirty-four days prior to a primary 1858 
and not later than the seventh day prior to an election or primary. The 1859 
request shall specify the name and location of the institution and the 1860 
date and time when the registrars of voters or their designees shall 1861 
supervise the casting of absentee ballots at the institution. The request 1862 
shall also specify one or more alternate dates and times when 1863 
supervised voting may occur. No request shall specify a date or an 1864 
alternate date for supervised voting which is later than the last business 1865 
day before the election or primary. 1866 
(d) The town clerk shall not mail or otherwise deliver an absentee 1867 
ballot to an applicant who is a patient in any institution if a request for 1868 
supervision of absentee balloting at that institution has been filed with 1869 
the clerk during the period set forth in subsection (c) of this section. The 1870 
clerk shall instead deliver such ballot or ballots to the registrars of voters 1871 
or their designees who will supervise the voting of such ballots in 1872 
accordance with this section. 1873 
(e) Except in the case of a written refusal as provided in subsection 1874 
(b) of this section, upon receipt of a request for supervision of absentee 1875 
balloting during the period set forth in subsection (c) of this section, the 1876 
registrar or registrars of voters who received the request shall inform 1877 
the registrar or administrator who made the request and the town clerk 1878 
as to the date and time when such supervision shall occur, which shall 1879 
be the date and time contained in the request or the alternate date and 1880 
time contained in the request. If the registrar or registrars fail to select 1881 
either date, the supervision shall take place on the date and time 1882 
contained in the request. If a request for supervision of absentee 1883  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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balloting at an institution is filed during the period set forth in 1884 
subsection (c) of this section and the town clerk receives an application 1885 
for an absentee ballot from a patient in the institution after the date 1886 
when supervised balloting occurred, either registrar of voters may 1887 
request, in writing, to the appropriate town clerk and registrars of voters 1888 
that the supervision of the voting of absentee ballots at such institution 1889 
in accordance with this section be repeated, and in such case the 1890 
registrars or their designees shall supervise absentee balloting at such 1891 
institution on the date and at the time specified in the subsequent 1892 
request, which shall be not later than the last business day before the 1893 
election or primary. 1894 
(f) On the date when the supervision of absentee balloting at any 1895 
institution is to occur, the town clerk shall deliver to the registrars or 1896 
their designees the absentee ballots and envelopes for all applicants who 1897 
are electors of such clerk's town and patients at such institution. The 1898 
ballot and envelopes shall be prepared for delivery to the applicant as 1899 
provided in sections 9-137 to 9-140a, inclusive. The registrars or their 1900 
designees shall furnish the town clerk a written receipt for such ballots. 1901 
(g) The registrars or their designees, as the case may be, shall jointly 1902 
deliver the ballots to the respective applicants at the institution and shall 1903 
jointly supervise the voting of such ballots. The ballots shall be returned 1904 
to the registrars or their designees by the electors in the envelopes 1905 
provided and in accordance with the provisions of sections 9-137, 9-139 1906 
and 9-140a. If any elector asks for assistance in voting his ballot, two 1907 
registrars or their designees of different political parties or, for a 1908 
primary, their designees of different candidates, shall render such 1909 
assistance as they deem necessary and appropriate to enable such 1910 
elector to vote his ballot. The registrars or their designees may reject a 1911 
ballot when (1) the elector declines to vote a ballot, or (2) the registrars 1912 
or their designees are unable to determine how the elector who has 1913 
requested their assistance desires to vote the ballot. When the registrars 1914 
or their designees reject a ballot, they shall mark the serially-numbered 1915 
outer envelope "rejected" and note the reasons for rejection. Nothing in 1916  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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this section shall limit the right of an elector to vote his ballot in secret. 1917 
(h) After all ballots have been voted or marked "rejected" in 1918 
accordance with subsection (g) of this section, the registrars or their 1919 
designees shall jointly deliver or mail them in the envelopes, which shall 1920 
be sealed, to the appropriate town clerk, who shall retain them until 1921 
delivered in accordance with section 9-140c. 1922 
(i) When an institution is located in a town having a primary, the 1923 
registrar in that town of the party holding the primary shall appoint for 1924 
each such institution, one designee of the party-endorsed candidates 1925 
and one designee of the contestants from the lists, if any, submitted by 1926 
the party-endorsed candidates and contestants. Such registrar shall 1927 
notify all party-endorsed candidates and all contestants of their right to 1928 
submit a list of potential designees under this section. Each party-1929 
endorsed candidate and each contestant may submit to such registrar in 1930 
writing a list of names of potential designees, provided any such list 1931 
shall be submitted not later than ten days before the primary. If no such 1932 
lists are submitted within said period, such registrar shall appoint one 1933 
designee of the party-endorsed candidates and one designee of the 1934 
contestants. Each designee appointed pursuant to this section shall be 1935 
sworn to the faithful performance of his duties, and the registrar shall 1936 
file a certificate of each designation with his town clerk. 1937 
(j) Any registrar of voters who has filed a request that the absentee 1938 
balloting at an institution be supervised and any registrar required to 1939 
conduct a supervision of voting under this section, who neglects to 1940 
perform any of the duties required of him by this section so as to cause 1941 
any elector to lose his vote shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Any 1942 
registrar from the same town as a registrar who has filed such a request 1943 
may waive his right to participate in the supervision of absentee 1944 
balloting. 1945 
(k) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, [to the contrary,] if 1946 
the spouse or a child of a registrar of voters or a dependent relative 1947 
residing in the registrar's household is a candidate in the election or 1948  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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primary for which supervised absentee voting is to occur, such registrar 1949 
shall not supervise such absentee voting but may designate the deputy 1950 
registrar of voters or an assistant registrar of voters, appointed by the 1951 
registrar pursuant to section 9-192, to supervise the absentee voting in 1952 
his place. 1953 
(l) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, [if a town 1954 
clerk receives twenty or more absentee ballot applications from the same 1955 
street address in a town, including, but not limited to, an apartment 1956 
building or complex, absentee ballots voted by the electors submitting 1957 
such applications may, at the discretion of the registrars of voters of such 1958 
town, be voted under the supervision of such registrars of voters or their 1959 
designees in accordance with the same procedures set forth in this 1960 
section for supervised absentee voting at institutions.] the Secretary of 1961 
the State may suspend the supervision of absentee balloting under this 1962 
section and section 9-159r, provided the Secretary (1) suspends such 1963 
supervision of absentee balloting in recognition of a declaration by the 1964 
Governor of a civil preparedness emergency, pursuant to section 28-9, 1965 
or a public health emergency, pursuant to section 19a-131, and (2) 1966 
submits a report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing 1967 
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 1968 
relating to elections advising of such suspension and specifying 1969 
alternative actions to be taken to provide opportunities for absentee 1970 
voting by electors described in this section and section 9-159r. 1971 
Sec. 41. (NEW) (Effective from passage) In the case of an elector unable 1972 
to appear at such elector's polling place because of a visual impairment, 1973 
the Secretary of the State shall electronically provide to such elector an 1974 
absentee ballot in a format capable of being read by a computer-related 1975 
device and printed. Each such ballot signed by such elector, returned to 1976 
the municipal clerk in accordance with section 9-140b of the general 1977 
statutes, as amended by this act, and that otherwise satisfies all 1978 
requirements for returned absentee ballots shall be counted. 1979 
Sec. 42. Subsection (a) of section 9-164 of the general statutes is 1980 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1981  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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1, 2023): 1982 
(a) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, there shall be 1983 
held in each municipality, biennially, a municipal election [on the first 1984 
Monday of May or the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, of 1985 
the odd-numbered years, whichever date the legislative body of such 1986 
municipality determines, provided, if no action is taken by the 1987 
legislative body to so designate the date of such election, such election 1988 
shall be held] on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November of the 1989 
odd-numbered years. In any municipality where the term of any elected 1990 
official would expire prior to the next regular election held under the 1991 
provisions of this section, the term of such official shall be extended to 1992 
the date of such election. 1993 
Sec. 43. Section 9-164a of the general statutes is repealed and the 1994 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 1995 
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, in any municipality 1996 
in which the date of the municipal election has been, or will be, changed 1997 
to the Tuesday after the first Monday of November of the odd-1998 
numbered years under section 9-164, as amended by this act, and in 1999 
which the terms of office of one or more elected municipal officers had 2000 
not, or will have not, expired at the time of the holding of the first 2001 
municipal election in accordance with such changed date under said 2002 
section, the legislative body of such municipality shall, prior to [July 25, 2003 
1969] January 1, 2023, provide for a reasonable method of transition for 2004 
such offices which may include reasonable extension of such terms and 2005 
provision for interim terms. Except as provided in sections 9-164b, as 2006 
amended by this act, 9-164d to 9-164f, inclusive, as amended by this act, 2007 
9-187 and 9-187a, as amended by this act, in the absence of such action 2008 
by such legislative body, the terms of any such officers which do not 2009 
terminate within three months after such first or a subsequent municipal 2010 
election held under said section 9-164 shall be extended to the municipal 2011 
election next held after the expiration of such terms, or to such date, 2012 
within seventy days after such election, on which the terms of municipal 2013 
officers generally begin in such municipality, at which election 2014  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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successors shall be elected for the terms provided for by law or for such 2015 
other transitional terms as are necessary to provide the rotation required 2016 
by law. The clerk of the municipality, in preparing the list provided for 2017 
under section 9-254, shall set forth such terms or transitional terms 2018 
therein. 2019 
Sec. 44. Section 9-164b of the general statutes is repealed and the 2020 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 2021 
As to any board or commission with a rotating membership, some of 2022 
the members of which, prior to the change to a uniform municipal 2023 
election date to the Tuesday after the first Monday of November of the 2024 
odd-numbered years under section 9-164, as amended by this act, were 2025 
elected for terms beginning approximately one year after the date of 2026 
their election, the legislative body may provide for such conforming 2027 
changes in the beginning date of the terms of office as are designed to 2028 
continue the rotation with regard to such office as it existed prior to such 2029 
change, and in the absence of such action by such legislative body, the 2030 
beginning date of the terms of such office shall be so changed by the 2031 
clerk of the municipality in preparing the list provided for under section 2032 
9-254. With respect to any board or commission with a rotating 2033 
membership established under sections 8-1, 8-4a, 8-5 and 8-19, the 2034 
authority empowered to prescribe the term of office of the members of 2035 
such board or commission, if it is authorized under said sections to 2036 
provide for an odd-numbered year term, may further provide for 2037 
deferred terms by prescribing which terms are to begin approximately 2038 
one year from the date on which the terms of municipal officers 2039 
generally begin in such municipality. 2040 
Sec. 45. Section 9-187a of the general statutes is repealed and the 2041 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2023): 2042 
(a) (1) Except as provided in sections 9-164a, as amended by this act, 2043 
9-164b, as amended by this act, 9-164d to 9-164f, inclusive, as amended 2044 
by this act, and subdivision (2) of this subsection, (A) the term of each 2045 
[elected] municipal official elected at a municipal election, other than 2046  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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town clerk and treasurer, shall begin [within seventy days after the 2047 
municipal election at which such official is elected, on the day within 2048 
such period prescribed by special act or charter provision, or, in the 2049 
absence of such special act or charter provision, on the day within such 2050 
period as is prescribed by action of the legislative body of such 2051 
municipality, provided (1) in each municipality which holds its 2052 
municipal election on the first Monday of May in the odd-numbered 2053 
years, in the absence of such special act or charter provision, or action of 2054 
the legislative body, such terms shall begin on the first day of July 2055 
following the municipal election at which such official is elected, and (2) 2056 
in each municipality which holds its municipal election on the Tuesday 2057 
after the first Monday of November in the odd-numbered years, with 2058 
the exception of the term of the town clerk, in the absence of such special 2059 
act, or charter provision, or action of the legislative body, such term shall 2060 
begin on the second Tuesday next] (i) December first next following the 2061 
day of [the municipal election at which such official is elected,] such 2062 
municipal election, or (ii) such other day as may be prescribed by special 2063 
act for a municipal election held on the Tuesday after the first Monday 2064 
of November of the odd-numbered years, and [(3) in each municipality 2065 
which holds its municipal election on the Tuesday after the first Monday 2066 
in November in the odd-numbered years,] (B) the term of the town clerk 2067 
[shall be two years from] or the treasurer, as applicable, elected at a 2068 
municipal election shall begin on the first Monday of January next 2069 
[succeeding his election, unless otherwise provided by charter or special 2070 
act] following the day of such municipal election. Whenever the 2071 
beginning date of the terms of elected municipal officials is so 2072 
determined or changed, within the limits hereinabove specified, the 2073 
authority providing therefor may provide for the conforming 2074 
diminution or extension of terms of incumbents. 2075 
(2) The legislative body of a municipality may provide for a deferred 2076 
beginning date, not to exceed one year from the applicable date set forth 2077 
in subdivision (1) of this subsection, of the term of any office to be 2078 
elected at a municipal election. 2079  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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(b) In the case of a special election to fill a vacancy in an elected 2080 
municipal office, which special election is combined with a regular 2081 
election pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-164, the person elected 2082 
to fill such vacancy shall begin to serve the unexpired portion of his or 2083 
her predecessor's term on the applicable date provided in subsection (a) 2084 
of this section. 2085 
Sec. 46. Section 9-189a of the general statutes is repealed and the 2086 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2023): 2087 
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 9-189 and 9-190a, any 2088 
town or municipality may, by charter or ordinance, provide that the 2089 
treasurer or the town clerk of [said] such town or municipality, or the 2090 
registrars of voters of [said] such town, or any of such officers, shall, at 2091 
the next [succeeding] following regular election for such office and 2092 
thereafter, be elected for a term of four years. In such event, such four-2093 
year term shall begin on the first Monday of January [succeeding] next 2094 
following an election for treasurer or town clerk, [except as provided in 2095 
section 9-187a, and from] and on the Wednesday following the first 2096 
Monday of January succeeding an election for registrars of voters. [, 2097 
provided, if any such town or municipality holds its town or municipal 2098 
election on the first Monday of May of the odd-numbered years, the 2099 
term of such treasurer or town clerk shall begin on the first day of July 2100 
following the election, except as provided in section 9-187a.] 2101 
Sec. 47. Subsection (a) of section 9-32 of the general statutes is 2102 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 2103 
1, 2023): 2104 
(a) In each municipality the registrars, between January first and May 2105 
first, annually, shall cause either (1) a complete house to house canvass 2106 
to be made in person of each residence on each street, avenue or road 2107 
within such municipality, (2) a complete canvass to be made by mail of 2108 
each residence located on each street, avenue or road within such 2109 
municipality, provided, upon agreement of both registrars, the National 2110 
Change of Address System of the United States Postal Service may be 2111  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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used instead of such mailing, (3) a complete canvass to be made by 2112 
telephone of each residence located on each street, avenue or road 2113 
within such municipality, or (4) a complete canvass of each residence 2114 
within such municipality by any combination of such methods, for the 2115 
purpose of ascertaining the name of any elector formerly residing on 2116 
such street, avenue or road who has removed therefrom. [; provided in 2117 
the odd-numbered years, no canvass need be conducted by the 2118 
registrars in a town which holds its regular municipal election on the 2119 
first Monday of May in odd-numbered years.] The Secretary of the State 2120 
shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 2121 
setting forth the procedure to be followed in conducting any such 2122 
canvass by either mail or telephone. 2123 
Sec. 48. Section 9-164e of the general statutes is repealed and the 2124 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2023): 2125 
Before any action is taken under sections 9-164a, as amended by this 2126 
act, 9-164b to 9-164f, inclusive, as amended by this act, 9-187 and 9-187a, 2127 
as amended by this act, such proposed action shall be submitted by the 2128 
legislative body to the municipal attorney of the municipality taking 2129 
such action for approval as to conforming to law. 2130 
Sec. 49. Section 9-164f of the general statutes is repealed and the 2131 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2023): 2132 
Nothing in sections 9-164a, [to] as amended by this act, 9-164b, as 2133 
amended by this act, 9-164d, 9-164e, as amended by this act, [inclusive,] 2134 
9-187 and 9-187a, as amended by this act, shall affect the election of 2135 
registrars of voters. 2136 
Sec. 50. Section 9-164c of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 2137 
January 1, 2023) 2138 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 from passage 9-19h(b)  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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Sec. 2 from passage 9-19i 
Sec. 3 January 1, 2022 9-23n 
Sec. 4 January 1, 2022 9-23o 
Sec. 5 January 1, 2022 9-23p 
Sec. 6 from passage New section 
Sec. 7 from passage 9-17(c) 
Sec. 8 October 1, 2021 1-4 
Sec. 9 from passage New section 
Sec. 10 from passage 9-12(a) 
Sec. 11 from passage 9-20 
Sec. 12 from passage 9-261 
Sec. 13 from passage 9-19j 
Sec. 14 July 1, 2021 9-45 
Sec. 15 July 1, 2021 9-46 
Sec. 16 July 1, 2021 9-46a 
Sec. 17 from passage 9-236 
Sec. 18 from passage 9-225(a) 
Sec. 19 from passage 9-226 
Sec. 20 July 1, 2021 9-140(a) and (b) 
Sec. 21 from passage 9-140b(a) to (c) 
Sec. 22 from passage 9-140c 
Sec. 23 from passage 9-140e 
Sec. 24 from passage 9-147a 
Sec. 25 from passage 9-150e 
Sec. 26 from passage 9-159o 
Sec. 27 from passage New section 
Sec. 28 from passage New section 
Sec. 29 October 1, 2021 9-135 
Sec. 30 October 1, 2021 9-137 
Sec. 31 from passage 9-453e 
Sec. 32 from passage 9-453j 
Sec. 33 from passage 9-453k(a) 
Sec. 34 from passage 9-453o(a) 
Sec. 35 from passage 9-404b(d) 
Sec. 36 from passage 9-410(c) 
Sec. 37 from passage 9-450 
Sec. 38 from passage 9-212(a) 
Sec. 39 from passage 9-320f(a) 
Sec. 40 from passage 9-159q 
Sec. 41 from passage New section  Substitute Bill No. 5 
 
 
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Sec. 42 January 1, 2023 9-164(a) 
Sec. 43 from passage 9-164a 
Sec. 44 from passage 9-164b 
Sec. 45 January 1, 2023 9-187a 
Sec. 46 January 1, 2023 9-189a 
Sec. 47 January 1, 2023 9-32(a) 
Sec. 48 January 1, 2023 9-164e 
Sec. 49 January 1, 2023 9-164f 
Sec. 50 January 1, 2023 Repealer section 
 
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:   
In Sections 1(b)(2)(B)(i) and 3(b)(2)(B)(i), "such person's residence" was 
changed to "the town of residence of such person" for accuracy and 
consistency; in Sections 1(b)(2)(C) and 3(b)(2)(C), "in which such elector 
resides" was changed to "of residence of such elector" for consistency; 
Section 4(1), "services a mail" was changed to "services, a mail" for 
clarity; in Section 7(c)(2), "as well as" was changed to "and" for 
consistency; in Section 9, "provided such employee shall request" was 
changed to "if the employee requests" for accuracy; in Section 11(a)(2), 
the first sentence was rephrased for conciseness; in Sections 12(f) and 
13(j), ", provided such legal representative shall submit" was changed to 
"if such legal representative submits" for accuracy; in Section 13(k), "in 
behalf of" was changed to "[in] on behalf of" for consistency; in Section 
14(a), "violation or parole" was changed to "violation of parole" for 
accuracy; in Section 17(b)(1)(A), "in behalf of" was changed to "[in] on 
behalf of" for consistency; in Section 17(b)(1)(B), "or parked motor 
vehicle" was inserted for accuracy; in Section 17(b)(2), references to 
"subdivision (1) of this subsection" were changed to references to 
"subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of this section" for accuracy, and 
"in lieu of the markers required by said subparagraph" was added for 
clarity; in Section 19(1), "fifteen, nor less" was changed to "fifteen [,] nor 
less" for consistency; in Section 19(2), "fifteen, nor less" was changed to 
"fifteen nor less" for consistency;  in Section 25, "subsection [(c)] (b)" was 
changed to "subsection (c)" for accuracy; and in Section 39(a), 
"applicable, except that, for" was changed to "applicable. For" for clarity. 
 
GAE Joint Favorable Subst.