§ 9-140b — (Formerly Sec. 9-146). Return of absentee ballots. Secure drop boxes; regulations re use and video recording. Possession of ballots and envelopes restricted.

Connecticut § 9-140b

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 9: Elections
• Ch. 145: Absentee Voting

Text

(a) An absentee ballot shall be cast at a primary, election or referendum only if: (1) It is mailed by (A) the ballot applicant, (B) a designee of a person who applies for an absentee ballot because of illness or physical disability, or (C) a member of the immediate family of an applicant who is a student, so that it is received by the clerk of the municipality in which the applicant is qualified to vote not later than the close of the polls; (2) it is returned by the applicant in person to the clerk by the day before a regular election, special election or primary or prior to the opening of the polls on the day of a referendum; (3) it is returned by a designee of an ill or physically disabled ballot applicant, in person, to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; (4) it is returned by a member of the immediate family of the absentee voter, in person, to said clerk not later than the close of the polls on the day of the election, primary or referendum; (5) in the case of a presidential or overseas ballot, it is mailed or otherwise returned pursuant to the provisions of section 9-158g; or (6) it is returned with the proper identification as required by the Help America Vote Act, P.L. 107-252, as amended from time to time, if applicable, inserted in the outer envelope so such identification can be viewed without opening the inner envelope. A person returning an absentee ballot to the municipal clerk pursuant to subdivision (3) or (4) of this subsection shall present identification and, on the outer envelope of the absentee ballot, sign his name in the presence of the municipal clerk, and indicate his address, his relationship to the voter or his position, and the date and time of such return. As used in this section, “immediate family” means a dependent relative who resides in the individual's household or any spouse, child, parent or sibling of the individual. (b) As used in this section and section 9-150c , “designee” means (1) a person who is caring for the applicant because of the applicant's illness or physical disability, including, but not limited to, a licensed physician or a registered or practical nurse, (2) a member of the applicant's family, who is designated by an absentee ballot applicant and who consents to such designation, or (3) a police officer, registrar of voters, deputy registrar of voters or assistant registrar of voters in the municipality in which the applicant resides. (c) (1) For purposes of this section, “mailed” means (A) sent by the United States Postal Service or any commercial carrier, courier or messenger service recognized and approved by the Secretary of the State, or (B) deposited in a secure drop box designated by the municipal clerk for such purpose, in accordance with instructions prescribed by the Secretary. (2) (A) In the case of absentee ballots mailed under subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection, beginning on the first day of issuance of absentee voting sets, as provided in subsection (f) of section 9-140 , and on each weekday thereafter until the close of the polls at the election, primary or referendum, including at the close of the polls at such election, primary or referendum, the municipal clerk shall retrieve from the secure drop box described in said subparagraph each such ballot deposited in such drop box. (B) On and after July 1, 2025, each municipality shall provide a video recording device for each secure drop box described in subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of this subsection within such municipality, which device's recordings shall capture the location of such drop box and evidence the date and time of each such recording beginning on the first day of issuance of absentee voting sets, as provided in subsection (f) of section 9-140 , and until the last retrieval of absentee ballots from such drop box at the close of the polls at the election or primary. Each such recording shall, as soon as practicable, be made publicly available from the date of recording, but in no case later than five days after such last retrieval. Each such recording shall be retained by the municipality for a period of twelve months and may be destroyed at the end of such period, except that the State Elections Enforcement Commission or a court of competent jurisdiction may order that such period be extended until the conclusion of any investigation related to such recording. (3) The Secretary of the State may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, concerning the use of secure drop boxes for the deposit of absentee ballots, including, but not limited to, the placement and positioning of any such drop box and the video recording of any such drop box and retention of any such recording. (d) No person shall have in his possession any official absentee ballot or ballot envelope for use at any primary, election or referendum except the applicant to whom it was issued, the Secretary of the State or his or her authorized agents, any official printer of absentee ballot forms and his designated carriers, the United States Postal Service, any other carrier, courier or messenger service recognized and approved by the Secretary of the State, any person authorized by a municipal clerk to receive and process official absentee ballot forms on behalf of the municipal clerk, any authorized primary, election or referendum official or any other person authorized by any provision of the general statutes to possess a ballot or ballot envelope. (e) No (1) candidate or (2) agent of a candidate, political party or committee, as defined in section 9-601 , shall knowingly be present when an absentee ballot applicant executes an absentee ballot, except (A) when the candidate or agent is (i) a member of the immediate family of the applicant or (ii) authorized by law to be present or (B) when the absentee ballot is executed in the office of the municipal clerk and the municipal clerk or an employee of the municipal clerk is a candidate or agent.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 1143; 1953, S. 633d; 1972, P.A. 196, S. 14; P.A. 73-472, S. 1, 2; P.A. 74-312, S. 1, 2; P.A. 75-125, S. 1, 3; P.A. 76-295, S. 17, 18; P.A. 77-245, S. 1; P.A. 79-340; P.A. 81-424, S. 4; P.A. 82-288, S. 1, 2; P.A. 83-324, S. 1, 2; P.A. 84-319, S. 15, 49; P.A. 85-592, S. 2; 85-613, S. 90, 154; P.A. 86-179, S. 13, 53; P.A. 87-532, S. 4, 10; P.A. 88-162, S. 3, 4; P.A. 89-297, S. 4, 18; P.A. 94-203, S. 11, 12; P.A. 97-154, S. 15, 27; 97-176, S. 1, 2; P.A. 98-67, S. 9, 10; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 96; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3, S. 5; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 102; P.A. 23-22, S. 16; 23-158, S. 1; P.A. 24-148, S. 1.) History: 1972 act retained requirements for deadline for return of absentee ballots to clerk for municipal elections not held coincidentally with regular or special state elections but changed deadline for return of ballots for regular or special state elections to not later than the close of the polls on election day and added provision for a presidential ballot to be issued on election day in certain circumstances; P.A. 73-472 provided that ballot may be completed in clerk's office and returned to clerk at same time, effective with all elections held on or after January 1, 1974; P.A. 74-312 detailed who may be designated to mail absentee ballot where there is illness or physical disability and those who may at times have in their possession official ballots or ballot envelopes not to apply to any primary held in 1974; P.A. 75-125 changed deadline for return of all absentee ballots, mailed or otherwise, for municipal or state elections, to “the close of the polls on the day of such election”, effective January 1, 1976; P.A. 76-295 added provision for return of an overseas ballot by a person not employed by U.S. postal service; P.A. 77-245 changed “town clerk's office” to “office of the municipal clerk” where appearing; P.A. 79-340 divided section into three Subsecs. and in new Subsec. (a) set forth conditions under which absentee ballot is deemed to be cast, in which was deleted previous provision for completion in clerk's office and return at same time, substituting a requirement that when returned in person by elector deadline is “by the day before such election”; P.A. 81-424 amended Subsec. (b) to include justices of the peace among those persons who may be designated by an elector to mail his ballot; P.A. 82-288 amended section to allow electors to pick up and return absentee ballots in person on day of a special election or primary if done prior to the opening of the polls, and to delete reference to justice of the peace as person who may mail absentee ballot for elector; P.A. 83-324 amended section to allow municipal clerk or designee to personally accept ballots from hospitalized persons; P.A. 84-319 permitted certain individuals to pick up as well as return the absentee ballot of a person hospitalized within the six days immediately preceding a primary or an election; P.A. 85-592 amended Subsec. (a) to allow electors to return applications by U.S. postal service, commercial carrier, courier or messenger services; P.A. 85-613 made a technical change in Subsec. (a) and deleted provision which had required clerk to retain records for six months after election or primary; P.A. 86-179 added references to referenda, use of commercial carrier, courier or messenger service, changed term “elector” to “applicant” and deleted provision re issuance of ballot on election day; Sec. 9-146 transferred to Sec. 9-140b in 1987; P.A. 87-532 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to allow an absentee ballot to be cast if it is mailed by a member of the immediate family of an applicant who is a student; P.A. 88-162 amended Subsec. (a)(2) to require that absentee ballot be returned by day before special election or primary, instead of prior to opening of polls on day of special election or primary, in order to be cast, effective July 1, 1989; P.A. 89-297 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to allow a designee of any ill or physically disabled applicant, instead of only an applicant having an unforeseen illness or physical disability occurring within six days immediately preceding close of polls, to return ballot in person ;P.A. 94-203 divided Subsec. (b) into Subdivs., rephrased provision re licensed physician or registered or practical nurse in Subdiv. (1), and inserted “or assistant registrar of voters” in Subdiv. (2), effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 97-154 added new Subsec. (a)(4) authorizing absentee ballot to be cast if returned by immediate family member, renumbering former Subdiv. (4) as Subdiv. (5) and requiring person returning absentee ballot to municipal clerk under Subdiv. (3) or (4) to present identification and provide information on outer envelope, effective January 1, 1998; P.A. 97-176 added new Subsec. (e) prohibiting candidate or his agent, except in certain cases, from knowingly being present when an applicant executes absentee ballot, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-67 redefined “immediate family” for purposes of section, effective July 1, 1998; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 made a technical change in Subsec. (a)(1) and added Subsec. (a)(6) re ballot returned with proper identification as required by Help America Vote Act, effective January 1, 2004; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3 amended Subsec. (c) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), add Subpara. (A) designator, add Subpara. (B) re state election in 2020 and add Subdiv. (2) re absentee ballots mailed under Subdiv. (1)(B), effective July 31, 2020; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “immediate family” to include sibling, amended Subsec. (b)(3) to delete “if no such person consents or is available, then”, amended Subsec. (c)(1)(B) to delete “for the state election in 2020,” and amended Subsec. (c)(2) to replace reference to 2020 state election with reference to each election, primary or referendum, deleted Subpara. (A) designator from provision re drop box retrieval and deleted Subpara. (B) re police escort during drop box retrieval, effective June 23, 2021; P.A. 23-22 amended Subsec. (b)(1) to make a technical change; P.A. 23-158 amended Subsec. (c)(2) by replacing “twenty-ninth day before each election, primary or referendum” with “first day of issuance of absentee voting sets, as provided in subsection (f) of section 9-140” and making a technical change; P.A. 24-148 amended Subsec. (c) by designating existing provisions of Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (2)(A) and therein adding “including at the close of the polls at such election, primary or referendum,”, adding Subdiv. (2)(B) re video recording of drop boxes on and after July 1, 2025, and adding Subdiv. (3) re adoption of regulations concerning drop box use, effective June 6, 2024. Annotations to former section 9-146: Time requirements unenforceable when clerk failed to comply with Sec. 9-148, hence ballots held void. 164 C. 204. Cited. 186 C. 125. Subsec. (b): Where absentee ballots were mailed by person not specifically enumerated, court erred in determining that there had been substantial compliance with statute. 186 C. 125. Annotations to present section: A designee to return an absentee ballot on behalf of an absentee voter must be appointed or selected from within the approved categories of persons by the absentee voter himself or herself, and not by a third party; when absentee voters are in the process of casting their ballots, i.e. returning such ballots to the town clerk for submission, partisan individuals are required to distance themselves from such absentee voters. 328 C. 393. When read in context of entire absentee ballot statutory scheme, Subsec. (c)(2) requires municipal clerk, or his or her designee, to retrieve the absentee ballots from each secure drop box. 346 C. 642.