§ 9-174 — Hours of voting on day of election and during period of early voting. Voting by electors and same-day election registration applicants in line at hour prescribed for closing of voting location.

Connecticut § 9-174

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 9: Elections

Text

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act or municipal charter, at any regular election, or at any special election held to fill a vacancy in a state, district or municipal office, the polls on the day of such election shall remain open for voting from six o'clock a.m. until eight o'clock p.m. No elector shall be permitted to cast such elector's vote after the hour prescribed for the closing of the polls in any election unless such elector is in line at eight o'clock p.m. An election official or a police officer of the municipality, who is designated by the moderator, shall be placed at the end of the line at eight o'clock p.m. Such official or officer shall not allow any electors who were not in such line at eight o'clock p.m. to enter such line. (b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act or municipal charter, at any regular election, each location designated for same-day election registration pursuant to subsection (c) of section 9-19j shall, on election day, as defined in said section, remain open for registration and voting from six o'clock a.m. until eight o'clock p.m. No applicant for same-day election registration shall be admitted as an elector or permitted to cast such applicant's vote after the hour prescribed for the closing of the location designated for such purposes on election day unless such applicant is in line at eight o'clock p.m. An election official or a police officer of the municipality, who is appointed by the registrars of voters, shall be placed at the end of the line at eight o'clock p.m. Such official or officer shall not allow any applicants who were not in such line at eight o'clock p.m. to enter such line. (c) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act or municipal charter, at any regular election and any primary, other than a presidential preference primary, held on or after April 1, 2024, each location designated for the conduct of early voting pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-163aa or for same-day election registration pursuant to subsection (c) of section 9-19j shall, during the early voting period, remain open from ten o'clock a.m. to six o'clock p.m., except that such location shall remain open from eight o'clock a.m. to eight o'clock p.m. on the last Tuesday and Thursday prior to the election or primary. (2) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act or municipal charter, at any special election and any presidential preference primary held on or after April 1, 2024, each location designated for the conduct of early voting pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-163aa shall, during the early voting period, remain open from ten o'clock a.m. to six o'clock p.m. (3) No voter shall be permitted to cast such voter's vote after the hour prescribed for the closing of the location designated for early voting at any election or primary under subdivision (1) or subdivision (2) of this subsection unless such voter is in line at such prescribed hour. An election or primary official or a police officer of the municipality, who is appointed by the registrars of voters, shall be placed at the end of the line at such prescribed hour. Such official or officer shall not allow any voters who were not in such line at such prescribed hour to enter such line.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 1062; 1953, S. 657d; 1967, P.A. 62; P.A. 77-209; P.A. 83-391, S. 14, 24; P.A. 84-12, S. 1, 2; P.A. 88-162, S. 1, 4; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3, S. 10; P.A. 23-5, S. 3; 23-204, S. 177, 183.) History: 1967 act provided for polls to remain open for voting from six a.m. to eight p.m. for all elections; P.A. 77-209 provided for electors who were already in line at eight p.m. to be permitted to vote; P.A. 83-391 amended section to provide that hours for special election shall be noon to eight p.m. unless election held in conjunction with regular election; P.A. 84-12 added proviso concerning special election held on same day as municipal referendum; P.A. 88-162 required polls to open for voting in all special elections at six o'clock a.m., instead of at twelve o'clock noon, effective July 1, 1989; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to replace “police official” with “police officer”, added Subsec. (b) re locations designated for election day registration, and made technical and conforming changes, effective July 31, 2020; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “the polls shall remain open” with “the polls on the day of such election shall remain open”, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing references to election day registration with references to same-day election registration on election day, added Subsec. (c) re hours of voting during early voting period and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 3, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023, and amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “January 1, 2024” with “April 1, 2024” in Subdivs. (1) and (2), effective January 1, 2024. Before election, requirement is mandatory if direct proceedings for its enforcement are brought, but after election, it is directory if no substantial harm shown. 20 CS 464.