§ 9-19j — Same-day election registration on day of regular election or during period of early voting at such regular election. Designation and certification to Secretary of one or more locations for processing applications. Applicant confirmation procedures. Custody and counting of ballots. Activities prohibited near same-day election registration location; exceptions.

Connecticut § 9-19j

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 9: Elections
• Ch. 143: Electors: Qualifications and Admission

Text

(a) As used in this section: (1) “Election day” means the day on which a regular election, as defined in section 9-1 , is held; and (2) “Same-day election registration” means admission as an elector during the period of early voting at a regular election, as provided in section 9-163aa , or on election day. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, a person who (1) is (A) not an elector, or (B) an elector registered in a municipality who wishes to change such elector's registration to another municipality pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of this section, and (2) meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) of section 9-12 , may apply for same-day election registration pursuant to the provisions of this section. (c) (1) The registrars of voters shall designate a location for the completion and processing of same-day election registrations on election day, provided (A) the registrars of voters have access to the state-wide centralized voter registration system from such location, and (B) such location is certified in writing to the Secretary of the State not later than forty-five days before election day. The written certification under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision shall (i) include the name, street address and relevant contact information associated with such location, (ii) list the name and address of each election official who shall be appointed by the registrars of voters to serve at such location, if any, and (iii) provide a description of the design of such location and a plan for effective completion and processing of such applications. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove such written certification not later than twenty-nine days before election day and may require the registrars of voters to appoint one or more additional election officials or alter such design or plan. (2) The legislative body of the municipality may apply to the Secretary of the State not later than seventy-four days before election day, in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary, to designate any additional location for the completion and processing of same-day election registration applications on election day. The Secretary shall approve or disapprove such application not later than fifty-nine days before election day. If the Secretary approves such application, the registrars of voters may so designate any such additional location. The provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall apply to any such additional location. (3) The registrars of voters may delegate to each election official appointed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection any of the responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters. The registrars of voters shall supervise each such election official and train each such official to be a same-day election official. (d) Any person applying for same-day election registration under the provisions of this section shall make application in accordance with the provisions of section 9-20 , provided (1) (A) on election day, the applicant shall appear in person not later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with subsection (b) of section 9-174 , at the location designated by the registrars of voters for same-day election registration, and (B) during the period of early voting prior to election day, the applicant shall appear in person at such times as provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 9-174 , at such location, (2) an applicant who is a student enrolled at an institution of higher education may submit a current photo identification card issued by such institution in lieu of the identification required by section 9-20 , and (3) the applicant shall declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the election, as provided in subsection (f) of this section. If the information that the applicant is required to provide under section 9-20 and this section does not include proof of the applicant's residential address, the applicant shall also submit identification that shows the applicant's bona fide residence address, including, but not limited to, a learner's permit issued under section 14-36 or a utility bill that has the applicant's name and current address and that has a due date that is not later than thirty days after the election or, in the case of a student enrolled at an institution of higher education, a registration or fee statement from such institution that has the applicant's name and current address. (e) If the registrars of voters determine that an applicant satisfies the application requirements set forth in subsection (d) of this section, the registrars of voters shall check the state-wide centralized voter registration system before admitting such applicant as an elector. (1) If the registrars of voters determine that the applicant is not already an elector, the registrars of voters shall admit the applicant as an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. (2) If the registrars of voters determine that such applicant is an elector in another municipality and such applicant wants to change the municipality in which the applicant is an elector, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-21 , the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register shall immediately notify the registrars of voters in such other municipality that such elector is changing the municipality in which the applicant is an elector. The registrars of voters in such other municipality shall notify the election officials in such municipality to remove such elector from the official voter list of such municipality. Such election officials shall cross through the elector's name on such official voter list and mark “off” next to such elector's name on such official voter list. (A) If it is reported that such applicant already voted in such other municipality, the registrars of voters of such other municipality shall immediately notify the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. In such event, such elector shall not receive a same-day election registration ballot from the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. For any such elector, the same-day election registration process shall cease in the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register and such matter shall be reviewed by the registrars of voters in the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. After completion of such review, if a resolution of the matter cannot be made, such matter shall be reported to the State Elections Enforcement Commission which shall conduct an investigation of the matter. (B) If there is no such report that such applicant already voted in the other municipality, the registrars of voters of the municipality in which the applicant seeks to register shall admit the applicant as an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately. (f) If the applicant is admitted as an elector, the registrars of voters shall provide the elector with a same-day election registration ballot and same-day election registration envelope and shall make a record of such issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted upon the back of the same-day election registration envelope and shall declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the election. The affirmation shall be in the form substantially as follows and signed by the voter: AFFIRMATION: I, the undersigned, do hereby state, under penalty of false statement, (perjury) that: 1. I am the person admitted here as an elector in the town indicated. 2. I am eligible to vote in the election indicated for today in the town indicated. 3. The information on my voter registration card is correct and complete. 4. I reside at the address that I have given to the registrars of voters. 5. If previously registered at another location, I have provided such address to the registrars of voters and hereby request cancellation of such prior registration. 6. I have not voted in person or by absentee ballot and I will not vote otherwise than by this ballot at this election. 7. I completed an application for a same-day election registration ballot and received a same-day election registration ballot. .... (Signature of voter) (g) The elector shall forthwith mark the same-day election registration ballot in the presence of the registrars of voters in such a manner that the registrars of voters shall not know how the same-day election registration ballot is marked. The elector shall place the same-day election registration ballot in the same-day election registration ballot envelope provided, and deposit such envelope in a secured same-day election registration ballot depository receptacle. At the conclusion of each day during the early voting period, the registrars of voters shall transport such receptacle containing such day's same-day election registration ballots to the municipal clerk, who shall retain and securely store such ballots in as near a manner as possible to that for the retention and secure storage of absentee ballots, as provided in subsection (h) of this section, except that, if such manner is not practicable, such same-day election registration ballots shall be retained and securely stored as provided in an alternate plan submitted by the registrars of voters to the Secretary of the State and approved by the Secretary. On election day, the previously retained and securely stored same-day election registration ballots shall be delivered to the registrars of voters and, at the time designated by the registrars of voters and noticed to election officials, the registrars of voters shall transport such receptacle containing the same-day election registration ballots received on such election day to the central location or polling place, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a , where absentee ballots are counted and such same-day election registration ballots shall be counted by the election officials present at such central location or polling place. A section of the head moderator's return shall show the number of same-day election registration ballots received from electors. The registrars of voters shall seal a copy of the vote tally for same-day election registration ballots in a depository envelope with the same-day election registration ballots and store such same-day election registration depository envelope with the other election results materials. The same-day election registration depository envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of voters for the period of time required to preserve counted ballots for elections. (h) Except as provided in section 9-163bb , the provisions of this title and any regulation adopted under this title concerning procedures relating to the custody, control and counting of absentee ballots shall apply, as nearly as possible, to the custody, control and counting of same-day election registration ballots under this section. (i) After the acceptance of a same-day election registration, the registrars of voters shall forthwith send a registration confirmation notice to the residential address of each applicant who was admitted as an elector on election day or during the period of early voting prior to election day under this section. Such confirmation shall be sent by first class mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown on the envelope. If a confirmation notice is returned undelivered, the registrars shall forthwith take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43 , as applicable, notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35 . (j) (1) No person shall solicit on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate or on behalf of or in opposition to any question being submitted at the election, or loiter or peddle or offer any advertising matter, ballot or circular to another person within a radius of seventy-five feet of any outside entrance in use as an entry to any building that contains any location designated by the registrars of voters for same-day election registration balloting or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside entrance to any such location or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach. (2) Except as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, no person shall be allowed within any location designated by the registrars of voters for same-day election registration balloting for any purpose other than casting such person's vote, except (A) primary officials under section 9-436 , (B) election officials under section 9-258 , including (i) a municipal clerk or registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the same office, and (ii) a deputy registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the office of registrar of voters, performing such official's duties, and (C) unofficial checkers under section 9-235 . (3) A person, including any candidate or any campaign or party employee or volunteer, may be within the seventy-five-foot radius described in subdivision (1) of this subsection (A) only for purposes related to the performance of such person's official duties or to the conduct of government business within such radius, (B) only for as long as necessary to perform such duties or conduct such business, and (C) provided such person is not engaged in any conduct described in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

Legislative History

(P.A. 12-56, S. 1, 2; P.A. 18-124, S. 10; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3, S. 9; P.A. 23-5, S. 5; 23-204, S. 183; P.A. 24-148, S. 13.) History: P.A. 12-56 effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 18-124 amended Subsec. (g) to replace references to district or central area with references to central location or polling place, effective June 6, 2018; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-3 amended Subsec. (c) to add Subpara. (A) designator, add Subpara. (B) re certification of election day registration location, add new Subdiv. (2) re application by registrars of voters for designation of additional locations, and designate existing Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (3) and amend same to replace “appoint one or more election officials to serve at such location and may delegate to such election officials” with “delegate to each election official appointed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, if any,” amended Subsec. (d) to add “not later than eight o'clock p.m., in accordance with subsection (b) of section 9-174,” and made technical changes, effective July 31, 2020; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing definition of “election day” as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re definition of “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (b)(2) by replacing “admission as an elector on election day” with “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (c)(1) by replacing “election day registration applications” with “same-day election registrations”, changing from 31 days to 45 days re written certification to Secretary in Subpara. (B), replacing “election official appointed” with “election official who shall be appointed by the registrars of voters” in Subpara. (B)(ii) and changing 15 days to 29 days re approval or disapproval of written certification in Subpara. (B)(iii), amended Subsec. (c)(2) by replacing “registrars of voters” with “legislative body of the municipality”, changing from 60 days to 74 days re application to Secretary, replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration” and changing from 45 days to 59 days re Secretary's approval or disapproval of application, amended Subsec. (c)(3) by deleting “, if any,” re appointed election officials and replacing “election day registration election official” with “same-day election official”, amended Subsec. (d) by replacing references to election day registration with references to same-day election registration, designating existing provision as Subpara. (A) and adding Subpara. (B) re registration during period of early voting in Subdiv. (1) and adding “as provided in subsection (f) of this section” in Subdiv. (3), amended Subsec. (e)(2) by deleting “states that he or she” and replacing “election day registration” with “same-day registration” in Subpara. (A), amended Subsec. (f) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (g) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration” and adding provisions re retention of and secure storage of ballots during early voting period and re delivery of such ballots to registrars on election day, amended Subsec. (h) by adding exception re Sec. 9-163bb, replacing “the general statutes and regulations concerning” with “this title and any regulation adopted under this title” and replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration”, amended Subsec. (i) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration” and adding provision re admission as elector during period of early voting, amended Subsec. (j) by replacing “election day registration” with “same-day election registration”, designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re allowances within 75-foot radius and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 5, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023; P.A. 24-148 amended Subsec. (j)(1) by replacing “entry to any location” with “entry to any building that contains any location”, redesignated existing Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (3) and added new Subdiv. (2) re restrictions on being allowed within same-day election registration location and exceptions thereto and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2024.