§ 9-19k — *(See end of section for amended versions of subsections (a) and (b) and effective date.) Online voter registration system.

Connecticut § 9-19k

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

Text

*(a) The Secretary of the State shall establish and maintain a system for online voter registration. Such system shall also permit a registered elector to apply for changes to such elector's registration. An applicant may register to vote through this system, provided the applicant's (1) registration information is verifiable in the manner described in subsection (b) of this section, and (2) signature is in a database described in said subsection (b) and such signature may be imported into such system for online voter registration. *(b) A state agency, upon the request of the Secretary of the State, shall provide any information to the Secretary that the Secretary deems necessary to maintain the system for online voter registration. The Secretary may cross reference the information input into the system by applicants with data or information contained in any state agency's database or a database administered by the federal government, or any voter registration database of another state, in order to verify the information submitted by applicants. The Secretary shall not use the information obtained from any such database except to verify information submitted by the applicant, provided the applicant's signature, if part of data contained in the state agency's database, shall be included as part of the applicant's information contained in the system for online voter registration. (c) The submission of an online application shall contain all of the information that is required for an application under section 9-23h , except that a signature shall be obtained from another state agency's database pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. (d) In order for an applicant's registration or change in registration to be approved, the applicant shall mark the box associated with the following statement included as part of the online application: “By clicking on the box below, I swear or affirm all of the following under penalty of perjury: (1) I am the person whose name and identifying information is provided on this form, and I desire to register to vote in the State of Connecticut. (2) All of the information I have provided on this form is true and correct as of the date I am submitting this form. (3) I authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles or other Connecticut state agency to transmit to the Connecticut Secretary of the State or my town's registrars of voters my signature that is on file with such agency and understand that such signature will be used by the Secretary of the State or my town's registrars of voters on this online application for admission as an elector as if I had signed this form personally.” (e) Upon approval of such application, the registrars of voters shall send a notice of approval pursuant to section 9-19b to the applicant. (f) If an applicant registers to vote pursuant to the provisions of this section after the eighteenth day before an election or after the eighteenth day before a primary, the privileges of an elector shall not attach until the day after such election or primary, as the case may be. In such event, the registrars of voters may contact such applicant, either by telephone or mail, in order to inform such applicant of the effect of such late received application and any applicable deadline for applying for admission in person. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prevent an individual from (1) applying to be admitted as an elector pursuant to section 9-19j during a period of early voting at an election, or (2) subject to the provisions of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 9-163aa , applying to be enrolled in a political party during a period of early voting at a primary. (g) Nothing in this section shall prevent the registrars of voters or any election official appointed by such registrars of voters to admit any applicant as an elector from utilizing the online voter registration system established pursuant to this section for the purpose of admitting such applicant on election day pursuant to section 9-19j . *Note: On and after July 1, 2025, subsections (a) and (b) of this section, as amended by section 28 of public act 24-148, are to read as follows: “(a) The Secretary of the State shall establish and maintain a system for online voter registration. Such system shall also permit a registered elector to apply for changes to such elector's registration. An applicant may register to vote through this system, provided the applicant's (1) registration information is verifiable in the manner described in subsection (b) of this section, and (2) signature is in a database described in said subsection (b) and such signature may be imported into such system for online voter registration. (b) A state agency, upon the request of the Secretary of the State, shall provide any information to the Secretary that the Secretary deems necessary to maintain the system for online voter registration. The Secretary may cross reference the information input into the system by applicants with data or information contained in any state agency's database or a database administered by the federal government, or any voter registration database of another state, in order to verify the information submitted by applicants, except that the Secretary shall, notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-20a, cross reference such input information with the list compiled by the Jury Administrator pursuant to subsection (c) of section 51-222a and made available to the Secretary pursuant to section 9-19 l in order to attempt to verify such submitted information. The Secretary shall not use the information obtained from any such database except to verify information submitted by the applicant, provided the applicant's signature, if part of data contained in the state agency's database, shall be included as part of the applicant's information contained in the system for online voter registration.”

Legislative History

(P.A. 12-56, S. 10; P.A. 15-224, S. 9; P.A. 16-53, S. 1; P.A. 23-5, S. 25; 23-204, S. 183.) (P.A. 12-56, S. 10; P.A. 15-224, S. 9; P.A. 16-53, S. 1; P.A. 23-5, S. 25; 23-204, S. 183; P.A. 24-148, S. 28.) History: P.A. 12-56 effective January 1, 2014; P.A. 15-224 added Subsec. (g) re use of online voter registration system on election day, effective July 7, 2015; P.A. 16-53 amended Subsec. (f) to change “fourteenth day” to “seventh day”, effective May 31, 2016; P.A. 23-5 amended Subsec. (f) by replacing “seventh day before an election” with “eighteenth day before an election”, replacing “fifth day before a primary” with “eighteenth day before a primary” and adding provision re prevention of applications for admission as elector pursuant to Sec. 9-19j and for enrollment in political party, effective July 1, 2023; P.A. 23-204 changed effective date of P.A. 23-5, S. 25, from July 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, effective June 12, 2023; P.A. 24-148 amended Subsec. (b) by adding exception requiring Secretary to cross reference input information with Jury Administrator-compiled list to verify such information, effective July 1, 2025.