Bill Text: CT HB05321 | 2010 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Concerning A Pilot Program For Municipal Primary Day Registration.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-19 - Motion Failed JF [HB05321 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2010-HB05321-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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February Session, 2010 |
*_____HB05321GAE___031810____* |
AN ACT CONCERNING A PILOT PROGRAM FOR MUNICIPAL PRIMARY DAY REGISTRATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective October 1, 2010) (a) The Secretary of the State shall establish a pilot program to require municipalities to allow for primary day voter registration at municipal primaries held in 2011, in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) As used in this section, "primary day" means the day that a primary for a municipal office is being held in accordance with section 9-423 of the general statutes.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 143 of the general statutes, a person who (1) is not an elector in the municipality in which the person is applying for admission, and (2) meets the eligibility requirements under subsection (a) of section 9-12 of the general statutes, may apply for admission as an elector on primary day.
(d) (1) The registrars of voters shall have the authority to designate a location for the completion and processing of primary day registration applications on primary day, provided such location shall enable the registrars of voters to access the state-wide centralized voter registration system. The registrars of voters may appoint one or more election officials to serve at such location and may delegate to such election officials any of the responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters. The registrars of voters shall train and supervise such primary day registration election officials. Any such location designated by the registrars of voters shall comply with section 9-168d of the general statutes and shall provide the same opportunity for access and participation, including privacy and independence, for all voters.
(2) No person shall solicit on behalf of or in opposition to the candidacy of another or himself or on behalf of or in opposition to any question being submitted at the primary, 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 the registrars of voters' designated location for primary day registration balloting or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside entrance to such registrars of voters' designated location or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach.
(e) Any such application shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 9-20 of the general statutes, provided (1) on primary day, the applicant shall appear in person at the location designated by the registrars of voters for primary day registration, (2) an applicant who is a student enrolled at an institution of higher education may submit a current and valid photo identification issued by such institution in lieu of the identification required by section 9-20 of the general statutes, and (3) the applicant shall declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the primary. If the information that the applicant is required to provide under section 9-20 of the general statutes and this section does not include proof of the applicant's residential address, the applicant shall also submit current and valid identification that shows the applicant's bona fide residence address, including, but not limited to, a United States passport, a learner's permit or a utility bill that has the applicant's name and current address and is due not later than thirty days after the primary, as applicable 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. The registrars of voters shall check the state-wide centralized voter registration system before admitting an applicant as an elector. If the registrars of voters determine that an applicant is qualified to register as an elector, the registrars of voters shall admit the applicant as an elector and the privileges of an elector shall attach immediately.
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 9-21 of the general statutes, if an applicant is an elector in another municipality and the applicant states that he or she wants to change the municipality in which the applicant is an elector, 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 immediately notify the election officials in such other municipality to remove such elector from the official voter list of such other 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. 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 primary day registration ballot from the registrars of voters of the municipality in which such elector now seeks to register. For any such elector, the primary day 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.
(g) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 9-56, 9-57 and 9-59 of the general statutes, an applicant admitted as an elector pursuant to the provisions of this section shall immediately be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment for the party named in such person's application for admission.
(h) If the applicant is admitted as an elector, the registrars of voters shall provide the elector with a primary day registration ballot to vote in the primary of the party with which the elector is enrolled and a security envelope, and shall make a record of such issuance. The elector shall complete an affirmation imprinted upon the back of the envelope for a primary day registration ballot and shall declare under oath that the applicant has not previously voted in the primary. 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 primary 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 primary.
7. I completed an application for primary day registration ballot and received a primary day registration ballot.
.... (Signature of voter)
(i) The elector shall forthwith mark the primary day registration ballot in the presence of the registrars of voters in such a manner that the registrars of voters shall not know how the primary day registration ballot is marked. The elector shall place the primary day registration ballot in the primary day registration ballot envelope provided and deposit such envelope in a secured primary day registration ballot depository receptacle. The registrars of voters shall transport such receptacle to the area where such primary day registration ballots shall be counted. At the time designated by the registrars of voters and noticed to election officials, the primary day registration ballots issued pursuant to this section shall be delivered to the area, either district or central, where absentee ballots are counted and such primary day registration ballots shall be counted by the election officials present at such location. A section of the head moderator's return shall show the number of primary day registration ballots received from electors. The registrars of voters shall seal a copy of the votes cast on primary day registration ballots in the depository envelope with the primary day registration ballots and store such primary day registration envelope with the other primary results materials. The primary day registration depository envelope shall be preserved by the registrars of voters for the period of time required to preserve counted ballots for primaries.
(j) The provisions of the general statutes and regulations 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 primary day registration ballots under this section.
(k) After the acceptance of a primary day registration, the registrars of voters shall forthwith send a registration confirmation notice to the residential address of the applicant who is admitted as an elector on primary 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. Notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35 of the general statutes, if a confirmation notice is returned undelivered, the registrars of voters shall investigate and shall take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43 of the general statutes, as applicable.
(l) After the municipal primaries held in 2011, the Secretary of the State shall survey election officials for municipalities that held such municipal primaries. Not later than January 10, 2012, said Secretary shall submit a report on the secretary's findings and recommendations concerning the pilot program to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2010 |
New section |
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In section 1(a), ", in accordance with the provisions of this section" was inserted for clarity and in section 1(g), "an applicant admitted" was substituted for "a person for admission" for accuracy.
GAE |
Joint Favorable Subst. |