Bill Text: CT SB00729 | 2013 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Concerning A Pilot Program For Early Voting In A Municipal Election.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-07 - Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate [SB00729 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2013-SB00729-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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January Session, 2013 |
*_____SB00729PD____050613____* |
AN ACT CONCERNING A PILOT PROGRAM FOR EARLY VOTING IN A MUNICIPAL ELECTION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section, "election day" means the municipal election held on November 5, 2013, "municipal election" means "municipal election", as defined in section 9-1 of the general statutes, and "early voting" means voting in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of title 9 of the general statutes and any regulation adopted pursuant to title 9 of the general statutes, the Secretary of the State may conduct a pilot program for early voting and may select up to three municipalities with a population of less than thirty thousand, three municipalities with a population of thirty thousand or more, but not more than one hundred twenty-four thousand, and three municipalities with a population that is more than one hundred twenty-four thousand to participate in such program for the November 5, 2013, municipal election. If a municipality, by majority vote of its legislative body, decides to participate in the pilot program, the registrars of voters shall mutually develop and submit a written plan to the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of this section. The deadline for submission of such plan shall be August 1, 2013.
(c) The Secretary shall select the first three municipalities in each population category described in subsection (b) of this section that apply to the pilot program by submitting a plan that satisfies the criteria set forth in subsection (d) of this section. The Secretary shall notify each applicant municipality of its status as a participant or nonparticipant in the program not later than September 1, 2013.
(d) Each applicant municipality shall provide that its plan for early voting details the following:
(1) The hours and locations for early voting starting the fifteenth calendar day prior to election day, and a manner to provide warning to the electors of such municipality of such hours and locations;
(2) A manner to provide that each elector who chooses to vote early in accordance with the provisions of this section shall vote on the same ballot that he or she would be voting on if such elector were voting on election day at the polling place assigned to the elector for voting on election day;
(3) A manner to provide that after the elector has voted his or her ballot the elector shall place the ballot in a secured ballot depository receptacle;
(4) A manner and time for counting ballots cast as part of early voting under this section; and
(5) A manner that ensures that each place for early voting under this section is properly staffed with trained election officials.
(e) Any elector standing in line at the time that early voting closes for the day shall be permitted to vote and no elector who is not in line at such time shall be permitted to enter such line.
(f) Election officials for early voting shall be selected in the same manner as provided under chapter 146 of the general statutes. Before the period of early voting, the registrars of voters and certified head moderator shall instruct the election officials in accordance with the provisions of section 9-249 of the general statutes.
(g) The process of voting under section 9-261 of the general statutes shall apply as nearly as possible to the process of early voting conducted under this section.
(h) No person shall solicit on behalf of or in opposition to the candidacy of another or himself or herself 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 municipal building used for early voting during the hours of early voting or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside entrance to such location or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach.
(i) No ballot cast during the period of early voting pursuant to this section shall be counted prior to the closing of the polls on election day.
(j) The Secretary of the State shall assess the pilot program conducted in accordance with the provisions of this section. Not later than January 1, 2014, the Secretary shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, on such assessment of the program and include in such report any legislative recommendations needed to create a permanent early voting program for municipalities, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
from passage |
New section |
GAE |
Joint Favorable Subst. |
|
PD |
Joint Favorable |