Bill Text: CT SB00942 | 2011 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Integrity Of Elections.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-13 - Signed by the Governor [SB00942 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2011-SB00942-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
||
January Session, 2011 |
*_____SB00942GAE___033111____* |
AN ACT CONCERNING THE INTEGRITY OF ELECTIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (c) of section 9-229 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
(c) The [secretary] Secretary shall conduct certification sessions for moderators and alternate moderators each year at times and places to be determined by said [secretary] Secretary, provided at least eight such sessions shall be held each calendar year and at least one such session shall be conducted prior to every primary. The [secretary] Secretary shall certify each person who successfully completes an instructional session conducted in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and an examination administered by the [secretary] Secretary, as eligible to serve as moderator or alternate moderator at any election or primary held during the time such certification is effective. Any such certification made on or after October 1, [1993] 2011, shall be effective for [four] two years from the date of such certification. Only those persons who attend and are thereby certified at such session shall be eligible to serve as moderators on election or primary day, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section or section 9-436. The Secretary of the State may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, as the Secretary deems necessary to implement the certification process under this section.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) For each municipality, the registrars of voters, in consultation with the municipal clerk, shall create an emergency contingency plan for elections, primaries and referenda to be held within such municipality. Such plan shall include, but not be limited to, (1) solutions for ballot shortages, and (2) strategies to implement in the event of (A) a shortage or absence of poll workers, (B) a loss of power, (C) a fire or the sounding of an alarm within a polling place, (D) voting machine malfunctions, (E) a weather or other natural disaster, (F) the need to remove a poll worker or moderator and to replace such worker or moderator, and (G) disorder in and around the polling place.
(b) Not later than six months after the adoption of a model plan by the Secretary of the State provided for in regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the registrars of voters shall submit the plan created under subsection (a) of this section to the legislative body of such municipality or, in a municipality where the legislative body is a town meeting or representative town meeting, the board of selectmen, for approval. Upon approval, such plan shall remain on file with the municipal clerk until such plan is amended by the registrars of voters, in consultation with the municipal clerk, and approved by the legislative body of the municipality or, in a municipality where the legislative body is a town meeting or representative town meeting, the board of selectmen. If, not later than six months after the adoption of a model plan by the Secretary, a municipality fails to create and approve an emergency contingency plan, the municipality shall be deemed to have adopted the model plan adopted by the Secretary.
(c) Any municipality that activates the emergency contingency plan established pursuant to this section shall provide a written report concerning the activation of such plan to the Secretary of the State not later than thirty days after such activation. Such report shall include the reason for such activation as well as the procedures in the emergency contingency plan that were activated and the outcome of the activation of such plan.
(d) The Secretary of the State shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, as the Secretary deems necessary to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include a model plan that municipalities may adopt.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary of the State, or the Secretary's designee, shall be allowed access to each polling place within the state during any municipal, state or federal election, primary or recanvass for the purpose of reviewing each polling place and recanvass for compliance with state and federal law. If the Secretary is a candidate on the ballot for any election or primary at a polling place, only the Secretary's designee may access such polling place pursuant to the provisions of this section.
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The registrars of voters of each municipality shall, not later than thirty-one days prior to each municipal, state or federal election or primary, certify to the Secretary of the State, in writing, the location of each polling place that will be used for such election or primary. Such certification shall detail the name, address, relevant contact information and corresponding federal, state and municipal districts associated with each polling place used for such election or primary.
(b) The registrars of voters of each municipality shall, prior to each municipal, state or federal election or primary, provide a written report to the Secretary of the State setting forth the names and addresses of each moderator for each polling place location disclosed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The Secretary of the State shall have the authority to disqualify any moderator appointed by the registrars of voters if, after consultation with both registrars of voters, the Secretary determines such moderator has committed material misconduct, material neglect of duty or material incompetence in the discharge of his or her duties as a moderator. If the Secretary disqualifies a moderator, the Secretary shall share his or her findings upon which the disqualification was based with the registrars of voters.
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The registrars of voters and municipal clerk from each municipality shall jointly certify, in writing, to the Secretary of the State the number of ballots for each polling place in the municipality that have been ordered for each election or primary to be held within such municipality. Such certification shall be on a form provided by the Secretary that shall have questions, including, but not limited to, those pertaining to the historical turnout for each polling place in the municipality for the past four elections or primaries of similar nature to the election or primary to be held. The registrars of voters and municipal clerk shall include as part of any such certification any other relevant factors that may be unique to each polling place in their municipality. Such certification shall be provided to the Secretary not later than thirty-one days prior to an election or twenty-one days prior to a primary.
(b) If the registrars of voters and municipal clerk of a municipality do not jointly submit the certification as set forth in subsection (a) of this section, such registrars of voters and municipal clerk shall order a number of ballots equal to the total number of registered voters in their municipality for such election or primary.
(c) The registrars of voters and municipal clerk may jointly apply to the Secretary of the State for a waiver of the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) of this section. Such waiver request shall be submitted to the Secretary of the State, in writing, not later than the forty-fifth day before the election or the thirtieth day before the primary to be held and shall demonstrate good cause for such waiver. Not later than five days after receipt of such waiver request, the Secretary shall notify, in writing, the municipal clerk requesting a waiver, of the Secretary's response.
(d) The Secretary of the State shall have the authority to reject the certification submitted by a municipality pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. If the Secretary of the State rejects such certification, the Secretary shall provide, in writing, the reasons for such rejection. Such rejection by the Secretary shall require any such municipality to follow the provisions of subsection (b) of this section. If, not later than seven days after the receipt of a certification from a municipality, the Secretary does not notify the municipality that its certification was rejected, such certification shall be deemed accepted.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
from passage |
9-229(c) |
Sec. 2 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 3 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 4 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 5 |
from passage |
New section |
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
Clarified language or made grammatical corrections in sections 2, 3 and 4.
GAE |
Joint Favorable Subst. |