2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 9-261. Process of voting.

      Sec. 9-261. Process of voting. (a) In each primary, election or referendum, when an elector has entered the polling place, the elector shall announce the elector's street address, if any, and the elector's name to the checkers in a tone sufficiently loud and clear as to enable all the election officials present to hear the same. Each elector who registered to vote by mail for the first time on or after January 1, 2003, and has a "mark" next to the elector's name on the official registry list, as required by section 9-23r, shall present to the checkers, before the elector votes, either a current and valid photo identification that shows the elector's name and address or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector. Each other elector shall (1) present to the checkers the elector's Social Security card or any other preprinted form of identification which shows the elector's name and either the elector's address, signature or photograph, or (2) on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, write the elector's residential address and date of birth, print the elector's name and sign a statement under penalty of false statement that the elector is the elector whose name appears on the official checklist. Such form shall clearly state the penalty of false statement. A separate such form shall be used for each elector. If the elector presents a preprinted form of identification under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the checkers shall check the name of such elector on the official checklist. If the elector completes the form under subdivision (2) of this subsection, the assistant registrar of voters shall examine the information on such form and either instruct the checkers to check the name of such elector on the official checklist or notify the elector that the form is incomplete or inaccurate.

      (b) In each polling place in which two or more parties are holding primaries in which unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote, pursuant to section 9-431, an unaffiliated elector shall also announce to the separate table of checkers for unaffiliated electors the party in whose primary he chooses to vote and the checkers shall note such party when checking such elector's name on the checklist of unaffiliated electors, provided such choice shall not alter the elector's unaffiliated status.

      (c) In each polling place in which two or more parties are holding primaries in which unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote or in which one party is holding a primary in which unaffiliated electors are authorized to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at the primary, the checkers shall give to each elector checked a receipt provided by the municipal clerk, in a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State, specifying either (1) the party with which he is enrolled, if any, or (2) in the case of an unaffiliated elector, the party in whose primary he has so chosen to vote, and whether he is authorized to vote for only a partial ballot.

      (d) If not challenged by any of the election officials, the elector shall be permitted to pass the railing to the side where the machine is located. The elector shall give any receipt he has received to a voting machine tender at the machine to which he is directed and the machine tender shall permit the elector to vote only in the primary of the party specified by the receipt and, if applicable, on the separate voting machine with the partial ballot specified by the receipt. The elector shall be permitted into the voting machine booth, and he shall then register his vote in secret. Having voted, he shall immediately exit the voting machine booth and leave the room. No elector shall remain within the voting machine booth longer than two minutes, and, if he refuses to leave such booth after the lapse of that time, he shall at once be removed by the election officials upon order of the moderator. Not more than one elector at a time shall be permitted to operate the machine or be within the enclosed space which the elector occupies while operating the machine provided an elector may be accompanied within such enclosed space by one or more children who are fifteen years of age or younger and supervised by the elector, if the elector is the parent or legal guardian of such children. At least two additional electors, whose next turn it is to vote shall be permitted in the polling place for the purpose of receiving instruction before voting on the machine. If any elector, after entering the voting machine booth, asks for further instruction concerning the manner of voting, two election officials of different political parties shall stand outside the voting machine booth and give such instructions or directions to the elector as the two officials agree upon; but no election official instructing or assisting an elector, except as provided in section 9-264, shall open, look inside or put his hand inside the curtain, or in any manner seek to influence any such elector in the casting of his vote.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1206, 1209; 1953, S. 737d; 1967, P.A. 647; P.A. 87-251, S. 2; 87-509, S. 10, 24; P.A. 93-300; P.A. 95-87, S. 1; P.A. 97-154, S. 18, 27; P.A. 99-276, S. 1, 15; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 101; P.A. 04-74, S. 3.)

      History: 1967 act changed from one to two minutes times allowed elector to remain in voting booth; P.A. 87-251 allowed children ten years of age or younger to accompany an elector within enclosed space occupied by elector while operating machine; P.A. 87-509 divided section in to Subdivs., in Subdiv. (1) substituted "checklist" for "registry list", added Subdivs. (2) and (3) re process of voting for unaffiliated electors when two or more parties hold primaries in which unaffiliated electors authorized to vote or (Subdiv. (3) only) one party holds primary in which unaffiliated electors authorized to vote for some but not all offices contested at primary and, in Subdiv. (4) added provisions re receipt; P.A. 93-300 added Subpara. (B) to Subdiv. (1), requiring elector to present identification or sign statement that he is elector whose name appears on checklist; P.A. 95-87 revised Subsec., Subdiv. and Subpara. indicators to conform with customary statutory usage and in Subsec. (a) replaced forms "provided" by Secretary of the State with "prescribed" forms; P.A. 97-154 amended Subsec. (d) to increase maximum age of children who may accompany an elector into enclosed space of voting machine booth, from ten years to fifteen years, and to add proviso that such elector be the parent or legal guardian of such children, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-276 amended Subsec. (a) by applying provisions to each primary, election and referendum, effective January, 1, 2000; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (a) by renumbering subdivisions, requiring each elector who registered to vote by mail for first time on or after January 1, 2003, and has a mark next to the elector's name on registry list to present identifying information to checkers before voting, requiring elector signing statement to write elector's residential address and date of birth and print elector's name on form which states penalty of false statement, requiring separate form for each elector, requiring assistant registrar of voters to examine information on form and instruct checkers, and making technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality, effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 04-74 amended Subsec. (a) to replace reference to Sec. 9-23g(e) with reference to Sec. 9-23r, effective May 10, 2004.

      Cited. 135 C. 150.