2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 9-265. Write-in ballots.

      Sec. 9-265. Write-in ballots. (a) A write-in ballot for an office, cast for a person who has registered as a write-in candidate for the office pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-175 or section 9-373a, shall be counted and recorded. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a write-in ballot cast for a person who has not registered shall not be counted or recorded.

      (b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, in the case of an office for which an elector may vote for only one candidate, a write-in ballot cast for a person nominated for that office by a major or minor party or by nominating petition shall be counted and recorded. In the case of an office for which an elector may vote for more than one candidate, a write-in ballot cast for a person nominated for that office by a major or minor party or by nominating petition shall not be counted or recorded.

      (c) A write-in ballot for the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor, cast for a person nominated for either of those offices by a major or minor party or by nominating petition, in conjunction with a write-in ballot for the other such office cast for a person nominated for either office by a different party or petition, shall not be counted or recorded for either office.

      (d) Except as hereinafter provided, a write-in ballot for the office of President or Vice-President cast for a person nominated for such office by a major or minor party or by nominating petition shall be counted and recorded and deemed to be a vote for each of the duly-nominated candidates for the office of presidential elector represented by such candidate for President or Vice-President. A write-in ballot for the office of President or Vice-President, cast for a person nominated for either of such offices by a major or minor party or by nominating petition, in conjunction with a write-in ballot for the other such office cast for a person nominated for either office by a different party or petition, shall not be counted or recorded for either office.

      (e) If the name of a person is written in for the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor, or President or Vice-President, as the case may be, and no name is written in for the other office, such write-in ballot shall be counted and recorded if it meets the other requirements of this section.

      (f) A write-in ballot shall be cast in its appropriate place on the voting machine. A write-in ballot for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, or for President and Vice-President, as the case may be, shall be written in a single space, provided that if only one name is written in the space it shall be deemed to be a vote for Governor, or for President, as the case may be, unless otherwise indicated. A write-in ballot shall be written upon the paper contained in the receptacle or device provided in the voting machine for such purpose. The registrars of voters shall cause an adhesive label, provided by the Secretary of the State, upon which shall be imprinted the words "write-in slides", to be affixed to the upper left-hand corner of each voting machine, directly opposite the write-in slides. The registrars shall (1) lock all write-in slides if there are no registered write-in candidates for any office or (2) lock the write-in slides for multiple-opening offices if there are registered write-in candidates only for single opening offices.

      (g) A write-in ballot which is not cast as provided in this section shall not be counted or recorded.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1211; March, 1950, S. 262b; 1953, S. 741d; 1957, P.A. 561, S. 19; 1963, P.A. 401, S. 3; 1969, P.A. 280; P.A. 77-82, S. 2; 77-245, S. 10; P.A. 81-350, S. 11, 17; P.A. 83-475, S. 22, 43; P.A. 87-589, S. 20, 87; P.A. 98-67, S. 2, 10.)

      History: 1963 act provided for pairing of governor and lieutenant governor; 1969 act prohibited writing-in of candidates name from two different parties where the names appear on the ballot label in casting votes for governor and lieutenant governor and provided that a write-in of one name which already appears on the ballot unaccompanied by a write-in for the other office bars the counting of the ballot; P.A. 77-82 included provision for candidates for office of presidential elector to be deemed to appear on ballot label and names of presidential and vice-presidential candidates appearing on ballot label shall be deemed to be candidates for the office under which designation their names appear, for the purposes of this section; P.A. 77-245 changed "town" to "municipal" clerk; P.A. 81-350 amended section to require labeling of write-in slides on voting machines; P.A. 83-475 deleted all of prior existing section and replaced with new Subsecs. (a) to (g), inclusive, permitting write-in votes cast by electors for candidates whose names appear on the ballot label to be counted for offices for which electors may only vote for one candidate, and setting forth procedure for casting write-in ballots; P.A. 87-589 made technical change in Subsec. (g); P.A. 98-67 added provision in Subsec. (f) re when registrars required to lock write-in slides, effective July 1, 1998.

      See Sec. 9-153e re write-in votes on special absentee ballots for certain military personnel.