Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 143 - Electors: Qualifications and Admission
Section 9-19b. - Applications for admission submitted to town clerk or registrar of voters. Locations for admission of electors.

(a) Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, the town clerk or assistant town clerk, during office hours and at the office of such official, may examine the qualifications of any person applying in person to be admitted as an elector and approve such application.

(b) Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, either registrar of voters, or a deputy registrar or assistant registrar appointed in accordance with the provisions of section 9-192 may examine the qualifications of any person applying to be admitted as an elector in the town and, except for applications submitted pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection, approve such application submitted in person (1) at the office of such official; (2) at any enrollment session of the registrars of voters; (3) at any public place; (4) at any time and at any place in the town, other than a public place; or (5) at any public office of the Department of Motor Vehicles, Labor Department or Department of Social Services which is located in the town in which the registrar, deputy registrar or assistant registrar serves, if written notice of the date and time is given seven days in advance thereof to the commissioner of such department. Upon receipt of a written notice under subdivision (5) of this subsection, the commissioner of the department may designate a portion of the public office which shall be used for the admission of electors. The other registrar, or any deputy or assistant registrar, shall be permitted to be present during the admission of any person pursuant to subdivisions (4) and (5) of this subsection. Applications accepted and examined prior to the last session for admission of electors prior to an election pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection may be approved after such last session. The admission of any person pursuant to subdivision (4) shall be effective on the date when both registrars approve such application. The registrar who receives such application from the applicant shall give written notice to the other registrar within one business day after such receipt and the registrars shall forthwith act on such applications. No rejection of any application under subdivision (4) of this subsection shall be effective until the registrar has mailed to the other registrar and the applicant a notice stating any reason for the rejection. Any applicant whose application is rejected may appeal under the provisions of section 9-31l.
(c) Such registrar, deputy or assistant registrar accepting applications in accordance with subdivision (4) of subsection (b) of this section shall provide the applicant with a receipt. Upon approval or disapproval of the application, the registrars shall send a notice thereof by first-class mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown thereon. If such notice of approval is returned undeliverable, the registrars shall take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43.
(d) During the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the opening of the limited session for the admission of electors held on the last weekday before such election under section 9-17, the town clerk or assistant town clerk during office hours and at the office of such official and either registrar of voters or a deputy or assistant registrar at the office of such official may examine the qualifications of any person applying in person to be admitted in such town and approve the application of such person whose qualifications as to age, citizenship or residence in the municipality were attained after such last session and on or before the last weekday prior to such election.
(1967, P.A. 559, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 491; 677; 1971, P.A. 768, S. 4; P.A. 73-130; 73-430; 73-630, S. 3, 19; P.A. 75-28, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-330, S. 2; 77-604, S. 83, 84; P.A. 79-143, S. 1; 79-189, S. 3, 9; P.A. 80-281, S. 3, 31; P.A. 81-350, S. 5, 17; P.A. 82-472, S. 24, 183; P.A. 88-347, S. 2, 4; P.A. 89-297, S. 2, 18; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 94-121, S. 11, 33; P.A. 15-224, S. 8.)
History: 1969 acts added provision for town clerk and registrars of voters, during the period between the last regular session and the opening of the limited session held on the last weekday before election, to process applications of persons who attained qualifications as to age, residence or citizenship during that period and added provision for enrollment at any public place where 5 days prior notice in newspaper published; 1971 act added assistant town clerk and a deputy or assistant registrar where appropriate, substituted “any of such admitting officials” for “the town clerk or either registrar of voters”, deleted “accept the application for admission as an elector of” and deleted provisions requiring approval of application by the board for admission of electors and notification where the board's action is unfavorable; P.A. 73-130 added “with the consent of both registrars of voters” to the provision for enrollment at any public place; P.A. 73-430 defined “during office hours” where the registrars of voters do not maintain regular office hours; P.A. 73-630 deleted “residence” as qualification, attainment of which during period between last regular session and on or before the last weekday prior to election makes person eligible for special enrollment and substituted “were attained” for “matured” in context of when qualifications for enrollment arose; P.A. 75-28 clarified “office hours” and changed provisions concerning enrollment at any public place to remove requirement for consent of both registrars so that either registrar may conduct enrollment upon 7 days prior notice to other registrar and the 5-day prior notice by newspaper, such notice to be signed by each registrar, deputy, or assistant who intends to participate; P.A. 77-330 where appearing deleted the word “regular” from “last regular session”; P.A. 77-604 made technical changes; P.A. 79-143 divided the section into Subsecs. (a) to (d), inclusive, additionally provided for enrollment at other than a public place, for admission to be effective on occurrence of certain conditions or for rejection of application, for provision of receipt to applicant upon administration of oath, for notice of action taken on application, for application for reexamination where application has been rejected and deleted references to newspaper notice; P.A. 79-189 added “residency in the municipality” to qualifications as to age or citizenship to be attained during the period between the last session and the opening of the limited session held on the last weekday before election in order for person to be registered during that time; P.A. 80-281 made technical changes; P.A. 81-350 required notice of location and opportunity to be present be given to registrar of other party by registrar conducting door-to-door registration and allowed rejected applicants to appeal under Sec. 9-31l, replacing provision allowing them to apply for reexamination under Sec. 9-31j; P.A. 82-472 added the reference to Sec. 9-43 in Subsec. (c); P.A. 88-347 added Subsec. (b)(5) re examination of qualifications of applicants for admission at offices of motor vehicles, labor and income maintenance departments, effective April 1, 1989; P.A. 89-297 amended Subsec. (b) by providing that the admission of any person pursuant to Subdiv. (4), instead of pursuant to “this subdivision”, shall be effective one week after receipt of application, except as otherwise provided; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 94-121 applied provisions of Subsec. (a) to any person applying “in person” and substituted “approve such application” for “administer the elector's oath” in Subsec. (a), amended Subsec. (b) by substituting “in the town and, except for applications submitted pursuant to subdivision (4) of this subsection, approve such application submitted in person” for “and administer the elector's oath”, deleting requirement of advance notice to other registrar in Subdivs. (3), (4) and (5), and amending Subdiv. (4) to require place to be “in the town”, allow approval of applications received prior to last session for admission of electors to occur after such last session, make application effective only on date when both registrars approve it and require registrars to act forthwith on such applications, amended Subsec. (c) by substituting “accepting applications” for “administering the elector's oath”, and applied provisions of Subsec. (d) to any person applying “in person” and “in such town” and substituted “approve the application” for “administer the elector's oath”, effective January 1, 1995; (Revisor's note: In 1997 a reference in Subsec. (b) to “Department of Labor” was replaced editorially by the Revisors with “Labor Department” for consistency with customary statutory usage); P.A. 15-224 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) to delete references to “special assistant registrar” and made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective July 7, 2015.

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