Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 148 - Election Canvass and Returns
Section 9-311a. - Recanvass on close vote.

For purposes of this section, state, district and municipal offices shall be as defined in section 9-372 except that the office of presidential elector shall be deemed a state office. Forthwith after a regular or special election for municipal office, or forthwith upon tabulation of the vote for state and district offices by the Secretary of the State, when at any such election the plurality of an elected candidate for an office over the vote for a defeated candidate receiving the next highest number of votes was either (1) less than a vote equivalent to one-half of one per cent of the total number of votes cast for the office but not more than two thousand votes, or (2) less than twenty votes, there shall be a recanvass of the returns of the voting tabulator or voting tabulators and absentee ballots used in such election for such office unless such defeated candidate or defeated candidates, as the case may be, for such office file a written statement waiving this right to such canvass with the municipal clerk in the case of a municipal office, or with the Secretary of the State in the case of a state or district office. In the case of state and district offices, the Secretary of the State upon tabulation of the votes for such offices shall notify the town clerks in the state or district, as the case may be, of the state and district offices which qualify for an automatic recanvass and shall also notify each candidate for any such office. When a recanvass is to be held the municipal clerk shall promptly notify the moderator, as defined in section 9-311, who shall proceed forthwith to cause a recanvass of such returns of the office in question in the same manner as is provided in said section 9-311. In addition to the notice required under section 9-311, the moderator shall before such recanvass is made give notice in writing of the time when, and place where, such recanvass is to be made to each candidate for a municipal office which qualifies for an automatic recanvass under this section. Nothing in this section shall preclude the right to judicial proceedings on behalf of a candidate under any provision of chapter 149. For the purposes of this section, “the total number of votes cast for the office” means in the case of multiple openings for the same office, the total number of electors checked as having voted in the state, district, municipality or political subdivision, as the case may be. When a recanvass of the returns for an office for which there are multiple openings is required by the provisions of this section, the returns for all candidates for all openings for the office shall be recanvassed. No one other than a recanvass official shall take part in the recanvass. If any irregularity in the recanvass procedure is noted by a candidate, he shall be permitted to present evidence of such irregularity in any contest relating to the election.

(1963, P.A. 185, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 885, S. 3; 1971, P.A. 542, S. 1; P.A. 80-281, S. 14, 31; P.A. 84-319, S. 37, 49; P.A. 85-382, S. 2; P.A. 11-20, S. 1.)
History: 1967 act provided for adding “of the office in question” to “cause a recanvass of such returns”, also provided for the clerk to notify the secretary of the state upon receipt of application for a recanvass where a state election is involved; 1971 act provided that the definitions contained in Sec. 9-372 would apply for purposes of section to state, district and municipal offices but that office of presidential elector is deemed a state office, deleted provision for application for recanvass and provided that a recanvass would take place where votes were within the limits already specified, immediately, in the case of municipal elections or upon the tabulation of the vote for state and district offices by the secretary of the state, unless a written waiver is filed by defeated candidate(s); P.A. 80-281 provided, in the case of multiple openings for the same office, the total number of votes cast means the total number of electors checked as having voted and provided that a recanvass in that case will result in the returns for all candidates being recanvassed; P.A. 84-319 amended section to provide uniformity in procedures for recanvass after primaries and elections; P.A. 85-382 required only recanvass officials to take part in recanvass and permitted candidates to present evidence of irregularities noted in any contest relating to the election; pursuant to P.A. 11-20, “machine” and “machines” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “tabulator” and “tabulators”, effective May 24, 2011.
Invoking provisions of section does not preclude candidate from obtaining judicial review under Sec. 9-328. 155 C. 68. Cited. 231 C. 602.

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