Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 153 - Nominations and Political Parties
Section 9-437. - Form of ballot. Position of candidates' names on ballot. Sample ballots. Voting instructions and information.

(a) At the top of each ballot shall be printed the name of the party holding the primary, and each ballot shall contain the names of all candidates to be voted upon at such primary, except the names of justices of the peace. The vertical columns shall be headed by the designation of the office or position and instructions as to the number for which an elector may vote for such office or position, in the same manner as a ballot used in a regular election. The name of each candidate for town committee or municipal office, except for the municipal offices of state senator and state representative, shall appear on the ballot as authorized by each candidate. The name of each candidate for state or district office or for the municipal offices of state senator or state representative shall appear on the ballot as it appears on the certificate or statement of consent filed under section 9-388, 9-391, 9-400 or 9-409. On the first horizontal line, below the designation of the office or position in each column, shall be placed the name of the party-endorsed candidate for such office or position, such name to be marked with an asterisk; provided, where more than one person may be voted for for any office or position, the names of the party-endorsed candidates shall be arranged in alphabetical order from left to right under the appropriate office or position designation and shall continue, if necessary, from left to right on the next lower line or lines. In the case of no party endorsement there shall be inserted the designation “no party endorsement” at the head of the vertical column, immediately beneath the designation of the office or position. On the horizontal lines below the line for party-endorsed candidates shall be placed, in the appropriate columns, the names of all other candidates as hereinafter provided.

(b) (1) In the case of two or more such candidates for the same state or district office, precedence as to row shall be determined by the alphabetical order of the surnames of such candidates, except as provided under subdivision (2) of this subsection. (2) If a single certificate or a single petition has been filed under subsection (a) of section 9-400 on behalf of two or more candidates and proposing one candidate for each state office to be contested at such primary, a single row shall be used for the names of such candidates and precedence as to row between such certificates and petitions shall be determined by the Secretary of the State by lot in a ceremony which shall be open to the public. The names of all other candidates for state office shall be placed in the appropriate columns in alphabetical order on the rows below the row or rows used for candidates whose names are contained in such a single certificate, certificates, single petition or petitions.
(c) Whenever the position of candidates or slates on the ballot under the provisions of this section is affected by the time or order of filing of primary petitions, and the registrar of voters certifies in writing to the town clerk that (1) two or more of the petitions to which such provisions apply were filed simultaneously, or (2) the registrar is unable to determine the time or order of filing of two or more such petitions, then for purposes of this section the order of filing of the petitions specified in the registrar's certification shall be determined by the town clerk by lot in a ceremony which shall be open to the public.
(d) In the case of candidates for municipal office, a single row shall be used for the candidates whose names are contained in one primary petition, provided such petition proposes at least two candidates and the full number of candidates for each office to be contested at such primary as the party may nominate or choose thereat, precedence as to row being given to the candidates whose names appear in the first such petition filed, and so on in descending order.
(e) The names of candidates for town committee members which are contained in one primary petition shall be placed in a separate row, precedence as to row being given to the candidates whose names appear in petitions in the order determined in accordance with this subsection. Petitions filed by nine o'clock a.m. on the first business day following the day on which petitions become available shall be given precedence as to row based on the number of valid signatures filed, in descending order from the greatest to the least. Petitions filed after nine o'clock a.m. on the first business day following the day on which petitions become available shall be given precedence as to row based on the order in which they are filed, if such petitions are filed during the regular business hours of the office of the registrars of voters or during any different hours for said office required under the general statutes. Such order of precedence shall be determined separately for petitions proposing the full number of candidates which the party may choose at the primary and for petitions proposing fewer than such full number of candidates, and provided further that petitions proposing such full number of candidates shall have precedence as to row over petitions proposing fewer than such full number of candidates.
(f) Within such row or rows for those whose names are contained in one primary petition, where more than one person may be voted for any municipal office or position, such names shall be arranged in alphabetical order from left to right under the appropriate municipal office or position designation. The names of all other candidates shall be placed in the appropriate columns in alphabetical order on the horizontal lines below the line or lines used for candidates whose names are contained in one primary petition, if any; provided where more than one person may be voted for for any office or position, such names shall be arranged in alphabetical order from left to right under the appropriate office or position designation and shall continue, if necessary, from left to right on the next lower line or lines.
(g) The name of each candidate shall appear on the ballot in such position as is hereinbefore required, and such position shall be determined as of the final time for filing candidacies specified in section 9-400 or 9-405. Vacancies in candidacies thereafter occurring shall not cause the position of any candidate's name on the ballot to be changed to another position. The name of any candidate whose candidacy has been vacated shall not appear on the ballot. If such a vacancy results in the cancellation of a primary for any office, the office column or columns where the names of the candidates and the title of the office would have appeared if the primary for that office had not been cancelled shall be left blank. If a vacancy occurs in a party-endorsed candidacy and a person is chosen in accordance with section 9-426 or 9-428 to fill the resulting vacancy in candidacy, the name of the person so chosen shall appear in the same position as that in which the name of the vacating candidate appeared. The municipal clerk shall have the ballot prepared so that the name of any candidate who has vacated such candidate's candidacy is deleted and so that the name of any candidate chosen to fill a vacancy in candidacy appears in the same position as that in which the vacated candidacy appeared. The municipal clerk may use blank or printed stickers, as the case may be, in preparing the ballots if the ballots were printed before the occurrence of the vacancy in candidacy or the selection of a candidate to fill a vacancy in candidacy. The order of the offices and positions shall be as prescribed by the Secretary of the State.
(h) The names of candidates for election as justices of the peace shall not appear on the ballot. A single vertical column shall be used for all the candidates for election to the office of justice of the peace of a particular town. The vertical column used for justices of the peace shall be headed by the words “justices of the peace”. On the first horizontal line in the vertical column used for justice of the peace shall be placed the words “party-endorsed slate”. On the second and succeeding horizontal lines, in the order of the time of filing, shall be placed the words “challenge slate”, preceded, in quotation marks, by the letter designating such line. The municipal clerk shall prepare a list of the names of all candidates on each slate for election as justices of the peace, including the complete ballot designation of each such slate as provided in this subsection, which shall be posted in the polling places by each moderator for the inspection of the electors prior to voting.
(i) The names of candidates for nomination to any elective office or for election as members of a town committee, as the case may be, shall be separated from each other by a light line, but shall not be separated from each other on the ballot by names of candidates for any other office or position or by columns used for any other office or position; and the column or columns used for each office or position shall be separated from the columns used for other offices or positions by a heavy line.
(j) All ballots used at a primary shall be prepared by the clerk of the municipality in which such primary is held and shall be printed at the expense of the municipality. Each municipality shall provide for all polling places:
(1) At least forty-eight hours before the primary, such clerk shall have sample ballots for general distribution, which shall contain the offices or positions and names of candidates to be voted upon. Each such sample ballot shall also include printed instructions approved by the Secretary of the State concerning the use of the voting tabulator and information concerning the date of the primary and the hours during which polling places will be open. Such clerk shall have available for distribution such number of sample ballots as such clerk deems advisable, but in no event less than three which shall be posted inside the polling place so as to be visible to those within the polling place during the whole day of the primary. At least one of such sample ballots shall be posted so as to be visible to an elector being instructed on the demonstrator device, pursuant to section 9-260. If paper ballots are used in any primary, such sample paper ballots shall be overprinted with the word “Sample”;
(2) Instructions on how to cast a provisional ballot, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State;
(3) Instructions for mail-in registrants and first-time voters who register to vote by mail on or after January 1, 2003, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State;
(4) General information concerning voting rights under federal and Connecticut laws, including information on the right of an individual to cast a provisional ballot and instructions on how to contact the appropriate officials if such rights are alleged to have been violated, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State; and
(5) General information on federal and state laws concerning prohibitions on acts of fraud and misrepresentation, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State.
(k) When unaffiliated electors are authorized under section 9-431 to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at a primary, (1) separate voting tabulators shall be used for the unaffiliated electors in a voting district, (2) the ballot shall indicate that it is a partial ballot for unaffiliated electors, (3) the ballot shall contain only the offices and names of candidates for which such electors may vote, with blank columns left wherever necessary to assure that each candidate's position is the same as on the full ballot for such primary in the voting district, and (4) three sample ballots showing such partial ballot shall also be posted inside the polling place so as to be visible to such unaffiliated electors.
(June, 1955, S. 601d; November, 1955, S. N84; 1957, P.A. 518, S. 30; 1958 Rev., S. 9-112; 1961, P.A. 230; 1963, P.A. 17, S. 63; 503, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 557, S. 19; 903; 904, S. 2; P.A. 73-481; P.A. 77-245, S. 13; P.A. 79-253; 79-616, S. 20; P.A. 80-249, S. 2; 80-281, S. 28, 31; P.A. 82-426, S. 12, 14; P.A. 83-257, S. 1, 2; 83-475, S. 30, 43; P.A. 85-577, S. 12; P.A. 87-382, S. 46, 47, 55; 87-472, S. 8, 10; 87-509, S. 17, 24; P.A. 90-1, S. 4, 5; P.A. 03-241, S. 44, 45; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 102; P.A. 04-113, S. 5; P.A. 11-20, S. 28; P.A. 15-224, S. 20.)
History: 1961 act added provisions re placing of candidates' names on ballot label; 1963 acts restated previous provisions and added provision re separate rows for town committee candidates on petition; 1967 acts added “assembly district” to list of words to head vertical columns for delegates to other than state conventions, changed provision for arrangement of names so that where a primary petition proposes the full number of candidates for the positions to be contested, a separate row will be used, precedence as to row given to the first petition filed and provided for the designation “no party endorsement”; P.A. 73-481 provided for names of candidates for town committee contained in one primary petition, without the requirement for the full number of candidates for contested positions, to be placed in a separate row, precedence given to the order of filing of such petitions; P.A. 77-245 changed “town” to “municipal” clerk where appearing; P.A. 79-253 deleted requirement for number of sample ballots to be available for distribution as a per cent of the number of electors and provided for the number to be as the clerk deems advisable, but no less than those which are to be posted within the polling place; P.A. 79-616 qualified the provision for placement of candidate names on horizontal lines below the line for party-endorsed candidates by inserting “in the case of candidates for municipal office, town or committee member”, section changed reference from “section 9-399” to “section 9-400”; P.A. 80-249 changed the provisions relating to delegates to a convention, following “party-endorsed slate” by adding “preceded by the last name of one of the party-endorsed candidates for delegate if such name was certified to the municipal clerk at the time of certification of party-endorsed candidates under section 9-391”; P.A. 80-281 provided that petitions proposing full number of candidates for town committee members shall have precedence over petitions proposing fewer than the full number; P.A. 82-426 amended section to allow town clerks to determine position on ballot by lot when filing order of petitions can not be verified; P.A. 83-257 divided section into Subsecs. (a) to (i), inclusive, and changed placement of words “no party endorsement” as required by Subsec. (a); P.A. 83-475 amended Subsec. (a) to require that candidate's name appear on ballot in same form as on registry list, except as provided in Sec. 9-42a and amended Subsec. (d) to establish procedure for determining order of names on ballot for candidates for town committee members; P.A. 85-577 inserted new Subsec. (b) regarding position on row for two or more candidates for the same state or district office, relettered remaining sections and in Subsec. (d) changed separate row to single row and required the petition to propose at least two candidates and the full number of candidates for each office; P.A. 87-382 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that name of a candidate for municipal office only, except for municipal offices of state senator and state representative, shall appear on ballot label as name appears on registry list and to add sentence providing that name of candidate for state or district office or for municipal office of state senator or state representative shall appear on ballot label as name appears on certificate or statement of consent and substituted “demonstrator or spare voting” for “dummy” machine in Subsec. (j); P.A. 87-472 designated existing Subsec. (b) as Subdiv. (1), inserted at end of Subdiv. (1) of Subsec. (b) “except as provided under subdivision (2) of this subsection” and added Subdiv. (2) to Subsec. (b), providing that when single certificate filed on behalf of two or more candidates and proposing one candidate for each state office to be contested at primary, single row to be used for such candidates, precedence as to row between certificates to be determined by lot, and to require names of all other candidates for state office to be placed in rows below and in Subsec. (h), repealed requirement that slates be labeled by last name of a candidate on slate and required challenge slates to be designated by letters and each slate to include names of candidates supported by slate; P.A. 87-509 added Subsec. (k) re voting machine and ballot label requirements when unaffiliated electors authorized to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at primary; P.A. 90-1 amended requirements in Subsec. (h) for ballot to include names of candidates supported by a slate; P.A. 03-241 amended Subsec. (a) by substituting “justices of the peace” for “delegates to conventions” and deleting reference to “subsection (b)” of section 9-391, amended Subsec. (b) by inserting references to petitions and amended Subsec. (h) by substituting provisions re justices of the peace for provisions re delegates to conventions and eliminating provisions re slates, effective January 1, 2004, and applicable to primaries and elections held on or after that date; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 amended Subsec. (j) by adding requirement that “Each municipality shall provide for all polling places:”, designating sample ballot label provisions as Subdiv. (1) and making a technical change therein, adding provisions to Subdiv. (1) re printed instructions to be included in sample ballot labels, and adding Subdivs. (2) to (5), inclusive, re voting instructions and information, effective January 1, 2004; P.A. 04-113 amended provision re row precedence based on order of filing in Subsec. (e) by adding “, if such petitions are filed during the regular business hours of the office of the registrars of voters or during any different hours for said office required under the general statutes”, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 11-20 replaced references to ballot labels with references to ballots and made technical changes throughout, amended Subsec. (g) by deleting language re voting machine pointer, amended Subsec. (j) by replacing references to voting machine with references to tabulator or device and by deleting language re sample ballot arrangement in the form of a diagram, and amended Subsec. (k) by replacing “voting machines” with “voting tabulators”, effective May 24, 2011; P.A. 15-224 amended Subsec. (a) to replace provision re name of candidate to appear on ballot as it appears on registry list with provision re name of candidate to appear on ballot as authorized by candidate, effective July 7, 2015.

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