Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 153 - Nominations and Political Parties
Section 9-446. - Tie vote.

(a) If two or more candidates obtain the same and the highest total number of votes at a primary held to nominate candidates for a state or district office or the municipal office of state senator or state representative, and a tie vote thereby occurs, any of such candidates, or the state chairman of the political party, may apply for a recanvass of the returns in the manner provided in section 9-445. If no such application is made, or if any such recanvass results in a tie vote, such primary shall stand adjourned for three weeks at the same hour at which the first primary was held. Ballots of the same form and description as described in section 9-437 shall be used in the primary on such adjourned day, and the primary shall be conducted in the same manner as on the first day, except that the votes shall be cast for such office only and may only be cast for a candidate who received such a tie number of votes in the primary on the first day. Ballots for the primary on such adjourned day shall be provided forthwith by the registrars of voters of each municipality wherein such primary stands adjourned, and each clerk of the municipality shall furnish the Secretary of the State with an accurate list of all candidates to be voted for at such adjourned primary. The clerk of each municipality in the state or the district, whichever is applicable, wherein such primary so stands adjourned shall, at least three days prior to the day of such adjourned primary, give notice of the day, hours, place and purpose thereof by publishing such notice in a newspaper published in such municipality or having a circulation therein. No such primary shall be held if prior to such primary all but one of the candidates for such office die, withdraw their names or for any reason become disqualified to hold such office, and, in such event, the remaining candidate shall be deemed to be lawfully voted upon as the candidate for such office. No withdrawal shall be valid until the candidate who has withdrawn has filed a letter of withdrawal signed by such candidate with the Secretary of the State. When such a primary is required to be held under the provisions of this section and prior to such primary all but one of the candidates for such office die, withdraw their names or for any reason become disqualified to hold such office, the Secretary of the State shall forthwith notify the registrars of voters of such fact, and shall forthwith direct the registrars that such primary shall not be held. In the case of a multiple-opening office only the names of those candidates whose votes are equal shall be placed on the ballot of the adjourned primary. If such second primary results in a tie vote with two or more candidates receiving the same highest total number of votes, the Secretary of the State, in the presence of not fewer than three disinterested persons, and after notification to the candidates obtaining the same number of votes and the chairperson of the state central committee of the party holding the primary of the time when and the place where such tie vote is to be dissolved, shall dissolve such tie vote by lot. The Secretary of the State shall execute a certificate attesting to the result of the dissolution of such tie vote, and the person so certified or the slate so certified as having been chosen by lot shall be deemed to have received a plurality of the votes cast and shall be deemed to have been chosen as the nominee of such party to such office.

(b) If two or more candidates obtain the same number of votes at a primary held to nominate candidates for a municipal office, other than the municipal office of state senator or state representative, or to elect members of a town committee, or if two or more slates of candidates obtain the same number of votes at a primary held for justices of the peace, and a tie vote thereby occurs, any of such candidates, or the town chairman of the political party, may apply for a recanvass of the returns in the manner provided in section 9-445. If no such application is made, or if any such recanvass results in a tie vote, such primary shall stand adjourned for three weeks at the same hour at which the first primary was held. Ballots of the same form and description as described in section 9-437 shall be used in the primary on such adjourned day, and the primary shall be conducted in the same manner as on the first day, except that the votes shall be cast for such office only. Ballots for the primary on such adjourned day shall be provided forthwith by the registrars of voters of the municipality wherein such primary stands adjourned, and the clerk of the municipality shall furnish the Secretary of the State with an accurate list of all candidates to be voted for at such adjourned primary. The clerk of the municipality wherein such primary so stands adjourned shall, at least three days prior to the day of such adjourned primary, give notice of the day, hours, place and purpose thereof by publishing such notice in a newspaper published in such municipality or having a circulation therein. No such primary shall be held if prior to such primary all but one of the candidates for such office die, withdraw their names or for any reason become disqualified to hold such office, and, in such event, the remaining candidate shall be deemed to be lawfully voted upon as the candidate for such office. No withdrawal shall be valid until the candidate who has withdrawn has filed a letter of withdrawal signed by such candidate with the municipal clerk. When such a primary is required to be held under the provisions of this section and prior to such primary all but one of the candidates for such office die, withdraw their names or for any reason become disqualified to hold such office, the Secretary of the State shall forthwith notify the municipal clerk of such fact, and shall forthwith direct the clerk that such primary shall not be held. In the case of a multiple-opening office only the names of those candidates whose votes are equal shall be placed on the ballot of the adjourned primary. If such second primary results in a tie vote, the registrar, in the presence of not fewer than three disinterested persons, and after notification to the candidates obtaining the same number of votes and the chairperson of the town committee of the party holding the primary of the time when and the place where such tie vote is to be dissolved, shall dissolve such tie vote by lot. The registrar shall execute a certificate attesting to the result of the dissolution of such tie vote, and the person so certified or the slate so certified as having been chosen by lot shall be deemed to have received a plurality of the votes cast and shall be deemed to have been chosen as the nominee of such party to such office.
(June, 1955, S. 606d; November, 1955, S. N91; 1958 Rev., S. 9-119; 1963, P.A. 17, S. 71; 225, S. 2; P.A. 03-241, S. 50; P.A. 07-194, S. 46; P.A. 11-20, S. 1; 11-173, S. 68; P.A. 13-269, S. 1.)
History: 1963 acts restated previous provisions and added provisions re recanvass; P.A. 03-241 removed slates of delegate candidates from application of section and applied tie vote provisions to slates of candidates for “justices of the peace”, effective January 1, 2004, and applicable to primaries and elections held on or after that date; P.A. 07-194 divided existing provisions into Subsecs. (a) and (b), deleted former provisions re dissolving of tie vote by lot and added provisions re adjourned primary and re holding of new primary in the event of a tie vote; P.A. 11-173 provided that registrars, rather than clerks, provide ballots and notice from Secretary of the State re withdrawal or disqualification of a candidate, replaced references to ballot labels with references to ballots and made technical changes, effective July 13, 2011; P.A. 13-269 amended Subsec. (a) by specifying that a tie vote is between candidates that receive the same and highest total number of votes, that provisions apply to municipal offices of state senator and state representative and that the adjourned primary is only for candidates who received a tie number of votes, and amended Subsec. (b) by excluding municipal offices of state senator and state representative and by making a technical change, effective July 1, 2013.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

Title 9 - Elections

Chapter 153 - Nominations and Political Parties

Section 9-372. - Definitions.

Section 9-373. - Nominations to public office.

Section 9-373a. - Registration of write-in candidates.

Section 9-373b. - Cross endorsement of a candidate.

Section 9-374. - Party rules to be filed.

Section 9-375. - Amendment of party rules.

Section 9-375a. - Amendment of party rules in 1972.

Section 9-375b. - Amendment of party rules following a census.

Section 9-376. - Postponement of primary day.

Section 9-377. - Write-in spaces on ballots prohibited.

Section 9-378. - Nominations without party designation excepted.

Section 9-379. - Eligibility for placing on ballot.

Section 9-380. - Newly-created offices.

Section 9-381. - Nomination procedure.

Section 9-381a. - Election procedures applicable to primaries unless otherwise provided.

Section 9-382. - Party-endorsed candidates; state or district office.

Section 9-383. - Time and place of convention.

Section 9-384. - Calls for conventions.

Section 9-384a. - Calls for 1974 party conventions.

Section 9-385. - Roll-call vote or polling by delegation at convention.

Section 9-385a. - Voting by delegation at state convention.

Section 9-386. - Tie vote on endorsement.

Section 9-387. - Dispute as to endorsement of a candidate or selection of a delegate.

Section 9-388. - Report to Secretary of the State.

Section 9-389. - Publication of names; information concerning filing of candidacies.

Section 9-390. - Selection of party-endorsed candidates for municipal office and selection of delegates to conventions.

Section 9-390a. - Election of town committee members in 1972.

Section 9-391. - Time for party endorsements for municipal offices and town committee members. Time for selection of delegates to conventions. Certification. Late certification void.

Section 9-392. - Selection of town committees.

Section 9-393. - Selection of town committee members and delegates.

Section 9-394. - District delegates.

Section 9-394a. - Senatorial and assembly district convention delegates.

Section 9-395. - Publication of information concerning municipal primaries.

Section 9-396. - Ballot vote at caucus; eligibility to vote.

Section 9-397. - Tie vote on endorsement.

Section 9-398 and 9-399. - Dispute as to endorsement. Time for filing candidacies.

Section 9-400. - Time for filing of candidacies for state or district office. Certification. Late certification void.

Section 9-401 to 9-404. - Availability of petition forms. Petition form; circulation of petitions for state or district office; prohibited acts. Registrar's receipt and verification of petitions for state or district office; rejection by Secretary of...

Section 9-404a. - Availability and issuance of primary petition forms for candidacies for nomination to state or district office.

Section 9-404b. - Primary petition forms for candidacies for nomination to state or district office. Signatures. Circulation.

Section 9-404c. - Registrar's receipt and verification of petitions for candidacies for nomination to state or district office. Filing with Secretary. Tabulation.

Section 9-405. - Time for filing primary petition candidacies for municipal offices and town committee members.

Section 9-406. - Filing of primary petition candidacies for municipal offices and town committee members.

Section 9-406a. - Penalty for fraudulent certification.

Section 9-407 and 9-408. - Filing of candidacies; delegates. Filing of primary petition candidacies for district delegates.

Section 9-409. - Availability and issuance of primary petition forms for candidacies for nomination to municipal office or election as town committee members.

Section 9-410. - Primary petition forms for candidacies for nomination to municipal office or election as town committee members. Signatures. Circulation.

Section 9-411. - Number of candidates required on petition for town committee members.

Section 9-412. - Registrar's receipt and verification of petitions for candidacies for nomination to municipal office or election as town committee members. Filing with clerk.

Section 9-413. - Deposition of deposit filed with registrar.

Section 9-413a. - Registrar to certify accuracy of enrollment list provided to candidate circulating primary petition.

Section 9-414. - Nominations not to exceed places to be filled; municipal primaries.

Section 9-415. - When primary required.

Section 9-416. - No-contest nominations; state or district office.

Section 9-416a. - Failure of party to endorse; state or district office.

Section 9-417. - No-contest nominations; municipal office and town committee members.

Section 9-418. - Failure of party to endorse; municipal office.

Section 9-419. - Failure of party to endorse; town committee members.

Section 9-420. - Persons selected as convention delegates by party deemed lawfully selected.

Section 9-421. - When primary not to be held for town committee members.

Section 9-422. - Primaries for justices of the peace.

Section 9-423. - Time for primaries; state, district or municipal office.

Section 9-424. - Time for primaries; delegates.

Section 9-425. - Time for primaries; town committees.

Section 9-426. - Cancellation of primary for office or town committee due to vacancies in non-party-endorsed candidacies. Slate vacancies.

Section 9-427. - Cancellation of delegate primary due to vacancies in party-endorsed candidacies; filling of vacancies when incomplete party-endorsed slate wins delegate primary.

Section 9-428. - Vacancy in party-endorsed candidacy.

Section 9-429. - Cancellation of primary for office or town committee when vacancies in candidacies result in no contest.

Section 9-430. - Withdrawal procedure.

Section 9-431. - Eligibility to vote at primary.

Section 9-431a. - Eligibility to vote at caucus, primary or town convention.

Section 9-431b. - Eligibility to vote on removal from one town in state or district to another.

Section 9-432. - Verification of names on filing with secretary.

Section 9-433. - Notice of primary; state and district office. Exception for certain primaries held in 2021.

Section 9-434. - Verification of names on filing with municipal clerk. Exception.

Section 9-435. - Notice of primary for municipal office or election for town committee. Exception for certain primaries and elections held in 2021.

Section 9-436. - Use, number and adjustment of voting tabulators; voting booths; conditions and rules for use of paper ballots; qualification, appointment and training of primary officials.

Section 9-436a. - Candidate checkers.

Section 9-437. - Form of ballot. Position of candidates' names on ballot. Sample ballots. Voting instructions and information.

Section 9-438. - Hours and places of voting.

Section 9-439. - Duties of officials.

Section 9-439a. - Remedy for denial of right to vote.

Section 9-439b. - Penalty for false statement.

Section 9-440. - Moderators to make returns.

Section 9-441. - Compensation of registrars and municipal clerks.

Section 9-442. - When party has no registrar.

Section 9-443. - Votes for justices of the peace.

Section 9-444. - Determination of nominee, town committee members or justices of the peace.

Section 9-445. - Recanvass on close vote.

Section 9-446. - Tie vote.

Section 9-447. - Unlocking of voting tabulators.

Section 9-448. - Recount of paper ballots.

Section 9-450. - Vacancy elections.

Section 9-450a. - Special elections in 1974.

Section 9-451. - Minor parties.

Section 9-452. - Time for making nominations. Certification. Late certification void.

Section 9-452a. - Notice of party meetings.

Section 9-453. - Petition requirements.

Section 9-453a. - Petition form.

Section 9-453b. - Issuance of nominating petition forms; restrictions. Application requirements. Candidacy filing requirements.

Section 9-453c. - When single petition may be used.

Section 9-453d. - Number of signatures.

Section 9-453e. - Circulator.

Section 9-453f. - Signature pages.

Section 9-453g. - False signing.

Section 9-453h. - Withdrawal of signatures.

Section 9-453i. - Submission to town clerk or Secretary of the State.

Section 9-453j. - Statement by circulator.

Section 9-453k. - Signing and certification of circulator's statement; receipt for pages; certification of signatures.

Section 9-453l. - Delegation of signature check to registrars.

Section 9-453m. - Signatures, effect of variations.

Section 9-453n. - Date for filing with secretary.

Section 9-453o. - Rejection of defective pages. Cure for omission by town clerk. Approval of petitions.

Section 9-453p. - Withdrawal of candidacy.

Section 9-453q. - Use of party levers for petitioning candidates.

Section 9-453r. - Position of candidates' names on ballot.

Section 9-453s. - Vacancies in candidacies. Ballot.

Section 9-453t. - Candidate nominated by major or minor party prohibited from appearing on ballot by nominating petition. Exception for cross endorsement.

Section 9-453u. (Formerly Sec. 9-378m). - Reservation of party designation.

Section 9-454 to 9-458. - Petition: Form; signatures; circulation and filing; town clerk's duties; platform statement required, when; false signing.

Section 9-459. - Vacancy elections.

Section 9-460. - Vacancy in nomination; withdrawal procedure. Certification of replacement nomination; time limitations. Ballots.

Section 9-461. - Filing of list of candidates with Secretary.

Section 9-462. - Lists of candidates for state and district offices.