Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 143 - Electors: Qualifications and Admission
Section 9-56. - Application for enrollment by unaffiliated elector.

Except as otherwise provided in the case of an elector whose name has not been placed on or has been removed from the enrollment list under section 9-59, 9-60, 9-61 or 9-62, any elector not enrolled on any enrollment list may at any time make a written and signed application for enrollment to the registrars of voters on an application form for admission as an elector, in accordance with the requirements of this section. The application shall be effective as of the date it is filed with the registrars of voters of the town of residence of the applicant and any person making application for enrollment in such manner shall immediately be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment unless the application for enrollment (1) is filed in person by the applicant with the registrars of voters after twelve o'clock noon on the last business day before a primary, in which case he shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the primary, (2) is otherwise filed with the registrar after the fifth day before the primary, in which case he shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the primary, except as provided in section 9-23a, or (3) is filed with the registrars of voters after 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before a caucus or convention, in which case he shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the caucus or convention. The application shall be signed or initialed by the registrar, deputy, assistant or registrar's clerk receiving it, or by such other personnel as such registrar or deputy may appoint for the purpose, showing the date when such application is received and, in the case of an applicant not immediately eligible under section 9-59, 9-60, 9-61 or 9-62 to the privileges accompanying enrollment in the party named in his application, the date upon which such applicant becomes so eligible. In municipalities divided into voting districts in which an enrollment session is held in each district thereof under section 9-51, application for enrollment shall be made to the registrar or assistant registrar, as the case may be, in the voting district in which such elector is entitled to vote at the time of making such application. If any registrar or assistant registrar fails to add any name to any such list on written application or adds any name to any such list except as herein provided, he shall be guilty of a class D misdemeanor.

(1949 Rev., S. 1174; 1953, S. 557d; 1957, P.A. 442, S. 7; 1967, P.A. 32; 1969, P.A. 122, S. 2; 694, S. 6; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 68; P.A. 74-29; P.A. 75-47, S. 3, 5; 75-269, S. 4; P.A. 77-244, S. 3, 4; 77-298, S. 7; P.A. 79-363, S. 34, 38; P.A. 80-483, S. 31, 186; P.A. 83-475, S. 11, 43; P.A. 84-118, S. 3, 5; P.A. 94-121, S. 29, 33; P.A. 97-67, S. 2, 9; P.A. 12-80, S. 52.)
History: 1967 act provided for filing of application in duplicate if filed by applicant and in triplicate if filed by anyone else in which later case a copy to be mailed to applicant and the other copy to the person filing the application; 1969 acts added exception to entitlement to enrollment in the case of elector whose name is automatically removed where his name appeared on a ballot label at an election only under a different party designation and added provision for registrars or deputies to appoint other personnel to participate in proceedings; 1971 act made technical changes; P.A. 74-29 added provision for either registrars or their deputies to take acknowledgment of affidavit; P.A. 75-47 substituted “admitting official” for enumerated officials and changed references to application for enrollment to accommodate use of combined form for registration and enrollment where both accomplished at same time by applicant, eliminating duplication of personal data to be furnished, effective January 1, 1976; P.A. 75-269 provided for entitlement to privileges of party enrollment immediately except where application made following session held on third Saturday before a primary in which case entitlement occurs immediately after primary or, if application made on day of caucus or convention, then entitlement follows immediately after and further, if caucus or convention to be held prior to next enrollment session separate lists will be prepared, by party, before the day of caucus or convention; P.A. 77-244 incorporated by cross reference provisions for preregistration and preenrollment of seventeen-year-olds; P.A. 77-298 changed reference to enrollment session held on “third Saturday” to “fourteenth day” before primary; P.A. 79-363 and P.A. 80-483 made technical changes; P.A. 83-475 amended section to permit special assistant registrars to take acknowledgments in applications for enrollment and clarify that party membership attaches as of date of execution of application; P.A. 84-118 changed time limit for enrollment from fourteenth day to noon of last business day before primary; P.A. 94-121 required application for enrollment to be “on an application form for admission as an elector” and to be effective as of date filed with registrars of town of applicant's residence instead of date of execution and repealed requirements that enrollment application include an affidavit and be made in duplicate or triplicate, that form of application be prescribed by secretary of the state and that certain applicants state specified information in applications, effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 97-67 inserted Subdiv. indicators, applied Subdiv. (1) to applications filed in person by applicant, added Subdiv. (2) re applications filed with registrar after fifth day before primary and amended Subdiv. (3) by substituting “after 5:00 p.m. on the last business day before a caucus or convention” for “on the day of a caucus or convention”, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 12-80 replaced penalty of a fine of not more than $200 or imprisonment of not more than 30 days or both with a class D misdemeanor.
Cited. 144 C. 1.

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