Connecticut § 9-148 - Counting of absentee ballots; training of counters.

§ 9-148. Counting of absentee ballots; training of counters.

Sec. 9-148. Counting of absentee ballots; training of counters. The appointment of absentee ballot counters shall be made by the registrars of voters. The presiding officer for the purpose of declaring the result of the vote of the whole municipality is the moderator. Each person appointed to count absentee ballots shall participate in a training session at which the registrars of voters, absentee ballot moderator or moderator of the polling place, as the case may be, shall review and study the absentee counter's manual provided by the Secretary of the State under section 9-150a. Each elector so appointed shall be sworn to carry out faithfully the duties of his office and not to attempt to ascertain the manner in which any absentee elector has marked his absentee ballot. The registrars of voters shall ascertain the voting district in which each absentee elector is registered and shall apportion the envelopes according to voting districts among the appointed groups of electors, if there is more than one such group, in such manner that each group can conveniently count the votes apportioned to it.

(1949 Rev., S. 1144; 1953, 1955, S. 635d; 1957, P.A. 517, S. 7; 1963, P.A. 215, S. 1; P.A. 77-187, S. 2, 9; P.A. 84-319, S. 19, 49; P.A. 85-592, S. 6; P.A. 86-179, S. 18, 53; P.A. 07-194, S. 39.)

History: 1963 act provided for endorsement of date of receipt on envelope; P.A. 77-187 substituted “head” moderator for “chief” moderator; P.A. 84-319 eliminated requirement that absentee ballot counters be affiliated with appointing registrar's political party; P.A. 85-592 amended section to require mandatory training sessions for absentee ballot counters and to specify that registrars, municipal clerks and moderators must review and study absentee counter's manual at such sessions; P.A. 86-179 deleted provisions re clerk's endorsement and affidavit of receipt of ballots; P.A. 07-194 deleted provisions re voting districts and municipal clerk's attendance at training session, specified that absentee ballot moderator or moderator of polling place participate in training session and made technical changes.

Absentee ballots held void due to clerk's total noncompliance; relation to Secs. 9-145 and 9-146 discussed. 164 C. 204. Cited. 186 C. 125; 216 C. 253.

Secs. 9-149 and 9-150. Counting of ballots, procedure; ballot rejected if inner-envelope statement not executed; public may observe central counting; questions decided by moderator, intent of elector to govern, presumptions when intent not clear, invalid votes. Placing of ballots in depository envelopes; presentation of envelopes; declaration of count. Sections 9-149 and 9-150 are repealed.

(1949 Rev., S. 1144, 1146; 1953, 1955, S. 635d, 636d; 1957, P.A. 517, S. 8; 1959, P.A. 527, S. 2; February, 1965, P.A. 37; 1967, P.A. 885, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 8, S. 1; 694, S. 17; 1972, P.A. 196, S. 16; P.A. 75-300, S. 6, 7, 9; P.A. 76-295, S. 16, 18; P.A. 77-187, S. 3, 9; 77-202, S. 1, 4; 77-286; P.A. 79-363, S. 21, 38; P.A. 84-319, S. 20, 49; P.A. 85-489, S. 2; 85-592, S. 7, 8; P.A. 86-179, S. 52, 53.)