Connecticut § 9-23n - Voter registration agencies. Duties. Electronic application system.

§ 9-23n. Voter registration agencies. Duties. Electronic application system.

Sec. 9-23n. Voter registration agencies. Duties. Electronic application system. (a) As used in this section, “voter registration agency” means (1) public assistance offices, (2) all offices in the state that provide state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities, (3) libraries that are open to the public, and (4) such other appropriate offices as the Secretary of the State shall designate in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time.

(b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, each voter registration agency shall (A) distribute mail voter registration application forms, (B) assist applicants for assistance or services provided by the agency in completing voter registration application forms, except for applicants who refuse assistance in completing such forms, (C) accept completed voter registration application forms and provide each applicant with an application receipt, on which the agency shall record the date that the agency received the application, using an official date stamp bearing the name of the agency, and (D) immediately transmit all such applications to the registrars of voters of the town of voting residence of the applicants. The agency shall provide such receipt whether the application was submitted in person, by mail or through an electronic system pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. If a registration application is accepted within five days before the last day for registration to vote in a regular election, the application shall be transmitted to the registrars of voters of the town of voting residence of the applicant not later than five days after the date of acceptance. Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the voter registration agency shall indicate on the completed mail voter registration application form, without indicating the identity of the voter registration agency, the date of its acceptance by such agency, to ensure that any eligible applicant is registered to vote in an election if it is received by the registration agency by the last day for registration to vote in an election. If a state-funded program primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities provides services to a person with a disability at the person's home, the agency shall provide such voter registration services at the person's home. The procedures in subsections (c), (d), (f) and (g) of section 9-23g that are not inconsistent with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, shall apply to applications made under this section. Officials and employees of such voter registration agencies are not admitting officials, as defined in section 9-17a, and may not restore, under the provisions of section 9-46a, electoral privileges of persons convicted of a felony.

(2) (A) Each voter registration agency shall provide an electronic system, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the State, to effectuate the purposes of subdivision (1) of this subsection regarding application for admission of an elector, except that the condition that an applicant state and attest to meeting each eligibility requirement may be waived for any such eligibility requirement verified independently by the agency through a federally approved identity verification program or other evidence acceptable to the agency. Such electronic system may provide for the transmittal to the Secretary of an applicant's signature on file with the voter registration agency. The use of any such electronic system shall comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time.

(B) (i) Unless otherwise provided in this subparagraph, if the voter registration agency determines that a person applying for assistance or services provided by the agency meets each eligibility requirement for admission as an elector, the agency shall forthwith transmit an application for such person's admission as an elector to the registrars of voters of the town of residence of such person through an electronic system pursuant to this subdivision, in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, except that no such application shall be transmitted if such person declines to apply for such admission.

(ii) If the voter registration agency determines that a person applying for assistance or services provided by the agency is not a United States citizen, the agency shall not provide such person an opportunity to apply for admission as an elector through an electronic system pursuant to this subdivision and shall not transmit any application for such admission on behalf of such person.

(iii) If the voter registration agency cannot determine whether a person applying for assistance or services provided by the agency is a United States citizen, such person shall attest to his or her United States citizenship as a precondition of the agency processing such person's application for admission as an elector through an electronic system pursuant to this subdivision.

(P.A. 94-121, S. 6, 33; P.A. 99-112, S. 2; P.A. 02-83, S. 6; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 89.)

History: P.A. 94-121 effective January 1, 1995; P.A. 99-112 divided existing provisions into Subsec. (a) which defines “voter registration agency” and Subsec. (b) which sets out the duties of voter registration agencies; P.A. 02-83 amended Subsec. (b) to make technical changes and to require voter registration agencies to provide applicants with application receipts, effective January 1, 2003; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (b) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1), redesignate former Subdivs. (1) to (4) as Subparas. (A) to (D), add references to Subdiv. (2) re electronic elector admission application system, add Subdiv. (2) re electronic elector admission application system and make technical changes, effective January 1, 2022.