Connecticut § 9-46 - Forfeiture of electoral rights.

§ 9-46. Forfeiture of electoral rights.

Sec. 9-46. Forfeiture of electoral rights. (a) A person shall forfeit such person's right to become an elector and such person's privileges as an elector upon conviction of a felony and (1) committal to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction for confinement in a correctional institution or facility, but not a community residence, (2) committal to confinement in a federal correctional institution or facility, or (3) committal to the custody of the chief correctional official of any other state or a county of any other state for confinement in a correctional institution or facility, but not a community residence, in such state or county.

(b) If a person has forfeited such person's privileges as an elector under subsection (a) of this section, has regained such privileges under section 9-46a and is subsequently returned to confinement in a correctional institution or facility, but not a community residence, from parole or special parole, release pursuant to section 18-100, 18-100c, 18-100e, 18-100h or 18-100i or furlough pursuant to section 18-101a, such person shall again forfeit such privileges.

(c) No person who has forfeited and not regained such person's privileges as an elector as provided in section 9-46a, or who has regained such privileges and again forfeited such privileges as provided in subsection (b) of this section, may be a candidate for or hold public office.

(1949 Rev., S. 253b; 1953, S. 548d; 1963, P.A. 645, S. 6; P.A. 73-465, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-192, S. 1, 2; P.A. 96-207, S. 2, 4; P.A. 01-11, S. 2, 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2, S. 97.)

History: 1963 act changed enumeration of crimes bringing forfeiture to felony; P.A. 73-465 provided for forfeiture of right to become an elector as well as forfeiture of privileges as an elector; P.A. 85-192 added Subsec. (b) which prohibits a person who has forfeited and not regained his privileges as an elector from becoming a candidate for or holding public office; P.A. 96-207 deleted exception in Subsec. (a) re person convicted of a crime of nonsupport, effective January 1, 1997; P.A. 01-11 added provisions re committal for confinement in Subsec. (a) and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality in Subsecs. (a) and (b), effective January 1, 2002; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-2 amended Subsec. (a) to except community residences throughout, to designate existing provision re committal to state correctional institution or facility as Subdiv. (1), to designate existing provision re committal to federal correctional institution or facility as Subdiv. (2) and to designate existing provision re committal to correctional institution or facility of another state as Subdiv. (3), added new Subsec. (b) re forfeiture of privileges again after previously regaining them, designated former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and added reference to forfeiture of privileges again after previously regaining them therein, effective July 1, 2021.

See Sec. 53a-25 re definition of felony.

Cited. 153 C. 208; 169 C. 692; 178 C. 145.

Section fails to provide any procedural safeguards in the nature of notice and right to hearing before loss of such valuable rights as electoral privileges. 34 CS 96. Cited. 43 CS 13.