AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTIONS.

Connecticut Seal

General Assembly	*File No. 408*
*February Session, 2006*	Substitute House Bill No. 5064

House of Representatives, April 6, 2006

The Committee on Government Administration and Elections reported through REP. CARUSO of the 126th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 9-168d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(b) The registrars of voters in each town, or the legislative body of the town, shall select as polling places only those sites which meet the standards of accessibility required under the State Building Code, as revised pursuant to section 29-269, if applicable, or this section. The registrars of voters in each town shall file with the Secretary of the State either: (1) A certification, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State, that states that each polling place selected complies with the provisions set forth in this subsection, or (2) an application for waiver, as described in subsection (c) of this section.

Sec. 2. Section 9-388 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

Whenever a convention of a political party is held for the endorsement of candidates for nomination to state or district office, each candidate endorsed at such convention shall file with the Secretary of the State a certificate, signed by him, stating that he was endorsed by such convention, his name as he authorizes it to appear on the ballot, his full residence address and the title and district, if applicable, of the office for which he was endorsed. Such certificate shall be attested by either (1) the chairman or presiding officer, or (2) the secretary of such convention and shall be received by the Secretary of the State not later than four o'clock p.m. on the fourteenth day after the close of such convention. Such certificate shall either be mailed to the Secretary of the State by certified mail, return receipt requested, or delivered in person, in which case a receipt indicating the date and time of delivery shall be provided by the Secretary of the State to the person making delivery. If a certificate of a party's endorsement for a particular state or district office is not received by the Secretary of the State by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for purposes of section 9-416 and section 9-416a shall be deemed to have made no endorsement of any candidate for such office. If applicable, the chairman of a party's state convention shall, forthwith upon the close of such convention, file with the Secretary of the State the names and full residence addresses of persons selected by such convention as the nominees of such party for electors of President and Vice-President of the United States in accordance with the provisions of section 9-175.

Sec. 3. Section 9-391 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) Each endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for municipal office to be voted upon at a municipal election, or for the election of town committee members shall be made under the provisions of section 9-390, as amended by this act, not earlier than the fifty-sixth day or later than the forty-ninth day preceding the day of such primary. The endorsement shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by either (1) the chairman or presiding officer, [and] or (2) the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention, as the case may be, not later than four o'clock p.m. on the forty-eighth day preceding the day of such primary. Such certification shall contain the name and street address of each person so endorsed, the title of the office or the position as committee member and the name or number of the political subdivision or district, if any, for which each such person is endorsed. If such a certificate of a party's endorsement is not received by the town clerk by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for purposes of sections 9-417, 9-418, as amended, and 9-419, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified such endorsement of any candidate for such office.

(b) Each selection of delegates to a state or district convention shall be made in accordance with the provisions of section 9-390, as amended by this act, not earlier than the one-hundred-fortieth day and not later than the one-hundred-thirty-third day preceding the day of the primary for such state or district office. Such selection shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of the town committee or caucus, as the case may be, not later than four o'clock p.m. on the one-hundred-thirty-second day preceding the day of such primary. Each such certification shall contain the name and street address of each person so selected, the position as delegate, and the name or number of the political subdivision or district, if any, for which each such person is selected. If such a certificate of a party's selection is not received by the town clerk by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for purposes of sections 9-417 and 9-420, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified any selection of any person for the position of delegate.

(c) Each endorsement of a candidate to run in a primary for the nomination of candidates for a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election shall be made under the provisions of section 9-390, as amended by this act, not earlier than the eighty-fourth day or later than the seventy-seventh day preceding the day of such primary. Any certification to be filed under this subsection shall be received by the Secretary of the State, in the case of a candidate for the office of state senator or state representative, or the town clerk, in the case of a candidate for any other municipal office to be voted upon at a state election, not later than four o'clock p.m. on the fourteenth day after the close of the town committee meeting, caucus or convention, as the case may be. If such a certificate of a party's endorsement is not received by the Secretary of the State or the town clerk, as the case may be, by such time, such certificate shall be invalid and such party, for the purposes of sections 9-417 and 9-418, as amended, shall be deemed to have neither made nor certified any endorsement of any candidate for such office. The candidate so endorsed for a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election, other than the office of justice of the peace, shall file with the Secretary of the State or the town clerk, as the case may be, a certificate, signed by that candidate, stating that such candidate was so endorsed, the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full street address and the title and district of the office for which the candidate was endorsed. Such certificate shall be attested by the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention which made such endorsement. The endorsement of candidates for the office of justice of the peace shall be certified to the clerk of the municipality by the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of the town committee, caucus or convention, and shall contain the name and street address of each person so endorsed and the title of the office for which each such person is endorsed.

Sec. 4. Section 9-404a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

Petition forms for candidacies for nomination by a political party to a state office, as defined in section 9-372, or the district office of representative in Congress shall be available from the Secretary of the State beginning on the one-hundred-fifth day preceding the day of the primary for such state and district offices. Petition forms for candidacies for nomination by a political party to the district office of judge of probate, state senator or state representative shall be available from the Secretary of the State beginning on the [day following the close of the district convention held for the purpose of nominating such party's candidate for such office] seventy-seventh day preceding the day of the primary for such office. Any person who requests a petition form shall give the person's name and address and the name, address and office sought of each candidate for whom the petition is being obtained and shall file a statement signed by each such candidate that such candidate consents to be a candidate for such office. Each such candidate shall include on the statement of consent the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot. Upon receiving such information and statement, the Secretary shall type or print on a petition form the name and address of each such candidate, the office sought and the political party holding the primary. The Secretary shall give to any person requesting such form one or more petition pages, suitable for duplication, as the Secretary deems necessary. If the person is requesting the form on behalf of an indigent candidate or a group of indigent candidates listed on the same petition, the Secretary shall give the person the number of original pages that the person requests or the number which the Secretary deems sufficient. An original petition page filled in by the Secretary may be duplicated by or on behalf of the candidate or candidates listed on the page and signatures may be obtained on such duplicates. The duplicates may be filed in the same manner and shall be subject to the same requirements as original petition pages. All information relative to primary petitions shall be a public record.

Sec. 5. Subsection (d) of section 9-390 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(d) The selection of party-endorsed candidates in the manner provided in subsection (a) or (c) of this section and the selection of delegates to conventions in the manner provided in subsection (b) of this section shall be made and certified to the clerk of the municipality or the Secretary of the State, as the case may be, within the time specified in section 9-391, as amended by this act.

Sec. 6. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-400 of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) A candidacy for nomination by a political party to a state office may be filed by or on behalf of any person whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party in any municipality within the state and who has either (1) received at least fifteen per cent of the votes of the convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call vote taken on the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate for such state office, whether or not the party-endorsed candidate for such office received a unanimous vote on the last ballot, or (2) circulated a petition and obtained the signatures of at least two per cent of the enrolled members of such party in the state, in accordance with the provisions of sections 9-404a to 9-404c, inclusive, as amended by this act. Candidacies described in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting to the Secretary of the State not later than four o'clock p.m. on the fourteenth day following the close of the state convention, a certificate, signed by such candidate and attested by either (A) the chairman or presiding officer, or (B) the secretary of the convention, that such candidate received at least fifteen per cent of such votes, and that such candidate consents to be a candidate in a primary of such party for such state office. Such certificate shall specify the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full residence address and the title of the office for which the candidacy is being filed. A single such certificate or petition for state office may be filed on behalf of two or more candidates for different state offices who consent to have their names appear on a single row of the primary ballot label under subsection (b) of section 9-437. Candidacies described in subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting said petition not later than four o'clock p.m. on the [fourteenth] sixty-third day [following the close of the state convention] preceding the day of the primary for such office to the registrar of voters of the towns in which the respective petition pages were circulated. Each registrar shall file each page of such petition with the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of section 9-404c. A petition filed by or on behalf of a candidate for state office shall be invalid for such candidate if such candidate is certified as the party-endorsed candidate pursuant to section 9-388, as amended by this act, or as receiving at least fifteen per cent of the convention vote for such office pursuant to this subsection. Except as provided in section 9-416a, upon the expiration of the [fourteen-day period] time period for party endorsement and circulation and [the completion of the] tabulation of [petition] petitions and signatures, if any, if one or more candidacies for such state office have been filed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the State shall notify all town clerks in accordance with the provisions of section 9-433, that a primary for such state office shall be held in each municipality in accordance with the provisions of section 9-415.

(b) A candidacy for nomination by a political party to a district office may be filed by or on behalf of any person whose name appears upon the last-completed enrollment list of such party within any municipality or part of a municipality forming a component part of such district and who has either (1) received at least fifteen per cent of the votes of the convention delegates present and voting on any roll-call vote taken on the endorsement or proposed endorsement of a candidate for such district office, whether or not the party-endorsed candidate for such office received a unanimous vote on the last ballot, or (2) circulated a petition and obtained the signatures of at least two per cent of the enrolled members of such party in the district for the district office of representative in Congress, and at least five per cent of the enrolled members of such party in the district for the district offices of state senator, state representative and judge of probate, in accordance with the provisions of sections 9-404a to 9-404c, inclusive, as amended by this act. Candidacies described in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting to the Secretary of the State not later than four o'clock p.m. on the fourteenth day following the close of the district convention, a certificate, signed by such candidate and attested by either (A) the chairman or presiding officer, or (B) the secretary of the convention, that such candidate received at least fifteen per cent of such votes, and that the candidate consents to be a candidate in a primary of such party for such district office. Such certificate shall specify the candidate's name as the candidate authorizes it to appear on the ballot, the candidate's full residence address and the title and district of the office for which the candidacy is being filed. Candidacies described in subdivision (2) of this subsection shall be filed by submitting said petition not later than four o'clock p.m. on the [fourteenth] sixty-third day [following the close of the district convention] preceding the day of the primary for such office to the registrar of voters of the towns in which the respective petition pages were circulated. Each registrar shall file each page of such petition with the Secretary in accordance with the provisions of section 9-404c. A petition may only be filed by or on behalf of a candidate for the district office of state senator, state representative or judge of probate who is not certified as the party-endorsed candidate pursuant to section 9-388, as amended by this act, or as receiving at least fifteen per cent of the convention vote for such office pursuant to this subsection. A petition filed by or on behalf of a candidate for the district office of representative in Congress shall be invalid if said candidate is certified as the party-endorsed candidate pursuant to section 9-388, as amended by this act, or as receiving at least fifteen per cent of the convention vote for such office pursuant to this subsection. Except as provided in section 9-416a, upon the expiration of the [fourteen-day period] time period for party endorsement and circulation and [the completion of the] tabulation of [petition] petitions and signatures, if any, if one or more candidacies for such district office have been filed pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the State shall notify all town clerks within the district, in accordance with the provisions of section 9-433, that a primary for such district office shall be held in each municipality and each part of a municipality within the district in accordance with the provisions of section 9-415.

Sec. 7. Subsection (a) of section 9-405 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) (1) Candidacies of persons other than party-endorsed candidates for nomination by a political party to a municipal office to be voted upon at a municipal election, or for election as town committee members shall be filed with the registrar, as provided in section 9-406, not later than four o'clock p.m. on the thirty-fourth day preceding the day of the primary of such party for the nomination of candidates for such office or for the election of town committee members. Said day and hour shall be specified on the petition forms.

(2) Candidacies of persons, other than party-endorsed candidates, for nomination by a political party to a municipal office to be voted upon at a state election shall be filed with the registrars, as provided in section 9-406, not later than four o'clock p.m. on the [fourteenth day following the making of the party's endorsement of a candidate] sixty-third day preceding the day of the primary for such office. Said day and hour shall be specified on the petition forms.

Sec. 8. Section 9-258 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

The election officials of each polling place, except voting machine mechanics, shall be electors of the town and shall consist of one moderator, two official checkers, [two registrars of voters or] two assistant registrars of voters [, as the case may be,] of opposite political parties, not more than two challengers if the registrars of voters have appointed challengers pursuant to section 9-232, and [at least one and not more than two] one voting machine [tenders] tender for each voting machine in use at the polling place. A known candidate for any office shall not serve as an election official on election day or serve at the polls in any capacity, except that a municipal clerk or a registrar of voters, who is a candidate for the same office, may perform his official duties. If, in the opinion of the municipal officials, the public convenience of the electors in any voting district so requires, provision shall be made for an additional line or lines of electors at the polling place and, if more than one line of electors is established, two additional official checkers for each line of electors shall be appointed and, if more than one machine is used in a polling place, [at least one and not more than two additional] one voting machine [tenders] tender shall be appointed for each additional machine so used. Head moderators, central counting moderators, absentee ballot counters and voting machine mechanics appointed pursuant to law shall also be deemed election officials. No election official shall perform services for any party or candidate on election day.

Sec. 9. Section 9-232e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

Any person requesting a challenged ballot and entitled thereto shall announce his name to the checkers who shall [cross his name off the registry list and add it with his address to the end of the official list where it shall be designated "Challenged Ballot" and serially numbered] write before such person's name "CB" for Challenged Ballot and not marked as voting in person on the voting machine. The challenged ballot shall be an absentee ballot. After the voter has so announced his name, the moderator shall deliver to such voter a challenged ballot together with an envelope marked "Challenged Ballot" and serially numbered. The challenged voter shall forthwith mark the ballot in the presence of the [moderator] polling place officials in such manner that the [moderator] polling place officials shall not know how the ballot is marked. He shall then fold the ballot in the presence of the [moderator] polling place officials so as to conceal the markings and deposit and seal it in the serially-numbered envelope. He shall then deliver such envelope to the moderator. The moderator shall retain all such envelopes in an envelope prescribed by the Secretary of the State and provided by the municipal clerk which he shall seal immediately following the close of the polls.

Sec. 10. Section 9-263 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

If any voting machine used in any voting district, during the time the polls are open, becomes damaged so as to render it inoperative in whole or in part, the moderator shall immediately give notice thereof to the registrars of voters under whose direction the machine was prepared under section 9-243 and such registrars, if possible, shall substitute a perfect machine for the damaged machine, and, at the close of the polls, the records of both machines shall be taken and the votes shown on their counters shall be added together in ascertaining and determining the result of the election. If no other machine is in use in the polling place such registrars shall immediately permit the use by the electors of emergency paper ballots provided by the municipal clerk to the moderator pursuant to section 9-259. Such ballots shall be received by the election officials and placed by them in a receptacle to be provided therefor and counted with the votes registered on the voting machine and the result declared in the same manner as if there had been no accident to the voting machine. The emergency paper ballot shall be an absentee ballot. Emergency paper ballots shall be cast in the following manner. The elector shall announce the elector's name to the official checkers who shall [cross the elector's name off the registry list and add it with the elector's address to the end of] mark the official checklist with "EPB" in front of the elector's name to [where it shall] be designated "Emergency Paper Ballot". [or "EPB" and serially numbered.] After the elector has so announced the elector's name, the moderator shall deliver to such elector an emergency paper ballot together with the serially numbered envelope. The elector shall forthwith mark the ballot in the presence of the [moderator] polling place officials in such manner that the [moderator] polling place officials shall not know how the ballot is marked. The elector shall then fold the ballot in the presence of the [moderator] polling place officials so as to conceal the markings and deposit and seal it in the serially numbered envelope. The elector shall then deliver the envelope to the moderator who shall place it in a specially designated depository envelope. The emergency paper ballots thus received shall be counted at the next scheduled absentee ballot count in the same manner as other absentee ballots, provided no such ballot may be counted unless all provisions of this section have been complied with. Such ballots so counted shall be preserved by replacing them into the special depository envelopes along with a certificate signed by the moderator and registrars of voters setting forth the circumstances under which such emergency paper ballots were cast. Use of emergency paper ballots shall be discontinued immediately upon replacement or repair of at least one machine, provided no repair shall be made on a voting machine on which any vote was cast, unless such repair would not affect the manner in which votes are recorded on such machine, as provided in subsection (b) of section 9-246.

Sec. 11. Section 9-264 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

(a) An elector who requires assistance to vote, by reason of blindness, disability or inability to write or to read the ballot, may be given assistance by a person of the elector's choice, other than (1) the elector's employer, (2) an agent of such employer, or (3) an officer or agent of the elector's union. The person assisting the elector may accompany the elector into the voting machine booth. Such person shall register such elector's vote upon the machine as such elector directs. Any person accompanying an elector into the voting machine booth who deceives any elector in registering his vote under this section or seeks to influence any elector while in the act of voting, or who registers any vote for any elector or on any question other than as requested by such elector, or who gives information to any person as to what person or persons such elector voted for, or how he voted on any question, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years or both.

(b) Paper ballots provided by the municipal clerk to the moderator pursuant to section 9-259 shall be made available for electors with disabilities in polling places in which a voting machine cannot be adjusted to allow all necessary parts to be reached from a chair. Such paper ballots shall be used at the option of the elector with disabilities. The elector shall announce the elector's name to the official checkers who shall [cross the elector's name off the registry list and add it with the elector's address to the end of the official checklist where it shall be] mark the official checklist with "PBD" in front of the elector's name to be designated "paper ballot for persons with disabilities". [or "PBD" and serially numbered.] After the elector has so announced the elector's name, the moderator shall deliver to the elector an absentee ballot and a serially-numbered envelope. The elector shall forthwith mark the ballot in the presence of the [moderator] polling place officials in such manner that the [moderator] polling place officials shall not know how the ballot is marked. The elector shall fold the ballot in the presence of the [moderator] polling place officials so as to conceal the markings and deposit and seal it in the serially-numbered envelope. The elector shall deliver the envelope to the moderator who shall place it in a specially-designated depository envelope. The paper ballots thus received shall be counted at the next scheduled absentee ballot count in the same manner as other absentee ballots. Such ballots so counted shall be preserved by placing them in the depository envelopes with the regular absentee ballots, and such serially-numbered envelopes shall be placed in the depository envelopes with the regular absentee ballot envelopes.

Sec. 12. Section 9-249 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) Before each election, the [municipal clerk,] registrars of voters, certified moderator and certified mechanic shall instruct the election officials. Any provision of the general statutes or of any special act to the contrary notwithstanding, election officials shall be appointed at least twenty days before the election except as provided in section 9-229. The [clerk,] registrars, certified moderator and certified mechanic shall instruct each election official who is to serve in a voting district in which a voting machine is to be used in the use of the machine and his duties in connection therewith, and for the purpose of giving such instruction, such instructors shall call such meeting or meetings of the election officials as are necessary. Such instructors shall, without delay, file a report in the office of the municipal clerk and with the Secretary of the State, (1) stating that they have instructed the election officials named in the report and the time and place where such instruction was given, and (2) containing a signed statement from each such election official acknowledging that the official has received such instruction.

(b) The election officials of such voting districts shall attend the elections training program developed under subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of section 9-192a, as amended, and any other meeting or meetings as are called for the purpose of receiving such instructions concerning their duties as are necessary for the proper conduct of the election.

(c) Each election official who qualifies for and serves in the election shall be paid not less than one dollar for the time spent in receiving such instruction, in the same manner and at the same time as the official is paid for the official's services on election day.

(d) No election official shall serve in any election unless the official has received such instruction and is fully qualified to perform the official's duties in connection with the election, but this shall not prevent the appointment of an election official to fill a vacancy in an emergency.

Sec. 13. Section 9-23n of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

(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) Voter registration agencies shall (1) distribute mail voter registration application forms, (2) assist applicants for such assistance or services in completing voter registration application forms, except for applicants who refuse such assistance, (3) 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 (4) 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 or by mail. 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. 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, as amended by this act, 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, as amended by this act, electoral privileges of persons convicted of a felony.

(c) In addition to the duties described in subsection (b) of this section, each such public assistance office and office in the state that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities shall train new employees of such office in any training instruction prescribed by the Secretary of the State for employees of voter registration agencies. Once every six months, such training shall be readministered for current employees of such office.

(d) Not later than January 1, 2007, each such public assistance office and office in the state that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities shall designate a voter registration coordinator who shall be responsible for compiling and transmitting such voter registration information to the Secretary of the State, as required by section 9-23o, as amended by this act.

Sec. 14. Section 9-23o of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2006):

(a) A voter registration agency, as defined in section 9-23n, as amended by this act, shall comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time, and shall distribute with each application for service or assistance provided by the agency, and with each recertification, renewal or change of address form relating to such service or assistance a mail voter registration application form approved by the Secretary of the State unless the applicant declines to register to vote pursuant to the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time. Such declination shall be in writing, except in the case of an application for service or assistance provided by a library, or a recertification, renewal or change of address form relating to such library service or assistance. Such voter registration agency shall provide each applicant to register to vote the same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the registration application form as is provided by the agency with regard to the completion of its own forms, unless the applicant refuses such assistance.

(b) In addition to the duties described in subsection (a) of this section, not later than October 1, 2007, each public assistance office and office in the state that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities shall develop a system to distribute a mail voter registration application form approved by the Secretary of the State to any person who, by means of mail, telephone or Internet communication, files a change of address with such office, unless the applicant declines to register to vote pursuant to the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, P.L. 103-31, as amended from time to time.

(c) Each such public assistance office and office in the state that provides state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities shall have its voter registration coordinator, as described in section 9-23n, as amended by this act, keep a record of the number of clients who: (1) Complete a voter registration application in such office, (2) take home such a voter registration application from such office, (3) decline to register to vote, (4) are already registered to vote, (5) interact by means of mail, telephone or Internet communication with such office, and (6) decline to register to vote because they are not citizens of the United States. Additionally, each such office shall keep a record of the total traffic flow of persons in such office. Any information required to be kept pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall be transmitted by such office to the Secretary of the State at such times and in such manner as prescribed by the Secretary of the State.

Sec. 15. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2006) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the Secretary of the State may develop a plan to institute a system for the simultaneous electronic registration for any public assistance program administered by the state and for voter registration.

Sec. 16. Subsection (c) of section 9-702 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date):

(c) A candidate participating in the Citizens' Election Program shall limit the expenditures of the candidate's candidate committee (A) before a primary campaign and a general election campaign, to the amount of qualifying contributions permitted in section 9-705 and any personal funds provided by the candidate under subsection (c) of section 9-710, (B) for a primary campaign, to the sum of (i) the amount of such qualifying contributions and personal funds that have not been spent before the primary campaign, (ii) the amount of the grant for the primary campaign authorized under section 9-705, and (iii) the amount of any additional moneys for the primary campaign authorized under section 9-713 or 9-714, and (C) for a general election campaign, to the sum of (i) the amount of such qualifying contributions and personal funds that have not been spent before the general election campaign, (ii) any unexpended funds from any grant for a primary campaign authorized under section 9-705 or from any additional moneys for a primary campaign authorized under section 9-713 or 9-714, (iii) the amount of the grant for the general election campaign authorized under section 9-705, and (iv) the amount of any additional moneys for the general election campaign authorized under section 9-713 or 9-714. The candidate committee of a minor or petitioning party candidate who has received a partial grant from the fund pursuant to section 9-705 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes, shall be permitted to receive contributions in addition to the qualifying contributions subject to the limitations and restrictions applicable to nonparticipating candidates for the same office, provided the participating candidate shall limit the expenditures of the candidate committee for a general election campaign to the sum of the qualifying contributions and personal funds, the amount of the partial grant received and the amount raised in additional contributions that is equivalent to the difference between the full grant and the partial grant received.

Sec. 17. Subsection (a) of section 9-703 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date):

(a) Each candidate for nomination or election to the office of state senator or state representative in 2008, or thereafter, or the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, Secretary of the State or State Treasurer in 2010, or thereafter, shall file an affidavit with the State Elections Enforcement Commission. The affidavit shall include a written certification that the candidate either intends to abide by the expenditure limits under the Citizens' Election Program set forth in subsection (c) of section 9-702, as amended by this act, or does not intend to abide by said limits. If the candidate intends to abide by said limits, the affidavit shall also include written certifications (1) that the campaign treasurer of the candidate committee for said candidate shall expend any moneys received from the Citizens' Election Fund in accordance with the provisions of subsection (g) of section 9-333i, as amended by this act, and regulations adopted by the State Elections Enforcement Commission under subsection (e) of section 9-706, (2) that the candidate shall repay to the fund any such moneys that are not expended in accordance with subsection (g) of said section 9-333i, as amended by this act, and said regulations, (3) that the candidate and the campaign treasurer shall comply with the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-711, and (4) stating the candidate's status as a major party, minor party or petitioning party candidate and, in the case of a major party or minor party candidate, the name of such party. The written certification described in subdivision (3) of this subsection shall be made by both the candidate and the campaign treasurer of the candidate committee for said candidate. A candidate for nomination or election to any such office shall file such affidavit not later than four o'clock p.m. on the twenty-fifth day before the day of a primary, if applicable, or on the fortieth day before the day of the election for such office, except that in the case of a special election for the office of state senator or state representative, the candidate shall file such affidavit not later than four o'clock p.m. on the twenty-fifth day before the day of such special election.

Sec. 18. Subsection (d) of section 9-706 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date):

(d) Not later than three business days following receipt of any such application, the commission shall review the application, determine whether (1) the candidate committee for the applicant has received the required qualifying contributions, (2) in the case of an application for a grant from the fund for a primary campaign, the applicant has met the applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for applying for such grant and complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, and at least either one other participating candidate for nomination in the primary, from the same party and for the same office as the applicant, has also received the required qualifying contributions or at least one nonparticipating candidate for nomination in the primary, from the same party and for the same office as the applicant, has received an amount of contributions equal to the amount of such qualifying contributions, (3) in the case of an application for a grant from the fund for a general election campaign, the applicant has met the applicable condition under subsection (a) of this section for applying for such moneys and complied with the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, and (4) in the case of an application by a minor party or petitioning party candidate for a grant from the fund for a general election campaign, the applicant qualifies as an eligible minor party candidate or an eligible petitioning party candidate, whichever is applicable. Upon receipt of any such application from a candidate for the primary, the commission shall require the treasurer of all opposing candidates in that primary to submit a statement sworn to under oath, on a form prescribed by the commission, not more than forty-eight hours later, that contains an itemized accounting of all funds received to date, in order to determine whether the applicant qualifies for a primary grant in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection. The commission shall require that the statement be submitted electronically. If the commission approves an application, the commission shall determine the amount of the grant payable to the candidate committee for the applicant pursuant to section 9-705 from the fund, and notify the State Comptroller and the candidate of such candidate committee, of such amount. Not later than two business days following notification by the commission, the State Comptroller shall draw an order on the State Treasurer for payment of such amount to the qualified candidate committee from the fund.

Sec. 19. Section 9-712 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date):

(a) (1) If a candidate committee in a primary campaign or a general election campaign in which there is at least one participating candidate initially makes, or incurs an obligation to make, an expenditure that is in excess of ninety per cent of the applicable grant for said participating candidate or candidates for said campaign authorized under section 9-705, the campaign treasurer of the candidate committee making the excess expenditure shall file a supplemental campaign finance statement with the State Elections Enforcement Commission, not later than forty-eight hours after making or incurring said expenditure.

(2) After the initial filing of a statement under subdivision (1) of this subsection, the campaign treasurer of the candidate filing the statement and [all] the campaign treasurer of all of the opposing candidates shall file supplemental campaign finance statements with the commission on the following schedule: (A) In the case of a primary campaign, on the first Thursday following the date in July on which candidates are required to file campaign finance statements pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-333j, as amended, or the first Thursday following the supplemental campaign finance statement filed under subdivision (1) of this subsection, whichever is later, and each Thursday thereafter until the Thursday before the day of the primary, inclusive, and (B) in the case of a general election campaign, on the first Thursday following the date in October on which candidates are required to file campaign finance statements pursuant to subsection (a) of section 9-333j, as amended, or the first Thursday following the supplemental campaign finance statement filed under subdivision (1) of this subsection, whichever is later, and each Thursday thereafter until the Thursday before the day of the election, inclusive.

(3) Each supplemental statement required under subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection for a candidate shall disclose the name of the candidate, the name of the candidate's campaign committee and the total amount of campaign expenditures made or obligated to be made by such candidate committee during the primary campaign or the general election campaign, whichever is applicable, as of the day before the date on which such statement is required to be filed. The commission shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, specifying permissible media for the transmission of such statements to the commission, which shall include electronic mail.

(b) (1) As used in this subsection, "excess expenditure" means [(A)] an expenditure made, or obligated to be made, by a nonparticipating or a participating candidate who is opposed by one or more other participating candidates in a primary campaign or a general election campaign, which is in excess of the amount of the [applicable grant] limit on expenditures for said participating candidates for said campaign authorized under section [9-705] 9-702, as amended by this act. [, or (B) an expenditure made, or obligated to be made by a participating candidate who is opposed by one or more other participating candidates in a primary campaign or a general election campaign, which is in excess of the sum of (i) the amount of the applicable qualifying contributions that a candidate is required to receive under section 9-704 to be eligible for grants from the Citizens' Election Fund, and (ii) the amount of the applicable grant for said participating candidates for said campaign authorized under section 9-705.]

(2) If a candidate committee makes, or incurs the obligation to make, an excess expenditure more than twenty days before the day of a primary or an election, the campaign treasurer of said candidate shall file a declaration of excess expenditures with the commission not later than forty-eight hours after making or incurring said expenditure. If said candidate committee makes, or incurs the obligation to make, an excess expenditure twenty days or less before the day of a primary or an election, the campaign treasurer of said candidate shall file such declaration with the commission not later than twenty-four hours after making or incurring the expenditure.

(3) The commission shall confirm whether an expenditure described in a declaration filed under this subsection is an excess expenditure.

(c) If a campaign treasurer fails to file any statement or declaration required by this section within the time required, said campaign treasurer shall be subject to a civil penalty, imposed by the commission, of not more than one thousand dollars for the first failure to file the statement within the time required and not more than five thousand dollars for any subsequent such failure.

Sec. 20. Section 9-333l of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date):

(a) Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, a candidate committee may join with one or more candidate committees to establish a political committee for the purpose of sponsoring one or more fund-raising events for those candidates. Any individual, other than a candidate benefited, who is eligible and qualifies to serve in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of section 9-333h may serve as the campaign treasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of such a political committee. The statements required to be filed by a political committee under this chapter shall apply to any political committee established pursuant to this subsection. After all expenses of the political committee have been paid by its campaign treasurer for each event, he shall distribute all remaining funds from such event to the campaign treasurers of each of the candidate committees which established the political committee. The distribution to each candidate committee shall be made not later than fourteen days after the event, either in accordance with a prior agreement of the candidates or, if no prior agreement was made, in equal proportions to each candidate committee. Any contribution which is made to such political committee shall, for purposes of determining compliance with the limitations imposed by this chapter, be deemed to have been made in equal proportions to each candidate's campaign unless (1) a prior agreement was made by the candidates as to the disposition of remaining funds, and (2) those who contributed to the political committee were notified of such disposition, in which case the contribution shall be deemed to have been made to each candidate's campaign in accordance with the agreement.

(b) A candidate committee may pay its pro rata share of the expenses of operating a campaign headquarters and of preparing, printing and disseminating any political communication on behalf of that candidate and any other candidate or candidates. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 9-333r, a candidate committee may reimburse a party committee for any expenditure such party committee has incurred for the benefit of such candidate committee.

(c) A candidate may make any expenditure permitted by section 9-333i, as amended by this act, to aid or promote the success of his campaign for nomination or election from his personal funds, or the funds of his immediate family, which for the purposes of this chapter shall consist of the candidate's spouse and issue. Any such expenditure shall not be deemed a contribution to any committee.

(d) (1) No incumbent holding office shall, during the three months preceding an election in which he is a candidate for reelection or election to another office, use public funds to mail or print flyers or other promotional materials intended to bring about his election or reelection.

(2) No official or employee of the state or a political subdivision of the state shall authorize the use of public funds for a television, radio, movie theater, billboard, bus poster, newspaper or magazine promotional campaign or advertisement, which (A) features the name, face or voice of a candidate for public office, or (B) promotes the nomination or election of a candidate for public office, during the twelve-month period preceding the election being held for the office which the candidate described in this subdivision is seeking.

(3) As used in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection, "public funds" does not include any grant or moneys paid to a qualified candidate committee from the Citizens' Election Fund under sections 9-700 to 9-716, inclusive.

(e) For purposes of this subsection and subsection (f) of this section, the exclusions to the term "contribution" in subsection (b) of section 9-333b, as amended, shall not apply; the term "state office" means the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State; and the term "state officer" means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer or Secretary of the State. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, during any regular session of the General Assembly, during any special session of the General Assembly held between the adjournment of the regular session in an odd-numbered year and the convening of the regular session in the following even-numbered year or during any reconvened session of the General Assembly held in an odd-numbered year to reconsider vetoed bills, (1) no lobbyist or political committee established by or on behalf of a lobbyist shall make or offer to make a contribution to or on behalf of, and no lobbyist shall solicit a contribution on behalf of, (A) a candidate or exploratory committee established by a candidate for nomination or election to the General Assembly or a state office or (B) a political committee (i) established for an assembly or senatorial district, (ii) established by a member of the General Assembly or a state officer or such member or officer's agent, or in consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any such member, officer or agent, or (iii) controlled by such member, officer or agent, to aid or promote the nomination or election of any candidate or candidates to the General Assembly or a state office, and (2) no such candidate or political committee shall accept such a contribution. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a candidate committee established by a member of the General Assembly or a candidate for nomination or election to the General Assembly, at a special election for the General Assembly, from the date on which the candidate or the chairman of the committee files the designation of a campaign treasurer and a depository institution under section 9-333d with the Secretary of the State, to the date on which the special election is held, inclusive, or to an exploratory committee established by a member of the General Assembly to promote his candidacy for an office other than the General Assembly.

(f) A political committee established by two or more individuals under subparagraph (B) of subsection (3) of section 9-333a, as amended, other than a committee established solely for the purpose of aiding or promoting any candidate or candidates for municipal office or the success or defeat of a referendum question, shall be subject to the prohibition on acceptance of lobbyist contributions under subsection (e) of this section unless the campaign treasurer of the committee has filed a certification that the committee is not established for an assembly or senatorial district, or by a member of the General Assembly or a state officer, or such member or officer's agent, or in consultation with, or at the request or suggestion of, any such member, officer or agent, or controlled by such member, officer or agent. The campaign treasurer of any political committee established by or on behalf of a lobbyist shall file a certification to that effect. Such certifications shall be filed with the office of the Secretary of the State, on forms prescribed by the secretary, on or before November 15, 1994, for all such political committees in existence on such date, or upon the registration of the committee, and on or before November fifteenth biennially thereafter. The secretary shall provide to the State Elections Enforcement Commission on or before December 1, 1994, and biennially thereafter, a political committee registration report. The report shall include a certified copy of each certification filed pursuant to this subsection prior to December first of the reporting year and a certified copy of a list stating the name of each political committee registered pursuant to section 9-333g, as amended, prior to December first of the reporting year and the name and address of the campaign treasurer of each such committee. In the case of any political committee which registers or files a certification on or after December first of any even-numbered year but prior to November first of the following even-numbered year, the secretary shall provide the commission with a copy of each such registration or certification by the close of the next business day following receipt. Such registration information or certification shall also be included in the biennial political committee registration report of the secretary to the commission. The commission shall prepare a list of all such committees subject to the prohibitions under subsection (e) of this section, according to the certifications filed, which shall be available prior to the opening of each regular session of the General Assembly, and shall provide a copy of the list to the president pro tempore of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the House of Representatives and each state officer. During each such regular session, the commission shall prepare a supplemental list of committees which register after November fifteenth and are subject to such prohibitions, and the commission shall provide the supplemental list to such legislative leaders and state officers. The filing of the certification by the campaign treasurer of the committee shall not impair the authority of the commission to act under section 9-7b, as amended. Any lobbyist or campaign treasurer who acts in reliance on such lists in good faith shall have an absolute defense in any action brought under subsection (e) and this subsection, subsection (c) of section 9-333f, as amended, and subsection (f) of section 9-333j, as amended.

(g) Each lobbyist who is an individual and, in conjunction with members of his immediate family, makes contributions to or purchases from committees exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate during the twelve-month period beginning July 1, 1993, or July first in any year thereafter, shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, with the State Elections Enforcement Commission in accordance with the provisions of section 9-333e, as amended, on the second Thursday in July following the end of such twelve-month period. The statement shall include: (1) The name of each committee to which the lobbyist or a member of his immediate family has made a contribution and the amount and date of each such contribution; and (2) the name of each committee from which the lobbyist or member of his immediate family has purchased any item of property or advertising space in a program in connection with a fund-raising event which is not considered a contribution under subsection (b) of section 9-333b, as amended, and the amount, date and description of each such purchase. Each lobbyist who is an individual and who, in conjunction with members of his immediate family, does not make contributions to or purchases from committees exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate during any such twelve-month period shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, with the State Elections Enforcement Commission in accordance with the provisions of section 9-333e, as amended, on the second Thursday in July, so indicating.

(h) No communicator lobbyist, member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist, or political committee established or controlled by a communicator lobbyist or a member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of (1) an exploratory committee or a candidate committee established by a candidate for nomination or election to the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state representative, (2) a political committee established or controlled by any such candidate, (3) a legislative caucus committee or a legislative leadership committee, or (4) a party committee.

(i) [(1)] No communicator lobbyist, immediate family member of a communicator lobbyist, agent of a communicator lobbyist, or political committee established or controlled by a communicator lobbyist or any such immediate family member or agent shall solicit [(A)] a contribution on behalf of a candidate committee or an exploratory committee established by a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state representative, a political committee established or controlled by any such candidate, a legislative caucus committee, a legislative leadership committee or a party committee. [, or (B) the purchase of advertising space in a program for a fund-raising affair sponsored by a town committee pursuant to subparagraph (B) of subdivision (10) of section 9-333b.]

[(2)] (j) The provisions of [subdivision (1) of this subsection] subsections (h) and (i) of this subsection shall not apply to the campaign of a communicator lobbyist, immediate family member of a communicator lobbyist or agent of a communicator lobbyist who is a candidate for public office or to an immediate family member of a communicator lobbyist who is an elected public official.

[(3)] (k) Any person who violates any provision of [this subsection] subsections (h) and (i) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty, imposed by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, of not more than five thousand dollars or twice the amount of any contribution donated or solicited in violation of [this subsection] subsection (h) or (i) of this subsection, whichever is greater.

Sec. 21. Section 9-333l of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes, as amended by section 20 of this act, is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2007):

[(g) Each lobbyist who is an individual and, in conjunction with members of his immediate family, makes contributions to or purchases from committees exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate during the twelve-month period beginning July 1, 1993, or July first in any year thereafter, shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, with the State Elections Enforcement Commission in accordance with the provisions of section 9-333e, on the second Thursday in July following the end of such twelve-month period. The statement shall include: (1) The name of each committee to which the lobbyist or a member of his immediate family has made a contribution and the amount and date of each such contribution; and (2) the name of each committee from which the lobbyist or member of his immediate family has purchased any item of property or advertising space in a program in connection with a fund-raising event which is not considered a contribution under subsection (b) of section 9-333b and the amount, date and description of each such purchase. Each lobbyist who is an individual and who, in conjunction with members of his immediate family, does not make contributions to or purchases from committees exceeding one thousand dollars in the aggregate during any such twelve-month period shall file a statement, sworn under penalty of false statement, with the State Elections Enforcement Commission in accordance with the provisions of section 9-333e, on the second Thursday in July, so indicating.]

[(h)] (g) No communicator lobbyist, member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist, or political committee established or controlled by a communicator lobbyist or a member of the immediate family of a communicator lobbyist shall make a contribution or contributions to, or for the benefit of (A) an exploratory committee or a candidate committee established by a candidate for nomination or election to the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state representative, (B) a political committee established or controlled by any such candidate, (3) a legislative caucus committee or a legislative leadership committee, or (4) a party committee.

[(i)] (h) No communicator lobbyist, immediate family member of a communicator lobbyist, agent of a communicator lobbyist, or political committee established or controlled by a communicator lobbyist or any such immediate family member or agent shall solicit a contribution on behalf of a candidate committee or an exploratory committee established by a candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, state senator or state representative, a political committee established or controlled by any such candidate, a legislative caucus committee, a legislative leadership committee or a party committee.

[(j)] (i) The provisions of subsections [(h)] (g) and [(i)] (h) of this subsection shall not apply to the campaign of a communicator lobbyist, immediate family member of a communicator lobbyist or agent of a communicator lobbyist who is a candidate for public office or to an immediate family member of a communicator lobbyist who is an elected public official.

[(k)] (j) Any person who violates any provision of subsections [(h)] (g) and [(i)] (h) of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty, imposed by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, of not more than five thousand dollars or twice the amount of any contribution donated or solicited in violation of subsection [(h)] (g) or [(i)] (h) of this section, whichever is greater.

Sec. 22. Subsection (i) of section 9-333n of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date):

(i) The State Elections Enforcement Commission shall study subcontracts for state contracts and, not later than February 1, [2007] 2009, submit proposed legislation for extending the provisions of this subsection to such subcontracts to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections.

Sec. 23. Section 49 of public act 05-5 of the October 25 special session is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

The State Elections Enforcement Commission shall study and prepare a plan that addresses (1) public financing for candidates for nomination or election to offices of municipalities, and (2) campaign financing restrictions, including, but not limited to, restrictions on the sale of advertising space in fund-raising affair programs by candidate committees for such candidates and restrictions on contributions to such candidates from communicator lobbyists, immediate family members of communicator lobbyists, political committees established by communicator lobbyists, and principals of contractors or prospective contractors. Not later than January 1, [2007] 2009, the commission shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations, including any necessary legislation, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections.

Sec. 24. Section 9-211 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

In case of a vacancy in the office of senator in Congress, the Governor is empowered to fill such vacancy by appointment as herein provided. If such vacancy occurs [sixty] one hundred fifty or more days prior to a state election, the appointee shall serve until the third day of January following such election, and at such election there shall be elected a senator in Congress to serve for the remaining portion, if any, of the term vacated. If such vacancy occurs within less than [sixty] one hundred fifty days of a state election and the term vacated does not expire on the third day of January following such election, the appointee shall serve until the third day of January following the next such election but one, and at such next election but one there shall be elected a senator in Congress to serve for the remaining portion, if any, of the term vacated. If such vacancy occurs within less than [sixty] one hundred fifty days of a state election and the term vacated expires on the third day of January following, the appointee shall serve until such third day of January.

Sec. 25. Subdivision (3) of section 9-450 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(3) In the case of a vacancy in the office of senator in Congress occurring [seventy] one hundred fifty or more days prior to a state election, the party-endorsed candidate of each party for such office shall be designated at the state convention of such party held for the endorsement of candidates for the state offices to be filled at such election; contesting candidacies for nomination to such office shall be filed not later than four o'clock p.m. on the [fourteenth] twenty-first day following the close of such convention; and the primary of such party for nomination to such office shall be held simultaneously with the primaries of such party for nomination to the state and district offices to be filled at such election. If, at the time such vacancy in the office of senator in Congress occurs, such state convention has already been closed, it shall be reconvened by call of the chairman of the state central committee of such party, which call shall be mailed to each delegate selected for such convention not less than seventy-two hours prior to such reconvening; such reconvened convention shall be closed not later than the tenth day following the occurrence of such vacancy. The party-endorsed candidate of such party for such office shall be designated at such reconvened convention. Contesting candidates for nomination to such office shall be filed not later than four o'clock p.m. on the [fifth] twenty-first day following the close of such reconvened convention. If the primaries of such party for nomination to the state and district offices to be filled at the state election are held not earlier than the [twenty-eighth] forty-ninth day following the close of such reconvened convention, the primary of such party for nomination to the office of senator in Congress to fill such vacancy shall be held simultaneously with the primaries of such party for nomination to such state and district offices; otherwise, the Secretary of the State shall fix the day for the primary of such party for such nomination to the office of senator in Congress, which day shall be not earlier than the [twenty-eighth] forty-ninth day following the close of such reconvened convention and not later than the twenty-first day preceding the day of the state election.

Sec. 26. Section 9-333w of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is amended by adding subsection (h) as follows (Effective October 1, 2006):

(NEW) (h) (1) No person, including, but not limited to, any candidate or candidate committee, shall make or incur any expenditure for a push poll with the cooperation of, at the request or suggestion of, or in consultation with any candidate, candidate committee or candidate's agent unless such person reports the name of the candidate, candidate committee or political committee on whose behalf such expenditure was made, the maker of such expenditure, and the name of the person conducting such push poll to the State Elections Enforcement Commission in a form and manner prescribed by the commission;

(2) In the case of any person who conducts a push poll supporting or opposing a candidate, such person shall state, during any such phone call, the name of such caller, the words "paid for by" in conjunction with the name of the sponsoring group and the name of the company conducting the poll if different from that of the sponsor;

(3) The provisions of this subsection shall not be deemed to have been violated whenever the recipient of such call voluntarily terminates such call prior to the disclosure of such required information, except when the recipient of such call is in any way encouraged to terminate such call by the caller;

(4) For the purposes of this subsection, "push poll" means a paid telephone survey, or series of similar telephone surveys, that reference a candidate or group of candidates other than in a basic preference question, and in which:

(A) A list or directory is used, exclusively or in part, to select respondents belonging to a particular subset or combination of subsets of the population, based on demographic or political characteristics such as race, sex, age, ethnicity, party affiliation or similar types of characteristics;

(B) The survey fails to make demographic inquiries on factors such as age, household income or status as a likely voter sufficient to allow for the tabulation of results based on a relevant subset of the population consistent with standard polling industry practices;

(D) The survey prefaces a question regarding support for a candidate on the basis of an untrue statement; and

(E) The survey is primarily for the purpose of suppressing or changing the voting position of the call recipient.

The term "push poll" does not include any survey supporting a particular candidate that fails to reference another candidate or candidates other than in a basic preference question.

Sec. 27. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 9-46a of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) A person who has been convicted of a felony and committed to confinement in a federal or other state correctional institution or facility or community residence shall have such person's electoral privileges restored upon [submission of written or other satisfactory proof to the admitting official before whom such person presents his or her qualifications to be admitted as an elector, that] the payment of all fines in conjunction with the conviction [have been paid] and [that] once such person has been discharged from confinement, and, if applicable, parole.

(b) Upon the release from confinement in a correctional institution or facility or a community residence of a person who has been convicted of a felony and committed to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction and, if applicable, the discharge of such person from parole, (1) the person shall have the right to become an elector, (2) the Commissioner of Correction shall give the person a document certifying that the person has been released from such confinement and, if applicable, has been discharged from parole, (3) if the person was an elector at the time of such felony conviction and, after such release and any such discharge, is residing in the same municipality in which the person resided at the time of such felony conviction, the person's electoral privileges shall be restored, [upon submitting to an admitting official such document or other satisfactory proof that the person has been released from such confinement and, if applicable, discharged from parole,] and (4) if the person was an elector at the time of such felony conviction and, after such release and any such discharge, is residing in a different municipality or if the person was not an elector at the time of such felony conviction, the person's electoral privileges shall be restored or granted upon submitting to an admitting official [(A)] satisfactory proof of the person's qualifications to be admitted as an elector. [, and (B) such document or other satisfactory proof that the person has been released from confinement and, if applicable, discharged from parole.] The provisions of subdivisions (1) to (4), inclusive, of this subsection shall not apply to any person convicted of a felony for a violation of any provision of this title until such person has been discharged from any parole or probation for such felony. [No admitting official shall require that a person under this subsection submit a document from the Commissioner of Correction, as described in subdivision (2) of this subsection, in order to prove that the person has been discharged from confinement and, if applicable, discharged from parole.]

Sec. 28. Section 9-23g of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2007):

(a) In addition to the procedures for admission of electors under sections 9-19b, 9-19c, 9-19e, 9-20, as amended, and 9-31, any person may apply to a registrar of voters of the town of his residence for admission as an elector in accordance with the provisions of this section and section 9-23h, as amended by this act.

(b) The Secretary of the State shall prescribe, and provide to registrars of voters, town clerks and voter registration agencies, as defined in section 9-23n, as amended by this act, application forms and other materials necessary to complete such application and admission process. The Secretary of the State, registrars of voters and town clerks shall provide a reasonable number of such forms and materials to any elector who requests such forms and materials. The secretary shall also, in the course of the secretary's elections duties, prepare instructions and related materials describing procedures for such application and admission process and shall provide the materials to registrars of voters and town clerks. The application shall contain the information required under section 9-23h, as amended by this act. All statements of the applicant shall be made under the penalties of perjury. The application for admission as an elector shall include a statement that (1) specifies each eligibility requirement, (2) contains an attestation that the application meets each such requirement, and (3) requires the signature of the applicant under penalty of perjury. Nothing in this section or section 9-23h, as amended by this act, shall require that the application be executed in the state. An applicant who is unable to write may cause the applicant's name to be signed on the application form by an authorized agent who shall, in the space provided for the signature, write the name of the applicant followed by the word "by" and the agent's own signature. The completed application may be mailed or returned in person to the office of the registrars of voters or the office of the town clerk of the applicant's town of residence or a voter registration agency. If the applicant entrusts the applicant's application to another person or to such a voter registration agency for mailing or return to the registrars of voters, such person or agency shall immediately mail or return the application. Any such voter registration agency shall also provide the applicant with an application receipt, on which the agency shall record (A) the date that the agency received the application, using an official date stamp bearing the name of the agency, and (B) the party affiliation, if any, of the applicant. The agency shall provide such receipt whether the application was submitted in person or by mail. The town clerk shall promptly forward any application which the town clerk receives to the registrars of voters. Such application form shall be provided by or authorized by the Secretary of the State.

(c) Forthwith upon receipt of a registration application in the office of the registrars of voters, the registrar shall mark such date on the application and review the application to determine whether the applicant has properly completed it and is legally qualified to register. Forthwith upon completing his review, the registrar shall (1) indicate on the application whether the application has been accepted or rejected, (2) mail a notice to the applicant, (3) indicate on the application the date on which such notice is mailed, and (4) provide a copy of such notice to the other registrar. If the registrar determines that the applicant has not properly completed the application or is not legally qualified to register, the notice shall indicate that the application has been rejected and shall state the reason for rejection. If the registrar determines that the applicant has properly completed the application and is legally qualified to register, the notice shall indicate that the application has been accepted. A notice of acceptance or a notice of rejection shall be sent (A) within four days of receipt of an application during the period beginning on the forty-ninth day before an election and ending on the twenty-first day before such election, (B) on the day of receipt of an application if it is received (i) during the period beginning on the twentieth day before such election and ending on the fourteenth day before such election, (ii) during the period beginning on the thirteenth day before an election and ending on election day if the application has been received by the fourteenth day before an election by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, (iii) during the period beginning on the twenty-first day before a primary and ending on the fifth day before a primary, or (iv) during the period beginning on the fourth day before a primary and ending at twelve o'clock noon on the last weekday before a primary, if the application has been postmarked by the fifth day before the primary and is received in the office of the registrars of voters during such period or if the application is received by the fifth day before a primary by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, and (C) within ten days of receipt of an application at any other time. A notice of acceptance shall be sent by first-class mail with instructions on the envelope that it be returned if not deliverable at the address shown on the envelope. A notice of acceptance shall indicate the effective date of the applicant's registration and enrollment, the date of the next regularly scheduled election or primary in which the applicant shall be eligible to vote and the applicant's precinct and polling place. If a notice of acceptance of an application is returned undelivered, the registrars shall forthwith take the necessary action in accordance with section 9-35 or 9-43, notwithstanding the May first deadline in section 9-35. An applicant for admission as an elector pursuant to this section and section 9-23h, as amended by this act, may only be admitted as an elector by a registrar of voters of the town of his residence. Not later than December thirty-first, annually, the Secretary of the State shall establish an official calendar of all deadlines set forth in this subsection for regularly scheduled elections and primaries to be held in the following calendar year.

(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the privileges of an elector for any applicant for admission under this section and section 9-23h, as amended by this act, shall attach immediately upon approval by the registrar, and the registrars shall enter the name of the elector on the registry list.

(2) Except as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, if a mailed application is postmarked, or if a delivered application is received in the office of the registrars of voters, after the fourteenth day before an election or after the fifth day before a primary, the privileges of an elector shall not attach until the day after such election or primary, as the case may be.

(3) If an application is received after the fourteenth day before an election or after the fifth day before a primary by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles or by a voter registration agency, the privileges of an elector shall not attach until the day after the election or primary, as the case may be, or on the day the registrar approves it, whichever is later.

(4) If on the day of an election or primary, the name of an applicant does not appear on the official check list, such applicant may present to the moderator at the polls either a notice of acceptance received through the mail or an application receipt that was previously provided to the applicant pursuant to section 9-19e, subsection (b) of section 9-19h, subsection (b) of this section or section 9-23n, as amended by this act. If an applicant presents said notice or receipt, and either the registrars of voters find the original application or the applicant submits a new application at the polls, the registrar, or assistant registrar upon notice to and approval by the registrar, shall add such person's name and address to the official check list on such day and the person shall be allowed to vote if otherwise eligible to vote and the person presents to the checkers at the polling place a preprinted form of identification pursuant to subparagraph (A) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-261.

(e) A registration application filed under this section shall be rejected if the application (1) has not been signed or dated by the applicant or the authorized agent of the applicant pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, (2) does not indicate the applicant's date of birth or bona fide residence, (3) does not indicate United States citizenship, provided the registrars of voters have contacted such applicant to provide an opportunity to answer such question, or (4) is determined by the Secretary of the State to be substantially defective. No registration application filed under this section shall be rejected if the application fails to provide the applicant's Social Security number or the zip code of the applicant's bona fide residence.

(f) Upon admission of an applicant under subsection (d) of this section, who indicated on his registration application that he changed residence since voting last in Connecticut, the registrar shall notify the registrar who accepted the voter's last registration, and the registrar in the voter's place of last residence, if different. Notification shall be made upon a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State. A registrar receiving such a notification shall delete the elector's name from the registry list.

(g) (1) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, any person otherwise eligible for admission as an elector, pursuant to section 9-12, may apply for admission as an elector by means of the Internet in accordance with the procedures of this subsection and any regulation adopted, pursuant to subsection (i) of this section, by the Secretary of the State for such electronic registration.

(2) Any person applying for admission as an elector pursuant to this subsection shall submit with such electronic application such applicant's Connecticut motor vehicle operator license number or such other identifying number as may be required by the Secretary of the State. In the event such applicant does not submit such number, or if such applicant submits such number and the Secretary of the State is unable to match the information submitted with an existing Connecticut identification record bearing such number, name and date of birth, such application shall be invalid and any such person shall not be admitted as an elector until either: (A) An electronic application is submitted in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, or (B) an application for admission as an elector is submitted by mail or in person in accordance with the provisions of chapter 143.

(3) Any person applying for admission as an elector pursuant to this subsection shall also attest that the address appearing on such person's motor vehicle operator license is such person's current primary residence. In the event such person cannot or does not so attest, such application shall be invalid and such person shall not be admitted as an elector until such person submits an application for admission as an elector by mail or in person, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 143.

(4) Except as provided in subdivision (6) of this subsection, the privileges of an elector for any applicant for admission under this subsection shall attach immediately upon approval of such application, as prescribed by the Secretary of the State, and upon approval said secretary shall enter the name of such elector on the state-wide centralized voter registration system described in section 9-50b.

(5) Any application submitted pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 151.

(6) The registration deadlines prescribed in this section shall remain applicable to any application for admission as an elector submitted pursuant to this subsection.

[(g)] (h) All provisions of the general statutes relating to electors, which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, shall apply to electors admitted under the provisions of this section.

[(h)] (i) The Secretary of the State may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the purposes of this section and section 9-23h, as amended by this act.

Sec. 29. Section 9-23h of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2007):

The application provided for in section 9-23g, as amended by this act, shall provide spaces for the following information for each applicant: (1) Name, (2) bona fide residence, including street number, street address, apartment number if applicable, town and zip code, (3) telephone number, (4) date of birth, (5) whether the applicant is registered as an elector in any other town in the state of Connecticut or in any other state, and if so, the applicant's last previous voting residence, (6) whether the applicant is a United States citizen, (7) whether the applicant will be eighteen years of age on or before election day, (8) party affiliation, if any, (9) the applicant's signature and date of signature, except if such application is submitted pursuant to subsection (g) of section 9-23g, as amended by this act, an electronic signature, as defined by section 1-267, shall be considered valid, and (10) the applicant's Connecticut motor vehicle operator's license number or, if none, the last four digits of the applicant's Social Security number. The spaces for the applicant's telephone number and party affiliation shall indicate that such information does not have to be provided. On any such application printed on or after January 1, 2006, the space for the applicant's party affiliation shall also include a list of the names of the major parties, as defined in section 9-372, as options for the applicant. The spaces regarding United States citizenship and whether the applicant will be eighteen years of age on or before election day shall indicate that if the applicant answers "No" to either question, the applicant may not complete the voter registration form. No Social Security number on any such form filed prior to January 1, 2000, may be disclosed to the public or to any governmental agency. The application shall contain a notice that if the applicant does not receive a notice of acceptance or rejection of the application from the office of the registrars of voters for the municipality in which the applicant resides, the applicant should contact said office. The application shall also contain any other information, questions or instructions prescribed by the Secretary of the State.

Sec. 30. Section 9-212 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) In case of a vacancy in the office of representative in Congress from any district, the Governor, except as otherwise provided by law, shall not more than ten days after the occurrence of such vacancy issue writs of election directed to the town clerks or assistant town clerks, in such district, ordering an election to be held on the sixtieth day after the issue of such writs on a day, [named,] other than a Saturday or Sunday, to fill such vacancy, [and] provided (1) if such a vacancy occurs between the one hundred twenty-fifth day and the sixty-third day before the day of a regular state or municipal election in November of any year, the Governor shall so issue such writs on the sixtieth day before the day of such regular election, ordering an election to be held on the day of such regular election, (2) if such a vacancy occurs after the sixty-third day before the day of a regular state election but before the regular state election, the Governor shall not issue such writs and no election shall be held under this section, unless the position vacated is that of member-elect, in which case the Governor shall issue such writs and an election shall be held as provided in this section, and (3) if a primary for such office occurs pursuant to subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of section 9-450, as amended by this act, the Governor shall, within ten days following the filing of a candidacy for nomination by a person other than the party-endorsed candidate, issue new writs of election, in place of those first issued pursuant to this section.

(b) The Governor shall cause [them] writs of election issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to be conveyed to a state marshal, who shall forthwith transmit an attested copy thereof to such clerks or assistant clerks. Such clerks or assistant clerks, on receiving such writs, shall warn elections to be held on the day appointed therein in the same manner as state elections are warned, which elections shall be organized and conducted as are state elections, and the vote shall be declared, certified, directed, deposited, returned and transmitted in the same manner as at a state election.

Sec. 31. Subdivision (1) of section 9-450 of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

[(1) (A) In the case of nominations for representatives in Congress and judges of probate in probate districts composed of two or more towns, provided for in sections 9-212 and 9-218, if the writs of election are issued by the Governor on or before the twenty-first day of May in an even-numbered year and the election is to be held on the day of the state election in such year, the state central committee or other authority of each party shall, not later than the twenty-fourth day of May in such year, publish notice of the date for the selection of delegates to the state or district convention to designate the party-endorsed candidate for the office to be filled. Such selection shall be made not earlier than the fifty-sixth day after publication of such notice and not later than the fifth day before the convention. If such writs of election are issued after the twenty-first day of May in such year, or if the election is to be held on any day other than the day of the state election, the day scheduled for the election shall be not earlier than the ninety-first day following the day on which such writs of election are issued. The state central committee or other authority of each party shall, not later than the eighty-fourth day preceding the day of the election, publish notice of the day for the selection of delegates to the state or district convention to designate the party-endorsed candidate for the office to be filled, which day shall be not earlier than the twenty-eighth day following such publication and not later than the fifty-sixth day preceding the day of the election. The selected delegates to such convention shall be certified to the town clerks not later than the twenty-first day preceding the day of such primary. The state or district convention shall be convened not earlier than the fifth day following such primary and closed not later than the forty-ninth day preceding the day of the election. Contesting candidacies for nomination to the office to be filled shall be filed not later than four o'clock p.m. on the fifth day following the close of such convention. The Secretary of the State shall fix the day for the primary of each party for the nomination to the office to be filled, which day shall be not earlier than the twenty-first day following the close of such convention and not later than the twenty-first day preceding the day of the election.]

(1) (A) In the case of nominations for representatives in Congress and judges of probate in probate districts composed of two or more towns, provided for in sections 9-212, as amended by this act, and 9-218, the delegates to the convention for the last state election shall be the delegates for the purpose of selecting a candidate to fill such vacancy. If a vacancy occurs in the delegation from any town, political subdivision or district, such vacancy may be filled by the town committee of the town in which the delegate resided. Endorsements by political party conventions pursuant to this subsection may be made and certified at any time after the resignation or death creating such vacancy and not later than the fiftieth day before the day of the election. No such endorsement shall be effective until the presiding officer and secretary of any district convention have certified the endorsement to the Secretary of the State.

(B) If such a vacancy occurs between the one hundred twenty-fifth day and the sixty-third day before the day of a regular state or municipal election in November of any year, no primary shall be held for the nomination of any political party and the party-endorsed candidate so selected shall be deemed, for the purposes of chapter 153, the person certified by the Secretary of the State pursuant to section 9-444 as the nominee of such party.

(C) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, if a candidacy for nomination is filed by or on behalf of any person other than a party-endorsed candidate within the time specified in subsection (b) of section 9-400, as amended by this act, and in conformity with the provisions of section 9-400, as amended by this act, a primary shall be held in each municipality of the district and each part of a municipality which is a component part of the district, to determine the nominee of such party for such office, except as provided in section 9-416a. Such primary shall be held on the day that the writs of election issued by the Governor, pursuant to section 9-212, as amended by this act, ordered the election to be held, and new writs of election shall be issued by the Governor in accordance with section 9-212, as amended by this act.

(D) Unless the provisions of subparagraph (B) of this subdivision apply, petition forms for candidacies for nomination by a political party pursuant to this subdivision shall be available from the Secretary of the State beginning on the day following the issuance of writs of election by the Governor pursuant to section 9-212, as amended by this act, except when a primary has already been held, and the provisions of section 9-404a, as amended by this act, shall otherwise apply to such petitions.

(E) The registry lists used pursuant to this subsection shall be the last-completed lists, as provided in sections 9-172a and 9-172b.

Sec. 32. Subsection (a) of section 9-183a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(a) The number of justices of the peace for each town shall be equal to one-third the number of jurors to which such town is by law entitled, except in the town of Waterbury the number shall be sixty-nine, in the town of Trumbull the number shall be [fifteen] thirty, in the town of Meriden the number shall be thirty-six, and in the town of Litchfield the number shall be fifteen; provided any town, by ordinance, may provide for the selection of a lesser number of justices of the peace for such town as herein provided, which shall be not less than fifteen.

Sec. 33. Subdivision (2) of subsection (g) of section 9-333i of the 2006 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

(2) Unless otherwise provided by this chapter, any campaign treasurer, in accomplishing the lawful purposes of his committee, may pay the expenses of: (A) Advertising in electronic and print media; (B) any other form of printed advertising or communications including "thank you" advertising after the election; (C) campaign items, including, but not limited to, brochures, leaflets, flyers, invitations, stationery, envelopes, reply cards, return envelopes, campaign business cards, direct mailings, postcards, palm cards, "thank you" notes, sample ballots and other similar items; (D) political banners and billboards; (E) political paraphernalia, which is customarily given or sold to supporters including, but not limited to, campaign buttons, stickers, pins, pencils, pens, matchbooks, balloons, pads, calendars, magnets, key chains, hats, tee shirts, sweatshirts, frisbees, pot holders, jar openers and other similar items; (F) purchasing office supplies for campaign or political purposes, campaign photographs, raffle or other fund-raising permits required by law, fund-raiser prizes, postage, express mail delivery services, bulk mail permits, and computer supplies and services; (G) banking service charges to maintain campaign and political accounts; (H) subscriptions to newspapers and periodicals which enhance the candidacy of the candidate or party; (I) lease or rental of office space for campaign or political purposes and expenses in connection therewith including, but not limited to, furniture, parking, storage space, utilities and maintenance, provided a party committee or political committee organized for ongoing political activities may purchase such office space; (J) lease or rental of vehicles for campaign use only; (K) lease, rental or use charges of any ordinary and necessary campaign office equipment including, but not limited to, copy machines, telephones, postage meters, facsimile machines, computer hardware, software and printers, provided a party committee or political committee organized for ongoing political activities may purchase office equipment, and provided further that a candidate committee or a political committee, other than a political committee formed for ongoing political activities or an exploratory committee, may purchase computer equipment; (L) compensation for campaign or committee staff, fringe benefits and payroll taxes, provided the candidate and any member of his immediate family shall not receive compensation; (M) travel, meals and lodging expenses of speakers, campaign or committee workers, the candidate and the candidate's spouse for political and campaign purposes; (N) fund raising; (O) reimbursements to candidates and campaign or committee workers made in accordance with the provisions of this section [9-333i] for campaign-related expenses for which a receipt is received by the campaign treasurer; (P) campaign or committee services of attorneys, accountants, consultants or other professional persons for campaign activities, obtaining or contesting ballot status, nomination, or election, and compliance with this chapter; (Q) purchasing campaign finance reports; (R) repaying permissible campaign loans made to the committee that are properly reported and refunding contributions received from an impermissible source or in excess of the limitations set forth in this chapter; (S) conducting polls concerning any political party, issue, candidate or individual; (T) gifts to campaign or committee workers or purchasing flowers or other commemorative items for political purposes not to exceed [fifty] one hundred dollars to any one recipient in a calendar year or for the campaign, as the case may be; (U) purchasing tickets or advertising from charities, inaugural committees, or other civic organizations if for a political purpose, for any candidate, a candidate's spouse, a member of a candidate's campaign staff, or members of committees; (V) the inauguration of an elected candidate by that candidate's candidate committee; (W) hiring of halls, rooms, music and other entertainment for political meetings and events; (X) reasonable compensation for public speakers hired by the committee; (Y) transporting electors to the polls and other get-out-the-vote activities on election day; and (Z) any other necessary campaign or political expense.


This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	from passage	9-168d(b)
Sec. 2	from passage	9-388
Sec. 3	from passage	9-391
Sec. 4	from passage	9-404a
Sec. 5	from passage	9-390(d)
Sec. 6	from passage	9-400(a) and (b)
Sec. 7	from passage	9-405(a)
Sec. 8	October 1, 2006	9-258
Sec. 9	October 1, 2006	9-232e
Sec. 10	October 1, 2006	9-263
Sec. 11	October 1, 2006	9-264
Sec. 12	from passage	9-249
Sec. 13	October 1, 2006	9-23n
Sec. 14	October 1, 2006	9-23o
Sec. 15	October 1, 2006	New section
Sec. 16	December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date	9-702(c)
Sec. 17	December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date	9-703(a)
Sec. 18	December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date	9-706(d)
Sec. 19	December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date	9-712
Sec. 20	December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date	9-333l
Sec. 21	October 1, 2007	9-333l
Sec. 22	December 31, 2006, and applicable to elections held on or after said date	9-333n(i)
Sec. 23	from passage	PA 05-5 of the October 25 Sp. Sess., Sec. 49
Sec. 24	from passage	9-211
Sec. 25	from passage	9-450(3)
Sec. 26	October 1, 2006	9-333w
Sec. 27	from passage	9-46a(a) and (b)
Sec. 28	January 1, 2007	9-23g
Sec. 29	January 1, 2007	9-23h
Sec. 30	from passage	9-212
Sec. 31	from passage	9-450(1)
Sec. 32	from passage	9-183a(a)
Sec. 33	from passage	9-333i(g)(2)

GAE

Joint Favorable Subst.

The following fiscal impact statement and bill analysis are prepared for the benefit of members of the General Assembly, solely for the purpose of information, summarization, and explanation, and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either House thereof for any purpose:

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:

Agency Affected	Fund-Effect	FY 07 $	FY 08 $
Secretary of the State	GF - Cost	See Below	See Below
Various State Agencies	GF - Cost	See Below	See Below

Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact: None

Explanation

The bill allows individuals to register to vote over the Internet. The applicant must submit an identifying number, such as a driver's license and an electronic signature would be considered a valid application signature. The Secretary of the State (SOTS) would then enter the elector's name on the statewide centralized voter registration system. The cost to the SOTS to develop this secure internet site will be minimal.

The bill establishes requirements for push polls, changes the process for filling Congressional vacancies, and makes a number of changes to state election laws that are technical in nature and will not result to a cost to the state. The bill changes some procedures that checkers must follow when an elector votes by challenge or paper ballot which will not result in a cost to the municipalities.

This bill also requires all public assistance offices to train new employees and retrain existing employees every 6 months on voting registration duties in a manner prescribed by the SOTS. The bill also requires enhanced distribution and tracking services. Employees in public assistance offices currently perform voter registration duties during the application and redetermination processes with departmental clients. The additional requirements in this bill increase the workload of these employees, as well as temporarily removing them from their primary duties for the required retraining. This will likely exacerbate the current backlog of eligibility determination cases. Development of the enhanced distribution and tracking services will likely result in a minimal additional administrative cost.

The Out Years

The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

OLR Bill Analysis

sHB 5064

AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTIONS.

SUMMARY:

This bill makes a number of changes to state election laws. It makes it easier for people to register to vote by allowing Internet registration, permitting the secretary of the state to develop a plan for simultaneous public assistance and voter registration, and requiring voter registration agencies to make voter registration applications more accessible.

With respect to voting, the bill (1) eliminates a requirement for felons to prove that they have been released from prison and completed any parole before their voting rights can be restored, (2) requires registrars to certify that polling places are accessible by people with disabilities, (3) eliminates a requirement for town clerks to train election officials, and (4) makes minor changes to the process for voting by challenge or paper ballot.

The bill makes changes to the public financing program established by PA 05-5, October Special Session. It establishes attribution requirements for push polls, changes the process for filling Congressional vacancies, and makes other minor changes to laws regarding candidates for state and district office, permissible campaign expenditures, and justices of the peace.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Various, see below

§§13-15 AND 28-29 - VOTER REGISTRATION

Voter Registration Agencies

By law, voter registration agencies must distribute mail-in voter registration application forms, assist applicants who need help completing the form, accept completed forms and send them to the registrars of voters of the town where an applicant resides. Voter registration agencies are public assistance offices, agencies that provide state-funded programs primarily to people with disabilities, public libraries, and any other state offices the secretary of the state designates.

The bill adds to the duties of public assistance offices and offices that provide state-funded programs primarily to people with disabilities. It requires them to train their new employees and to retrain their existing employees every six months using instructions that the secretary of the state prescribes for voter registration agency employees. By October 1, 2007, it also requires these offices to develop a system for distributing mail voter registration applications to anyone who has not declined to register and who changes his address with the office by mail, telephone, or the Internet.

The bill requires each of these offices to designate a voter registration coordinator by January 1, 2007. The coordinator must record the number of clients who:

1. complete a voter registration application in the office;

2. take a voter registration application home;

3. are already registered to vote or decline to do so;

4. communicate with the office by mail, telephone, or the Internet; or

5. decline to register to vote because they are not U.S. citizens.

Additionally, each office must keep a record of the total number of people who visit the office. The voter registration coordinator must compile and send all of the voter registration information the office is required to keep to the secretary of the state and in the time and manner she prescribes.

Simultaneous Registration

The bill permits the secretary of the state to develop a plan for electronic and simultaneous voter registration for anyone who registers for a state public assistance program.

Electronic Registration

The bill allows anyone eligible to register to vote to complete an application to do so on the Internet. The applicant must submit his driver's license number or any other identifying number that the secretary of the state requires with the application. The applicant must also attest that his driver's license address, but not that on any other alternative identification, is his current primary residence. The applicant's electronic signature is considered a valid application signature.

If the applicant does not submit one of the required numbers or if the secretary of the state is unable to match a submitted number with an existing Connecticut identification record bearing the number and the applicant's name and date of birth, the application is invalid and the applicant cannot be admitted as an elector. The applicant can reapply electronically, by mail, or in person.

The application is also invalid if the applicant cannot or does not complete the attestation. However if this happens, he cannot reapply electronically but must do so, if at all, by mail or in person. Applicants are subject to existing registration deadlines and elections prohibitions and penalties.

Anyone who submits an electronic application is registered as soon as his application is approved. The secretary of the state must prescribe the approval method and enter the new elector's name on the statewide centralized voter registration system. The bill authorizes the secretary to adopt regulations prescribing procedures for electronic registration.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2006, except for the provisions on electronic voting, which are effective January 1, 2007.

§§ 1, 8-12, & 27 - VOTING RIGHTS, PLACES, AND OFFICIALS

Restoration of Felons' Voting Rights

The bill eliminates a requirement for felons, other than those convicted of election-related crimes, to give a registrar of voters satisfactory proof that they have been released from prison and completed any parole before their voting rights can be restored. It also eliminates a requirement for felons released from a federal or out-of-state correctional institution to submit proof that they have paid all fines related to their conviction.

The law continues to require the Department of Correction commissioner to give each inmate a certificate of release and send the secretary of the state a list each month of all felons released from his custody during the preceding calendar month. The secretary must send the list to the appropriate registrars.

Accessibility

By law, polling places must be accessible by people with disabilities or the town can apply for a waiver, which the secretary of the state forwards to the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities for its approval. The bill requires registrars of voters to either certify to the secretary of the state that each polling place in their town complies with the law or apply for a waiver.

Election Officials Training and Presence at Polling Places

The bill eliminates a requirement for town clerks to participate in election officials' training. Registrars of voters and moderators must continue to train them. It also eliminates a requirement that there be two registrars of voters and the option for two voting machine tenders for each machine in use at each polling place. The law, unchanged by the bill, requires that a moderator, two assistant registrars, up to two challengers, and two checkers be present. The bill specifies that the checkers be official checkers.

Duties of Election Officials at Polling Places

The bill changes the procedure checkers must follow when an elector votes by challenge or paper ballot. Under existing law, checkers cross off the voter registry list people voting by challenge, emergency paper, or paper ballot and add their names and addresses to the end of the list with the appropriate designation for the way the person voted. The bill eliminates the requirement for checkers to cross the voter's name off the list and instead requires them to write the appropriate acronym for the process each person used to vote before his name (i.e., “CB” for a challenge ballot, “EPB” for an emergency paper ballot, and “PBD” for a paper ballot used by someone with a disability) (see COMMENT).

The bill allows any polling place official, instead of only the moderator, to witness a voter mark and fold his challenge, paper, or emergency paper ballot. The voter continues to deliver the marked ballot to the moderator.

By law, a person can vote by challenge ballot when his name appears on the registry list but someone challenges his qualification to vote. Registrars must allow voters to vote by emergency paper ballot when the only available voting machine is damaged. Electors may vote by paper ballot if their disability makes it impossible for them to use the only available voting machines.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except for the provisions on election officials and voting by challenge or paper ballots that are effective on October 1, 2006.

§§ 16-19 - PUBLIC FINANCING PROGRAM

Beginning in 2008, current law permits candidates for statewide and legislative offices to receive public funds to finance their campaigns if they qualify by raising a specified amount and agree to limit spending. Eligible minor party or petitioning party candidates are not eligible for full funding like their major party counterparts, but instead are eligible only for partial funding of their general election campaign. An eligible minor party candidate is one who is nominated by a minor party. An eligible petitioning party candidate is one whose nominating petition has been approved by the secretary of the state.

Minor and Petitioning Party Candidates

The bill permits minor or petitioning party candidates who receive public money to partially fund their campaign to continue to raise private contributions in addition to the qualifying contributions, subject to the same limitations and restrictions that exist for nonparticipating candidates for the same office. The minor or petitioning party candidate may use the additional contributions to make up the difference between the full grant and the partial grant he received.

Affidavit of Intent to Participate in the Public Financing Program

The bill establishes a deadline for candidates participating in a primary to submit an affidavit certifying their intent to participate in the public funding program to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC). They must submit the affidavit at least 25 days before the primary. The law sets the deadline for candidates who apply for funds for their general election campaign at 40 days before the election.

Public Funds for Primary Campaigns

When a participating candidate applies for a primary grant, the bill requires SEEC to ask his opponents to provide an electronic sworn statement with an up-to-date and itemized accounting of the funds they received. The opponents' campaign treasurers must submit the statement on an SEEC-prescribed form within 48 hours after the request. The SEEC must use the statement to determine if the participating candidate qualifies for a primary grant.

By law, a participating candidate is eligible for a primary grant if he has met all applicable conditions to apply for a grant and either a participating opponent has received the qualifying contributions or a nonparticipating opponent has received contributions equal to the amount of the qualifying contributions.

Campaign Finance Statements

The bill makes campaign treasurers, not candidates, responsible for filing campaign finance reports with the SEEC for purposes of the public financing program, as they are for other filing requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 31, 2006 and applicable to elections held on and after that date.

§§ 20 & 21 - LOBBYISTS

By law, communicator lobbyists cannot make contributions to, or solicit others to make contributions to, or purchase advertising space from, certain political committees. The law does not apply to lobbyists and their spouses, dependent children, or agents who solicit contributions for the purchase of advertising space for their own candidacies for public office.

The bill:

1. eliminates a ban against communicator lobbyists, their immediate family, or agent or any political committee that they control soliciting anyone to purchase advertising space in a funding raising program a town committee sponsors;

2. expands the exception to the ban on contributions and solicitations by allowing an elected public official's immediate family to contribute to his campaign and solicit contributions on his behalf;

3. allows the SEEC to impose penalties of up to $5,000 or twice the amount of the contribution, whichever is greater, on violators of the contribution ban, thus making the penalty for illegal contributions the same as that for illegal solicitations; and

4. eliminates a requirement for lobbyists to file annual campaign contribution reports with SEEC since, by law, they cannot contribute to campaigns.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 31, 2006 and applicable to elections held on and after that date, except for the provision eliminating lobbyists' annual reports that is effective October 1, 2007.

§§ 22 & 23 - SEEC STUDIES

The bill gives the SEEC two additional years to complete two studies and submit proposed legislation to the Government Administration and Elections Committee. The proposal on (1) extending the ban on state contractor campaign contributions and solicitations to subcontractors is due February 1, 2009 instead of February 1, 2007 and (2) municipal public financing is due January 1, 2009 instead of on the same date in 2007.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 31, 2006 and applicable to elections held on and after that date, except for the provision on municipal public financing that is effective upon passage.

§ 26 - PUSH POLLING

The bill requires push poll sponsors, including candidates and candidate committees, to report to the SEEC their names and the names of the (1) candidate, candidate committee, or political committee on whose behalf the expenditure was made and (2) person conducting the poll. The requirement applies to push polls conducted in cooperation or consultation with, or at the request of, a candidate or his agent or committee.

The bill defines “push poll” as a paid telephone survey or series of surveys that are similar in nature and refer to a candidate or group of candidates other than in a basic preference question. Additionally, in a push poll the:

1. polling organization uses a list or directory to select respondents based on demographic or political information such as race, age, sex, ethnicity, party affiliation, or like characteristics;

2. survey fails to ask demographic questions such as age, household income, or status as a likely voter, sufficient to tabulate results based on a relevant subset of the population consistent with standard polling industry practices;

3. pollster or polling organization does not collect or tabulate survey results;

4. survey prefaces a question regarding support for a candidate on the basis of an untrue statement; and

5. survey's primary purpose is to suppress or change the call recipient's voting position.

A push poll supporting or opposing a candidate must state the caller's name, the words “paid for by” with the sponsor's name, and the name of the company conducting the poll if it is different from that of the sponsor.

By law, push poll violators are subject to the same penalties as other violators of campaign finance laws. This means they are subject to criminal penalties of up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both for knowing and willful violations. They are also subject to civil penalties of up to $2,000 per offense.

Under the bill, no one can be charged with a push poll violation if the recipient of the call voluntarily terminates it before the required disclosure. The exception does not apply if the caller encourages the recipient to terminate the call.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2006.

§§ 24, 25, 30, & 31 - VACANCIES IN CONGRESS

Vacancies in the U.S. Senate

By law, the governor fills vacancies that occur in the U.S. Senate. The bill extends the length of time an appointee serves if the vacancy occurs between the 150^th and 60^th day before an election. The appointee serves the vacating senator's full term, rather than just until January 3^rd when a candidate chosen at a regular election is sworn in.

If the vacancy occurs at least 150, rather than 70, days before a state election, the bill requires the parties to hold a convention to endorse their candidates. Any candidate who qualifies to run in a primary must file to do so by 4 p.m. on the 21^st, rather than 14^th, day after the close of the convention. If the convention is closed when the vacancy occurs, the parties must reconvene it and choose their candidate to fill the vacancy. Any candidate challenging the endorsed candidate must file for a primary within 21, rather than five days, after the close of the reconvened convention.

By law, the primary to fill the vacancy cannot be held sooner than 28 days after the close of a reconvened convention and later than 21 days before a state election. If a state or district primary is scheduled during this period, the primary to fill the Senate vacancy must be held on the same day. The bill changes the earliest day for the primary from 28 to 49 days after the convention.

Vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives

The bill replaces the schedules for filling a vacancy in the U.S. House of Representatives in current law, which are set based on when the vacancy occurs in relation to the next state election.

The bill sets a deadline for the governor to announce an election to fill such a vacancy and a date for the election. She must announce the election within 10 days after the vacancy occurs and the election must be held on the 60^th day after the announcement, but not during a weekend. But if a candidate qualifies to run in a primary by filing a nominating petition, she must announce a primary within 10 days after the filing and issue new writs of election.

And when a vacancy occurs between the 125^th day and 63^rd day before a regular November state or municipal election, it must be filled at that election. Under the bill, there is no election to fill a vacancy that occurs after the 63^rd day before a regular state election, except a position vacated by a member-elect (see COMMENT).

Electors included on the last registry list completed for the last regular election in the town or political subdivision holding the special election or on any supplementary or updated list are eligible to vote in the election.

Candidate Selection for Vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives or Multi-Town Probate Court District

Under the bill, delegates to the nominating convention are the same ones who served at the district convention held the previous state election. The town committee in the town where the delegate lived fills any vacancy in the delegation.

Parties may hold a convention to endorse candidates at any time after the vacancy occurs, but not later than 50 days before the election to fill the vacancy. These endorsements are not effective until the presiding officer and secretary of the convention certify them to the secretary of the state.

If a vacancy occurs between the 125^th day and 63^rd day before a regular November state or municipal election, no primary may be held; instead the party-endorsed candidate is deemed the party's nominee. A primary may be held to fill a vacancy that occurs at any other time. The governor must announce the primary within 10 days after a candidate qualified to run in a primary files a nominating petition, which must be 63 days before the primary as provided under the bill. The secretary of the state must make petition forms available starting on the day after the governor announces the election.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

§§ 4, 6, & 7 - PETITIONS

The bill establishes a single date for the secretary of the state to make primary petition forms available to probate judge and legislative candidates. She must make them available on the 77^th day before a primary (May 23, 2006). Under current law, she must make them available on the day after each party's district convention, which can be held between the 98^th and 77^th day before the primary (May 3-23, 2006).

The bill changes the deadline for petitioning candidates for state, district, or legislative office to file their petition with the registrar of voters from 14 days after a convention to 63 days before the primary (June 6, 2006).

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage (see COMMENT)

§§ 2, 3, & 5 - ENDORSED CANDIDATES

The bill invalidates a candidate's party endorsement, endorsement to run in a primary, or selection as a delegate to a convention if the certificate of endorsement or selection is not filed with the secretary of the state or town clerk, as applicable, by the statutory deadline. Such endorsements or selections are already deemed not to have been made or certified.

The bill eliminates a requirement for both the chairman or presiding officer and the secretary of a town committee, caucus, or convention to certify a candidate's endorsement to run in a primary for municipal office. Instead, either may certify the endorsement just as is the case for endorsements to state or district office.

The bill requires candidates and delegates who send their certificates by mail to do so by certified mail, return receipt requested. It requires the secretary of the state or town clerk, as appropriate, to stamp the date and time on all hand-delivered certificates.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

§ 32 - JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

The bill increases, from 15 to 30, the maximum number of justices of the peace permissible in the town of Trumbull. The law continues to allow any town to pass an ordinance to reduce the number of justices; however, each town must permit at least 15.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

§ 33 - COMMITTEE GIFTS

The bill increases, from $50 to $100, maximum amount of campaign funds that a campaign treasurer may spend per person each calendar year or campaign on gifts for campaign or committee workers, flowers, or other commemorative items for political purposes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage

BACKGROUND

Related Bills

sHB 5774, favorably reported by the Government Administration and Elections Committee, makes it easier for minor and petitioning candidates to receive a grant from the Citizens' Election Fund (CEF) under the Citizens' Election Program.

sHB 5610, favorably reported by the Government Administration and Elections Committee, makes numerous changes to the public financing laws.

sSB 625, favorably reported by the Government Administration and Elections Committee, changes the criteria minor and petitioning party candidates must meet to qualify for general election grants form the CEF.

COMMENTS

Voting By Challenge Ballot

The bill deletes the requirement for the notation of the envelope's serial number on the voter registry list next to the name of a person who has voted a challenge ballot. Election officials must be able to identify such a person's ballot envelope after they have determined whether to count the ballot in the case of a contested election (CGS § 9-232f).

Congressional Vacancies

The bill requires a special election to fill a vacancy created by a member-elect after the 63^rd day before an election. However, a member-elect is someone elected to office who has not been sworn in so it is unclear how a vacancy would be created before an election.

Petitions

The bill changes the date on which petitions are available for candidates challenging a party endorsed candidate for the offices of state senator, state representative, and judge of probate, and for filing petitions for state or district office candidates. After the General Assembly passes a bill, unless the rules are suspended, it goes to the legislative commissioners for engrossing and certification, the House and Senate clerks, the secretary of the state, and then to the governor for her signature. The governor has 15 days to take action on bills she receives after the legislature's final adjournment. It appears possible that, for the 2006 election cycle, the bill's new deadlines could have passed or be rapidly approaching when the bill takes effect.

COMMITTEE ACTION

Government Administration and Elections Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute

Yea

Nay

(03/22/2006)

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File No. 408