Sec. 9-147a. Central counting of absentee ballots; designation of location by registrars of voters. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 9-147a. Central counting of absentee ballots; designation of location by registrars of voters. (a) At any election, primary or referendum all absentee ballots shall be counted in the respective polling places except when counted at a central location. Any election official serving in a polling place may observe the counting of absentee ballots at that polling place.

      (b) At any election, primary or referendum, all absentee ballots may be counted at a central location designated by the registrars of voters in writing to the municipal clerk at least twenty days before the election, primary or referendum, which location shall be published in the warning for the election, primary or referendum. If unaffiliated electors are authorized under section 9-431 to vote in the primary of either of two parties, absentee ballots may not be counted at a central location unless both parties decide to have central counting and designate the same room for such central counting. If such designation of a central location has been made, the ballots shall not be counted in any polling place but all absentee ballots shall be separated, counted, tallied, placed in depository envelopes and returned by voting district. Any member of the public may observe the counting of absentee ballots at such central location.

      (P.A. 75-300, S. 1, 9; P.A. 77-187, S. 4, 9; P.A. 78-75, S. 2, 3; 78-153, S. 19, 32; P.A. 79-363, S. 17, 38; P.A. 81-424, S. 2; P.A. 84-319, S. 18, 49; P.A. 85-592, S. 4; P.A. 86-179, S. 16, 53; P.A. 87-509, S. 22, 24.)

      History: P.A. 77-187 changed time of receipt referring to before or after "five p.m." of day before election to "eleven a.m." where appearing, changed time of delivery by town clerk from "two p.m." to "twelve noon" on election day; P.A. 78-75 changed "town" to "municipal" clerk where appearing, and provided for delivery of ballots at five p.m. on election day at request of registrars and in any case at close of polls; P.A. 78-153 replaced town clerk with municipal clerk; P.A. 79-363 changed "five" to "six" p.m. on election day where appearing; P.A. 81-424 provided for optional sorting and checking of ballots on a daily basis for seven days prior to the election; P.A. 84-319 divided section into Subsecs. and amended provisions to provide uniformity in procedures for checking and counting absentee ballots; P.A. 85-592 applied provisions of section to primary elections and referenda; P.A. 86-179 added subsection re counting of absentee ballots at polling place or central counting location and deleted provisions re timetable and procedures for counting; P.A. 87-509 prohibited central counting of absentee ballots if unaffiliated electors authorized to vote in primary of either of two parties, unless both parties decide to have central counting and designate same room for central counting.