New Registrars of Voters Training 101 1 O L D J UD I CI A RY R O OM

New Registrars of Voters Training 101 1 O L D J UD I CI A RY R O OM S TAT E C A P I T O L F E BR UA RY 1 , 2 0 17

Connecticut General Statutes 2 Sec. 9-192. Deputy registrar. Registrar vacancy. Assistant registrars. Special assistant registrars. Each registrar of voters immediately after his election shall appoint a deputy registrar of voters to hold office during his pleasure and may, at any time, fill any vacancy in said office. He shall file with the town clerk a certificate of each such appointment and the town clerk shall record the certificate with the records of town meetings. Each deputy registrar of voters shall assist his principal when required, discharge his duties in his absence or inability to act and, in case of the death, removal or resignation of such principal, shall become registrar of voters and appoint a deputy, and shall file with the town clerk a certificate of such appointment, which shall be recorded with the records of town meetings.

Connecticut General Statutes 3 If a vacancy exists in the office of registrar of voters in consequence of a refusal or failure to accept the office or a failure of the registrar to appoint a deputy registrar, the town committee of the same political party as the registrar of voters who so refused, failed to accept or failed to appoint, or other appointing authority specified in local party rules shall fill such vacancy by the appointment of some suitable person, who shall belong to the same political party as the registrar of voters who so refused, failed to accept or failed to appoint. Each registrar of voters in any town may, as needed, appoint and employ not more than four assistant registrars of voters for each voting district therein, who shall serve at the pleasure of the registrar of voters and assist such registrar in the performance of his duties, and, for purposes of any admission session held pursuant to section 9-19b or subsection (a) of section 9-19c, as many special assistants as are necessary to carry out the duties of such session.

Connecticut General Statutes 4 Such registrar shall file with the town clerk a certificate of each such appointment, which shall be recorded with the records of the town, and shall appoint such other assistants as are necessary for the performance of duties required by sections 9-12 to 9-45, inclusive, on election day and the six days preceding. Unless otherwise provided by subsection (b) of section 9-19b, in the absence of either registrar of voters, his deputy or any of his assistants, except special assistants, shall have all the powers conferred, and may perform any of the duties imposed, upon such registrar by any of the provisions of the statutes. Each deputy, assistant or special assistant registrar shall be an elector of the municipality in which he is appointed. Each deputy registrar shall also, at the time of his appointment and during the six months immediately preceding his appointment, be an enrolled member of the same party as the registrar who makes such appointment.

Connecticut General Statutes 5 Registrar not personally liable for wages of assistant. 78 C. 670 Duties of deputy registrar. 119 C. 666. No vacancy exists upon death, removal or resignation of registrar, and deputy automatically succeeds. 120 C. 562 Joint and several liability Politics stops at the door

Sec. 9-3 Duties of Secretary 6 Sec. 9-3. Secretary to be Commissioner of Elections. Presumption re rulings, instructions, opinions and orders. Order to correct irregularity or impropriety. (a) The Secretary of the State, by virtue of the office, shall be the Commissioner of Elections of the state, with such powers and duties relating to the conduct of elections as are prescribed by law and, unless otherwise provided by state statute, the Secretary’s regulations, declaratory rulings, instructions and opinions, if in written form, and any order issued under subsection (b) of this section, shall be presumed as correctly interpreting and effectuating the administration of elections and primaries under this title, except for chapters 155 to 158, inclusive, and shall be executed, carried out or implemented, as the case may be, provided nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the right of appeal provided under the provisions of chapter 54. Any such written instruction or opinion shall be labeled as an instruction or opinion issued pursuant to this section, as applicable, and any such instruction or opinion shall cite any authority that is discussed in such instruction or opinion.

Sec. 9-3 Duties of Secretary 7 (b) During any municipal, state or federal election, primary or recanvass, or any audit conducted pursuant to section 9-320f, the Secretary of the State may issue an order, whether orally or in writing, to any registrar of voters or moderator to correct any irregularity or impropriety in the conduct of such election, primary or recanvass or audit. Any such order shall be effective upon issuance. As soon as practicable after issuance of an oral order pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary shall reduce such order to writing, cite within such order any applicable provision of law authorizing such order and cause a copy of such written order to be delivered to the individual who is the subject of such order or, in the case that such order was originally issued in writing, issue a subsequent written order that conforms to such requirements. The Superior Court, on application of the Secretary or the Attorney General, may enforce by appropriate decree or process any such order issued pursuant to this subsection.

Secretary of the State’s Office 8 1. Commissioner of Elections: her regulations, declaratory rulings, and instructions and opinions are presumed correct. 2. Our office advises local election officials(registrars and town clerks) with proper conduct of elections and referenda. 3. We interpret and implement all state and federal laws pertaining to elections, primaries, nominating procedures, and the acquisition and exercise of voting rights. We encourage voter registration efforts in Connecticut. 4. We provide training for registrars and town clerks at four statewide conferences each year and county meetings. 5. We issue written instructions throughout the year which should be read and studied carefully.

Written Instructions from our Office 9 TO: ALL REGISTRARS OF VOTERS UTILIZING THE CENTRALIZED VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM FROM: LEGISLATION AND ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATION DIVISION RE: DUPLICATE VOTERS DATE: JANUARY 18, 2017 Connecticut General Statutes §9-21a requires the Secretary of the State to search the State of Connecticut’s centralized voter registration records to identify electors who “may” be registered in more than one town. The secretary may compile from such a search a list of “possible” duplicate registrations in any town or towns and transmit such list to the registrars of voters of the appropriate town or towns. Upon receipt of such list, the registrars may make such additional investigation as they deem necessary to determine if any elector in their town whose name appears on such list was previously registered in another town. Attached to this memo you will find a copy of the relevant section of the Connecticut General Statutes, the necessary form, “Notice of Duplicate Voter Registration” (ED 685), and detailed instructions regarding the procedure to use when investigating and, if applicable, removing such voters from your registry lists. You should have already received a list of possible duplicate voters for your town via e-mail from our office. During this duplicate voter registration process it is necessary for both registrars of voters to work in conjunction with one another. Connecticut General Statutes §9-21a provides that only when both registrars of voters agree that a particular voter was previously registered to vote in another town can such voter’s name be removed from the active registry list of such town. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this procedure please contact us at (860) 509-6100.

Training 10 Sec. 9-6. Conferences of municipal clerks, registrars and Secretary. Each registrar of voters or, in the absence of a registrar, the deputy registrar of voters, and each municipal clerk or, in the absence of a municipal clerk, one of the assistant municipal clerks shall be compensated by the municipality which the clerk represents, as provided for in this section, for attending two conferences a year for town clerks and registrars of voters which may be called by the Secretary of the State for the purpose of discussing the election laws, procedures or matters related thereto. Each such official shall be compensated by the municipality at the rate of thirty-five dollars per day for attending each such conference, plus mileage to and from such conference at a rate per mile determined by the municipality, but not less than twenty cents per mile, computed from the office of such official or, if he has no office, from his home to the place where such conference is being held.

Certification of Registrars 11 Sec. 9-192a. Secretary of the State to establish program and criteria for certification of registrars. Committee to advise Secretary on programs and procedures for training, examining and certifying registrars, deputies and assistants. Training program for poll workers. (a)(1) The Secretary of the State shall, in consultation with the advisory committee created pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, establish a program and criteria for the certification of registrars of voters. All registrars taking such office on or before July 1, 2015, shall complete such program and satisfy such criteria for certification not later than July 1, 2017. Any registrar taking such office after July 1, 2015, shall complete such program and satisfy such criteria for certification (A) in the case of a two-year term, not later than the conclusion of such term, and (B) in the case of a four-year term, not later than two years after the date of first holding such office, except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection. Each municipality shall pay on behalf of such municipality’s registrar of voters the cost of completing such program and satisfying such criteria for certification.

Removal of Registrars 12 Sec. 9-190c. Removal of registrar. Whenever the Secretary of the State is of the opinion that a registrar of voters has engaged in misconduct, wilful and material neglect of duty or incompetence in the conduct of such registrar’s office, the Secretary may seek removal of such registrar from office by filing a statement in writing to that effect with the State Elections Enforcement Commission. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (g) of section 9-7a, not later than thirty days after the filing of such statement, the commission shall investigate such statement and render a determination of whether the matter should be referred to the Attorney General to request that he or she pursue such removal pursuant to this section. Upon referral from the commission of such matter, the Attorney General may request that the commission undertake such further investigation as he or she deems appropriate.

Removal of Registrars 13 If the Attorney General concludes that the commission’s investigation so warrants, he or she may prepare a citation in the name of the state commanding such registrar of voters to appear before a judge of the Superior Court at a date named in the citation and show cause, if any, why such registrar of voters should not be removed from office. The Attorney General shall cause a copy of such statement and such citation to be served by some proper officer upon the defendant registrar of voters at least ten days before the date of appearance named in such citation, and the original statement and citation, with the return of the officer thereon, shall be returned to the clerk of the superior court for the judicial district within which the municipality served by such registrar is situated. To carry into effect the proceedings authorized by this section, the Attorney General shall have power to summon witnesses, require the production of necessary books, papers and other documents and administer oaths to witnesses; and upon the date named in such citation for the appearance of such registrar of voters, or upon any adjourned date fixed by the judge before whom such proceedings are pending, the Attorney General shall appear and conduct the hearing on behalf of the state.

Removal of Registrars 14 If, after a full hearing of all the evidence offered by the Attorney General and by and on behalf of the defendant, such judge is of the opinion that the evidence presented warrants the removal of such registrar of voters from office, the judge shall cause to be prepared a written order to that effect, which order shall be signed by the judge and lodged with the clerk of the superior court for the judicial district within which such municipality is situated. Such clerk of the superior court shall cause a certified copy of such order to be served forthwith upon such registrar of voters, and upon such service such registrar of voters shall be removed from such office and the deputy registrar of voters appointed by such registrar of voters shall immediately become registrar of voters, in accordance with section 9-192. Any witness summoned and any officer making service under the provisions of this section shall be allowed and paid by the state in accordance with the provisions of sections 52-260 and 52-261. The Attorney General may designate an attorney of the State Elections Enforcement Commission as a special assistant attorney general for the purposes of performing the duties and responsibilities set forth in this section. (P.A. 15-224, S. 4.) History: P.A. 15-224 effective July 7, 2015.

Relationships 15 Your colleague in the office: mutual respect and trust Your chief elected official Legislative Body/Board of Finance Superintendent of Schools Principals of schools used for voting Your colleagues in surrounding towns Your county leadership

The End 16 We are always here to answer questions, but please be sure to read our mailings and written instructions thoroughly before calling. Thank you for coming!