General Assembly Raised Bill No. 475
February Session, 2020 LCO No. 2651
Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
AND ELECTIONS
Introduced by:
(GAE)
AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
1 Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 9-164 of the general statutes is
2 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January
3 1, 2021):
4 (a) Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, there shall be
5 held in each municipality, biennially, a municipal election [on the first
6 Monday of May or the Tuesday after the first Monday of November, of
7 the odd-numbered years, whichever date the legislative body of such
8 municipality determines, provided, if no action is taken by the
9 legislative body to so designate the date of such election, such election
10 shall be held] on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November of the
11 odd-numbered years. In any municipality where the term of any elected
12 official would expire prior to the next regular election held under the
13 provisions of this section, the term of such official shall be extended to
14 the date of such election.
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15 Sec. 2. Section 9-187a of the general statutes is repealed and the
16 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2021):
17 (a) (1) Except as provided in sections [9-164a] 9-164b, 9-164d to 9-164f,
18 inclusive, as amended by this act, and subdivision (2) of this subsection,
19 (A) the term of each elected municipal official, other than town clerk and
20 treasurer, shall begin [within seventy days after the municipal election
21 at which such official is elected, on the day within such period
22 prescribed by special act or charter provision, or, in the absence of such
23 special act or charter provision, on the day within such period as is
24 prescribed by action of the legislative body of such municipality,
25 provided (1) in each municipality which holds its municipal election on
26 the first Monday of May in the odd-numbered years, in the absence of
27 such special act or charter provision, or action of the legislative body,
28 such terms shall begin on the first day of July following the municipal
29 election at which such official is elected, and (2) in each municipality
30 which holds its municipal election on the Tuesday after the first Monday
31 of November in the odd-numbered years, with the exception of the term
32 of the town clerk, in the absence of such special act, or charter provision,
33 or action of the legislative body, such term shall begin on the second
34 Tuesday] on (i) December first next following the day of the municipal
35 election at which such official is elected, or (ii) such other day as may be
36 prescribed by special act for a municipal election held on the Tuesday
37 after the first Monday of November of the odd-numbered years, and [(3)
38 in each municipality which holds its municipal election on the Tuesday
39 after the first Monday in November in the odd-numbered years,] (B) the
40 term of the town clerk or the treasurer, as applicable, shall [be two years
41 from] begin on the first Monday of January next [succeeding his
42 election, unless otherwise provided by charter or special act. Whenever
43 the beginning date of the terms of elected municipal officials is so
44 determined or changed, within the limits hereinabove specified, the
45 authority providing therefor may provide for the conforming
46 diminution or extension of terms of incumbents] following the day of
47 the municipal election at which such town clerk or treasurer is elected.
48 (2) The legislative body of a municipality may provide for a deferred
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49 beginning date, not to exceed one year from the applicable date set forth
50 in subdivision (1) of this subsection, of the term of any office to be
51 elected at a municipal election.
52 (b) In the case of a special election to fill a vacancy in an elected
53 municipal office, which special election is combined with a regular
54 election pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-164, the person elected
55 to fill such vacancy shall begin to serve the unexpired portion of his or
56 her predecessor's term on the applicable date provided in subsection (a)
57 of this section.
58 Sec. 3. Section 9-189a of the general statutes is repealed and the
59 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2021):
60 Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 9-189 and 9-190a, any
61 town or municipality may, by charter or ordinance, provide that the
62 treasurer or the town clerk of [said] such town or municipality, or the
63 registrars of voters of [said] such town, or any of such officers, shall, at
64 the next [succeeding] following regular election for such office and
65 thereafter, be elected for a term of four years. In such event, such four-
66 year term shall begin on the first Monday of January [succeeding] next
67 following an election for treasurer or town clerk, [except as provided in
68 section 9-187a, and from] and on the Wednesday [following] after the
69 first Monday of January [succeeding] next following an election for
70 registrars of voters. [, provided, if any such town or municipality holds
71 its town or municipal election on the first Monday of May of the odd-
72 numbered years, the term of such treasurer or town clerk shall begin on
73 the first day of July following the election, except as provided in section
74 9-187a.]
75 Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 9-32 of the general statutes is repealed
76 and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2021):
77 (a) In each municipality the registrars, between January first and May
78 first, annually, shall cause either (1) a complete house to house canvass
79 to be made in person of each residence on each street, avenue or road
80 within such municipality, (2) a complete canvass to be made by mail of
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81 each residence located on each street, avenue or road within such
82 municipality, provided, upon agreement of both registrars, the National
83 Change of Address System of the United States Postal Service may be
84 used instead of such mailing, (3) a complete canvass to be made by
85 telephone of each residence located on each street, avenue or road
86 within such municipality, or (4) a complete canvass of each residence
87 within such municipality by any combination of such methods, for the
88 purpose of ascertaining the name of any elector formerly residing on
89 such street, avenue or road who has removed therefrom. [; provided in
90 the odd-numbered years, no canvass need be conducted by the
91 registrars in a town which holds its regular municipal election on the
92 first Monday of May in odd-numbered years.] The Secretary of the State
93 shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54
94 setting forth the procedure to be followed in conducting any such
95 canvass by either mail or telephone.
96 Sec. 5. Section 9-164e of the general statutes is repealed and the
97 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2021):
98 Before any action is taken under sections [9-164a] 9-164b, 9-164d to 9-
99 164f, inclusive, as amended by this act, 9-187 and 9-187a, as amended by
100 this act, such proposed action shall be submitted by the legislative body
101 to the municipal attorney of the municipality taking such action for
102 approval as to conforming to law.
103 Sec. 6. Section 9-164f of the general statutes is repealed and the
104 following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 1, 2021):
105 Nothing in sections [9-164a] 9-164b, 9-164d to 9-164e, inclusive, as
106 amended by this act, 9-187 and 9-187a, as amended by this act, shall
107 affect the election of registrars of voters.
108 Sec. 7. Sections 9-164a and 9-164c of the general statutes are repealed.
109 (Effective January 1, 2021)
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 January 1, 2021 9-164(a)
Sec. 2 January 1, 2021 9-187a
Sec. 3 January 1, 2021 9-189a
Sec. 4 January 1, 2021 9-32(a)
Sec. 5 January 1, 2021 9-164e
Sec. 6 January 1, 2021 9-164f
Sec. 7 January 1, 2021 Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To require that municipal elections be held on the Tuesday after the first
Monday of November of the odd-numbered years and making
conforming changes regarding the beginnings of terms of elected
municipal offices.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]
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Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-187a, 9-189a, 9-32, 9-164e, 9-164f