Except during the period between the last session for the admission of electors prior to an election and the day following that election, an admitting official of any town, as defined in section 9-17a, may, at the times and places prescribed by law, accept applications for admission as an elector from persons who reside in any Connecticut town and examine their qualifications. Each such application for admission shall be made on a form prescribed by the Secretary of the State and shall provide a space for application for enrollment in a political party as provided in section 9-23a. Such admitting official shall hand a receipt to the applicant and immediately mail the application to the town clerk or registrars of voters of the town of residence of the applicant. The town clerk or registrars of voters of the town of residence of such applicant shall act upon such application, upon its receipt, and shall note on such copy his or their action and the date thereof, and if disapproved, his or their reasons therefor. If the town clerk acts on the application, he shall deliver such copy to the registrars as provided in section 9-20 and whoever acts upon the application shall immediately send written notification to the applicant, and if the application is disapproved, he or they shall send such notification by certified mail. No person shall be admitted as an elector under this section unless his application has been approved by the town clerk or registrars of voters of his town of residence. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit an admitting official to approve applications for admission as an elector in places located outside the boundaries of the municipality or district of which he is an official. Appeals may be taken from the action of such town clerk or registrars of voters under this section in accordance with section 9-31l. Any person making application for registration under this section shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector and party enrollment, if applicable, from the time such application for admission as an elector is approved by the town clerk or registrars of voters of his voting residence, provided if such application is made after twelve o’clock noon on the last business day before a primary, such applicant shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the primary and provided if such application is made on the day of a caucus or convention, such applicant shall be entitled to the privileges of party enrollment immediately after the caucus or convention.

(P.A. 75-565, S. 1, 5; P.A. 77-216, S. 1; 77-298, S. 12; 77-330, S. 4; 77-604, S. 83, 84; P.A. 78-87, S. 1, 2; P.A. 80-281, S. 4, 31; P.A. 81-350, S. 13, 17; P.A. 83-213, S. 2; P.A. 84-118, S. 1, 5; P.A. 94-121, S. 12, 33; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2, S. 47.)

History: P.A. 77-216 deleted requirement that application be in quadruplicate, provided for retention of a copy by admitting official, mailing of one copy to town clerk or registrars of voters of town of residence of applicant and furnishing of a receipt to applicant, allowed either town clerk or registrar of voters of residence of applicant to act on the application, inserted provision that no application be approved after last session for admission before election, provided that official acting on application send written notification to applicant and, if disapproved, send it by certified mail and that if action taken by town clerk, copy to be delivered to the registrars, inserted “registrars of voters” to follow “town clerk” except in the preceding context; P.A. 77-298 made “fourteenth day” rather than “third Saturday” before a primary the date after which enrollment does not become effective until immediately after the primary; P.A. 77-330 changed “last regular session” to “last session” in delineating period before day following election during which admitting officials may not accept applications; P.A. 77-604 made technical changes; P.A. 78-87 deleted provision forbidding approval of applications after last session for admission of electors; P.A. 80-281 substituted “registration” for “enrollment” and simplified wording in provision re effective dates of electoral privileges; P.A. 81-350 made technical changes; P.A. 83-213 amended section to provide that admitting official may accept but not approve applications for admission as an elector in places located outside of his district or municipality; P.A. 84-118 changed time limit for enrollment from fourteenth day to noon of last business day before primary; P.A. 94-121 deleted provisions authorizing admitting official to administer elector's oath and requiring such official to retain copy of application and required such official to mail application, instead of copy of application, to clerk or registrars of town of residence of applicant, effective January 1, 1995; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-2 made a technical change.