Whenever the registrar of voters of any political party, or any deputy registrar thereof in cases where it is provided by law that the deputy registrar shall act in the place and stead of the registrar, is of the opinion that any person on the enrollment list, or any person applying to be placed upon the enrollment list, of the political party which such registrar or deputy registrar represents is not affiliated with, or in good faith a member of, that political party and does not intend to support its principles or candidates, such registrar or deputy registrar, as the case may be, shall cite such person to appear before him and the chairman of the town committee of such political party, or before him and the chairman of the same party committee of the ward or voting district, if in a town divided into wards or voting districts; or, where there is no such chairman, or in the absence or disability of such chairman, before him and any enrolled member of the same political party chosen by such registrar or deputy registrar, to show cause why his name should not be erased or excluded from such enrollment list. Such citation shall be in writing and shall state the time when and place where such person shall appear, and shall be served upon or left at the usual place of abode of such person at least two days before the time fixed for such hearing upon such citation, which time shall not be less than one week before the next succeeding caucus or primary of such political party. The person leaving or serving such citation shall make a record of the date and time of leaving or serving the same and shall make a return to the registrar or deputy registrar, within thirty-six hours thereafter, of the date and time when such citation was left or served. If, at any such hearing, it appears to such registrar and such chairman or party member or to such deputy registrar and such chairman or party member, as the case may be, that it is not the bona fide intention of such person to affiliate with, or that such person is not affiliating with, such political party and does not intend to support the principles or candidates of such party, his name may thereupon be erased or excluded from the enrollment list of such party. If any elector upon whom a citation to appear, as herein provided, has been served fails to appear at the time and place fixed for such hearing, such registrar or deputy registrar may take such action as to the erasure or exclusion of the name of such elector as the facts warrant.

(1949 Rev., S. 1176; 1953, S. 561d; 1967, P.A. 902, S. 1; P.A. 83-475, S. 12, 43; P.A. 97-154, S. 9, 27.)

History: 1967 act added exception in the case of name of elector appearing on ballot label of an elector only under party designation other than the party in which enrolled; P.A. 83-475 made section applicable to applicants for enrollment; P.A. 97-154 deleted exemption from discretionary erasure or exclusion provisions for case where name of elector appears on ballot only under party designation other than that of party with which he is enrolled, effective July 1, 1997.

“Intention to affiliate” means an intention to support the principles of the party and customarily support its candidates. 144 C. 1.

Mere signing of a petition for new political party does not warrant the opinion, as provided in statute, that such person is not affiliated with the party which registrar of voters or his deputy represents. 16 CS 6. Cited. 31 CS 89.