(a) Each absentee ballot shall be arranged to resemble the appropriate ballot and sample ballot as prescribed by law, and shall include, as applicable, the offices, party designations, names of candidates and questions to be voted upon and spaces for write-in votes. A replica of the state seal shall be printed on the ballot. The size, type, form, instructions, specifications for paper and printing and other specifications shall be prescribed by the Secretary of the State.

(b) In municipalities in which some or all offices are to be voted upon without party designation at an election, the clerk of the municipality shall prepare a suitably modified absentee ballot which, upon approval by the Secretary of the State, shall be the form of absentee ballot for the purposes of the election.

(c) In the case of a primary in a voting district in which unaffiliated electors are authorized, under section 9-431, to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at the primary, the clerk of the municipality shall so prepare and cause to be printed separate and distinct partial absentee ballots for such unaffiliated electors, provided on each such ballot, each candidate's position shall be the same as on the full absentee ballot for the primary, pursuant to section 9-437, leaving blank columns where necessary.

(P.A. 75-310, S. 1, 11; P.A. 77-245, S. 15; P.A. 78-24; P.A. 79-363, S. 11, 38; P.A. 84-319, S. 11, 49; P.A. 86-179, S. 4, 53; P.A. 87-509, S. 6, 24; P.A. 11-20, S. 3.)

History: P.A. 77-245 changed “town” to “municipal” clerk where appearing; P.A. 78-24 changed requirement for filing absentee ballot with secretary of the state to not later than 35 days, rather than 20 days, before election and further provided for filing of any corrections or alterations thereto; P.A. 79-363 made technical changes; P.A. 84-319 eliminated the requirement that secretary provide blank ballot facsimiles to municipal clerks, i.e. “without names of parties, candidates, offices and questions”; P.A. 86-179 deleted subsections requiring filing of absentee ballot forms and affidavits with secretary of the state and public availability of layouts of sample absentee ballots and added provision re modified absentee ballot for use in municipalities in which officers are voted upon without party designation; P.A. 87-509 added Subsec. (c), requiring preparation of separate and distinct absentee ballots for unaffiliated electors in case of primary in which unaffiliated electors authorized to vote for some but not all offices to be contested at primary; P.A. 11-20 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “ballot label” with “ballot” and eliminate requirement for Secretary of the State to send a ballot facsimile to each municipal clerk, effective May 24, 2011.