Connecticut General Statutes 9-23r – Submission of identifying information with mail voter registration application
(a) On or after January 1, 2003, any person who is applying, by mail, to register to vote for the first time in this state may submit as part of such voter registration application: (1) A copy of a current and valid photo identification, (2) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows the name and address of the voter, (3) a valid Connecticut motor vehicle operator’s license number, or (4) the last four digits of the individual’s Social Security number. Members of the armed forces and persons entitled to use the federal post card application for absentee ballots under section 9-153a are not required to provide identification when registering by mail. No information submitted as part of a voter registration application under this subsection shall be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act pursuant to chapter 14, except for the name, address, date of birth and telephone number of the applicant.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 9-23r
- Election: means any electors' meeting at which the electors choose public officials by use of voting tabulators or by paper ballots as provided in section 9-272. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
- Elector: means any person possessing the qualifications prescribed by the Constitution and duly admitted to, and entitled to exercise, the privileges of an elector in a town. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
- Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. Source: OCC
- Registrars: means the registrars of voters of the municipality. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
- Voter: means a person qualified to vote at town and district meetings under the provisions of section 7-6. See Connecticut General Statutes 9-1
- Voters: means those persons qualified to vote under the provisions of section 7-6. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
(b) If an individual submits such information pursuant to this section as part of the individual’s voter registration application and, with respect to subdivision (3) or (4) of subsection (a) of this section, the registrars of voters are able to match the information submitted with an existing Connecticut identification record bearing the same number, name and date of birth as provided, such individual shall not be required to produce identification when voting in person or by absentee ballot and may sign a statement as described in subparagraph (B) of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 9-261 in lieu of presenting identification when voting in person.
(c) Any additional documentation submitted as part of the voter registration application pursuant to this section may be destroyed by the registrars of voters after verification pursuant to the Help America Vote Act, P.L. 107-252, as amended from time to time.
(d) If an individual described in subsection (a) of this section does not submit the identification described in subsection (a) of this section as part of the individual’s application for admission as an elector, when the individual has entered the polling place in an election for federal office, the individual shall present: (1) A current and valid photo identification, or (2) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If an individual does not meet the requirements of this subsection in an election for federal office, such individual may cast a provisional ballot prescribed under sections 9-232i to 9-232o, inclusive.
(e) If an individual described in subsection (a) of this section does not submit the identification described in subsection (a) of this section as part of the individual’s application for admission as an elector, and if the individual votes by absentee ballot in an election for federal office, the individual shall enclose in the outer absentee ballot envelope, and not in the inner envelope with the ballot: (1) A copy of a current and valid photo identification, or (2) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. If an individual does not meet the requirements of this subsection in an election for federal office, such individual’s absentee ballot shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 9-150a and treated as a provisional ballot for federal office only, pursuant to sections 9-232i to 9-232o, inclusive.