State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Connecticut > Title9 > Chap148 > Sec9-309Sec. 9-309. Procedure for announcing result. As soon as the polls are closed, the moderator, in the presence of the other election officials, shall immediately lock the voting machine against voting and immediately open the counting compartments, giving a full view of all the counter numbers to all the election officials present. The moderator shall, in the order of the offices as their titles are arranged on the machine, read and announce in distinct tones the result as shown by the counter numbers, giving the number indicated by each counter and indicating the candidate to whom such counter belongs, and shall read the votes recorded for each office on the voting machine ballot label. He shall also, in the same manner, announce the vote on each constitutional amendment, proposition or other question voted on. The vote so announced by the moderator shall be taken down by each checker and recorded on the tally sheets. Each checker shall record the number of votes received for each candidate on the voting machine ballot label and also the number received by each person for whom write-in ballots were cast. The counter compartment of the voting machine shall remain open until the statement of canvass and all other reports have been fully completed and signed by the moderator, checkers and registrars, or assistant registrars, as the case may be. The result of the votes cast shall be publicly announced by the moderator, who shall read the name of each candidate, with the designating number and letter of his counter and the machine vote registered on such counter and the absentee vote as furnished the moderator by the absentee ballot counters; also the vote cast for and against each question submitted. While such announcement is being made, ample opportunity shall be given to any person lawfully present to compare the results so announced with the counter dials of the machine and any necessary corrections shall then and there be made by the moderator, checkers and registrars or assistant registrars, after which the doors of the voting machine shall be closed and locked. In canvassing, recording and announcing the result, the election officials shall be guided by any instructions furnished by the Secretary of the State. If the machine is equipped with a device for printing totals of candidate and question counters, and the device has been made operational at the instruction of both registrars of voters, the doors concealing the counters shall not be opened. The printed record produced by the machine shall be the official return, and the results of the votes as shown thereon shall be proclaimed in the same manner as herein provided and ample opportunity shall be given to any person lawfully present to inspect such printed records. If the moderator finds that the printed record is not clear, the doors concealing the counters shall be opened and counting shall proceed as with a machine which does not have such a device.
(1949 Rev., S. 1213; 1953, S. 787d; 1957, P.A. 526, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 408, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 9, S. 1; P.A. 83-475, S. 23, 43.)
History: 1965 act provided that where machine is equipped with device for printing totals of candidate and questions counters, concealing doors not to be opened and the printed record shall be the official return and so proclaimed with opportunity given persons lawfully present to inspect the records, however, where printed record not clear concealing doors to be opened and counting proceed as with other machines; 1969 act deleted provision for alternate to moderator to announce results of votes cast, and added provision for announcing both the machine vote registered on the counter and the absentee vote furnished to moderator by absentee ballot counters; P.A. 83-475 amended section to make use of printing device on voting machines permissive rather than mandatory.
Cited. 116 C. 40.
