Constitution of Connecticut (2025 publisher edition) — Amendment XXXIV

Publisher edition notice: The publisher identifies this compilation as revised to January 1, 2025. It preserves the annotated original 1965 text and all ratified amendments, alongside the Revisors' unofficial convenience version incorporating extant amendments. The latter does not supersede the original Constitution and amendments; later changes have not been independently verified.

Amendment XXXIV Ratified amendment and publisher annotations.

ARTICLE XXXIV.*
*Adopted November 30, 2022.
(Absentee voting. In-person early voting.)
Section 7 of article sixth of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 7. The general assembly may provide by law for voting in the choice of any
officer to be elected or upon any question to be voted on at an election by qualified
voters of the state who are unable to appear at the polling place on the day of election
because of absence from the city or town of which they are inhabitants or because of
sickness or physical disability or because the tenets of their religion forbid secular
activity. The general assembly may further provide by law for voting in person prior
to the day of election in the choice of any officer to be elected or upon any question to
be voted on at an election by qualified voters of the state.
(Counting of votes. Return of votes.)
Section 9 of article third of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 9. At all elections for members of the general assembly the presiding officers
in the several towns shall count and declare the votes of the electors in open meeting.
The presiding officers shall make and certify duplicate lists of the persons voted for,
and of the number of votes for each. One list shall be delivered within three days to
the town clerk, and within ten days after such meeting, the other shall be delivered to
the secretary of the state.
(Counting of votes. Return of votes. Canvass and declaration of votes. Choice
by general assembly, when and how made.)
Section 4 of article fourth of the Constitution is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 4. The votes at the election of state officers shall be counted and declared in
open meeting by the presiding officers in the several towns. The presiding officers
shall make and certify duplicate lists of the persons voted for, and of the number of
votes for each. One list shall be delivered within three days to the town clerk, and

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246 AMENDMENTS TO THE Art. XXXV
CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
within ten days after such meeting, the other shall be delivered to the secretary of the
state. The votes so delivered shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the treasurer,
secretary, and comptroller, within the month of November. The vote for treasurer shall
be counted, canvassed and declared by the secretary and comptroller only; the vote for
secretary shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the treasurer and comptroller
only; and the vote for comptroller shall be counted, canvassed and declared by the
treasurer and secretary only. A fair list of the persons and number of votes given for
each, together with the returns of the presiding officers, shall be, by the treasurer,
secretary and comptroller, made and laid before the general assembly, then next to be
held, on the first day of the session thereof. In the election of governor, lieutenant-gov-
ernor, secretary, treasurer, comptroller and attorney general, the person found upon the
count by the treasurer, secretary and comptroller in the manner herein provided, to be
made and announced before December fifteenth of the year of the election, to have
received the greatest number of votes for each of such offices, respectively, shall be
elected thereto; provided, if the election of any of them shall be contested as provided
by statute, and if such a contest shall proceed to final judgment, the person found by
the court to have received the greatest number of votes shall be elected. If two or more
persons shall be found upon the count of the treasurer, secretary and comptroller to
have received an equal and the greatest number of votes for any of said offices, and
the election is not contested, the general assembly on the second day of its session
shall hold a joint convention of both houses, at which, without debate, a ballot shall
be taken to choose such officer from those persons who received such a vote; and the
balloting shall continue on that or subsequent days until one of such persons is chosen
by a majority vote of those present and voting. The general assembly shall have power
to enact laws regulating and prescribing the order and manner of voting for such offi-
cers. The general assembly shall by law prescribe the manner in which all questions
concerning the election of a governor or lieutenant-governor shall be determined.