PROCEDURE MANUAL FOR COUNTING BALLOTS

Introduction
This Manual describes the steps to be followed in receiving, handling, counting and
preserving absentee ballots at elections, primaries and referenda. The law
prescribes that the procedures for voting and counting absentee ballots at elections
shall apply, as nearly as may be, to primaries and referenda. The Manual specifically
states wherever there are differences in procedure for primaries or referenda.
Absentee ballots are available at all elections and primaries, and for referenda
where permitted or required by law.

Absentee Ballot Counting Officials

The moderator, as chief polling place official, must supervise the process of
absentee ballot counting. Absentee ballot counting may be conducted at one
central location or at each polling place. If absentee ballots are counted at a
central location, polling place moderators do not supervise absentee ballot
counting; instead, a central counting place moderator supervises counting of
the absentee ballots at the central location. Absentee ballot counters are
election officials. The law requires all absentee ballot counters to attend a
training session conducted by the registrar(s) of voters and the moderators.
The text for the training session will be this Manual. In towns with central
counting of absentee ballots, only the central counting moderator must
participate with the registrar(s) and absentee ballot counters. In towns where
absentee ballots are counted at the polling places, all moderators who will
serve at the polls at the election or primary must attend the training session.
Absentee ballot counters must be sworn to the faithful performance of their
duties. The law permits registrars and moderators to administer such oaths.
The form of the oath is as follows: You solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case
may be) that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, your duties as
absentee ballot counter, to the best of your ability; and that you will serve in
this election or primary as the case may be, as an official, completely
impartial with respect to any candidate or any political party; so help you
God. In administering an oath, the person to whom the oath is administered
should hold up his/her right hand. If a person, by reason of scruples of
conscience, objects to such ceremony, or the person administering the oath
has a reason to believe that any other ceremony will be more binding upon
the conscience of the person taking the oath, he/she may permit or require
any other ceremony to be used. If, through scruples of conscience, a person
declines to take the usual form of an oath, a solemn affirmation may be
administered to him/her in the form of the oath prescribed, except that
instead of the word "swear" the words "solemnly and sincerely affirm" shall
be used and instead of the words "so help you God" the words "upon penalty
of perjury" shall be used. The person to whom an oath is administered should
answer, "I do"
A record of the time when and the place where the oath was administered to
each absentee ballot counter should be made by the official administering
the oath, at the time that the oath is taken, and returned to the registrar of
voters after the polls close which is to be subsequently filed with the relevant
office. (See form entitled "Certification of Administration of Oath" in this
Manual.
Who May Observe Absentee Ballot Counting
A. Absentee Ballot Counting at Individual Polling Places Absentee ballot
counting done at individual polling places must take place in plain view
of all election officials and electors present in the polling room. The
general public is NOT allowed to observe the count during polling hours
because Conn. Gen. Stats. Sec. 9-236 and Sec. 9-261 limit access to
the polling room during polling hours to electors, election officials,
Whether the count is conducted at individual polling places or one
central location, no one may reveal the result of the absentee ballot
count that may be conducted during election day until after the close
of the polls when the results of the vote are officially announced.
Absentee Ballot Counting at a Central Location
Members of the public may observe absentee ballot counting conducted at a
central location but they may not be so close that they can see the actual
vote.
Types of Absentee Ballots
A. Regular Absentee Ballots Any elector who is unable to appear at his
polling place during the hours of voting of any election, primary, or
referendum because of 1) absence from town, 2) illness, 3) physical
disability, 4) tenets of religion prohibiting secular activity, 5) service as
an election official at a polling place other than his own, or 6) active
service in the armed forces of the U.S., may vote using the regular
absentee ballot. (Sec. 9-135). All candidates and questions to be voted
upon are printed on the regular absentee ballot.

Time for Counting Absentee Ballots

If a Place is conducting central counting, ballots can be counted at any time
during the day as designated by the registrars of voters. Ballots shall be
checked and delivered by the registrars of voters to the counting locations
between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, and at 8:00 p.m. They may also, at the
option of the registrar(s), be delivered at 6:00 p.m. Even if the ballots are
delivered at various times during the day to the counting locations, the
actual counting of the ballots can be performed at any time as designated by
the registrars of voters. If a place is counting absentee ballots at the polling
place, ballots shall be delivered by the principal person to the registrars of
voters between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, and at 8:00 p.m. or at other
times that are mutually agreed upon by the town clerk and registrars of
voters. They may also, at the option of the registrar(s), be delivered at 6:00
p.m. If the optional 6:00 p.m. delivery is used, and there are no ballots left to
be delivered at 8:00 p.m., then of course the 8:00 p.m. delivery need not be
conducted. Even if the ballots are delivered at various times during the day
to the counting locations, the actual counting of the ballots can be performed
at any time as designated by the registrars of voters.
. Receipt of Ballots (Endorsement) As absentee ballots are received by the t
clerk, the clerk must endorse each outer envelope with the date, the precise
time of receipt, and his signature. The town clerk must also execute an
affidavit attesting to the accuracy of each endorsement and give the affidavit
to the Moderator before the close of the polls. The Head Moderator, at the
time of his receipt of this affidavit, must sign the affidavit, noting the time he
received the affidavit. The affidavit must be returned to the registrar of
voters after the close of the polls, and subsequently filed with the municipal
clerk the day after the election. A suggested form for the affidavit may be
found in this Manual.

Procedure for Counting Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots shall be delivered to the counting location at a time
prescribed by the registrars of voters on election, primary, or referendum
day. Prior to counting the ballots, the absentee ballot counters must report to
the polling place or central counting location to review ballots. The following
procedure for counting absentee ballots must be strictly adhered to. The
election laws describe in detail the manner and method by which are to be
received, handled, counted and preserved. This Manual describes the steps
to follow. Absentee ballot counters should refer to the Manual during the
process. Step 1. The counters report to the moderator the total number of
absentee ballots received (which includes official blank absentee ballots). If
applicable, they also report the total number of overseas ballots and
presidential ballots received. The moderator will record the totals on the
Certificate of Absentee Ballot Count Moderator's Return. See Appendix A of
this Manual.
Step 2. The counters check each outer envelope to be sure it has been
endorsed by the municipal clerk. The endorsement must show the date, the
precise time the clerk received the ballot, and the clerk's signature. If an
outer envelope does not substantially comply with this requirement, the
ballot cannot be counted. For example, if the envelope is stamped with only
a generic date stamp and contains no indication, whether by hand signature,
stamp facsimile or printed name and title, that it was received by the clerk,
the ballot cannot be counted. Mark the envelope "Rejected", followed by a
statement of the reasons for the rejection (for example, "Rejected--Clerk's
Endorsement Incomplete"). Place the rejected ballots in a depository
envelope.
Step 3. Except for ballots that have already been prechecked by the Principal
person, the absentee ballot counters must check the absentee elector's
name and address as it appears on the outer envelope against the elector's
name as it appears on the official check list and mark an "A" next to the
elector's name on such list. If the elector's name has already been checked
off the check list as voting in person, mark the envelope "Rejected--Elector
Voted in Person
In designated places with more than one polling place, where absentee
ballots are counted at individual polling places, if an elector's name is not on
the official check list, the moderator must contact the Principal person to find
out if the elector's name is on the official check list at another polling place
in town. If so, the ballot must be counted at the other polling place.
Arrangements must be made with the Principal person to deliver the ballot to
the correct polling place.

Step 4. Place the removed outer envelopes in the depository envelope, and
also place in the same depository envelope the outer envelopes marked
"Rejected" (containing inner envelopes and unopened ballots. Report to the
moderator the number of envelopes marked "Rejected" for use in completing
the "Certificate of Absentee Ballot Count" on the Moderator's Return. Step 7.
Open the remaining inner envelopes and remove the ballots, leaving them
folded so that the markings cannot be seen. This is required to preserve the
secrecy of the vote.

Ballots which must be handcounted. The ballots must be completely

handcounted: official blank absentee ballots are to be rejected.