Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots in Connecticut, 2020

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In August 2020, The New York Times estimated that 80 million Americans would vote by absentee/mail-in ballot in November 2020. That would have been more than double the number who did so in November 2016. The processes states use to count absentee/mail-in ballots have come under closer inspection by state officials, candidates, political parties, and the media.

This article describes the rules in Connecticut for processing, counting, and rejecting absentee/mail-in ballots in effect for the November 2020 election. It includes:

• How ballots are processed and counted
• Whether ballots can be challenged
• Conditions for rejecting a ballot
• Whether voters can correct mistakes on a ballot

The 2020 election took place against a backdrop of uncertainty. Our readers had questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from the casting of ballots to the certification of final results. Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk was designed to answer those questions.

Processing and counting ballots

See also: When states can begin processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots, 2020

Upon receiving completed absentee/mail-in ballots, election officials must first process the ballots before they can be counted. Processing generally entails verifying voter signatures and physically preparing ballots for tabulation. Processing practices can vary widely from state to state. Counting entails the actual tabulation of votes.

The table below highlights key dates and deadlines related to absentee/mail-in voting in Connecticut for the November 2020 election.

Absentee voting in Connecticut: Nov. 3, 2020, election.

Were there limits on who can request a ballot?

No

What was the deadline for requesting a ballot by mail?

Nov. 2, 2020

Was the request deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Received

What was the deadline for returning a voted ballot by mail?

Nov. 3, 2020

Was the return deadline a postmark or receipt deadline?

Received

Were there notary or witness requirements?

No requirement

Processing ballots

Officials in Connecticut began processing absentee/mail-in ballots on October 20, 2020. As of November 2020, Connecticut law included the following provision for processing absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

(b) Beginning not earlier than the seventh day before the election, primary or referendum and on any weekday thereafter, all absentee ballots received by the municipal clerk not later than eleven o’clock a.m. of such day may be sorted into voting districts by the municipal clerk and checked as provided in this subsection. On any such day, beginning as soon as the ballots have been sorted, the registrars of voters, without opening the outer envelopes, may check the names of the applicants returning ballots on the official checklist to be used at the election, primary or referendum by indicating “absentee” or “A” preceding each such name and, if unaffiliated electors are authorized under section 9-431 to vote in the primary of either of two parties, the designation of the party in which the applicants are voting preceding each such name. Unless absentee ballots are to be counted in the respective polling places, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, the registrars shall also place such indication on a duplicate of the checklist to be retained by the municipal clerk until he delivers it to the registrars at twelve o’clock noon on election, primary or referendum day for the use of the absentee ballot counters pursuant to subsection (i) of this section. All absentee ballots received not later than eleven o’clock a.m. of the last day before the election, primary or referendum which is not a Sunday or legal holiday, shall be so sorted and checked not later than such day.

”

See law: Connecticut HB 6002

Counting ballots

As of November 2020, Connecticut law allowed counting ballots to begin at the discretion of local registrars of voters. State law included the following provision for counting absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

(a) Starting time designated by registrars of voters. The absentee ballot counters shall proceed to the central counting location or to the respective polling places when counting is to take place pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a at the times designated by the registrars of voters. (b) Delivery and checking of ballots. At the time each group of ballots is delivered to them pursuant to section 9-140c, the counters shall perform any checking of such ballots required by subsection (i) of said section and shall then proceed as hereinafter provided. (c) Removal of inner envelopes. Count of total number of ballots received. Except with respect to ballots marked “Rejected” pursuant to section 9-140c or other applicable law, the counters shall remove the inner envelopes from the outer envelopes, shall note the total number of absentee ballots received and shall report such total to the moderator. They shall similarly note and separately so report the total numbers of presidential ballots and overseas ballots received pursuant to sections 9-158a to 9-158m, inclusive.

”

See law: General Statutes of Connecticut Section 9-150a

Connecticut law included the following provision for who may count absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

Sec. 9-148. Counting of absentee ballots; training of counters. The appointment of absentee ballot counters shall be made by the registrars of voters. The presiding officer for the purpose of declaring the result of the vote of the whole municipality is the moderator. Each person appointed to count absentee ballots shall participate in a training session at which the registrars of voters, absentee ballot moderator or moderator of the polling place, as the case may be, shall review and study the absentee counter's manual provided by the Secretary of the State under section 9-150a. Each elector so appointed shall be sworn to carry out faithfully the duties of his office and not to attempt to ascertain the manner in which any absentee elector has marked his absentee ballot. The registrars of voters shall ascertain the voting district in which each absentee elector is registered and shall apportion the envelopes according to voting districts among the appointed groups of electors, if there is more than one such group, in such manner that each group can conveniently count the votes apportioned to it.

”

See law: General Statutes of Connecticut Section 9-148

Connecticut law included the following provision for poll watchers:

“

(a) Each registrar may appoint one or more challengers in his town or district, one of whom may be present at the offering of any vote; and any such challenger or any elector may challenge the right of any person offering to vote, on the ground of want of identity with the person on whose name the vote is offered, or disfranchisement or lack of bona fide residence, and the moderator shall decide upon the right of the person so challenged to vote. (b) Challenges shall not be made indiscriminately and may only be made if the challenger knows, suspects or reasonably believes such a person not to be qualified and entitled to vote. Any challenge by an elector and the statement of the person challenged shall be under oath, administered by the moderator.

”

See law: General Statutes of Connecticut Section 9-232

Challenging ballots

Absentee/mail-in ballots may be challenged in an attempt to prevent the ballot from being counted. Ballots may be challenged for a variety of reasons, including: allegations that the voter is not qualified to vote in the election, the ballot was not received by the stated deadline, or that the voter had already voted in the same election. The methods and reasons for challenging ballots vary and are provided in state law. States without such provisions do not allow challenging absentee/mail-in ballots.

As of November 2020, Connecticut law included the following provision for challenging ballots:

“

Sec. 9-159p. (Formerly Sec. 9-232g). Challenge of absentee ballots. (a) Any elector may challenge the right of any person offering to vote by absentee ballot based upon false identity, disenfranchisement for conviction of a felony or lack of bona fide residence. The failure of an elector to challenge, pursuant to this section, the right of a person to vote by absentee ballot shall not bar such elector from bringing an action to contest the primary or election under section 9-323, 9-324, 9-328 or 9-329a, based on the alleged invalidity of the absentee ballot cast at such primary or election. (b) Challenges shall not be made indiscriminately and may only be made if the challenger knows or reasonably believes that the right of the person offering to vote by absentee ballot should be denied on one or more of the grounds specified in subsection (a) of this section. (c) Challenges made concerning ballots that the municipal clerk has not delivered to the registrars of voters for counting pursuant to sections 9-140c and 9-147a shall be made in writing to the municipal clerk. Challenges made concerning ballots that the municipal clerk has delivered to the registrars of voters for counting pursuant to sections 9-140c and 9-147a shall be made in writing to the central counting moderator or the moderator of the polling place at which the ballot is to be counted pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a. All challenges shall be made under oath.

”

See law: General Statutes of Connecticut Section 9 – 159p

As of November 2020, Connecticut law included the following provision for handling challenged ballots:

“

(d) Immediately upon receipt of a challenge, the municipal clerk shall send copies of the challenge to each registrar of voters and to the person offering to vote by absentee ballot. The municipal clerk shall send the copy of the challenge to the person offering to vote by first class certified mail to the mailing address shown on the application for the absentee ballot. The municipal clerk shall furnish copies of any written response to the challenge to each registrar of voters. The municipal clerk shall deliver the ballot in the inner envelope, which shall not be opened, the serially-numbered envelope and any other evidence relevant to the challenge, to the registrars, who shall sign a receipt for the same. (e) Immediately upon receipt of a challenge, the moderator shall deliver copies of the challenge to each registrar of voters. The moderator shall also deliver, or designate another election, primary or referendum official to deliver, the ballot in the inner envelope, which shall not be opened, the serially-numbered envelope and any other evidence relevant to the challenge to the registrars, who shall sign a receipt for the same. (f) The registrars of voters shall examine the challenge, any written response to the challenge and any other evidence or information they deem relevant to the challenge, including the inner envelope, which shall not be opened, and shall determine whether the challenge should be upheld. If the registrars fail to agree that the challenge should be upheld, it shall be deemed to have been denied. (g) The registrars of voters shall make the determination not earlier than noon of the day of the election, primary or referendum at which the ballot is submitted and not later than the time when the counting of all other absentee ballots at the election, primary or referendum has been completed. (h) The registrars of voters shall notify, in writing, the municipal clerk and the central counting moderator, or the moderator of the polling place at which the ballot is to be counted pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, of their determination. If the challenge is denied, the absentee ballot shall be delivered by the registrars to the appropriate location for counting pursuant to law. If the challenge is upheld, the registrars shall mark the word “rejected” on the serially-numbered outer envelope and note the reasons for rejection, and shall return it together with all other evidence received in connection with the challenge to the municipal clerk who shall retain the same until delivered in accordance with section 9-140c, except that a challenge to a ballot which the municipal clerk has delivered to the registrars of voters for counting pursuant to sections 9-140c and 9-147a shall be returned to the moderator to whom the challenge was made. (i) Within five days after the election, primary or referendum the municipal clerk shall send to the person whose offer to vote was challenged a copy of the written determination of the registrars and a statement as to the disposition of the absentee ballot.

”

See law: General Statutes of Connecticut Section 9 – 159p

Rejecting ballots

As of November 2020, Connecticut law included the following provision for rejecting absentee/mail-in ballots:

“

(c) If the name of the applicant returning the ballot is not on the official checklist for any polling place in such municipality, the registrars shall endorse on the face of such outer envelope the word “rejected”, followed by a statement of the reasons for rejection, and the outer envelope shall not be opened or the ballot counted. (4) If the name of an applicant returning a ballot has been checked on the official checklist as having voted in person the absentee ballot counters shall, in checking the ballots, endorse on the face of the outer envelope the word “rejected” followed by a statement of the reason for rejection, and the outer envelope shall not be opened or the ballot counted. (d) Ballot rejected if inner envelope statement not executed. (1) If the statement on the inner envelope has not been signed as required by section 9-140a, such inner envelope shall not be opened or the ballot removed therefrom, and such inner envelope shall be replaced in the opened outer envelope which shall be marked “Rejected” and the reason therefor endorsed thereon by the counters. (2) If such statement is signed but the individual completing the ballot is an individual described in subsection (a) of section 9-23r and has not met the requirements of subsection (e) of section 9-23r, the counters shall replace the ballot in the opened inner envelope, replace the inner envelope in the opened outer envelope and mark “Rejected as an Absentee Ballot” and endorse the reason for such rejection on the outer envelope, and the ballot shall be treated as a provisional ballot for federal offices only, pursuant to sections 9-232i to 9-232o, inclusive.

”

See law: General Statutes of Connecticut Section 9-140c

Ballot curing

Ballot curing refers to the process by which voters can correct mistakes—such as a missing or mismatched signature—with an absentee/mail-in ballot so that the ballot can be counted. Ballot curing provisions lay out this process in state law. States without such provisions do not count absentee/mail-in ballots with errors.

As of November 2020, Connecticut law did not include a provision for curing ballots.

Rules in other states

Click on a state below to view information on processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots in that state.

• Alabama
• Alaska
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• California
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• Connecticut
• Delaware
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• South Carolina
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• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
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More frequently asked questions about the 2020 election

Click on a question below to read the answer:

• General election information
  • Who runs elections in the United States?
  • Why do states have different election rules?
  • What methods do states use to prevent election fraud?
  • Do you have to vote for everything on your ballot?
  • What happens if you mark outside the lines or use the wrong pen/pencil?
  • What is a spoiled ballot?
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  • How can I check the status of my ballot?
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• Presidential election
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  • Can members of Congress object to Electoral College results?

• Processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots
  • What is the life cycle of an absentee/mail-in ballot?
  • What happens if I vote by mail and want to change my ballot at a later date?
  • What happens if someone votes by mail and then tries to vote in person?
  • How do states protect and verify absentee/mail-in ballots?
  • How do election workers match signatures?
  • Are results reported on election night coming from in-person or absentee/mail-in votes?
  • Do states report how many mail-in/absentee ballots are outstanding on election night?
  • Do absentee/mail-in ballots take longer to count than in-person ballots?
  • What happens if someone votes by mail-in ballot or absentee ballot and subsequently passes away before Election Day?

• Disputing election results
  • How will election recounts work?
  • How close does an election have to be to trigger an automatic recount?
  • Can a candidate or voter request a recount?
  • Who pays for recounts and contested elections?
  • What are poll watchers?
  • What does it mean to challenge a voter's eligibility, and who can do it?
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• Election result reporting and certification
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• Transitions of power and taking office
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• Articles about potential scenarios in the 2020 election
• U.S. Supreme Court actions affecting the November 3, 2020, general election

See also

• Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk
• Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk: Processing and counting absentee/mail-in ballots
• Absentee/mail-in voting, 2020