Constitution of Connecticut (2025 publisher edition) — Article SIXTH

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.

Article SIXTH Revisors’ compilation incorporating extant amendments; publisher convenience version.

ARTICLE SIXTH.
OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTORS.
(Qualifications of electors.)
Sec. 1. Every citizen of the United States who has attained the age of eighteen years,
who is a bona fide resident of the town in which he seeks to be admitted as an elector
and who takes such oath, if any, as may be prescribed by law, shall be qualified to be
an elector.
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, incorporates Article IX., of the Amendments to the Constitution of
the State of Connecticut. Said Article IX., was adopted on November 24, 1976, and changed minimum voting age from
twenty-one to eighteen, replaced requirement that applicant have resided in the town where he wishes to be admitted as
an elector for six months with requirement that applicant be a bona fide resident of such town, deleted a provision requir-
ing that applicants be able to read passages of the Constitution or general statutes in English as condition of registration
as an elector, and clarified that elector’s oath is not mandatory.
(Determination of qualifications.)
Sec. 2. The qualifications of electors as set forth in Section 1 of this article shall be
decided at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by law.
(Forfeiture and restoration of electoral privileges.)
Sec. 3. The general assembly shall by law prescribe the offenses on conviction of
which the right to be an elector and the privileges of an elector shall be forfeited and
the conditions on which and methods by which such rights may be restored.
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, incorporates Article VII., of the Amendments to the Constitution of
the State of Connecticut. Said Article VII., was adopted on November 27, 1974, and added language re forfeiture of the
right to be an elector.
(Free suffrage.)
Sec. 4. Laws shall be made to support the privilege of free suffrage, prescribing the
manner of regulating and conducting meetings of the electors, and prohibiting, under
adequate penalties, all undue influence therein, from power, bribery, tumult and other
improper conduct.
(Prohibiting the use of a party lever in any state or local election.)
Sec. 5. In all elections of officers of the state, or members of the general assem-
bly, the votes of the electors shall be by ballot, either written or printed, except that
voting machines or other mechanical devices for voting may be used in all elections
in the state, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. No voting machine
or device used at any state or local election shall be equipped with a straight ticket
device. The right of secret voting shall be preserved.
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, incorporates Article XXIV., of the Amendments to the Constitution of
the State of Connecticut. Said Article XXIV., was adopted on November 19, 1986, and replaced provision which had
allowed the use of voting machines equipped with straight ticket voting devices with provision specifically prohibiting
the use of such machines and devices.

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266 CODIFIED CONSTITUTION Art. VI
INCORPORATING ALL EXTANT AMENDMENTS
OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
(Privilege of electors from arrest.)
Sec. 6. At all elections of officers of the state, or members of the general assembly,
the electors shall be privileged from arrest, during their attendance upon, and going to,
and returning from the same, on any civil process.
(Absentee voting. In-person early voting.)
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 will not appear at the polling place on the day of election. 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.
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, incorporates Article XXXIV., of the Amendments to the Constitution
of the State of Connecticut, and Article XXXV., of said Amendments. Said Article XXXIV., was adopted on November
30, 2022, and added language to provide for in-person early voting. Said Article XXXV., was adopted on November 27,
2024, and amended language to provide for no-excuse absentee voting by replacing “are not able to” with “will not”
and deleting “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”.
(Absentee admission of electors.)
Sec. 8. The general assembly may provide by law for the absentee admission of
electors.
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, incorporates Article XXVII., of the Amendments to the Constitution
of the State of Connecticut. Said Article XXVII., was adopted on November 25, 1992, and replaced provision limiting
absentee elector privilege to “members of the armed forces, the United States merchant marine, members of religious or
welfare groups or agencies attached to and serving with the armed forces and civilian employees of the United States,
and the spouses and dependents of such persons” with general authority for general assembly to legislate conditions for
absentee admission of electors.
(Removal to another town.)
Sec. 9. Repealed.
Historical Note: This section was repealed by Article XIII., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of
Connecticut. Said Article XIII., was adopted on November 26, 1980. This section had governed admission of an elector
in a town to which he had moved after his admission as an elector in a town of prior residence.
(Eligibility to office.)
Sec. 10. Every elector who has attained the age of eighteen years shall be eligible to
any office in the state, but no person who has not attained the age of eighteen shall be
eligible therefor, except in cases provided for in this constitution.
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, incorporates Article II., Sec. 3, of the Amendments to the Constitu-
tion of the State of Connecticut, and the third section of Article XV., of said Amendments. Said Article II., Sec. 3, was
adopted on November 25, 1970, and imposed minimum age requirement of twenty-one years for eligibility to hold state
office. Said Article XV., was adopted on November 26, 1980, and reduced minimum age required for eligibility to hold
state office to eighteen.
(Preregistration of seventeen-year-old citizens as electors. When seventeen-
year-old citizens may vote in primary elections.)
Sec. 11. Any citizen who will have attained the age of eighteen years on or before the
day of a regular election may apply for admission as an elector at such times and in such
manner as may be prescribed by law, and, if qualified, shall become an elector on the day
of his or her eighteenth birthday. Any citizen who has not yet attained the age of eighteen
years but who will have attained the age of eighteen years on or before the day of a regular
election, who is otherwise qualified to be an elector and who has applied for admission as
an elector in such manner as may be prescribed by law, may vote in any primary election,
in such manner as may be prescribed by law, held for such regular election.

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Art. VIII CODIFIED CONSTITUTION 267
OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
INCORPORATING ALL EXTANT AMENDMENTS
Historical Note: This section, as printed here, was added by Article X., of the Amendments to the Constitution of
the State of Connecticut and designated as “Sec. 11” by the Revisors. It incorporates Article XIV., and Article XXXI.,
of said Amendments. Said Article X., was adopted on November 24, 1976, and allowed seventeen-year-olds to apply
for admission as electors within the four months preceding an election if they will be eighteen on or before the election.
Said Article XIV., was adopted on November 26, 1980, and deleted provision limiting preregistration of seventeen-year-
olds to the four-month period before an election. Said Article XXXI., was adopted on November 26, 2008, and added
provision allowing seventeen-year-olds who will be eighteen on or before a regular election and who have applied for
admission as an elector to vote in any primary election held for such regular election.

Article SIXTH Original 1965 text and publisher annotations; retained historical context.

ARTICLE SIXTH.
OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ELECTORS.
(Qualifications of electors.)
Sec. 1.1 Every citizen of the United States who has attained the age of twenty-one
years, who has resided in the town in which he offers himself to be admitted to the
privileges of an elector at least six months next preceding the time he so offers himself,
who is able to read in the English language any article of the constitution or any
section of the statutes of the state, and who sustains a good moral character, shall, on
his taking such oath as may be prescribed by law, be an elector.
1 Amended by Article IX., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut.
(Determination of qualifications.)
Sec. 2. 1 The qualifications of electors as set forth in Section 1 of this article shall be
decided at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed by law.
1 Under former constitutional provision: The action of the board cannot be controlled by mandamus. 34 C. 414, 415.
Exemption of the board from liability. 53 C. 527. Liability of town for expenses of board. 75 C. 545, see 76 C. 167.
Selectmen and town clerk are not exclusive judges where requirement is that of “resident elector.” 103 C. 167. Cited.
129 C. 624.
Waiver of counsel intelligent, when. 29 CS 426.
(Forfeiture and restoration of electoral privileges.)
Sec. 3. 1 The general assembly shall by law prescribe the offenses on conviction of
which the privileges of an elector shall be forfeited and the conditions on which and
methods by which such rights may be restored.
1 Amended by Article VII., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut.
(Free suffrage.)
Sec. 4. 1 Laws shall be made to support the privilege of free suffrage, prescribing the
manner of regulating and conducting meetings of the electors, and prohibiting, under
adequate penalties, all undue influence therein, from power, bribery, tumult and other
improper conduct.

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Art. VI CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 179
1 Purpose of the section and of legislation pursuant thereto is to secure the exercise of free suffrage. 72 C. 105. To
throw out ballot for immaterial error would not be to support the right of free suffrage. 75 C. 15. Cited. 136 C. 636.
(Voting by ballot or machine. Optional party lever.)
Sec. 5.1 In all elections of officers of the state, or members of the general assembly,
the votes of the electors shall be by ballot, either written or printed, except that voting
machines or other mechanical devices for voting may be used in all elections in the
state, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law. The right of secret voting
shall be preserved. At every election where candidates are listed by party designation
and where voting machines or other mechanical devices are used, each elector shall
be able at his option to vote for candidates for office under a single party designation
by operating a straight ticket device, or to vote for candidates individually after first
operating a straight ticket device, or to vote for candidates individually without first
operating a straight ticket device.
1 Amended by Article XXIV., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut.
(Privilege of electors from arrest.)
Sec. 6. 1 At all elections of officers of the state, or members of the general assembly,
the electors shall be privileged from arrest, during their attendance upon, and going to,
and returning from the same, on any civil process.
1 Extent of protection guaranteed by this section. 3 C. 537.
(Absentee voting.)
Sec. 7. 1 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.
1 Amended by Article XXXIV., and Article XXXV., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Con-
necticut.
Cited. 136 C. 636. The constitutional language of “unable to appear” and “sickness” is sufficiently capacious to
include the particular disease of COVID-19; the word “sickness” encompasses the existence of a specific disease such
as the COVID-19 pandemic addressed by Executive Order No. 7QQ and is not limited to an illness suffered by an indi-
vidual voter; the text suggests that physical inability to get to the polling place on election day is not the sine qua non for
rendering a voter “unable to appear” there, instead, that determination of ability is squarely within the individual voter’s
control or judgment. 338 C. 1.
(Admission of electors in absentia.)
Sec. 8. 1 The general assembly may provide by law for the admission as electors
in absentia of members of the armed forces, the United States merchant marine,
members of religious or welfare groups or agencies attached to and serving with the
armed forces and civilian employees of the United States, and the spouses and depen-
dents of such persons.
1 Amended by Article XXVII., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut.
(Removal to another town.)
Sec. 9.1 Any person admitted as an elector in any town shall, if he removes to another
town, have the privileges of an elector in such other town after residing therein for six
months. The general assembly shall prescribe by law the manner in which evidence
of the admission of an elector and of the duration of his current residence shall be
furnished to the town to which he removes.
1 Repealed by Article XIII., of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Connecticut.

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180 CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT Art. VIII
(Eligibility to office.)
Sec. 10. 1 Every elector shall be eligible to any office in the state, except in cases
provided for in this constitution.
1 Amended by Article II., Sec. 3, and Article XV., Sec. 3, of the Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Con-
necticut.