Sec. 9-453r. Position of candidates' names on ballot.

      Sec. 9-453r. Position of candidates' names on ballot. (a) A separate row on the ballot shall be used for a petitioning candidate whose name is contained in a petition approved pursuant to section 9-453o, bearing a party designation. A separate row shall be used for the petitioning candidates whose names are contained in petitions approved pursuant to section 9-453o, bearing the same party designation. Within such a separate row, the order of the names of such candidates for the same multiple-opening office shall be determined by the registrars of voters by lot in a ceremony which shall be open to the public. The registrars of voters shall provide at least five days public notice for each such ceremony.

      (b) On the horizontal rows below the rows so used for candidates, if any, who are so entitled to a party designation on the voting machines, shall be placed, in the appropriate office columns, the names of candidates contained in petitions approved pursuant to section 9-453o bearing no party designation. Such candidates shall not be entitled to separate rows. Precedence as to horizontal row between or among such candidates shall be determined, if necessary, by the order in which their applications for petitions were filed with the Secretary of the State from the earliest to the latest; provided that within any such horizontal row the names of as many of such candidates for the same multiple-opening office as such row will accommodate shall be placed before placing the names of other such candidates for such office on the next such row. The order of the names of such candidates for the same multiple-opening office, within and between any such horizontal rows, shall be determined by the registrars of voters by lot in a ceremony which shall be open to the public. The registrars of voters shall provide at least five days public notice for each such ceremony. Each row in which a candidate's name appears who is not entitled to a party designation shall be labeled "Petitioning Candidates", the print of which shall correspond to that used for party designations.

      (1971, P.A. 806, S. 22; 1972, P.A. 27, S. 1; P.A. 84-319, S. 43, 49; P.A. 87-382, S. 49, 55; 87-472, S. 13; P.A. 88-49, S. 1, 2.)

      History: 1972 act deleted provision that petitioning candidate name shall not appear on ballot under a party designation unless 50% of offices to be filled have petitioning candidates approved and provided for separate row to be used for petitioning candidate whose petition is approved under Sec. 9-453o; P.A. 84-319 amended section to provide uniformity in statutes re order of unaffiliated electors on ballot and order of party candidates and divided provisions into Subsecs; P.A. 87-382 repealed provisions in Subsec. (b) re party lever; P.A. 87-472 required that, under Subsec. (a), within a separate row of candidates for same multiple-opening office and, under Subsec. (b), within and between horizontal rows for same multiple-opening offices, the order of names of candidates be determined by lot instead of alphabetical order based on surnames; P.A. 88-49 substituted "registrars of voters" for "municipal clerk" and "clerk".

      See Sec. 9-249b re arrangement of ballot label when number of party designations and petitioning candidate rows on ballot exceeds nine.