Connecticut House Bill HB05299

Connecticut 2015 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/15
• Refer: 1/13/15

Caption

An Act Concerning The Combination Of Certain Voting Districts For Municipal Elections.

Impact

If enacted, this legislation will significantly impact how municipal elections are conducted in regions with smaller elector counts. By increasing the threshold to five hundred electors, it may reduce the number of split voting districts, potentially making it easier for electoral functions to operate more efficiently. This alteration could streamline elections by ensuring that more voters are grouped together, thus simplifying ballot preparation and increase voter participation in combined districts.

Summary

House Bill 05299, introduced by Representative D'Agostino, proposes an amendment to section 9-169 of the general statutes concerning municipal elections and the combination of voting districts. The primary aim of the Bill is to raise the threshold of electors required in a split voting district from two hundred to five hundred. This change would facilitate the merging of smaller split districts with adjacent ones for the purpose of municipal elections, thereby simplifying the electoral process in those areas.

Contention

There may be contention surrounding the bill as it affects the representation of voters in smaller communities. Critics could argue that increasing the elector count to five hundred for district combination might dilute representation in lower-population areas where fewer than five hundred electors reside. Proponents, however, may contend that this facilitates a more cohesive electoral process and reduces complexities inherent in managing split districts during elections.