OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-6910
AN ACT RESTORING THE CITIZENS' ELECTION PROGRAM.
Primary Analyst: MT 4/17/23
Contributing Analyst(s):
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 24 $ FY 25 $ FY 26 $
Resources of the
Citizen's Election
Fund
GF - Cost See below See below Up to
12,000,000
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
This bill would have a cost of up to $12,000,000 beginning in FY 26.
The bill raises the existing maximum grant for gubernatorial candidates
from $6,000,000 adjusted for inflation to $12,000,000 adjusted for
inflation. The bill also through this process impacts minor party grants
made available through the Citizen's Election Program (CEP) for minor
parties that achieved at least 20% of the vote share in the last election or
achieve petition signatures of up to 20% of the electorate but may receive
a partial grant beginning at 10%. This may have an impact in the future,
but the threshold has not previously been achieved by a minor party
candidate for a governor's office race since the program's inception
1.
The bill also adjusts the number of qualifying contributions to
receive funding through the CEP and adjusts the calculation for how
inflation is applied to CEP grants. This begins calculating inflation from
2023's figures in FY 26 and shortens the lookback period in FY 30 to FY
1
The independent candidate in the 2022 Gubernatorial election received 1% of
statewide votes. Some candidates operating on two tickets did not receive above 10%
threshold on the non-major party line. 2023HB-06910-R000628-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2
26 at that point.
The law additionally adjusts for the number of qualifying
contributions
2
(QC's) required to qualify for CEP grants. the bill caps the
inflation adjustments to the maximum QC by an individual at the
broadly applicable contribution limits for the relevant office set in state
campaign finance law. It also requires that participating statewide office
candidates receive QCs from a minimum number of contributors.
The bill makes additional changes requiring filing and altering
calculations that must be completed by the state elections enforcement
commission (SEEC). The SEEC can complete this within existing staff.
The bill also establishes funding for special elections by allowing
participating candidates to receive a CEP grant for a new election or
primary ordered by a court or for adjourned elections and primaries
(i.e., a tie).
Section 6 of the bill requires an undefined transfer to be completed to
the CEP beginning in FY 24. The value required is unknown at this time.
The Citizens Election Fund ended 2022 with a remaining balance
of $31,750,622.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue subject to inflation, and participation within the program.
2
The bill would specify the number of contributors from in state requiring 2,250
contributors for Governor's Office, and 675 for all other statewide offices.