OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-7228
AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS REFORMS TO THE
ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS IN THIS STATE.
Primary Analyst: TM 4/13/25
Contributing Analyst(s): LG, JP
Reviewer: PR
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $
Resources of the General Fund GF - Cost 1,320,000 1,320,000
Secretary of the State GF - Cost 396,010 396,010
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 161,216 161,216
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $
Various Municipalities Cost 90,000 90,000
Various Municipalities Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Explanation
This bill makes various changes to the state’s election laws resulting
in the fiscal impacts outlined below.
Section 2 of the bill expands the Secretary of the State's (SOTS)
oversight role in the counting of absentee ballots requiring SOTS to hire
four additional staff
2
at a cost of $313,955 in FY 26 and FY 27 with an
associated fringe cost of $127,811. These positions are required to
complete an assessment of proposed central counting locations within
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 40.71% of payroll in FY 26.
2
This includes a Staff Attorney I, two Elections Officers, and an Administrative
Assistant. 2025HB-07228-R000693-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 3
the two-day timeline required by the bill.
This section additionally, empowers SOTS to require municipalities
to appoint additional absentee ballot counters under certain
circumstances resulting in a potential cost to municipalities. The exact
cost will vary by municipality and depends on the number of additional
counters appointed.
Sections 3 and 4 of the bill require municipal registrars to attempt to
contact voters to whose ballots were rejected due to insufficient
identification or who failed to sign the inner-envelope resulting in a cost
to municipalities of $15,000 in FY 26 and FY 27. This cost is associated
with the expected additional labor hours to comply with this section.
The exact cost will vary by municipality and will depending on the
number of ballots that require correction.
Sections 6 and 7 of the bill moves forward the required reporting
time for absentee, early voting, and same day registration ballot
counters on the date of the contest resulting in a cost to municipalities
of $45,000. This cost is associated with at least two additional hours of
labor required as a result of these sections. The exact cost will vary by
municipality and depend on the additional hours required, and per
hour cost of election workers.
Sections 8-10 of the bill requires SOTS to supply and oversee the
municipal petition process requiring SOTS to hire one additional
employee
3
at a cost of $82,055 in FY 26 and FY 27 with an associate fringe
benefit cost of $33,405. This cost is associated with additional oversight
of the petition process, which will require specialized knowledge on the
municipal level to ensure each petition complies with local
requirements for municipal office.
Section 14 requires the SOTS to conduct a test and demonstration of
the state's election system and requires one registrar from each
municipality to attend resulting in a cost of $15,000 to municipalities.
3
This includes one Elections Officer. 2025HB-07228-R000693-FN.DOCX Page 3 of 3
This cost is associated with additional labor hours to attend and
participate in the demonstration.
Section 15 of the bill requires the placement of a poster at certain
early voting locations to inform voters how to locate their voting district
resulting in a cost to municipalities of approximately $15,000. This cost
is associated with the design and printing of the posters. The exact cost
is expected to vary by town.
Section 16 of the bill appropriates $1,320,000 to SOTS for early voting
in FY 26 and FY 27 resulting in a cost to the General Fund.
The remaining sections of the bill make a variety of changes that
result in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation, salary increases and
municipal labor costs. The appropriation described in section 16
concludes at the end of FY 27.