Connecticut Senate Bill SB00655

Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/25
• Refer: 1/16/25

Caption

An Act Making Certain Election Results-related Information Publicly Available.

Impact

The implementation of SB00655 is expected to increase public trust in election integrity by ensuring that detailed documentation of vote results is available for scrutiny. By publishing digital scans of the tabulator tapes and vote tally sheets on the Secretary of State's website, voters will have greater access to the information that supports election results. This is seen as a significant step towards improved election transparency, which can help ease concerns about electoral fraud and inaccuracies.

Summary

SB00655 aims to enhance the transparency of election processes by mandating that certain election results-related information be made publicly available. Specifically, the bill proposes amendments to section 9-314 of the general statutes, which governs the handling of election results. The bill requires that when moderators deliver physical copies of vote results to the Secretary of State, they must also include all tabulator tapes and vote tally sheets that correspond to those results. This inclusion aims to provide clear and accessible documentation of the voting process to the public.

Contention

While the intent of the bill is to foster transparency, there may be concerns regarding data privacy and the potential for misinterpretation of the publicly available documents. Critics could argue that making such data widely accessible could lead to misinformation or undue scrutiny of specific election outcomes. Additionally, there may be logistical challenges in ensuring that all necessary documentation is collected and accurately published in a timely manner after elections. The effectiveness of the bill will largely depend on the ability of election officials to manage these new requirements without adding significant burdens to the electoral process.