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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1515
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTION ADMINISTRATION OVERSIGHT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a 1
Municipal Election Accountability Board, which shall be within the 2
office of the Secretary of the State for administrative purposes only, for 3
the purposes of (1) reviewing the administration of elections, primaries 4
and referenda, including the conduct of early voting, absentee voting 5
and same-day election registration, and the duties of election officials 6
under title 9 of the general statutes, in municipalities in this state 7
whenever such municipalities are referred to the board for such review, 8
(2) overseeing the administration of elections in such municipalities 9
where necessary, and (3) establishing procedural safeguards for the 10
effective conduct of such elections, primaries and referenda in such 11
municipalities. Nothing in this section shall be construed to (A) affect 12
the powers and duties of the Secretary of the State or the State Elections 13
Enforcement Commission under title 9 of the general statutes, including 14
chapter 151a of the general statutes, (B) preclude any person from 15
seeking additional remedies under title 9 of the general statutes, 16
including under chapter 151a of the general statutes, or (C) otherwise 17
affect chapter 151a of the general statutes. 18
(b) (1) The Municipal Election Accountability Board shall be 19 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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comprised of: (A) The Secretary of the State, or the Secretary's designee, 20
who shall be the chairperson of the board; (B) the executive director of 21
the State Elections Enforcement Commission, or the executive director's 22
designee; (C) nine members appointed by the Secretary of the State, with 23
the advice and consent of the General Assembly, as follows: (i) One 24
member who shall be admitted to the practice of law in this state and 25
has expertise in election law; (ii) two members who shall be moderators 26
certified under section 9-229 of the general statutes and enrolled in 27
different political parties and who shall be selected from lists of five 28
recommendations from each major party, as defined in section 9-372 of 29
the general statutes, provided by an association representing the 30
interests of registrars of voters in the state; (iii) two members who shall 31
be registrars of voters and enrolled in different political parties and who 32
shall be selected from lists of five recommendations from each major 33
party provided by an association representing the interests of registrars 34
of voters in the state; (iv) two members who shall be town clerks and 35
enrolled in different political parties and who shall be selected from lists 36
of five recommendations from each major party provided by an 37
association representing the interests of town clerks in the state; and (v) 38
two members who shall be chief elected officials of municipalities and 39
enrolled in different political parties and who shall be selected from lists 40
of five recommendations from each major party provided by, jointly, a 41
state-wide organization of municipal leaders and an organization that 42
advocates for the interests of small towns in the state; and (D) one 43
member appointed by each of the four legislative leaders, as defined in 44
section 4-9d of the general statutes, who shall have expertise in election 45
administration or election law, provided appointments under 46
subparagraphs (C) and (D) of this subdivision shall be made so that no 47
single municipality is represented by more than one member. 48
(2) Members described in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subdivision 49
(1) of this subsection shall serve for a term of four years and until a 50
successor is appointed, and initial appointments of such members shall 51
be made not later than August 1, 2025. Members described in said 52
subparagraphs shall recuse themselves from participating in any 53 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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proceeding of the board on any matter in which a conflict exists due to 54
such member or the immediate family of such member being involved 55
in any matter before said board, including, but not limited to, a matter 56
concerning a town appearing before said board that a member 57
represents on said board. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing 58
authority for the remainder of the applicable member's unexpired term. 59
The members of the board shall serve without compensation, but shall 60
be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 61
For the purposes of this subdivision, "immediate family" means a 62
dependent relative who resides in the member's household or any 63
spouse, child, parent or sibling of the member. 64
(c) (1) Beginning on the second Tuesday of January in 2026, and every 65
month thereafter on such second Tuesday, the Municipal Election 66
Accountability Board shall hold a regularly scheduled meeting. 67
(2) All regularly scheduled meetings shall be noticed on the Internet 68
web site of the office of the Secretary of the State. In the event of any 69
review hearing or preliminary review to be held under section 2 of this 70
act, information regarding such hearing or review shall be added to 71
such notice not later than forty-eight hours prior to any such meeting. 72
(3) A vacancy on the board shall not impair the right of the remaining 73
members to exercise all powers of the board, except that a majority of 74
the total membership of the board shall constitute a quorum. 75
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2026) (a) (1) Whenever the Secretary 76
of the State or the State Elections Enforcement Commission is of the 77
opinion that a reasonable likelihood of irregularity or impropriety in the 78
administration of any election, primary or referendum in a municipality 79
exists, based on any formal or informal complaint received by the 80
Secretary or the commission from an individual, the Secretary or the 81
commission, as applicable, may refer such municipality to the 82
Municipal Election Accountability Board for a review hearing on such 83
municipality's procedures related to the conduct of any such election, 84
primary or referendum. Any such referral shall be accompanied by 85 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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supporting evidence, including, but not limited to, affidavits, written or 86
electronic correspondence and documented findings from an 87
investigation. 88
(2) Whenever a judge of the Superior Court is of the opinion that a 89
reasonable likelihood of irregularity or impropriety in the 90
administration of any election, primary or referendum in a municipality 91
exists, based on a matter before such court involving such municipality's 92
alleged violation of any provision of title 9 of the general statutes, such 93
judge may refer such municipality to the Municipal Election 94
Accountability Board for a review hearing on such municipality's 95
procedures related to the conduct of any such election, primary or 96
referendum. Any such referral shall be accompanied by supporting 97
evidence, including, but not limited to, any record developed during a 98
judicial proceeding. 99
(3) (A) Whenever a municipal clerk, registrar of voters or moderator 100
observes any act or omission that may present an impediment to the 101
timely and orderly administration of any duty required of a 102
municipality under title 9 of the general statutes, or (B) whenever the 103
chief executive officer of a municipality, based on a review of such 104
municipality's practices, identifies any such practice that may present 105
such an impediment, such municipal clerk, registrar of voters, 106
moderator or chief executive officer, as applicable, may refer such 107
municipality to the Municipal Election Accountability Board for a 108
review hearing on such municipality's procedures related to the conduct 109
of elections, primaries and referenda. Any such referral shall be 110
accompanied by supporting evidence, including, but not limited to, 111
affidavits, written or electronic correspondence, procedure manuals and 112
other guidance documents and logs of absentee ballot applications, 113
moderator's diaries or other contemporaneously-produced notes or 114
records. 115
(4) Whenever any citizen of the state has a good-faith belief that a 116
reasonable likelihood of irregularity or impropriety in the 117
administration of any election, primary or referendum in a municipality 118 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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exists, such citizen may file a report detailing such irregularity or 119
impropriety with the Municipal Election Accountability Board and 120
seeking a preliminary review of such municipality's procedures related 121
to the conduct of any such election, primary or referendum. Any such 122
report shall be accompanied by supporting evidence, including, but not 123
limited to, affidavits, written or electronic correspondence and 124
documented findings from an investigation. All submissions of such 125
supporting evidence shall be made under penalty of false statement. 126
(b) At the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Municipal Election 127
Accountability Board after the receipt of a citizen report under 128
subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section, the board shall hold a 129
preliminary review for the purpose of determining whether to hold a 130
review hearing under subsection (c) of this section. At such preliminary 131
review, the board shall vote to determine whether, if everything in the 132
citizen report is accurate, the reported municipality would be likely to 133
be designated for oversight in accordance with subsection (c) of this 134
section. In making such determination, the board shall consider (1) the 135
plausibility of the citizen report based on such report and supporting 136
evidence, (2) the nature and severity of the alleged irregularity or 137
impropriety, including whether any such irregularity or impropriety 138
would constitute a violation of the provisions of chapter 151 or 151a of 139
the general statutes, and (3) the frequency with which any such 140
irregularity or impropriety is alleged to have occurred in such reported 141
municipality. A preliminary review of a citizen report held under this 142
subsection shall not be considered a contested case under chapter 54 of 143
the general statutes. 144
(c) Immediately upon receipt of a referral under subdivisions (1) to 145
(3), inclusive, of subsection (a) of this section or an affirmative vote at a 146
preliminary review of a citizen report held under subsection (b) of this 147
section, the Municipal Election Accountability Board shall give notice of 148
such referral or citizen report to the referred municipality. Not later than 149
ten days after receipt of such notice, the referred municipality may 150
submit to the board a written response to such referral or citizen report. 151
Not later than forty-five days after receipt of such response or, if such 152 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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municipality does not submit such a written response, not later than 153
sixty days after the board gave notice of such referral or citizen report 154
to the referred municipality, the board shall hold a review hearing 155
during a regularly scheduled meeting of the board for the purpose of 156
presenting to such referred or reported municipality the evidence that 157
accompanied such referral or citizen report. The board may compel the 158
attendance of any person as a witness by subpoena issued by the board 159
and may compel the production for examination of any books and 160
papers that the board deems relevant to the matter in question. At such 161
review hearing, the chief executive officer, the corporation counsel or 162
any other duly authorized representative of such referred or reported 163
municipality shall have a right to respond to the evidence that 164
accompanied such referral or citizen report, including, but not limited 165
to, rebuttal of any fact alleged and confrontation of any witness. Not 166
later than the next regularly scheduled meeting after the review hearing, 167
the board shall vote to determine (1) whether to designate such referred 168
or reported municipality for oversight by the board in accordance with 169
the provisions of section 3 of this act, (2) if such oversight is deemed 170
necessary, the tier to which such municipality shall be designated, and 171
(3) if such oversight is deemed necessary, the length of time such 172
municipality shall be subject to such oversight. In making the 173
determination under subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection, 174
the board shall consider: (A) The referred or reported municipality's 175
response, if any, to the evidence that accompanied such referral or 176
citizen report, (B) the nature and severity of the alleged irregularity or 177
impropriety, including whether any such irregularity or impropriety 178
constitutes a violation of the provisions of chapter 151 or 151a of the 179
general statutes, and (C) the frequency with which any such irregularity 180
or impropriety appears to have occurred in such referred or reported 181
municipality. The determination of the board under this subsection may 182
be appealed in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the 183
general statutes. Any such appeal shall be privileged with respect to 184
assignment. 185
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2026) A referred municipality 186 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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designated by the Municipal Election Accountability Board as a: 187
(1) Tier I municipality shall be subject to oversight by the board 188
consisting of (A) development by such municipality of a plan to mitigate 189
the concerns that warranted such designation by the board, which shall 190
be submitted to the board for approval and modification as required by 191
the board, (B) mandatory training of election officials in election 192
administration procedures and best practices, conducted by the office of 193
the Secretary of the State or by a certified moderator, town clerk or 194
registrar of voters, or a combination thereof, selected by the Secretary of 195
the State, and (C) distribution by said office to such election officials of 196
instruction or training manuals or other resources for promoting best 197
practices in election administration. 198
(2) Tier II municipality shall be subject to oversight by the board 199
consisting of (A) the measures provided under subdivision (1) of this 200
section for a Tier I municipality, and (B) regular contact with the 201
municipality to ensure (i) compliance with the developed mitigation 202
plan and timely achievement of the benchmarks set forth in such 203
mitigation plan, (ii) attendance of election officials at all mandatory 204
training, and (iii) distribution of manuals or resources in accordance 205
with the provisions of subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of this 206
section. 207
(3) Tier III municipality shall be subject to oversight by the board 208
consisting of (A) the measures provided under subdivision (2) of this 209
section for a Tier II municipality, and (B) appointment of an election 210
monitor (i) who shall be authorized to (I) conduct inspections, inquiries 211
and investigations related to any duty or responsibility under title 9 of 212
the general statutes to be carried out by any official of such municipality 213
or appointee of such official, (II) have access to all records, data and 214
material maintained by or available to any such official or appointee, 215
and (III) immediately report to the Secretary of the State any irregularity 216
or impropriety in the performance of any duty or responsibility 217
described in subparagraph (B)(i)(I) of this subdivision, and (ii) who shall 218
be provided, by such municipality, with any office space, supplies, 219 Substitute Bill No. 1515
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equipment and services necessary to properly carry out such election 220
monitor's duties and responsibilities. 221
(4) Tier IV municipality shall be subject to oversight by the board 222
consisting of the complete administration by the board of any election, 223
primary or referendum in such municipality, and all procedures related 224
to the orderly conduct of any such election, primary or referendum, 225
notwithstanding the provisions of (A) titles 7 and 9 of the general 226
statutes, (B) any special act, and (C) any charter or home rule ordinance 227
adopted pursuant to chapter 99 of the general statutes. 228
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) Not later than January 1, 2026, 229
the Municipal Election Accountability Board shall adopt regulations, in 230
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, as 231
the board deems necessary to implement the provisions of sections 1 to 232
3, inclusive, of this act. 233
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 January 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 3 January 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 4 from passage New section
GAE Joint Favorable Subst.