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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1532
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 6580
Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
AND ELECTIONS
Introduced by:
(GAE)
AN ACT CONCERNING NONPARTISANSHIP OF STATE ELECTIONS
ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION EMPLOYEES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (e) of section 9-7a of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 2
1, 2026): 3
(e) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 5-266a and 5-266b, 4
no member or employee of the commission shall [(1)] (A) be a candidate 5
in any primary or election, [(2)] (B) hold any elected public office, [(3)] 6
(C) be a political party officer, as defined in subsection (a) of this section, 7
[(4)] (D) be a member of a national committee of a political party, state 8
central or town committee, or a person employed by any such 9
committee for compensation, or [(5)] (E) hold any office of any 10
committee, as defined in section 9-601. The members and employees of 11
the commission shall otherwise be subject to the provisions of sections 12
5-266a and 5-266b. 13
(2) (A) In addition to the prohibitions set forth in subdivision (1) of 14
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this subsection, no employee of the commission shall (i) make a 15
contribution to a political party, committee or organization formed for 16
the purpose of supporting any candidate for public office, (ii) be a 17
candidate for a political party officer, or be a candidate for or serve as 18
an officer or member of a committee of a partisan political club, (iii) 19
organize or reorganize a political party organization or political club, 20
(iv) directly or indirectly solicit, receive, collect, handle, disburse or 21
account for assessments, contributions or other funds for a political 22
purpose, (v) organize, sell tickets to, promote or actively participate in a 23
fundraising activity of a candidate, political party, political committee 24
or political club, (vi) take an active part in the political campaign of a 25
candidate for public office or political party office, (vii) solicit votes in 26
support of or in opposition to a candidate for public office or political 27
party office, (viii) act as a recorder, watcher, challenger or similar official 28
at the polls on behalf of a political party or candidate, (ix) drive voters 29
to the polls on behalf of a political party or candidate, (x) publicly 30
endorse or oppose a candidate for public office or political party office 31
in a political statement or advertisement, however disseminated, (xi) 32
serve as a delegate, alternate or proxy to a political party convention, 33
(xii) address a convention, caucus, rally or similar gathering of a 34
political party in support of or in opposition to a candidate for public 35
office or political party office, (xiii) initiate or circulate a nominating 36
petition for a candidate for public office, or (xiv) display a political 37
picture, sticker, badge or button. 38
(B) The provisions of subparagraph (A) of this subdivision shall not 39
be construed to prohibit any employee of the commission from being 40
able to (i) register to vote, (ii) register with a political party, (iii) vote in 41
an election, primary, caucus, town meeting, referendum or similar 42
general vote, (iv) participate in meetings or hearings of governmental 43
agencies of the municipality where such employee resides, provided 44
such participation does not include advocating for or against any 45
political party or candidate of a political party, (v) be appointed to a non-46
elective municipal board or commission if the duties thereof do not 47
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include advocating for or against any political party or candidate of a 48
political party and such appointment is not determined by partisan 49
criteria, or (vi) make a contribution to the Citizens' Election Fund. 50
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 January 1, 2026 9-7a(e)
Statement of Purpose:
To require employees of the State Elections Enforcement Commission to
adhere to the same policies regarding nonpartisanship as nonpartisan
employees of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]