Substitute House Bill No. 5004, known as Public Act No. 23-5, is a comprehensive piece of legislation that implements early voting in elections, primaries, and special elections, effective from January 1, 2024. The bill sets specific periods for early voting, which vary depending on the type of election or primary, and outlines the process for unaffiliated electors to vote early in a primary by enrolling with the relevant political party by a certain deadline. It also mandates that registrars of voters designate a location for early voting, with the possibility of additional locations in larger municipalities, and includes provisions for the approval process of these locations, the appointment of election officials, and contingency plans for unusable locations.

The bill introduces several insertions and deletions to existing law, such as expanding the scope of the law to include any provision of the general statutes or any special act or municipal charter, and clarifying the process for same-day election registration. It also extends various deadlines related to the certification of registration locations and the approval process by the Secretary of the State. The bill specifies procedures for handling early voting ballots, including their storage and counting, and applies the same procedures for absentee ballots to early voting ballots. Additionally, it prohibits solicitation or loitering within seventy-five feet of any entrance used for entry to the early voting location.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 9-174, 9-19j, 9-373a, 9-329b, 9-460, 9-426, 9-428, 9-429, 9-217, 9-235e, 9-1
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 9-174, 9-19j, 9-373a, 9-329b, 9-460, 9-426, 9-428, 9-429, 9-217, 9-235e, 9-1, 9-256
File No. 350: 9-174, 9-19j, 9-373a, 9-329b, 9-460, 9-426, 9-428, 9-429, 9-217, 9-235e, 9-1, 9-256
APP Joint Favorable: 9-174, 9-19j, 9-373a, 9-329b, 9-460, 9-426, 9-428, 9-429, 9-217, 9-235e, 9-1, 9-256
File No. 756: 9-174, 9-19j, 9-373a, 9-329b, 9-460, 9-426, 9-428, 9-429, 9-217, 9-235e, 9-1, 9-256, 9-264
Public Act No. 23-5: 9-174, 9-19j, 9-373a, 9-329b, 9-460, 9-426, 9-428, 9-429, 9-217, 9-235e, 9-1, 9-256, 9-264