Senate Bill 386 (sSB386 File No. 392) introduces changes to the election process, including the designation and relocation of polling places, early voting procedures, and the role of regional election advisors. The bill requires municipal legislative body approval and a public hearing for any proposed relocation of a polling place, with a timeline set for these actions to take place well before an election or primary. It also mandates a statewide review of early voting procedures by the secretary of the state, with a report due by May 1, 2024. The bill repeals and substitutes language in sections of the general statutes, transferring certain powers from registrars of voters to the municipal legislative body, such as designating polling locations under specific circumstances. It also outlines the appointment process for election officials for early voting and modifies the process for designating a new polling location in an adjacent voting district. The bill's provisions regarding the relocation of polling places become effective on July 1, 2024, while other sections are effective upon passage.
The bill also addresses the combination of voting districts and polling places, the appointment of election officials such as a head moderator and a deputy head moderator, and prohibits the drawing of voting district lines that conflict with larger district boundaries, with exceptions for municipal elections. Changes to voting district boundaries made within 90 days of an election or primary will not apply to that election or primary. The bill removes the requirement for regional councils of governments to enter into an MOU with a regional election advisor by a specific deadline. The Government Administration and Elections Committee has given a joint favorable substitute to the bill, and there is no expected fiscal impact to the state or municipalities from its implementation.
Statutes affected: Raised Bill: 9-168, 9-168a, 9-168b, 9-169
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 9-168, 9-168a, 9-168b, 9-169
File No. 392: 9-168, 9-168a, 9-168b, 9-169