Substitute Bill No. 1515 proposes the creation of a Municipal Election Accountability Board within the office of the Secretary of the State, aimed at enhancing the oversight of elections, primaries, and referenda at the municipal level. The board will comprise the Secretary of the State, the executive director of the State Elections Enforcement Commission, and nine members appointed by the Secretary with the consent of the General Assembly, ensuring a diverse representation of political parties and expertise in election law. Members will serve four-year terms without compensation, although they will be reimbursed for expenses. The bill also establishes a process for referring municipalities to the board for review in cases of suspected irregularities, allowing various officials and citizens to submit reports with supporting evidence.

The legislation outlines a structured process for citizens to report election irregularities to the Municipal Election Accountability Board, which must conduct a preliminary review of such reports at its next meeting. If the board finds sufficient grounds, it will notify the municipality and hold a hearing to assess the situation, potentially designating municipalities for oversight in tiers based on the severity of the issues identified. The bill mandates the board to adopt regulations by January 1, 2026, to implement these provisions. Key insertions in the bill include the establishment of oversight tiers and the procedures for citizen reports, while existing legal language related to election oversight is amended to incorporate these new measures.