Substitute Bill No. 7228 proposes significant reforms to the administration of elections in Connecticut, particularly focusing on absentee ballot procedures. Key amendments include the requirement for municipal clerks to retain unopened absentee ballot envelopes, endorse them with the date, time, and method of receipt, and maintain a public record of absentee ballot applicants. The bill modifies the timeline for sorting absentee ballots, allowing for sorting to begin fourteen days before an election, and establishes new delivery times for ballots to registrars. Additionally, it clarifies the handling of absentee ballots received after certain deadlines and mandates that absentee ballot counters check the names of applicants against official checklists.

The legislation also introduces changes to the counting process for absentee ballots, including the requirement for counters to report the total number of ballots received and to mark improperly signed envelopes as "Rejected." It alters the deadline for voters to withdraw absentee ballots from before 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the fourth day before the election and outlines new procedures for early voting and the announcement of election results. The bill emphasizes transparency and security throughout the election process, allowing for public observation of ballot counting while ensuring that candidates do not participate in the process. Most provisions are set to take effect on January 1, 2026, with funding provisions beginning on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-140c, 9-147a, 9-159o, 9-163bb, 9-409, 9-309, 9-261c, 9-438
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 9-140c, 9-147a, 9-159o, 9-163bb, 9-409, 9-309
File No. 693: 9-140c, 9-159o, 9-163bb, 9-409, 9-309
APP Joint Favorable: 9-140c, 9-147a, 9-159o, 9-163bb, 9-409, 9-309