HB 5531 — AN ACT CONCERNING FAITHFUL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
Last action — SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 486
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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3Passed House
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4Passed Senate
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has passed the House. Introduced March 06, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.
Odds of enactment
Moderate chanceBased on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a moderate chance of becoming law.
Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.
A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.
Prognosis
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Passed House
Current position in the legislative process.
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5 sponsors
5 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Single-party support
Sponsorship is currently within one party (5 D).
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
266 added · 122 removedPlain-language change summary
The latest version of Bill HB 5531 includes a formal report from the Committee on Government Administration and Elections, suggesting the bill should pass. This addition clarifies the committee's support and makes the legislative process more transparent. It also removes some redundant phrases, streamlining the document. Overall, these changes help present the bill clearly and efficiently, making it easier for lawmakers and the public to understand its intent.
House of Representatives General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.
5531522 February Session, 2026 LCOSubstitute House Bill No.
28105531 ReferredHouse toof Representatives, April 8, 2026 The Committee on GOVERNMENTGovernment ADMINISTRATIONAdministration ANDand ELECTIONSElections Introducedreported by:through REP.
(GAE)BLUMENTHAL ANof ACTthe CONCERNING147th FAITHFULDist., PRESIDENTIALChairperson ELECTORS.of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING FAITHFUL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
(2) If a political party's nominee for President or Vice President dies or withdraws as a candidate in accordance with such political party's rules prior to the meeting of presidential electors under section 9-176 of thesHB5531 general/ statutes,File as amended by this act, the pledge executed under LCO No.
2810522 1 ofsHB5531 6File Raised Bill No.
5531522 the general statutes, as amended by this act, the pledge executed under subsection (a) of this section shall apply to such political party's successor nominee.
(b) (1) If any [such] presidential elector is absent or if there is a vacancy in the [electoral college] presidentialelectors ofthe state for any cause, the presidential electors present shall [, before voting for President and Vice President, elect] choose by ballot an [elector] eligible person to fill such vacancy, and the person so chosen shall be a presidential elector, shall perform the duties of such office and shall cast his or her electoral college ballots for the candidates to whom the LCOpresidential No.elector that he or she is replacing was pledged.
2810sHB5531 2/ ofFile 6 Raised Bill No.
5531522 presidential2 electorsHB5531 thatFile heNo. or she is replacing was pledged.
522 (2) To be eligible to be chosen to fill a vacancy in the presidential electors of the state under subdivision (1) of this subsection, a person shall execute the following pledge:
(d)Eachpresidentialelector(d) shallEach completepresidential hisorelector hershall electoralcollege ballot and present such completed ballots to the Secretary of the State, who shall examine such ballots and accept as cast each such ballot marked consistent with the pledge executed by such presidential elector under section 1 of this act or subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, as applicable.
In the case of an electoral college ballot marked inconsistent with suchthe apledge presidentialso elector'sexecuted, pledge, the Secretary shall not accept as cast such ballot.
(e) Any presidential elector who refuses to comply with any provision of subsection (c) or (d) of this section, or marks any electoral college ballot inconsistent withthepledge executed by suchpresidential elector under section 1 of this act or subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, shall forfeit the office of presidential elector and cause a vacancy in the presidential electors of the state, which vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section,section. as applicable.
(f) (1) After all electoral college ballots of all presidential electors of LCOthe state have been accepted as cast, the Secretary of the State shall furnish six duplicate originals of the certificate of ascertainment of appointment of presidential electors previously issued and transmitted by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b) ofsection9-315,asamendedby this sHB5531 / File No.
2810522 3 ofsHB5531 6File Raised Bill No.
5531522 the state have been accepted as cast, the Secretary of the State shall furnish six duplicate originals of the certificate of ascertainment of appointment of presidential electors previously issued and transmitted by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-315, as amended by this act, or an amended version of such certificate prepared pursuant to subsection (g)(h) of this section, as applicable, to the presidential electors.
(2)(g) Any presidential elector who refuses to sign any of the certificates of votes, as provided in subdivisionsubsection (1)(f) of this subsection,section, shall forfeit the office of presidential elector and cause a vacancy in the presidential electors of the state, which vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section.
(g)(h) After all electoral college ballots of all presidential electors of the state have been accepted as cast and all certificates of votes have been signed by all such presidential electors, the Secretary of the State shall prepare a final list of presidential electors of the state.
Whenever the final list of presidential electors of the state differs from the list of presidential electors of the state that was included on the certificate of ascertainment of appointment of presidential electors previously issued and transmitted by the Secretary of the State pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-315, as amended by this act, the Secretary shall immediately (1) prepare an amended certificate of ascertainment of appointment of presidential electors that complies with the provisions of 3 USC 5(a)(2), as amended from time to time, (2) issue such amended certificate, and LCO(3) No.transmit, in the most expeditious method available, such amended certificate to the Archivist of the United States.
2810(i) 4Any ofpresidential 6elector Raisedwho Billfails to mark his or her electoral college ballots consistent with the pledge he or she has executed under sHB5531 / File No.
5531522 (3)4 transmit,sHB5531 inFile theNo. most expeditious method available, such amended certificate to the Archivist of the United States.
(h)522 Any presidential elector who fails to mark his or her electoral college ballots consistent with the pledge he or she has executed under section 1 of this act or subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section, as applicable, shall be ineligible upon such failure and thereafter to the office of presidential elector.
(a) The votes returned as cast for a senator in Congress, representatives in Congress and presidential electors shall be publicly counted by the Treasurer, Secretary of the State and Comptroller on the last Wednesday of the month in which they[they] such votes were cast, and such votes shall be counted in conformity to any decision rendered by the judges of the Supreme Court as provided in section 9-323.
In accordance withwiththecount the count so made,made,they theyshall,onsaidday,declare shall, on said day, declare what persons are elected senators in the Congress of the United States or representatives in Congress, and the Secretary of the State shall forthwith notify them[them] such persons by mail of their election;
andand, except in the event that the Agreement Among the States to Elect the President by National Popular Vote under section 9-175a has taken effect in accordance with Article IV of said agreement, they shall declare the proper number of persons having the greatest number of votes to be presidential electors and, in case of an equal vote for said presidential electors, shall determine by lot from the persons having such equal number of votes the persons appointed, and the Secretary of the State shall forthwith notify them[them] such persons by mail of their appointment.
In preparing such certificate, the Secretary shallspecify inthetextthereofthat (1)thepresidentialelectors LCOappointed under subsection (a) of this section will serve as such unless a vacancy occurs in the presidential electors of the state before the conclusion of the meeting held under section 9-176, as amended by this sHB5531 / File No.
2810522 5 ofsHB5531 6File Raised Bill No.
5531522 appointed under subsection (a) of this section will serve as such unless a vacancy occurs in the presidential electors of the state before the conclusion of the meeting held under section 9-176, as amended by this act, in which case an eligible person shall be chosen to fill such vacancy in accordance with the provisions of said section, and (2) if an eligible person is chosen to fill such a vacancy, the Secretary shall issue an amended certificate of ascertainment of appointment of presidential electors, stating the names comprising the final list of presidential electors of the state, and shall transmit such amended certificate to the Archivist of the United States.
2 October 1, 2026 9-176 October 1, 2026 Sec.
3 October 1, 2026 9-315 Statement of Purpose:Legislative Commissioners:
ToIn (1)Section require2(d), candidates"complete forhis presidentialor electors,her aselectoral partcollege ofballot theirand" candidacywas filingsdeleted or registrations, to executeeliminate pledgesredundant tolanguage vote for the Presidential and Vice"such Presidentiala candidates associated with such filings or registrations, and (2) modify the process by which meetings of presidential electorselector's arepledge" conductedwas inchanged order to ensure"the votespledge areso castexecuted" consistentfor withclarity; such pledges.
[Proposedin deletionsSection are2(e), enclosed", inas brackets.applicable" was deleted for accuracy;
Proposedand additionsin areSection indicated2, bysubsections underline,(f)(1) exceptand that(2) whenwere redesignated as subsections (f) and (g), the entireremaining textsubsections of athe billsection orwere resolutionrelettered, oran ainternal sectionreference to "subsection (g)" was changed to "subsection (h)" and an internal reference to "subdivision (1) of athis billsubsection" orwas resolutionchanged isto new,"subsection it(f) isof notthis underlined.]section" LCOfor No.clarity.
2810GAE 6Joint ofFavorable 6Subst.
sHB5531 / File No.
522 6 sHB5531 File No.
522 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.
In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.
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Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:
None Municipal Impact:
None Explanation The bill makes procedural changes regarding presidential electors, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.
The Out Years State Impact:
None Municipal Impact:
None sHB5531 / File No.
522 7 sHB5531 File No.
522 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 5531 AN ACT CONCERNING FAITHFUL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS.
By law, when a voter casts a ballot for a presidential candidate, the ballot is cast for a slate of presidential electors who have pledged to vote for that candidate when all state electors convene to choose the president and vice president of the United States (CGS § 9-175).
This bill requires candidates for presidential elector and individuals who filla vacancy for these offices to execute apledge that they willvote for the candidate they are pledged to vote for.
It specifies that any person who fails to vote for their pledged candidate is permanently ineligible to serve as a presidential elector in the future.
Additionally, the bill establishes procedures for rejecting an elector’s ballot if cast for anyone other than the pledged candidate.
State law currently requires presidential electors to vote for the presidential and vice-presidential candidates under whose names they ran on the official ballot, but it does not nullify their vote if they fail to do so.
The bill also makes technical and conforming changes, including specifying how electors must be chosen if the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is activated, which Connecticut has joined (see BACKGROUND).
EFFECTIVE DATE:
October 1, 2026 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR PLEDGES Under the bill, each (1) presidential elector candidate nominated by a political party or (2) person who files a candidacy for the office with a political party designation, must execute the following pledge:
sHB5531 / File No.
522 8 sHB5531 File No.
522 “If chosen for the office of presidential elector, I agree to serve and to mark my electoral college ballots for the nominees for President and Vice President of the political party by which I was nominated.” The bill specifies that when a political party’s nominee for President or Vice President dies or withdraws before the meeting of electors, the presidential elector’s pledge above must apply to the successor nominee.
Similarly, a person who files a candidacy without a political party designation or who registers a candidacy for a write-in candidate must execute the following pledge:
“If chosen for the office of presidential elector, I agree to serve and to mark my electoral college ballots for the candidate for President listed on this filing and for such candidate’s running mate as Vice President.” In either case, a copy of the executed pledge must be included in the filed certificate of endorsement, candidacy for nomination, or registration, as applicable.
Relatedly, to be chosen to fill a vacancy for these offices, a person must execute the following pledge:
“I agree to serve and to mark my electoral college ballots consistent with the pledge of the presidential elector who I am replacing.” VOTING OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS By law, all the state’s presidential electors must meet at the secretary of the state’s (SOTS) office at noon on the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday of the December following their election.
Current law specifies that each elector must cast their vote for his or her pledged candidate.
Instead, the bill eliminates this requirement and creates procedures for nullifying these ballots.
Under the bill, SOTS must give presidential electors their ballots and then preside over the voting process.
Presidential electors must mark their ballots, sign them, and legibly print their names.
After completing sHB5531 / File No.
522 9 sHB5531 File No.
522 their ballots, electors must present them to SOTS, who may accept them only if marked for the candidate the electors are pledged for.
If a ballot ismarked foranothercandidate or anelectorrefusestovote for the pledged candidate or comply with the bill’s procedures, the elector forfeits the office, creating a vacancy.
As under existing law, the remaining presidential electors choose a new elector by ballot.
The bill specifies that each time a vacancy is filled, the procedures above must be repeated until all ballots are accepted.
POST-VOTING REQUIREMENTS Certificate of Votes Federal law establishes procedures states must follow when transmitting the results of the meeting of presidential electors.
First, presidential electors must make and sign six certificates of their votes, seal them with their appointment certificates, and then transmit them to certain people required by federal law (3 U.S.C.
§§ 9-11).
The bill requires SOTS to provide these certificates and assist in this process.
Under the bill, if an elector refuses to sign the certificates of votes, they forfeit the office of presidential elector, and a vacancy is created.
Thevacancymustbefilledasdescribedabove andtheproceduresabove repeated until all ballots have been accepted and the certificates of votes are signed.
Certificate of Ascertainment of Appointment By law, SOTS must issue a certificate of ascertainment of appointment for presidential electors once the winners have been declared and transmit it to the U.S.
Archivist.
Generally, this certificate is the official list of people declared to be the state’s presidential electors (3 U.S.C.
§ 5).
If the list of presidential electors has changed since SOTS issued the certificate (for example, filling a vacancy), the bill requires the secretary to amend the certificate, issue it, and transmit it to the U.S.
Archivist by the most expeditious available method, as required under federal law sHB5531 / File No.
522 10 sHB5531 File No.
522 for the original list.
Relatedly, the bill generally requires SOTS to note these procedures in the original certificate filed with the U.S.
Archivist.
BACKGROUND Related Case In 2020, the U.S.
Supreme Court affirmed a Washington Supreme Court decision, holding that a state may constitutionally enforce a presidential elector’s pledge to support his or her party’s nominee — and the state voters’ choice — for president (Chaitali et al.
v.
Washington, S.
Ct.
2316 (2020)).
National Popular Vote Interstate Compact The NPVIC is an interstate agreement that any state party to the agreement will commit its presidential electors to the national popular vote winner if enough jurisdictions have done so to cumulatively possess a majority of the Electoral College votes (currently 270 of 538 votes).
To date, 17 other states (California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) and Washington, D.C.
have adopted the compact.
Together with Connecticut, they currently hold 209 electoral votes.
(These electoral votes are based on population and the U.S.
Census;
thus, they are current until at least the next decennial census in 2030.) COMMITTEE ACTION Government Administration and Elections Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 15 Nay 4 (03/20/2026) sHB5531 / File No.
522 11
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View plain text versions (3)
- File No. 522 View text pdf
- Raised Bill View text Current pdf
- Substitute GAE Joint Favorable Substitute pdf
Action History
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SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 486
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FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN.
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IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO THE SENATE
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HOUSE PASSED
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FILE NO. 522
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HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 342
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FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR
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RPTD. OUT OF LCO
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REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26
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FILED WITH LCO
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Joint Favorable Substitute
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PUBLIC HEARING 0313
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REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Government Administration and Elections
Sponsors
- Hector Arzeno · Primary
- Larry B. Butler · Primary
- Matthew L. Lesser · Primary
- Matt Blumenthal · Primary
- Derek Slap · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →5 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 182 not signed on
Sponsors (5)
- Hector Arzeno Democratic
- Larry B. Butler Democratic
- Matthew L. Lesser Democratic
- Matt Blumenthal Democratic
- Derek Slap Democratic
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (182)
182 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 182 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors HB 5531?
- HB 5531 is sponsored by Hector Arzeno (Democratic), Larry B. Butler (Democratic), Matthew L. Lesser (Democratic), Matt Blumenthal (Democratic), and Derek Slap (Democratic).
- What is the current status of HB 5531?
- This bill has passed the House. Introduced March 06, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
- Where can I track HB 5531?
- Track HB 5531 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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