SB 349 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE FILLING OF VACANCIES AND REPLACEMENT OF CANDIDATES ON ELECTION BALLOTS.

Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

427349 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2022 Senate Bill No.

34922-127 Senate,AN AprilACT 12,CONCERNING 2022THE TheFILLING CommitteeOF onVACANCIES GovernmentAND AdministrationREPLACEMENT andOF ElectionsCANDIDATES reportedON throughELECTION SEN.BALLOTS.

FLEXER of the 29th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE FILLING OF VACANCIES AND REPLACEMENT OF CANDIDATES ON ELECTION BALLOTS.

If any party has nominated a candidate for office, or, on and after November 4, 1981, if a candidate has qualified to appear on any ballot by nominating petition under a reserved party designation, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, and such nominee thereafter, but prior to [twenty-four] forty-six days before the opening of the polls on the day of the election for which such nomination has been made, dies, withdraws such nominee's name or for any reason becomesdisqualifiedto holdtheoffice for whichsuchnominee hasbeen nominated (1) such party or, on and after November 4, 1981, the party designation committee may make a nomination to fill such vacancy or provide for the making of such nomination as its rules prescribe, and (2) SB349if /another Fileparty No.that is qualified to nominate a candidate for such office does not have a nominee for such office, such party may also nominate a candidate for such office as its rules prescribe.

427No 1withdrawal, SB349and Fileno nomination to replace a candidate who has withdrawn, under this section shall be valid unless the candidate who has withdrawn has filed Senate Bill No.

427349 ifa anotherletter partyofwithdrawalsignedby thatsuchcandidate iswiththeSecretaryofthe qualifiedState toin nominatethe case of a candidatestate foror suchdistrict office doesor notthe haveoffice aof nomineestate forsenator suchor office,state suchrepresentative partyfrom mayany alsodistrict, nominateor awith candidatethe formunicipal suchclerk in the case of a municipal office asother itsthan rulesstate prescribe.senator or state representative.

No withdrawal, and no nomination to replace a candidate who has withdrawn, under this section shall be valid unless the candidate who has withdrawn has filed a letter ofwithdrawalsignedby suchcandidate withtheSecretaryofthe State in the case of a state or district office or the office of state senator or state representative from any district, or with the municipal clerk in the case of a municipal office other than state senator or state representative.

No nomination to fill a vacancy under this section shall be valid unless it is certifiedto theSecretary oftheStateofthe State inthecase ofastate or district office or the office of state senator or state representative from any district, or to the municipal clerk in the case of a municipal office other than state senator or state representative, by the organization or committee making such nomination, at least [twenty-one] forty-two days before the opening of the polls on the day of the election, except as otherwise provided by this section.

If at the time such nomination is certified to the Secretary of the State or to the SB349municipal /clerk, Fileas the case may be, the [ballot labels] ballots have alreadybeenprinted,theSecretaryoftheStateshalldirectthemunicipal clerk in each municipality affected to (A) have the [ballot labels] ballots Public Act No.

42722-127 2 SB349of File3 Senate Bill No.

427349 municipal clerk, as the case may be, the [ballot labels] ballots have alreadybeenprinted,theSecretaryoftheStateshalldirectthemunicipal clerk in each municipality affected to (A) have the [ballot labels] ballots reprinted with the nomination thus made included thereon, (B) cause printedstickerstobeaffixedtothe [ballotlabels]ballotssothatthename of any candidate who has died, withdrawn or been disqualified is deleted and the name of any candidate chosen to fill such vacancy appears in the same position as that in which the vacated candidacy appeared, or (C) cause blank stickers to be so affixed if the vacancy is not filled.

ThisApproved actMay shall27, take2022 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section22-127 13 fromof passage3 9-460 GAE Joint Favorable SB349 / File No.

427 3 SB349 File No.

427 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.

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 This bill moves up the deadline before an election by which political parties may fill vacancies for nominated candidates.

This has no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None SB349 / File No.

427 4 SB349 File No.

427 OLR Bill Analysis SB 349 AN ACT CONCERNING THE FILLING OF VACANCIES AND REPLACEMENT OF CANDIDATES ON ELECTION BALLOTS.

SUMMARY This bill changes the period during which political parties may fill vacancies for nominated candidates before an election.

Under current law, a candidate that dies, withdraws, or is otherwise disqualified to hold office may be replaced on the ballot up to 24 days before the election.

The bill extends this period to 46 days before an election.

The bill requires vacancy nominations to be certified to the appropriate authority at least 42 days before the election, instead of 21 days.

(The law requires state anddistrict office candidates to file withthe secretary.

Other municipal office candidates file with their town clerk.) Under existing law, unchanged by the bill, a candidate who passes away at least 24 hours before the election may be replaced by 2 p.m.

the day before the election.

A candidate that dies within 24 hours of the election must remain on the ballot.

If the deceased candidate wins, then the office is considered vacant and filled as prescribed by existing law.

The bill also makes a technical change by replacing the term “ballot labels” with “ballots.” EFFECTIVE DATE:

Upon passage COMMITTEE ACTION Government Administration and Elections Committee Joint Favorable Yea 19 Nay 0 (03/28/2022) SB349 / File No.

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