SB 1163 — AN ACT CONCERNING QUALIFICATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS APPOINTED TO SERVE AS MODERATORS AT ELECTIONS AND PRIMARIES.

Each instructor or regional LCO No.

5198 3 of 8 Committee Bill No.1163 election advisor, as the case may be, shall provide the Secretary of the Statewiththenameandaddressofeachpersonwhocompletes anysuch session.

(c) The Secretary shall conduct certification sessions for moderators andalternate moderatorseachyear at timesandplacesto bedetermined bysaidSecretary,providedatleasteightsuch sessionsshallbeheldeach calendar year and at least one such session shall be conducted prior to every primary.

The Secretary shall certify each person who successfully completes an instructional session or regional instructional session, as the case may be, conducted in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section and an examination administered by the Secretary, aseligibletoserve asmoderator or alternate moderator at any election or primary held during the time such certification is effective, except the Secretary shall not certify any person as moderator or alternate moderator who has been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, in a court of competent jurisdiction, any felony involving fraud,forgery, larceny,embezzlement or briberyor any criminaloffense under this title.

Before July 1, 2019, (1) any initial certification granted underthissubsectionshallexpiretwoyearsafterthedateofitsgranting, and (2) prior to expiration of an initial or subsequent certification, a moderator or alternate moderator may undergo an abridged recertification process prescribed by the Secretary, and upon successful completion thereof, such certification shall be renewed for two years after the date of such completion.

On and after July 1, 2019, (A) any initial certification granted under this subsection shall expire four years after the date of its granting, and (B) prior to expiration of an initial or subsequent certification, a moderator or alternate moderator may undergo an abridged recertification process prescribed by the Secretary, and upon successful completion thereof, such certification shall be renewed for four years after the date of such completion.

Only those persons who are certified in accordance with this subsection shall be eligible to serve as moderators on election or primary day, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section or section 9-436.

The Secretary of the State may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of LCO No.

5198 4 of 8 Committee Bill No.1163 chapter 54, as the Secretary deems necessary to implement the certification process under this section.

If any town or voting district lacks a moderator due to the death, disability or withdrawal of a certified moderator or alternate moderator, or due to the disqualification of a moderator for any reason, including failure to attend an instructional session as required by this section, the registrars of voters shall appoint a new moderator for such townsSB1163 or/ votingFile districtNo. in the manner provided in this section.

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531 town or voting district in the manner provided in this section, except that the registrars shall not appoint as moderator any person who has, in a court of competent jurisdiction, been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any (1) felony involving fraud, forgery, larceny, embezzlement or bribery, or (2) criminal offense under this title.

SubdivisionSection (4)9-169 of subsection (b) of section 9-163aa of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective fromJanuary passage):1, 2026):

(4) (A) The registrarslegislative body of votersany shalltown, appoint,consolidated fortown eachand daycity onor whichconsolidated earlytown voting is conducted, a moderator, in accordance with the provisions of section 9-229, as amended by this act, and suchborough othermay electiondivide orand, primaryfrom officialstime to servetime, atredivide eachsuch locationmunicipality designatedinto forvoting suchdistricts. conduct.

The moderatorregistrars soof appointedvoters of any municipality taking such action shall performprovide anya dutysuitable required,polling andplace mayin exerciseeach anydistrict powerbut, authorized,if underthe thisregistrars titlefail relatedto agree as to the conductlocation of earlyany votingpolling atplace suchor location.places, the legislative body shall determine the location thereof.

OnPolling anyplaces to be used in an election shall be determined at least thirty-one days before such dayelection, and solelysuch forpolling purposesplaces relatedshall tonot thebechangedwithin conductsaidperiodofthirty-onedays ofexcept earlythat, voting,if the municipal clerk and registrars of voters of a municipality may,unanimously uponfind agreement,that appointany onesuch ofpolling theplace registrarswithin from such municipality ashas moderatorbeen rendered unusable within such period, they shall forthwith designate another polling place to be used in accordanceplace withof the provisionsone ofso subparagraphrendered (B)unusable ofand thisshall subdivision.give adequate notice that such polling place has been so changed.

The registrars of voters mayshall delegatekeep toseparate lists of the electors residing in each district and shall appoint for each district a moderator in accordance with the provisions of section 9-229, as amended by this act, and such other election orofficials primaryas officialare required by law, and shall designate one of the moderators so appointed or any other elector of LCOsuch town to be the head moderator for the purpose of declaring the results of elections in the whole municipality, except that the registrars shall not appoint as moderator any person who has, in a sSB1163 / File No.

5198531 52 ofsSB1163 8File CommitteeNo. Bill No.1163 the responsibilities assigned to the registrars of voters.

The531 registrarscourt of voterscompetent shalljurisdiction, supervisebeen eachconvicted suchof officialor andpled trainguilty eachor suchnolo officialcontendere to beany an(1) earlyfelony votinginvolving electionfraud, forgery, larceny, embezzlement or primarybribery, official.or (2) criminal offense under this title.

(B)The Whenever the registrars ofmay votersalso ofdesignate a municipalitydeputy appoint,head pursuantmoderator to subparagraphassist (A) of this subdivision, one of the registrarshead of such municipality as moderator toin serve at a location designated for the conductperformance of earlyhis voting,duties suchprovided registrars of voters shall jointly submit to the Secretarydeputy ofhead themoderator Stateand (i) a certification that the registrarshead ofmoderator votersshall ofnot suchbe municipalityenrolled are in agreement as to such appointment, and (ii) a written plan detailing alternative coverage of the dutiessame normallymajor carriedparty, outas bydefined the registrar so appointed to ensure that such registrar abstains, on each day in whichsubdivision such(5) registrar serves as moderator, from any such duties that conflict with those of thesection moderator.9-372.

Sec.The selectmen, town clerk, registrars of voters and all other officers of the municipality shall perform the duties required of them by law with respect toelectionsineachvotingdistrict establishedinaccordance with this section.

3.Voting district lines shall not be drawn by a municipality so as to conflict with the lines of congressional districts, senate districts or assembly districts as established by law, except [(1)] (A) as provided in section 9-169d, and [(2)] (B) that as to municipal elections, any part of a split voting district containing less than two hundred electors may be combined with another voting district adjacent thereto from which all and the same officers are elected at such municipal election.

Subsection(c)ofAny section9-19jofthegeneralstatutesisrepealedchange andin the followingboundaries isof substitutedvoting indistricts lieumade thereofwithin (Effectiveninety fromdays passage):prior to any election or primary shall not apply with respect to such election or primary.

(c) (1) The registrarsprovisions of votersthis section shall designateprevail aover locationany forcontrary theprovision completion and processing of same-dayany electioncharter registrationsor onspecial electionact. day, provided (A) the registrars of voters have access to the state-wide centralized voter registration system from such location, and (B) such location is certified in writing to the Secretary of the State not later than forty-five days before election day.

TheThis writtenact certification under subparagraph (B) of this subdivision shall (i)take includeeffect the name, street address and relevant contact information associated with such location, (ii) list the name and address of the moderator who shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of section 9-229, as amendedfollows by this act, and of each other election official who shall beamend appointed, by the registrarsfollowing ofsections: voters to serve at such location, if any, and (iii) provide a description of the design of such location and a plan for effective completion and processing of such applications.

TheSection Secretaryshallapproveordisapprovesuchwrittencertificationnotlater1 thanJanuary twenty-nine1, days2026 before9-229(d) electionSec. day and may require the registrars of voters to appoint one or more additional election officials LCO No.

51982 6January of1, 82026 Committee9-169 BillGAE No.1163Joint orFavorable alterSubst. such design or plan.

(2)sSB1163 The/ legislativeFile bodyNo. of the municipality may apply to the Secretary of the State not later than seventy-four days before election day, in a form and manner prescribed by the Secretary, to designate any additional location for the completion and processing of same-day election registration applications on election day.

The531 Secretary3 shallsSB1163 approveFile orNo. disapprove such application not later than fifty-nine days before election day.

If531 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the Secretarybenefit approvesof suchthe application,members of the registrarsGeneral Assembly, solely for purposes of votersinformation, maysummarization soand designateexplanation anyand suchdo additionalnot location.represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

TheIn provisionsgeneral, offiscal subdivisionimpacts (1)are ofbased thisupon subsectiona shallvariety applyof toinformational anysources, suchincluding additionalthe location.analyst’s professional knowledge.

(3)Whenever Theapplicable, registrarsagency ofdata votersis mayconsulted delegateas topart eachof electionthe officialanalysis, appointedhowever pursuantfinal toproducts subdivisiondo (1)not ofnecessarily thisreflect subsectionan anyassessment offrom theany responsibilitiesspecific assigneddepartment. to the registrars of voters.

TheOFA registrarsFiscal ofNote votersState shallImpact: supervise each such election official and train each such official to be a same-day election official.

Sec.None Municipal Impact:

4.None Explanation The bill prevents individuals found guilty, or who have pled nolo contendre to certain offenses, from being able to serve as moderators, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

SectionThe 9-147cOut ofYears theState generalImpact: statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):

EachNone registrarMunicipal ofImpact: voters shall appoint one or more electors of the town, known to be persons of integrity, to count all absentee ballots.

NoNone spouse,sSB1163 parent,/ grandparent,File childNo. or sibling of a candidate may be appointed to count absentee ballots on which the name of such candidate appears.

Unless531 absentee4 ballotssSB1163 areFile toNo. be counted in the respective polling places pursuant to subsection (b) of section 9-147a, the registrarsshallalso jointly appoint acentralcounting moderator and alternate moderator, [pursuant to the requirements] in accordance with the provisions of section 9-229, as amended by this act.

No531 personOLR shallBill print,Analysis publish,sSB announce,1163 orAN otherwiseACT makeCONCERNING knownQUALIFICATIONS suchOF countINDIVIDUALS priorAPPOINTED toTO theSERVE timeAS forMODERATORS theAT closingELECTIONS ofAND thePRIMARIES. polls.

LCOSUMMARY No.This bill prohibits registrars of voters from designating or appointing a person as a moderator if the person has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, any offense under the state’s election laws, or felonies involving fraud, forgery, larceny, embezzlement, or bribery.

5198Under 7existing law, moderators are generally required to be certified by the secretary of 8the Committeestate Billbefore No.serving at an election or primary (see BACKGROUND), and in order to receive their certification, they are subject to the same disqualifiers the bill imposes.

1163A Thismoderator actis shallthe takechief effectpublic asofficial followsat andeach shallpolling amendplace responsible for impartially presiding over the followingpolling sections:place in accordance with the state’s election laws.

SectionIf 1a frommoderator passageis 9-229unable Sec.to serve, a certified alternate moderator must serve as moderator.

2Registrars fromofvoters passageare 9-163aa(b)(4)responsible Sec.for designating a moderator for each polling place, including early voting and central counting locations.

3By fromlaw, passageif 9-19j(c)a Sec.town or voting district lacks a moderator, the registrars of voters must appoint a new moderator.

4The fromnew passagemoderator 9-147cmust Statementbecome ofcertified Purpose:if possible.

ToIf require that all personsinstructional appointedand tocertification servesessions ashave moderators,already includingbeen asconducted head moderators, at anthe electiontime orof primarythe bemoderator’s certifiedappointment, byhe theor Secretaryshe ofmust thereceive Stateinstruction andfrom meet the qualificationsregistrars. for such certification.

[ProposedEFFECTIVE deletionsDATE: are enclosed in brackets.

ProposedUpon additionspassage areBACKGROUND indicatedModerator byCertification underline,Requirements exceptsSB1163 that/ whenFile theNo. entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] Co-Sponsors:

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LESSER,531 9thState Dist.law requires the secretary to provide instructional and certification sessions for moderator training each year, subject to certain geographical and frequency requirements.

S.B.At a minimum, the curriculum must include (1) procedures for counting and recording absentee ballots, (2) hands-on training for using voting tabulators, and (3) the moderator’s duties in conducting a primary or election.

1163The LCOsecretary No.must generally certify anyone who successfully completes an instructional session or regional instructional session (i.e.

5198a 8session ofconducted 8by a regional election advisor) and passes an exam she administers.

A person cannot be certified if he or she has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, any felony involving fraud, forgery, larceny, embezzlement, or bribery, or any criminal offense under the state’s election laws.

The secretary’s certification is valid for four years.

Before it expires, a certifiedmoderatormayundergoanabridgedrecertificationprocessthe secretary administers.

Once completed, the certification must be renewed for another four years.

COMMITTEE ACTION Government Administration and Elections Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 19 Nay 0 (03/19/2025) sSB1163 / File No.

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