Connecticut2026Passed Legislature
SB00393
Waiting Period for Special Elections After an Official's Death
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 6:19 AM
In one sentence
This law requires the Governor to wait at least seven days before ordering a special election if a U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, state legislator, or probate judge dies while in office.
What it does
- Requires the Governor to issue an order for a special election no sooner than seven days after an elected official's death.
- Sets a deadline of seventeen days from the date of death for issuing this order for U.S. Senators, U.S. Representatives, and state legislators.
- Applies the same waiting period rule when a probate judge dies in office.
- Maintains existing rules that allow special elections to be combined with regular November elections if they happen within certain timeframes.
Who it affects
- The Governor, who must follow new timing rules when ordering special elections for these specific offices.
- Town clerks and assistant town clerks responsible for organizing these elections upon receiving the order.
- Voters in districts where a U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, state legislator, or probate judge has died.
Limits and unknowns
- This law only changes rules for vacancies caused by death; other reasons like resignation follow different timing.
- The new waiting period does not apply if a vacancy happens very close to the end of an official's term, where appointments are used instead.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Writ of election
- An official order from the Governor that tells town clerks to hold a special election.
- Vacancy
- A job or office that is empty because the person holding it has left, died, or resigned.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
To provide that whenever a vacancy occurs in an elective office due to the death of the person holding such office, the Governor shall wait at least seven days before issuing writs of election to fill such vacancy at a special election.
Official activity
Bill history
- Signed by the Governor
- Transmitted to the Secretary of State
- Transmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
- Public Act 26-86LCO
- House Passed
- In Concurrence
- Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
- House Calendar Number 464
- Senate Passed
- Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' OfficeLCO
- Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
- Senate Calendar Number 329
- File Number 563LCO
- Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/08/26 5:00 PMLCO
- Joint FavorableGAE
- Filed with Legislative Commissioners' OfficeLCO
- Public Hearing 03/13
- Referred to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections