SB00224 • 2026

AN ACT EXEMPTING BALLOTS CAST AT ELECTIONS, PRIMARIES AND REFERENDA FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

Elections

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Government Administration and Elections Committee
Last action: 2026-02-19
Official status: Public Hearing 02/23
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text references definitions found in other sections of general statutes (9-1, 9-372, 1-200), which are not fully provided here but are cited as the source for terms like 'election' and 'primary'.

Law to Keep Ballots Private Under FOIA

This law stops ballots cast in elections, primaries, and referenda from being shared with the public under the Freedom of Information Act.

What This Bill Does

Makes all cast ballots exempt from disclosure requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
Includes write-in ballots in this exemption for elections, primaries, and referenda.
Allows election officials to still conduct recanvasses or audits as required by other laws.

Who It Names or Affects

People who request public records under the Freedom of Information Act
Election officials and agencies that manage ballots

Terms To Know

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): A law that allows people to ask for copies of government records.
Referendum: A question or proposal submitted to voters at an election, a meeting that is not an election or town meeting, or under specific charter rules.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not stop officials from checking ballots during audits or recanvasses.
This change takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Bill History

2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/23
2026-02-18 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections

Official Summary Text

To exempt ballots cast at elections, primaries and referenda from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 1535 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 224
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1535

Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
AND ELECTIONS

Introduced by:
(GAE)

AN ACT EXEMPTING BALLOTS CAST AT ELECTIONS, PRIMARIES
AND REFERENDA FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION ACT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) Each ballot that has been cast 1
at an election, primary or referendum, including any write -in ballot, 2
shall be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. 3
Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair the ability to 4
conduct any recanvass or audit under chapter 147, 148, 152 or 153 of the 5
general statutes. As used in this section, "ballot", "election", 6
"referendum" and "write-in ballot" have the same meanings as provided 7
in section 9-1 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, "primary" 8
has the same meaning as provided in section 9 -372 of the general 9
statutes and "Freedom of Information Act" has the same meaning as 10
provided in section 1-200 of the general statutes. 11
Sec. 2. Subsection (n) of section 9-1 of the general statutes is repealed 12
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 13

Raised Bill No. 224

LCO No. 1535 2 of 2

(n) "Referendum" means (1) a question or proposal which is 14
submitted to a vote of the electors or voters of a municipality at any 15
regular or special state or municipal election, as defined in this section, 16
(2) a question or proposal which is submitted to a vote of the electors or 17
voters, as the case may be, of a municipality at a meeting of such electors 18
or voters, which meeting is not an election, as defined in subsection (d) 19
of this section, and is not a town meeting, or (3) a question or proposal 20
which is submitted to a vote of the electors or voters, as the case may be, 21
of a municipality at a meeting of such electors or voters pursuant to 22
section 7-7 or pursuant to charter, home rule ordinance or special act; 23
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 9-1(n)

Statement of Purpose:
To exempt ballots cast at elections, primaries and referenda from
disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]