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 official source material does not provide information on how this act will affect existing laws about transparency and public access to voting records, nor does it specify what happens if someone requests ballot information before July 1, 2026.

Exempting Ballots from Freedom of Information Act

This act makes ballots cast in elections, primaries, and referenda exempt from being disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act.

What This Bill Does

Makes all ballots, including write-in ballots, exempt from being disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act after they are cast.

Who It Names or Affects

People who vote in elections, primaries, and referenda.
Government agencies that handle ballot information.

Terms To Know

Freedom of Information Act: A law that allows people to request access to government records and documents.
Referendum: A vote by the public on a specific issue or proposal, often at an election.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify what happens if someone requests ballot information before July 1, 2026.
It is unclear how this change will affect existing laws about transparency and public access to voting records.

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.]