HB05498: An Act Concerning Election Security And Transparency, The Counting Of Absentee Ballots, Absentee Voting For Certain Patients Of Nursing Homes, Security Of Certain Election Workers, State Elections Enforcement Commission Complaints, Ballots Made Available In Languages Other Than English And Various Other Revisions Related To Election Administration.

Legislative Summary

To (1) provide for video recording of absentee ballot drop boxes and retention of such recordings, (2) require town clerks to record the method of receipt for absentee ballots, (3) limit who may apply for additional absentee voting sets, (4) amend an election crime statute regarding suppression or destruction of votes to specify applicability to various methods of casting such votes, (5) require confidentiality of certain election data provided by other states, (6) limit the authorized use of absentee ballot applications to specified periods of time, (7) require town clerks to track absentee ballots in the state-wide centralized voter registration system, (8) prohibit the commercial use of certain voter registration information, (9) prohibit certain candidates from being present in early voting, same-day election registration and absentee ballot central counting locations, (10) bring into compliance with federal case law certain state statutes relating to the circulation of nominating and primary petitions, (11) delete a grounds for removal of an elector from permanent absentee ballot status, (12) modify the timeline for the conduct of a post-election audit, (13) require town clerks to, when a vacancy in candidacy is unfilled, obscure the name of the vacated candidate on the ballot, (14) prohibit the use of "independent" or any similar word in any party designation recorded with the Secretary of the State, (15) require that certain election-related filings be made in the superior court for the judicial district of Hartford, and (16) provide a deadline for mandatory referral of a complaint from the State Elections Enforcement Commission to the Chief State's Attorney.