Connecticut SB 394: AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RISK-LIMITING AUDITS WORKING GROUP.
Status: FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN. (as of 2026-04-20)
State: Connecticut · Session: 2026 · Bill: SB 394
Subjects: Absentee ballots, Audits, Ballots, Candidates, Canvass and returns of votes, Complaint, Comptroller, Election officials, Elections, Investigations, Judges, Municipal elections, Notices, Pilots, Primaries, Regional councils of governments, Registrars of voters, Reports, Secretary of the State, State Elections Enforcement Commission, State Treasurer, Town clerks, University of Connecticut, Violations, Voting districts, Voting tabulators
Sponsors: Rob Sampson
Bill Text
LCO 1 of 20 General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 394 February Session, 2026 AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE RISK- LIMITING AUDITS WORKING GROUP. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2027) (a) Not earlier than the 1 fifteenth day after any state election and not later than two business 2 days before the canvass of votes by the Secretary of the State, Treasurer 3 and Comptroller, commencing on a day designated by the Secretary, the 4 registrars of voters shall conduct a risk-limiting audit of such election. 5 Each such audit shall be noticed in advance and be open to public 6 observation. Any election official who participates in the administration 7 and conduct of an audit pursuant to this section shall be compensated 8 by the municipality at the standard rate of pay established by such 9 municipality for elections. 10 (b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the 11 offices subject to a risk-limiting audit pursuant to this section shall be 12 (A) the office of presidential elector, if applicable, (B) all applicable state 13 offices, as defined in section 9-372 of the general statutes, (C) at least one 14 representative in Congress, selected in a random drawing by the 15 Secretary of the State, (D) at least five per cent, in the aggregate, of the 16 offices of state senator and state representative, selected in a random 17 drawing by the Secretary, and (E) any other office required to be audited 18 by federal law. Whenever an office is randomly selected by the Secretary 19 Substitute Bill No. 394 LCO 2 of 20 under this subsection, the selection process shall be open to the public. 20 (2) (A) If an office of representative in Congress is subject to 21 recanvass, other than under section 9-311a or 9-311b of the general 22 statutes, or to an election contest pursuant to any provision of the 23 general statutes, the Secretary of the State shall ensure such office is 24 included in the office or offices selected under subparagraph (C) of 25 subdivision (1) of this subsection. 26 (B) If an office of state senator or state representative is subject to 27 recanvass, other than under section 9-311a or 9-311b of the general 28 statutes, or to an election contest pursuant to any provision of the 29 general statutes, the Secretary of the State shall ensure such office is 30 included in the offices selected under subparagraph (D) of subdivision 31 (1) of this subsection. 32 (C) If any office is subject to recanvass under section 9-311a or 9-311b 33 of the general statutes, or if a candidate was elected to an office without 34 opposition by another candidate for such office, the Secretary of the 35 State shall ensure such office is excluded from the offices selected under 36 subdivision (1) of this subsection. 37 (c) Prior to the day designated by the Secretary of the State for the 38 commencement of the risk-limiting audit described in subsection (a) of 39 this section, the registrars of voters shall submit to the Secretary the 40 ballot manifests created under section 4 of this act. 41 (d) The risk-limiting audit described in subsection (a) of this section 42 shall be conducted in accordance with instructions and procedures 43 prescribed by the Secretary of the State not later than January 1, 2027, 44 which instructions and procedures shall be consistent across all offices 45 subject to such audit. The risk limit for each such audit shall be not more 46 than five per cent. The results of each audit conducted pursuant to this 47 section, including any such audit that produces an outcome of 48 "INCONCLUSIVE" as described in subsection (e) of this section, shall be 49 reported on a form and in a manner prescribed by the Secretary. Such 50 reported results shall be filed with the Secretary, who shall immediately 51 Substitute Bill No. 394 LCO 3 of 20 forward such reported results to The University of Connecticut for 52 analysis. The University of Connecticut shall submit to the Secretary a 53 written report regarding such analysis that describes any concerns 54 identified. After receipt of such written report, the Secretary shall 55 transmit a copy of such written report to the State Elections Enforcement 56 Commission. 57 (e) In the event a risk-limiting audit conducted pursuant to this 58 section for a particular office produces an outcome of 59 "INCONCLUSIVE", the Secretary of the State shall order a manual 60 recount of all ballots cast for such office.
View Connecticut SB 394 on LegisTrack → — full text, sponsors, votes, campaign finance, and cross-state matches.