Connecticut SB 393: AN ACT CONCERNING SPECIAL ELECTIONS TO FILL VACANCIES DUE TO THE DEATH OF CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICIALS.

Bill Text

Substitute Senate Bill No. 393 
 
Public Act No. 26-86 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING SPECIAL ELECTIONS TO FILL VACANCIES 
DUE TO THE DEATH OF CERTAIN ELECTED OFFICIALS. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  Subsection  (a)  of  section  9-211  of  the  general  statutes  is 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 
1, 2026): 
(a)  In  case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of  senator  in  Congress,  the 
Governor,  except  as  otherwise  provided  by  federal  or  state  law,  shall, 
not more than ten days after the occurrence of such vacancy, issue writs 
of election directed to the town clerks or assistant town clerks ordering 
an election to be held on the one hundred fiftieth day after the issue of 
such  writs  on  a  day,  other  than  a  Saturday  or  Sunday,  to  fill  such 
vacancy  for  the  remaining  portion  of  the  term  vacated,  provided  (1) 
except as provided in subdivisions (2), (3) and (4) of this subsection, if 
such a vacancy occurs due to the death of the senator in Congress, the 
Governor  shall  issue  such  writs  not  less  than  seven  days  after  such 
occurrence and not more than seventeen days after such occurrence, (2) 
except  as  provided  in  subdivisions [(2)  and  (3)] (3)  and  (4) of  this 
subsection, if such a vacancy occurs between the one hundred twenty-
fifth  day  and  the  sixty-third  day  before  the  day  of  a  regular  state  or 
municipal election in November of any year, the Governor shall so issue 

Substitute Senate Bill No. 393 
 
Public Act No. 26-86 2 of 5 
 
such writs that order an election to be held on the day of such regular 
election, [(2)] (3) except  as  provided  in  subdivision [(3)] (4) of  this 
subsection,  if  such  vacancy  occurs  after  the  municipal  election  in  the 
year preceding the last year of the term of a senator or in the last year of 
the term of a senator, the Governor shall nominate a person to fill such 
vacancy  and  such  nomination  shall  be  filed  with  both  the  clerk  of  the 
Senate and the clerk of the House of Representatives. Approval of such 
nomination  shall  require  an  affirmative  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the 
membership  of  each  chamber  of  the  General  Assembly,  or [(3)] (4) if 
such a vacancy occurs in the year of a state election and not more than 
sixty-two  days  prior  to  such  election,  and  the  office  of  senator  in 
Congress for which the vacancy exists will be on the ballot during such 
election, the Governor shall not issue such writs and no election shall be 
held under this section. If the position vacated is that of member-elect, 
the  Governor  shall  so  issue  writs  and  an  election  shall  be  held  as 
provided in this section. 
Sec.  2.  Subsection  (a)  of  section  9-212  of  the  general  statutes  is 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 
1, 2026): 
(a)  In  case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of  representative  in  Congress 
from any district, the Governor, except as otherwise provided by law, 
shall not more than ten days after the occurrence of such vacancy issue 
writs of election directed to the town clerks or assistant town clerks, in 
such district, ordering an election to be held on the sixtieth day after the 
issue of such writs on a day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, to fill such 
vacancy, provided (1) except as provided in subdivisions (2), (3) and (4) 
of  this  subsection,  if  such  a  vacancy  occurs  due  to  the  death  of  the 
representative in Congress, the Governor shall issue such writs not less 
than seven days after such occurrence and not more than seventeen days 
after  such  occurrence,  (2) if  such  a  vacancy  occurs  between  the  one 
hundred  twenty-fifth  day  and  the  sixty-third  day  before  the  day  of  a 

Substitute Senate Bill No. 393 
 
Public Act No. 26-86 3 of 5 
 
regular  state  or  municipal  election  in  November  of  any  year,  the 
Governor shall so issue such writs on the sixtieth day before the day of 
such regular election, ordering an election to be held on the day of such 
regular  election, [(2)] (3) if  such  a  vacancy  occurs  after  the  sixty-third 
day before the day of a regular state election but before the regular state 
election, the Governor shall not issue such writs and no election shall be 
held under this section, unless the position vacated is that of member-
elect, in which case the Governor shall issue such writs and an election 
shall  be  held  as  provided  in  this  section,  and [(3)] (4) if  a  primary  for 
such office occurs pursuant to subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 
9-450,  the  Governor  shall,  within  ten  days  following  the  filing  of  a 
candidacy  for  nomination  by  a  person  other  than  the  party-endorsed 
candidate,  issue  new  writs  of  election,  in  place  of  those  first  issued 
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