AN ACT CONCERNING SUPERIOR COURT VENUE FOR ELECTION CASES.

HB 5344 changes where election-related disputes must be filed in Connecticut. It requires candidates, voters, or election officials to file complaints about election errors (like vote counts or absentee ballot violations for statewide offices) exclusively in Hartford or Bridgeport Superior Courts, effective July 2026. Complaints must be filed within 14 days after an election (or 7 days for manual ballot recounts), and courts must expedite hearings. The bill also shifts appeals of legal questions to the Supreme Court instead of directly certifying results to the Secretary of the State. This directly affects candidates, voters, and election officials involved in election disputes for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General, or Comptroller.