AN ACT EXEMPTING BALLOTS CAST AT ELECTIONS, PRIMARIES AND REFERENDA FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

SB 224 exempts all ballots cast in elections, primaries, and referendums (including write-in ballots) from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), effective July 1, 2026. This means voters' choices will no longer be subject to FOIA requests, directly affecting individuals whose ballots would have been disclosed under current law. The bill explicitly states that audits or recanvasses under specific election statutes (chapters 147-153 of general statutes) remain permitted. It does not change how elections are conducted but alters public access to ballot records. The bill focuses solely on protecting ballot privacy, not on altering voting procedures or outcomes.