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Connecticut town clerks back moving municipal campaign filings into ECRIS
Summary
The Connecticut Town Clerk Association told the committee it supports SB 1409 to require municipal campaign registration and financial disclosure statements be filed electronically through ECRIS, citing a 2017 pilot of about 20 towns and recommending a 2027 implementation date.
Patricia Spruance, president of the Connecticut Town Clerk Association and Windham town clerk, told the Government Oversight Committee that town clerks support Senate Bill 1409, which would require municipal campaign registration and financial disclosure filings to be made through the State Elections Enforcement Commission’s ECRIS system rather than by paper to town clerks.
Spruance said about 20 towns participated in a 2017 pilot that tested the ECRIS process across small, medium and large municipalities and that the pilot went well. She and the association recommended an effective date of Jan. 1, 2027, to allow time for statewide implementation ahead of the 2027 municipal election cycle. The town clerks said consolidating filings at ECRIS will give the public 24/7 access to campaign finance records from a single portal and will reduce confusion during municipal election years.
The association asked for a staged transition so towns and treasurers have time to adapt, and it thanked the committee and the State Elections Enforcement Commission for prior collaboration on pilot efforts. Spruance said many municipal treasurers are already familiar with ECRIS because they serve as treasurers for state candidates as well.
No formal vote was taken during the hearing; the association’s written testimony and the 2017 pilot results are in the committee record for bill consideration.
