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The State Elections Enforcement Commission (the “Commission”) voted at its February 4, 2026 regular meeting to approve the second public grant payment under the Citizens’ Election Program (“CEP”) for a candidate in the November 3, 2026 regular election. The Commission determined that gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio was eligible to receive a CEP convention campaign grant in the amount of $806,875. 

The convention campaign grant is available to eligible major party gubernatorial candidates before their party’s nominating convention and is equal to one-fourth of the primary grant. Public Act 23-205, passed in 2023, created the convention campaign grants. The Act allows candidates to apply for the convention campaign grant at any time after filing the affidavit of intent to participate in, and abide by, the CEP’s spending limits. Among other things, candidates seeking a grant must raise the full amount of qualifying contributions required for a gubernatorial primary or general election grant. The Act also allows candidates who receive this grant to automatically receive a primary or general election grant, as applicable, if they subsequently qualify for either contest. If awarded, the primary grant is reduced by the amount of the convention campaign grant.

The CEP is a voluntary program that allows qualifying candidates for General Assembly and statewide offices to receive full public financing for their campaigns. To qualify for public campaign financing, candidates must demonstrate that they have substantial support from the public. Candidates for Governor, who applied before the January 2026 inflation adjustment, must raise $250,000 in small dollar contributions of which 90% ($225,000) must come from in-state contributors (more information can be found here: ConventionGrantOverview2026.pdf; see also  2026CEPOverview.pdf for candidates who apply after the January 2026 adjustment). Participating candidates may only accept small dollar contributions from individuals and no contributions can be from state contractors or PACs.

In 2005, Connecticut enacted the CEP in response to public outcry over several high-profile corruption scandals involving state elected officials. In addition to reducing the opportunity for corruption, the public financing program allows ordinary citizens to run for office by reducing reliance on special interests, fostering cleaner, more representative elections. In its eighteenth year of providing public funding to General Assembly candidates, and its sixteenth for statewide candidates, the CEP continues to provide a seawall against the rising tide of dark money in Connecticut elections and a critical, ongoing effort to restore the public’s trust in the institutions of democratic governance.

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