HARTFORD, Conn. — The Nov. 5 general election is less than two months away, and the Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State, or SOTS, is reassuring state residents that election security is its top priority.
In a release on Tuesday, Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas’ office described a landscape that is increasingly threatened by foreign interference and online information. To counteract that, SOTS has been using several proactive and innovative methods to ensure that the state’s voters and elections remain safe and secure. To accomplish this, SOTS is promoting voter outreach, education and training for local elected officials.
SOTS said that since the start of Thomas’ term, she worked to create a network of constituencies to collect and share information pertaining to the voting processes and an outlet of rapid responses in the event of emergencies and crises.
The office went on to say that Thomas has worked to build trust and collaboration among local Registrars of Voters and town clerks to serve as important members of the coalition that also includes organizations that have an impact on numerous aspects of voters’ lives such as churches, nonprofits, colleges and universities, professional associations, businesses and employers.
“Building an on-the-ground team of messengers in every possible community is key to spreading important election information that is not just the where, when, and how of voting but also serves as a rapid-response communication network to thwart any misinformation,” Thomas said. “Our goal is to ensure that every voter in Connecticut can cast their ballot with confidence, knowing their voice is protected, and their vote is counted.”
SOTS has also created a social media campaign that endeavors to educate the public about distinguishing misinformation, disinformation and mal-information. The office said Thomas has additionally participated in the #TrustedInfo2024 campaign, which SOTS describes as a collaborative effort with the National Association of Secretaries of State to affirm the role of election officials as reliable sources of accurate election information.
SOTS has partnered as well with the Connecticut Intelligence Center on a social media campaign that will inform voters where to go for trusted election information to increase public awareness and encourage residents to evaluate information they come across.
For the past two years, SOTS said it has actively engaged in monthly meetings with CTIC, which is one of 80 Fusion Centers across the country. The monthly hearings bring together federal, state and local government agencies, including representatives of the judicial branch, for intelligence sharing and collaboration on security measures. SOTS adds that this helps refine strategies and enhances resilience against possible threats.
In June, SOTS partook in the Governor’s Emergency Planning & Preparedness Initiative, which is an annual event hosted by CTIC. This year’s EPPI focused on the Nov. 5 general election, carrying out a simulation exercise at the State Emergency Operations Center. The exercise united close to a dozen state agencies as well as municipal emergency services, Registrars of Voters and town clerks from 150 towns to stress-test emergency operations plans in place. SOTS says this will allow for the opportunity to address points of difficulty before the election.
“Compared to other states, Connecticut has been proactive in its election security efforts,” said DESPP Deputy Commissioner Brenda Bergeron. “The early start of building a comprehensive team and ensuring all levels of government have had a seat at the security strategy table is what has helped build a good momentum going into the general election.”
Beyond strategic exercises, SOTS says it has arranged specialized training to further prepare local election officials. Thomas has invited the federal Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency to head a de-escalation training later in September for Connecticut’s Registrars of Voters and Town Clerks at their bi-annual convening.
SOTS said the goal of the training is to equip local election officials with the skills necessary to manage disruptive behavior that may arise at polling locations during the election and that the state has also provided them with access to SANS security awareness training platform, which offers tools and resources for increasing information security and reducing risk to those offices.
Furthermore, SOTS is taking steps to make sure all registrars are up to date with their mandatory certifications or are actively renewing them and that their training is current. SOTS said Thomas also meets with all state registrars and town clerks monthly to share best practices. SOTS has also provided towns with voter protection assistance by recruiting volunteer attorneys to be on-call during the election period.
“Election security is a collective effort,” said Thomas. “From local election officials to our statewide and federal partners, everyone is working tirelessly to ensure that every facet of our election process is ready for any threat. This unity and commitment have been crucial in preserving the integrity of our democratic process and making certain that every voter can trust the security of their ballot.”
For more information about the 2024 elections such as early voting and absentee ballot details, click here.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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