The Town of Enfield’s municipal election begins in under four weeks and town officials are making a change.
New high-tech security cameras have been installed at the three absentee ballot boxes spread out around town.
The cameras came free of charge to taxpayers due to the use of surplus funds from the Town Manager’s election budget.
The cameras were manufactured by California based security company, Verkada. They allow for clear video quality and precise zooming, officials say. Town officials said the cameras can capture anything from a license plate to distinct features of a person.
The decision to install the cameras was largely in response to the allegations of absentee ballot fraud in Bridgeport’s mayoral primary, which prompted a civil lawsuit.
Paul Russell, the chief technology officer in Enfield, felt it was important to secure trust in the elections.
“If there's any concern or question, we can go back and look at the tape to see if there is any type of information we gathered that wasn’t appropriate for the mailbox use,” Russell said.
Some town leaders are hopeful the cameras will help residents feel more secure about election safety. Ellen Zoppo-Sassu, the town manager, hopes more people will come out to vote.
“Your municipal election, the outcomes of who are elected, and the decisions that they make, are the things that affect you the most and yet the percentage of turnout is the lowest,” Zoppo-Sassu said.
The cameras not only help secure the elections, but also the areas in which the ballot boxes reside, officials said.
Russell said the cameras could aid in surveillance at town hall, the library, and a park as well.
“It was discussed as general safety. There is a lot of traffic in these areas. They’re not just for ballot boxes,” Russell said.
