Following Connecticut’s November elections, state officials say a series of post-election audits and recent controversies have helped sharpen a broad push to strengthen election security — from cyber protections to voter education and poll-worker recruitment.
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said that while audits of 32 precincts did not reveal systemic problems, they did underscore the need for constant vigilance and modernization across the election system.
Security beyond the ballot box
Thomas said election security now goes well beyond machines and ballots. Her office has expanded de-escalation training, cybersecurity instruction and coordination with law enforcement agencies statewide.
“We work with the state Cyber Security Division. We work with the state’s fusion center,” Thomas said, referring to the hub that connects local, state and federal law enforcement. She added that her office has even created training for police departments on election law — including what officers can and cannot do if called to a polling place.
Bridgeport exposes gaps — and closes them
Election issues in Bridgeport continue to loom large, but Thomas said the scrutiny has also produced tangible reforms.
“We know about it because things in our election laws allow us to know about it,” she said. “There are some checks and balances.”
Thomas said allegations surrounding absentee ballots prompted a review of statutes that had gone untouched for decades. Over the last two years, lawmakers passed more than half a dozen changes to absentee ballot laws aimed at closing loopholes exposed by recent cases.
Educating voters, not just monitoring elections
One reform Thomas said she is especially proud of involves shifting some election-monitor funding toward voter education.
Using state election-monitor money, her office launched a wide-ranging public awareness campaign in Bridgeport, including mailers, television and radio ads, bus wraps and digital outreach.
“Our election monitors can’t be everywhere,” Thomas said. “We need to educate people about what is and isn’t allowed and make sure they know who to call. If they see something, we want them to say something.”
An aging workforce — and a push for the next generation
Thomas acknowledged a growing challenge facing election administration statewide: an aging pool of poll workers and election monitors, combined with increasing hostility around election work.
“It is difficult because of the vitriol,” she said. “There’s a lot of negativity and lack of appreciation.”
Because many election jobs are part-time, Thomas said they often attract retirees — a model she believes needs updating. Her office launched what she called a first-of-its-kind “Next Gen Elections” program, bringing 60 college students into election work after extensive training. Those students logged more than 1,000 hours at polling places over the past two years.
Raising pay, profile and pathways
Thomas said she is now working on a broader training and recruitment pipeline designed to professionalize election work and attract younger candidates.
“The job has changed,” she said, adding that salaries should reflect the responsibility and pressure that come with running elections today. The goal, she said, is to create clearer pathways — from poll worker to assistant registrar to registrar — while raising the profile of a role she sees as essential to democracy’s functioning.
