Stephanie Thomas is Connecticut’s 75th Secretary of the State
Stephanie Thomas was sworn in as Connecticut’s Secretary of the State on January 4, 2023. With a distinguished 30-year career advising and problem-solving for nonprofit organizations, running her own business, and serving as a State Representative of the 143rd District (Norwalk, Wilton, Westport), Secretary Thomas brings a unique blend of business expertise and a passion for civics to public service.
Since taking office, Secretary Thomas has led the implementation of significant election reforms in the state, including the roll-out of early voting and a new centralized voter registration system. In September 2023, she secured a historic investment of $25 million to replace the state’s aging tabulators, marking Connecticut’s first voting machine upgrade since 2006. During her term, Secretary Thomas will also institute the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of Connecticut and automatic voter registration at several Connecticut agencies.
A former small business owner, Secretary Thomas has worked to pass business-friendly legislation, and she has created a monthly e-newsletter that aggregates funding and training resources in one place to save business owners’ time.
Secretary Thomas believes that a healthy representative democracy relies on regular and active participation in civic life by all. To promote robust civic engagement, she has met Connecticut’s communities in their own spaces, thereby cultivating a nonpartisan dialogue between the people and their government. She has travelled to barbershops and salons around the state as part of her Connect & Cut series, held civic trivia events at local libraries, encouraged businesses and nonprofits to be civic ambassadors through her innovative CEO (Civically Engaged Organization) program, and put the power of civics into the hands of the public by providing plain-language, civics resources at Civics101.ct.gov.
Secretary Thomas made history as the first Black person to be elected Secretary of the State of Connecticut. She has dedicated time to serving on many boards and strategic planning committees, and she has been an active volunteer in her community. She holds a B.A. from New York University and an M.S. in Nonprofit Management from New School University. She and her husband are proud residents of Norwalk, Connecticut.