Press Releases
08/20/2025
Secretary Thomas Reaffirms Connecticut’s Commitment to Protecting Voter Integrity and Access in Response to President’s Statement on Mail-In Ballots and Voting Machines
In response to the President’s recent statement that he intends to issue an executive order to “get rid of” mail-in ballots and voting machines, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas reaffirmed her and Connecticut’s strong commitment to protecting the integrity of elections and residents’ access to the ballot. Said Secretary Thomas:
Mail-in voting, called absentee voting in Connecticut, has been part of our system since 1864, when it was added to our state constitution to give Civil War soldiers the right to vote from the field. Doing away with it would directly impact voters who cannot cast a ballot in person, such as those with disabilities, those who are ill, and members of our military stationed overseas. In 2024 alone, more than 120,000 Connecticut voters cast absentee ballots, and across the past four elections, nearly one in ten voters relied on this option to make their voices heard.
The President’s remarks have understandably caused concern and confusion among Connecticut voters. I want to reassure residents that according to Article I, Section 4, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, it is the states — and not the federal government — that are responsible for administering elections. In Connecticut, we have always protected elections with multiple layers of security, including the statewide use of paper ballots, rigorous post-election audits, and clear procedures to track and verify ballots. We also work to continually strengthen our election system, most recently by adding video monitoring to drop box sites and investing $20 million in new, state-of-the-art voting tabulators. These efforts reflect our commitment to improving the process, responding to challenges, and building voter confidence through transparency.
Connecticut will continue to safeguard election integrity and protect the processes that have served our state well for generations. My office will remain vigilant in monitoring federal actions while also making ongoing improvements to ensure our election system remains strong, resilient, and worthy of the trust voters place in it.
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