Connecticut Secretary of the State Unveils the Election Security Team Behind the Scenes: Daily Threat Briefings During Early Voting After a White-Powder Letter Was Intercepted Last Week
Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas issued a statement on October 20 disclosing the multi-agency "behind the scenes" team protecting election security during the early voting period for the general election. In-person early voting in Connecticut is under way and runs through Election Day, November 3.
According to the statement, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service last week intercepted a suspicious letter containing an unidentified white powder addressed to the Secretary of the State's office; before the office had confirmed that Connecticut was a target, it had already notified local officials and reminded them to handle mail safely.
Throughout early voting and up to Election Day, the Secretary of the State's office meets daily with its partners to identify potential threats, share intelligence and prepare response plans. The office holds monthly meetings with the state public safety and emergency management department, the state police, the Connecticut Intelligence Center and state cybersecurity experts, among others; this year it has also worked with partners including the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association to brief law enforcement on the state's new "250-foot election security rule," provided written guidance and training to town registrars of voters and town clerks, and published a public guide.
The State Elections Enforcement Commission investigates campaign finance violations and election fraud. The State Emergency Operations Center also provides coordination and information sharing for agencies and public safety partners during the election season.
"Election integrity is not just about ballots and voting machines," Thomas said. "In the world of elections, the next two weeks are like the World Series." The safeguards build on the state's existing extensive training, bipartisan administration, pre-election equipment testing, paper ballots and post-election audits, covering all 169 towns.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Hartford 的康涅狄格州议会大厦。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.0，作者 jglazer75 / Photo: The Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford. Source: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, by jglazer75
