CT Secretary of the State Reaffirms State’s Commitment to Protecting Voter Integrity and Access

Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas has defended Connecticut’s mail-in voting procedures, in the aftermath of comments this month by President Trump indicating he will work to eliminate mail-in voting nationwide.

 Thomas issued a statement this week which said “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.”

 Thomas pointed out that “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.” 

 She continued, “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.”

 Thomas also highlighted Connecticut’s election system in regards to absentee and in-person voting.

 “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.”

 The League of Women Voters also voiced opposition to President Trump’s position on mail-in voting, with the national organization stating that “Free, fair, and accessible elections are the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. President Trump’s call to eliminate vote-by-mail is a direct attack on Americans’ freedom to vote.”

 League of Women Voters CEO Celina Stewart pointed out that “Vote-by-mail is secure, accurate, and trusted by millions of voters — including older adults, military members, rural communities, tribal communities, voters of color, and voters with disabilities. Vote-by-mail has proven to expand voter participation in recent elections.” She added that “President Trump has no constitutional authority to take this action. Under our US Constitution, the states have the power to run elections, and only Congress can step in to regulate those elections when needed.”

President Trump’s most recent comments, earlier this month, follow an Executive Order issued in March, titled “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.”  In a social media post this month, he wrote: “ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING.”