More Information, Less Misinformation Goal for 2022 Elections

While Connecticut’s government leaders believe that every eligible US citizen has a right to participate in democracy, the rapid spread of misinformation increasingly causes people to become skeptical of the entire election process.

“Over the last few election cycles, malicious foreign actors have demonstrated the motivation and capability to significantly disrupt election activities, thus undermining public confidence in the fairness and accuracy of election results,” wrote Governor Ned Lamont in describing the FY2023 midterm budget adjustments.

Lamont announced in the 2023 midterm budget adjustments that a misinformation specialist would be hired by the State, with an annual salary allocation of $150,000. The individual hired will have the responsibility of monitoring and combating election misinformation so that aspect of the election process will run smoothly.

“$2 million will be used for a public information campaign to educate and inform the state’s registered voters on voting how-to’s, including absentee voting; and $4 million in capital funds has been allotted for the Democracy Initiatives Project,” the document also stated.

According to Scott Bates, Deputy Secretary of the State in Connecticut, citizens will be given the information they need to participate fairly in elections and democracy. There will be an Election Information Security Analyst to help identify false information during the election process.

Connecticut is not the only state to take these steps towards ensuring a fair election. Arizona, California, Idaho, and Oregon are funding election information initiatives to prevent misinformation and educate the public. While not all of these states are following Connecticut's steps in hiring a misinformation specialist, they are all taking the action they believe necessary to prevent misinformation in elections.

Interestingly, states that are taking action, including Connecticut, vary in political party majority, with some seen as swing states. This could be a trend for the other states, as misinformation has become common in the political world. In recent weeks, however, some leading Republicans have criticized the new position, describing it as a partisan move. 

“America's enemies have weaponized information to attack the very thing that makes America special in this world, and that is our democracy. Our best defense is to stay alert and arm our people with the truth. Let every citizen know how to participate in their democracy and exercise their hard won right to vote,” said Bates.

Connecticut’s approach differs from other states, which are pursuing their own ways to prevent the spread of misinformation. The New York Times reported that Oregon, Idaho, and Arizona are using the Internet and other advertising mediums to inform prospective voters on elections and absentee voting. Colorado, similar to Connecticut, is using cybersecurity specialists to identify misinformation. California’s Secretary of State Office is also making efforts to monitor misinformation and stop it from spreading.

“Fortunately there are states with strategies to meet and defeat this challenge; Connecticut is among them,” wrote Bates recently in Partnerships to Protect Democracy: States vs. Nation-States.

The misinformation specialist and the other initiatives being undertaken are the source of some controversy, but it is too soon to tell what the impact of the criticism, and the initiatives, will be on this year’s election cycle.

This article was reported and written by Sarah Klepack, an intern at CT by the Numbers from Trumbull and a rising junior at Endicott College pursuing studies in communication and digital journalism.