What Do White Powder Mailings, 250-Foot Zones, and Wheelchair Ramps Have in Common?
Press Releases
10/20/2026
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas Highlights the Behind-the-Scenes Team Voters Rarely See
(Hartford, Connecticut) – A suspicious mailing can require federal investigators. The unintentional blocking of a wheelchair ramp can trigger a call from the State Elections Enforcement Commission. While these situations may seem unrelated, each illustrates a different part of the extensive network of agencies, laws, and safeguards working behind the scenes to protect Connecticut elections, election workers, and voters.
“Election integrity is more than ballots and tabulators,” Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said. “If you can’t get through the door, if you’re being told who to vote for inside the polling place, or you’re asked to click on a malicious voter registration link, your rights aren’t being fully protected. Protecting those rights takes more than one office or agency. It takes an entire team working together, long before a voter ever casts a ballot.”
With in-person early voting underway, Secretary Thomas highlighted how her Office works with local election officials, communicates with independent investigators, and collaborates with law enforcement, emergency management officials, cybersecurity experts, and other partners to protect voters and the people administering elections in all 169 municipalities.
The State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) investigates campaign-finance violations, allegations of election fraud, and a wide range of other potential election-law violations. These can include everything from prohibited campaigning inside a polling place to concerns about ballot privacy, accessibility, and required notice when voting locations change.
Even when an apparent violation is inadvertent or requires a simple fix such as removing an obstruction in front of the wheelchair ramp, the system works the same. SEEC investigates and determines what corrective action or enforcement, if any, is warranted. The Office of the Secretary of the State routinely makes referrals when election workers get something wrong, even when it is our own Office.
Different problems bring in different partners.
Last week, the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted a suspicious letter addressed to the Secretary of the State’s Office containing an unidentified white powder. Before learning Connecticut was a target, the Office informed local officials about the potential threat and reminded them about safe mail handling procedures.
The Office meets monthly with state public safety and emergency management officials, State Police, the Connecticut Intelligence Center, state cybersecurity experts, and other partners to share information and prepare for emergencies. During the in-person early voting period and through Election Day on November 3, the Office and its partners meet daily to identify potential threats, share information, and plan how best to respond if issues arise.
“In the election world, these next two weeks are like the World Series,” Secretary Thomas said. “You see your team on the field, but the work that got them there has been happening all year. Those relationships help our local officials prepare for problems before they occur.”
Preparation also means ensuring that the people who may be called upon to respond to an election-related incident understand Connecticut election law. This year, the Secretary's Office has worked with the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association and other public safety partners to educate law enforcement about the state's new 250-foot election security rule. The Office has also provided written guidance and training to registrars of voters and town clerks, and recently released a public guide explaining the law. Election workers also receive resources on communication and de-escalation to help them respond to challenging situations.
The Office's partnership with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) extends to emergency preparedness throughout the year. The State Emergency Operations Center — the same facility used for hurricanes, major storms, and other emergencies — also offers state agencies and public safety partners a way to coordinate and share information during election season.
These efforts complement the extensive training, bipartisan administration, pre-election equipment testing, paper ballots, post-election audits, and other safeguards that form the foundation of Connecticut elections.
“Most voters will never see the meetings, training, investigations and emergency planning that happen behind the scenes,” Secretary Thomas said. “But they should know that all of this work is happening, that people are working together every day to protect their rights, and that when something goes wrong, there are established processes to address it. Election security isn't one safeguard. It's dozens working together.”
“Public trust isn’t something you demand. It’s something you earn,” Secretary Thomas said. “Voters deserve to know who’s looking out for them and how the safeguards work. Voter education is voter protection.”
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Contact: Matthew Clyburn
Matthew.Clyburn@CT.gov
(959) 274-6725
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