by Viktoria Sundqvist CTNewsJunkie
Fire suppressors for absentee ballot drop boxes are being distributed to each town in Connecticut in the wake of ballot boxes in Washington and Oregon being set on fire last week, local officials announced.
The suppressors, which can be mounted and installed inside the absentee ballot drop boxes as an additional layer of protection, were made available to reinforce Connecticut’s commitment to ensuring that every vote is safe and secure, Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said in a news release.
Absentee ballot drop boxes across the state are already under live surveillance thanks to an election safety bill approved in the legislature in the spring.
“Safeguarding our elections is a top priority,” Thomas said in the news release.
“By staying ahead of potential threats, we can take a strong stand, ensuring a safe and secure process for all. Every voter should have confidence in casting their ballot no matter if it’s in person or at a drop box.”
The suppressors were distributed with the help of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Thomas said.
Absentee ballots can be dropped off until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Polls for in-person Election Day voting will be open across the state from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More than 520,000 voters had already cast a ballot through early voting as of late last week, according to the Secretary of the State’s office. Early voting ballots will be opened and processed after 6 a.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots can be processed after 10 a.m.
Police departments across the state, including the Connecticut State Police, have also said they are planning extra patrols on Election Day and are actively monitoring security trends, CT Insider reports.
In June, the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and the Secretary of the State’s office brought together 147 municipalities to provide training and prepare for any unexpected events on Election Day, including doing election security drills.
In September, the federal Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency led a de-escalation training for the state’s registrars of voters and town clerks.
Each polling place has a moderator in charge of ensuring voting runs smoothly. Under state law, the moderator has authority to rule on whether someone is believed to be interfering, and can call police if needed.
“Every voter has the right to vote in a safe polling place without intimidation and suppression, and Connecticut has legal obligations and a moral responsibility to protect those rights,” the Connecticut chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on its website.
The ACLU reminds every voter that it’s a federal crime for anyone to intimidate or harass a voter, and that there is no test nor an English-speaking requirement to vote. You do, however, need to be a US citizen.
Thomas is urging the community to be vigilant against potential threats. If voters see something suspicious around polling locations or on social media, they can report it to the State Elections Enforcement Commission hotline at 1-866-733-2463.
Brian Scott-Smith contributed information to this report.