Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Secretary of State’s office has received inquiries recently from concerned citizens about voting rights and election administration this upcoming election season. Secretary Sarah Copeland Hanzas has issued the following statement:
As Vermont’s Secretary of State, I am committed to ensuring that the integrity of our democratic right to vote is safeguarded and ensured for all. Vermont has a strong history of election management, and the strategic improvements made over time have improved our processes and systems. We are fortunate to work with our town clerks who enable free, fair, and accessible elections in every community in Vermont.
The federal government typically works to support the critical responsibility that states have to administer elections. This support has been through funding, cybersecurity resources, information sharing networks, and more. This election year, things are different. The federal government is acting more as an adversary than a supporter. They’ve sued 30 states (both democrat and republican-led) for confidential voter information, slashed funding, dismantled security infrastructure, and instead directed resources towards pursuing allegations of non-citizen voting that continue to be refuted by the facts.
Vermonters have been reaching out to my office with concerns about how all of this might impact our elections. Here’s what we’re doing in this current landscape:
Secure Elections
Disinformation campaigns are pushing Americans to believe that large numbers of non-citizens are voting in our federal elections, and that voting by mail isn’t secure. The facts don’t support these allegations. We invite Vermonters to watch our 8-minute video with local clerks explaining the rigorous, decentralized, multilayered systems in place to ensure that our elections are secure. Our processes ensure that only citizens are registered and allowed to vote and that ballots returned by mail are secure.
Accessible Elections
Vermont set a new record in 2024 for voter turnout – just over 70% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the general election. That’s great. And, almost a third of Vermonters didn’t vote. At the federal level, Congress and this administration are attempting to implement changes to election law and procedures, through legislation and executive orders, that will make it harder for broad swathes of Americans to vote. We are committed to making voting more accessible and easier for Vermonters. I’ve established a voting accessibility task force, and we’re supporting legislative efforts in the State House to protect voting rights and prohibit voter intimidation.
State-run Elections
The Executive Branch of the federal government does not have a role in setting election policy. The U.S. Constitution places that responsibility with the states. Facing the loss of federal election funding and resources, we’re prepared to seek state funding to plug key gaps. Vermont is fortunate in that our election system is highly decentralized – our 247 municipal clerks are the front line of elections, and we’re making sure that they have the support they need to continue providing this essential service to their communities. In fact, if you’re looking for a way to get involved in the election process, consider volunteering as a poll worker or running for Justice of the Peace so you can serve on your town’s Board of Civil Authority. I’ve heard from many Vermonters who were skeptical of how our elections were run before they got involved and learned firsthand the safeguards we have in place to ensure elections are secure.
Federal Interference
To be clear, several federal laws prohibit federal agents from interfering at polling places.
We understand that the current administration sometimes acts first, leaving the courts to try to catch up after damage has already been done. We’ve heard troubling stories about how this administration might attempt to interfere with voting in the August Primary and November General elections this year, and we have heard the concerns of many Vermonters.
We’re coordinating closely with Vermont’s municipal clerks, state and local law enforcement, and our partners at the Attorney General’s office to be proactive about the possibility of federal agents at polling places and other kinds of potential interference.
Consider Voting Early
In addition, we encourage any Vermonter who is concerned about voting in-person on Election Day to vote early!
You can request an early/absentee ballot for the August Primary election from your clerk’s office or online at the Vermont Voter Portal: https://vote.vermont.gov.
For the November General election, every eligible voter will receive a ballot in the mail, which you can mail back or hand-deliver to your clerk’s office any time before election day.
At the online Vermont Voter Portal, you can even track your ballot from when it’s sent to you to when the clerk receives it back!
Democracy is a group effort – it takes all of us working together to maintain its vibrancy. My office will continue to work hard every day to keep our elections free, fair, and accessible. We’ll continue to share clear communication and trustworthy information – on our website, our social media pages, and through Front Porch Forum. Stay tuned, stay informed, stay involved!