Vermont officials say 100,000 ballots already returned as election nears
State leaders claim the process is secure despite national concerns, with only one week left until voters cast their ballots.
By Elena Perry ·
More than 100,000 Vermonters have already returned their mail-in ballots as the state prepares for the Nov. 3 general election. Top state leaders affirmed on Monday that the voting system is safe and secure with just over a week remaining until polls open.
Winooski City Clerk Jenny Willingham and a staff of two are working extended hours to get ready for election day. Willingham said her primary goal is to ensure voters are not blocked or delayed when they arrive at their polling locations. She noted that while many residents have mailed in their votes, some remain skeptical of the postal process.
State Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, a Democrat, said officials are drafting contingency plans for various potential disruptions. The list includes power and internet outages, communications issues, physical threats, and the presence of federal agents from ICE at polling places. Copeland Hanzas also cited weather as a factor to monitor.
Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, and Copeland Hanzas appeared together on Monday to present a united front on election security. They stated that there are no specific or credible threats to the Vermont election at this time. However, they acknowledged that heated political rhetoric from across the country is influencing local sentiment.
The U.S. Department of Justice indicated it will send 1,000 election monitors to communities nationwide. Vermont law prevents poll watchers from communicating with or interfering with election workers or voters. Scott said state and local police are ready to respond if anyone is blocked or intimidated at the polls.
Scott said the state is effectively freezing the secretary of state’s website to prevent hacking in the days before the vote. He pledged to counter any challenges that arise to protect the voting process. Voters who have not yet mailed their ballots can still drop them in an official box, take them to a town clerk, or bring them to the polls on Tuesday.
Copeland Hanzas urged the public to lower the temperature of the political conversation surrounding the election. She said officials want to ensure every vote counts and that voters feel comfortable and respected. The state is positioned to handle the final steps of the election with the current security measures in place.
