The Connecticut Secretary of State’s office announced Thursday that each town will receive fire suppressors to be placed in absentee ballot boxes following the fires to ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington.
According to a press release from the Secretary of State’s office, the office and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) have taken these measures to add an additional layer of protection to voter safety. The devices are “designed for easy installation [and] can be easily mounted and installed inside absentee ballot drop boxes.”
In both Oregon and Washington last week, hundreds of ballots were destroyed or damaged after ballot boxes were set on fire from devices placed outside the boxes, according to CNN. In both states, voting is done entirely by mail.
Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas expressed in the press release that although “current assessments” indicate that these threats are specific to Washington and Oregon, the state of Connecticut felt these measures were necessary to ensure that “every vote is safe and secure.”
“Safeguarding our elections is a top priority,” Thomas said in the press 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,” said Thomas.
According to a New York State Archives website, a fire suppression system can detect fires by identifying heat and smoke. The device will then “trigger the release of the extinguisher element and put out the fire.” The system will then work to suppress the flame.
According to reporting done by Fox 61, up until two days ago not all towns in the state had received these fire suppressors and were waiting for their arrival.
The Secretary of State’s office expressed its thanks to the DESPP for their support on this new measure, stating that their partnership “enabled a quick turnaround in getting these deployed.”
Connecticut is expecting a large turnout on election day with over 520,000 voters already participating in early voting, according to the press release. Voters have until 8 p.m. today to vote in person. To find your local polling location visit the Secretary of State’s website.
The Secretary of State’s Office stated in the press release that voters should look out for potential threats to voter security, and if they see something suspicious to report it to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) hotline 1-866-733-2463.