Scott and Copeland Hanzas Declare Vermont Ballots Secure

Vermonters have until next Tuesday to cast their ballots, and state leaders say the system is ready to handle them. More than 100,000 residents had already returned their mail-in ballots as of Monday. Governor Phil Scott and Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas appeared together in Winooski on Monday to confirm that the state’s elections are secure.

The two leaders said there are no specific or credible threats to Vermont’s election process at this time. They noted that heated political rhetoric from other states is reaching local polling places, but they believe the state is prepared to manage the situation. Copeland Hanzas urged the public to lower the temperature of the conversation surrounding the Nov. 3 vote.

Vermont officials are preparing contingency plans for several potential disruptions. These plans include protocols for power outages, internet failures, and communications breakdowns. They also have strategies for physical threats and the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at polling stations. Because of the season, the team is also monitoring weather conditions that could affect voter access.

Winooski City Clerk Jenny Willingham and her staff of two are working overtime to prepare for the day. Willingham said her priority is ensuring voters are not impeded when they arrive at the polls. She noted that some residents remain skeptical of the postal process and want assurance that their votes will be counted. “We want to ensure they feel comfortable and respectful of others,” Willingham said.

The U.S. Department of Justice has signaled plans to deploy 1,000 election monitors to communities across the country. Under Vermont law, these poll watchers cannot communicate with or interfere with election workers or voters. Scott said state and local police are prepared to respond if anyone is blocked or intimidated at the polls. “We will do anything to protect the process, and we will counter anything that comes up,” Scott said.

Scott added that the state is effectively freezing the secretary of state’s website to prevent hacking in the final week before the election. Voters who have not yet returned their mail-in ballots are now too late to use the post. They can place their ballots in an official dropbox, bring them to their town clerk, or cast them at the polls on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.