Voter Protection: Be Involved
Make sure your vote counts!
Secretary of State
Capitol Office, PO Box 150470 • Hartford, CT 06115-0470
Ph: (860) 509-6200
CONNECTICUT VOTER INFORMATION PORTAL IS HACKABLE
Weak authentication leaves Connecticut’s voter information at risk of being accessed by hackers.
The Connecticut Voter Registration Information allows a voter to verify their status. Requirements are first name, last name and the date of birth. The Connecticut Portal allows voters to submit an application for voter registration or to submit an update to your registration information. The online system allows a user to modify the current address, the name and the affiliation party. Voters need their first name, last name, date of birth and optionally Connecticut’s Driver License for the identification step. That information can be obtained from the state, open sources, data brokers, darknet or data breaches. Changing parties may result in losing rights in all parties for 3 months.
- portaldir.ct.gov/sots/LookUp.aspx
- voterregistration.ct.gov/OLVR/welcome.do
- portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/ElectForms/electforms/VoterRegCardEnglish2015pdf.pdf
CONNECTICUT VOTERS DATA EXPOSED ON THE INTERNET
CT Voter Registration Information publicly accessible online.
Connecticut voter registration information is sold by Connecticut’s state for $300, but it’s also accessible online for free since 2013. This information can be used by bad actors to modify voter’s information online.
- portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Election-Services/Election-Services/Centralized-Voter-Registration-Information
- connvoters.com/download.html
CONNECTICUT DEPLOYS 14-YEAR-OLD SECONDHAND VOTING MACHINES
The machines are vulnerable to attack because of their age and history.
CT Accuvote machines were purchased in 2006 and haven’t been manufactured since 2007. Connecticut used part of $5.12 million in federal funding to purchase 169 additional second-hand Accuvote optical scan tabulators.
According to research by The Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology (ICIT), Accuvote is notoriously insecure. The systems feature almost no security and are susceptible to internal software bugs and external attacks. Among others, the lock can be easily picked or broken to gain access to the internal components of the machine, each system has one or more ballot boxes that can be filled with fake votes at the start of voting and can easily go unnoticed, the memory cards used in the systems can be corrupted to introduce malware, to cause the election server to crash, or to alter the results of an election.
- www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20190909_blumenthal_merrill_call_for_funding_to_keep_elections_secure_ahead/
- www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/havaffr2019/CT2019_101ESFFRNarrPC.pdf
- icitech.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ICIT-Analysis-Hacking-Elections-is-Easy-Part-Two.pdf
VOTER INTIMIDATION AND ABSENTEE BALLOT IRREGULARITIES
Investigation still ongoing into voter fraud and intimidation allegations from 2019.
The State Elections Enforcement Commission is still investigating allegations of voter fraud and intimidation from a 2019 Democrat mayoral race in Bridgeport. The case involves Mayor Joseph P. Ganim, who has already served six years in federal prison for corruption. Allegations were made that elderly voters were pressured into voting for the incumbent on their absentee ballots by absentee ballot helpers. Absentee ballots were also received by people who were not listed on the state voter roll and were not registered, Democrats.
- seec.ct.gov/Portal/CommDecisions/CD2019
- patch.com/connecticut/bridgeport/voter-intimidation-complaints-made-bridgeport
- www.nytimes.com/2003/03/20/nyregion/bridgeport-mayor-convicted-on-16-charges-of-corruption.html
- electls.blogs.wm.edu/2020/03/27/voter-fraud-allegations-not-deter-supporters-re-electing-bridgeport-mayor/
- www.ctinsider.com/local/ctpost/article/Bridgeport-absentee-voting-rife-with-14453361.php
14 PEOPLE CONVICTED OF VOTER FRAUD SINCE 2000
Fourteen people have been convicted of fraudulent use of absentee ballots since 2000.
The fraudulent use of absentee ballots consists of requesting absentee ballots and voting without the knowledge of the actual voter, obtaining the absentee ballot from a voter, filling it in directly, and forging the voter’s signature or illegally telling the voter whom to vote for. One case involved the State Elections Enforcement Commission ruling that State Rep. Minnie Gonzalez was present when voters filled out absentee ballots at City Hall.
Connecticut Constitutional Preamble
The People of Connecticut acknowledging with gratitude, the good providence of God, in having permitted them to enjoy a free government; do, in order more effectually to define, secure, and perpetuate the liberties, rights and privileges which they have derived from their ancestors; hereby, after a careful consideration and revision, ordain and establish the following constitution and form of civil government.
