[♪] >> GOOD EVENING I'M WALTER SMITH RANDOLPH CONNECTICUT PUBLIC'S INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR.

WELCOME TO TONIGHT'S SECRETARY OF STATE DEBATE LIVE FROM THE LINCOLN THEATER ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD.

TONIGHT'S DEBATE IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CONNECTICUT AND CONNECTICUT PUBLIC.

BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE CANDIDATES, LET ME FIRST GO OVER THE TIME FORMAT.

THE FORMAT IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW THE CANDIDATES TIME TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES.

THE ONLY RULE IS THAT THE TOTAL TIME USED BY EACH CANDIDATE BY THE CONCLUSION OF THE DEBATE MUST BE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME.

THE CANDIDATES WILL NOT BE RESTRICTED TO ONE OR TWO-MINUTE AS LITTLE OR AS MUCH TIME THEY FEEL IS APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS EACH ISSUE.

OUR GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE DEBATE.

THE CANDIDATES WILL TAKE TURNS BEING THE FIRST TO RESPOND TO A QUESTION.

AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE QUESTION PERIOD OF THE DEBATE, EACH CANDIDATE WILL MAKE A TWO-MINUTE CLOSING STATEMENT.

MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ARE SERVING AS TIMEKEEPERS AND WILL KEEP US INFORMED OF THE TIME USED IF A TIME IMBALANCE OCCURS WE WILL CALL IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CANDIDATES.

APPLAUSE IS ONLY PERMITTED AT THE START AND END OF TONIGHT'S PROGRAM.

AND NOW WITHOUT LET'S WELCOME TO THE STAGE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE DOMINIC RAPINI.

[APPLAUSE] AND DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, STEPHANIE THOMAS.

[APPLAUSE] THE FIRST QUESTION WAS CHOSEN BY COIN FLIP AND IT GOES TO Mr. RAPINI.

OUR FIRST QUESTION, RIGHT NOW IN CONNECTICUT YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW PHOTO IDENTIFICATION TO VOTE.

DO YOU THINK VOTING IN CONNECTICUT SHOULD BE MORE OR LESS RESTRICTIVE?

>> WALTER, VOTER ID AND PARTICULARLY GOVERNMENT ID IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR DEMOCRACY.

IT'S FUNDAMENTAL TO PEOPLE FUNCTIONING SOCIETY.

I THINK THE THOUGHT OF US NOT HAVING VOTER ID IS LUDICROUS.

I THINK WE NEED WHEN WE LOOK AT VOTER ID WE THINK WE NEED VOTER ID TO BOARD AN AIRPLANE, TO DRIVE A CAR.

WE NEED VOTER ID TO APPLY FOR A MORTGAGE OR A JOB.

YOU EVEN NEED VOTER ID TO GET THE GOOD MOUSSE NEXT BEHIND THE COUNTER AT WALGREENS.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS NOT A NO-BRAINER.

79% OF AMERICANS SAID THEY PREFER GOVERNMENT ID.

>> MS. THOMAS?

>> COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION, PLEASE.

>> THE QUESTION IS RIGHT NOW IN CONNECTICUT YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW PHOTO IDENTIFICATION TO VOTE.

DO YOU THINK VOTING IN CONNECTICUT SHOULD BE MORE OR LESS RESTRICTIVE?

>> GOOD EVENING, WALTER.

IT'S NICE TO BE HERE.

DEFINITELY, MOST PEOPLE DO SHOW PHOTO ID MANY OF OUR REGISTRATIONS RIGHT NOW ARE THROUGH THE DMV SO PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN A PHOTO ID TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

I THINK MANDATING GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID IS A SOLUTION VERY MUCH IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.

THE INCIDENTS OF PEOPLE CREATING SHOWING UP AT THE POLLS WITH TRYING TO IMPERSONATE SOMEONE ELSE, HONESTLY WE SHOULD BE SO LUCKY WITH 30-40% TURNOUT IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IT'S JUST NOT THE PROBLEM THAT EXISTS.

INSTEAD OF SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT IT WOULD TAKE BECAUSE I KNOW THE BILLS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE LEGISLATURE ANYWAY, HAS BEEN FOR THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR THAT PHOTO ID, SO INSTEAD OF SPENDING THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WAY, I WOULD RATHER WE SPEND THAT TIME AND MONEY AND EFFORT ON CIVIC EDUCATION THAT WOULD SEEK TO ELIMINATE THE TYPES OF MISTAKES THAT DO HAPPEN AT THE POLLS AND ALSO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE FRONTLINE ELECTION WORKERS ARE ADEQUATELY TRAINED WHICH WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE ACTUAL PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE.

I HAVE SPENT THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS SITTING DOWN WITH REGISTRARS AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THEY FACE, I'VE NEVER HEARD ONE SAY OH, IT'S THE LACK OF PHOTO ID.

THANK YOU.

>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO REBUTT?

>> YOU KNOW WALTER THE JOB OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS TO MAKE SURE OUR ELECTIONS ARE SAFE AND SECURE AND ACCESSIBLE.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULDN'T DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE WE INSTILL AS MUCH TRUST IN OUR ELECTIONS AS POSSIBLE.

INSTEAD OF SAYING THAT YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT'S TOO HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET ID LET'S BRING THE SOLUTION TO THE PEOPLE.

I'VE BEEN IN RETAIL MY WHOLE LIFE.

AND MY JOB AT APPLE I'VE WORKED IN THE CONSUMER GROUPS I KNOW RETAILORS AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN PROBABLY PICK UP PUT TOGETHER POP-UP STORES IN CONNECTICUT RETAILORS AND BRING THE ID'S TO PEOPLE IN RIGHT INTO THE COMMUNITY RIGHT ON THE BUS LINES.

AND BY DOING THIS, WE HELP SOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

WE BUILD SECURITY IN OUR ELECTION AND WE'RE ALSO HELPING THE PEOPLE TO GET THE ID THEY NEED IN OUR SOCIETY.

79% OF ALL AMERICANS WANT VOTER ID.

SO LET'S GIVE IT TO THEM AND LET'S DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE OUR ELECTIONS ARE AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE.

AND I TALK TO DIFFERENT I ALSO TALK TO REGISTRARS AND I HEAR DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND I'M AN ELECTION DAY MODERATOR AND PEOPLE THINK THEY BRING THEIR ID WITH THEM THEY WANT TO PROVE WHAT THEY ARE.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO THAT AND WE CAN DO IT BETTER.

>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING?

>> SURE PEOPLE DO LIKE TO SHOW WHO THEY ARE WHY IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

MOST PEOPLE PRESENT AN ID WHEN ASKED AT THE POLLS THE DIFFERENCE IS IT'S JUST NOT REQUIRE FEDERAL THEY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ID.

AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT OH, MY GOSH, THE BRIGHT LIGHTS I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

IT'S THE MAKEUP,DOM.

SORRY I COULD NOT RESIST.

SORRY, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT.

BUT I APOLOGIZE.

>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND QUESTION WHICH IS WE'LL START WITH YOU MRS. THOMAS DO YOU THINK STEPS NEED TO BE TAKEN TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE VOTE IN CONNECTICUT AND IF SO WHAT WOULD THOSE STEPS LOOK LIKE?

>> SURE.

I THINK WHEN HE TALK ABOUT INTEGRITY THERE'S ALL TYPES OF ISSUES.

THERE'S SECURITY, THERE'S WHAT VOTERS ARE DOING, WHAT ARE PROFESSIONALS ARE DOING.

I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE CAN DO I'VE BEEN RUNNING ON A PLATFORM OF CIVIC EDUCATION.

I THINK IT'S OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW OUR ELECTIONS WORK BECAUSE THAT WILL MAKE THEM LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING DEFRAUDED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY CAN AND CAN'T BE TAKEN OFF THE VOTING ROLLS FOR EXAMPLE.

I KNOW I'VE COME ACROSS PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT WHO SAY THINGS LIKE, OH, I TRIED TO SAVE A STAMP I PUT ME AND MY HUSBAND'S ABSENTEE BALLOT IN THE SAME ENVELOPE WHICH CANNOT BE DONE.

IF WE CAN EDUCATE THE ELECTORATE HOW TO AVOID MAKING THESE TYPES OF MISTAKES, THAT WILL HELP INCREASE INTEGRITY.

AND THEN IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THE WORKERS HAVE ALL THE TRAINING THEY NEED LIKE MANY OTHER INDUSTRIES SINCE COVID WE HAD A WAVE OF PEOPLE NOT RUNNING FOR REELECTION SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW ELECTION STAFFERS.

SO MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT SO THAT YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE ON ELECTION DAY WE HAVE OVER 3500 STAFF PEOPLE WORKING THE POLLS.

AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG BASELINE OF EFFICIENCY, ACCURACY, WILL REALLY HELP WITH THE INTEGRITY.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, CYBERSECURITY IS AN ISSUE.

IT IS A THREAT ACCORDING TO HOMELAND SECURITY.

WE NOW HAVE SUCH A PREVALENCE OF MISINFORMATION, DISINFORMATION, MALL INFORMATION, SO MAKING SURE WE TAKE CONCRETE STEPS LIKE HIRING THE MISINFORMATION OFFICER THAT JUST HAPPENED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR ECOSYSTEM IF YOU WILL IS TOP LINE.

>> Mr. RAPINI.

THERE IS A LOT TO DO HERE IN THIS TOPIC OF ELECTION INEGGTITY.

THIS IS AN AREA OF ELECTIONS THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND IN MY DNA AND MY PRIORITY.

I WOULD SAY THIS... THAT STARTING WITH VOTER ID, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN CONNECTICUT ELECTIONS IS ALWAYS HAPPENS WITH ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING AND WITH POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS WHO RIG OR ABUSE THE SYSTEM.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE WE GO INTO THE EXAMPLES I WANT TO MAKE SURE I WOULD INCLUDE SOME SORT OF IDENTIFIER WHENEVER CONNECTICUT CITIZEN APPLIES FOR THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOT WHETHER IT IS A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ID'S ON THE ELDERLY OR A MILITARY ID FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN SERVING ABR ABROAD.

OR IT'S JUST A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

SO THAT WE HAVE A WAY SOMETHING THAT MATCH THE VOTER RECORDS BEFORE WE MAIL SOMEBODY A BALLOT.

WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB THERE.

AND OUR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS ABUSED THIS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ELECTION INTEGRITY THERE ARE PILLARS THE TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR ELECTIONS WHICH IS FAILING.

IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED FOR A DECADE.

AND WE HAVE TABULATORS THAT ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY.

THEY ARE FIVE YEARS PAST THEIR EXPIRATION DATE AND ELECTION SOFTWARE WHICH HAS BEEN A TORMENT OF OUR ELECTION WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND IN RECENT WEEKS IT'S BEEN DOWN EVERYDAY.

CALLED CBRS AND IT'S DOWN EVERYDAY AND WHEN OUR PART-TIME REGISTRARS GO IN FOR 10 HOURS A WEEK AND THEY SPEND THE FIRST THREE HOURS WAITING FOR THE SOFTWARE TO COME UP.

THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT IMPACT ELECTION INTEGRITY.

WHAT I WILL ADD TO THIS IS WE TALK ABOUT INTEGRITY PEOPLE GO TO THE EFFORT RATHER THAN GO TO FRAUD IT IS AN ISSUE WE HAVE IN CONNECTICUT.

RIGHT NOW THERE ARE FIVE CASES OF VOTER FRAUD IN THIS STATE.

THERE WAS A CONVICTION OF A DEMOCRATIC TOWN CHAIR ON 28 COUNTS OF VOTER FRAUD IN THE CITY OF STAMFORD.

WE HAVE FOUR FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS ON VOTER FRAUD IN THE STATE IN THREE MAJOR CITIES.

THERE IS CULTURE OF FRAUD THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF.

BECAUSE WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT AND PEOPLE FEEL THEIR VOTE DOES NOT COUNT AND AS SECRETARY OF STATE I PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S VOTE COUNTS AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GO AFTER THE PEOPLE.

AND ALL THE ISSUES WE HAVE HAS TO DO WITH MAIL-IN VOTING, ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING AND POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS ABUSING THE SYSTEM.

SO ONE OF MY GOALS ON ELECTION INTEGRITY I WANT TO GET POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF HANDING OUT ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND LEAVE IT TO THE VOTERS WHERE IT BELONGS.

>> WHETHER IT'S PHOTO ID, FRAUD, CITIES, WHAT IS MORE LIKELY THAT THE SYSTEM WE HAVE USED FOR MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS IS NOT WORKING OR IS THERE ONE PRESIDENT WHO DOES NOT WANT TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF AN ELECTION?

I HAPPEN TO THINK THE FORMER.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INTEGRITY, I THINK THERE'S ALSO YOU KNOW, HOMELAND SECURITY REALLY DOES SAY THAT MALINFORMATION IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS FACING OUR ELECTION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS TWEETS LIKE I'VE SEEN FROM Mr. RAPINI HERE TAKING A GERM OF TRUTH AND STRETCHING IT TO CREATE HARM AND LOSS OF FAITH IN OUR ELECTION SYSTEM.

THAT'S A REAL THREAT.

AND I THINK IT'S PROBLEMATIC AND SHOULD THAT EXIST.

WHAT WE -- WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FRAUD.

WE DEFINITELY NEED TO INVEST IN EDUCATION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FRAUD.

WHEN OUR SYSTEM HAS ALWAYS HAD FRAUD THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NO FRAUD SYSTEM.

I THINK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THE MONEY THEY SPEND TO PROTECT OUR CURRENCY, YET THERE IS A COUNTERFEITER THAT WILL SHOW UP SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE PENALTIES ARE IN PLACE TO PUNISH THOSE PEOPLE AND THAT YOU MINIMIZE THE RISK TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.

SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE STAMFORD CASE AND OTHER CASES LIKE IT, TO ME THAT IS A SIGN THE SYSTEM IS WORKING OR ELSE WE WOULDN'T KNOW FRAUD HAD BEEN COMMITTED.

AND IF YOU COMPARE 28 CASES OF FRAUD FIVE YEARS AGO, OR 2017 I BELIEVE, AND YOU THINK ABOUT THE 1.8 MILLION VOTERS WHO VOTE HERE IN CONNECTICUT, IT'S WHAT MOST PEOPLE WILL CALL AN ACCEPTABLE RISK.

I THINK ZERO FRAUD IS NAIVE AND UNREALISTIC.

>> WELL, I'M GLAD YOU DON'T WORK FOR A BANK.

IN BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ZERO FRAUD OF TOLERANCE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

THAT IT TRUE OF THE BUSINESS WORLD AND IT SHOULD BE TRUE OF OUR ELECTIONS.

A LOT TO UNPACK.

WHEN WE HAVE -- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF FRAUD, WHAT WE'RE LOWERING THE BAR.

WE'RE LOWERING THE BAR ON WHAT EVERY VOTER EXPECTS.

EVERY VOTER WANTS THEIR VOTE TO COUNT AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT BEING DISENFRANCHISED BY A BACK ACTOR AND GO OFF THE CULTURAL FRAUD IN OUR CITIES.

THESE ARE NOT CHOICES WE CAN DO ALL OF THESE THINGS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MISINFORMATION THIS IS A GREAT, GREAT QUESTION.

WE JUST HIRED A MISINFORMATION OFFICER IN HARTFORD.

I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG THING YOU PROMOTED AND SIGNED OFF ON THAT.

AND THIS IS BASICALLY A MINISTER OF TRUTH.

BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SAYING WHAT WE'VE GIVEN UP IS OUR ABILITY AS VOTERS TO DECIDE WHAT THE TRUTH IS.

THAT'S OUR JOB AS ENGAGED CITIZENS IN THIS DEMOCRACY IN THIS REPUBLIC.

IT IS THE JOB OF A FREE AND NONPARTISAN PRESS TO DECIDE WHAT THE TRUTH IS.

IT'S NOT UP TO THE GOVERNMENT TO TELL US WHAT IS TRUE WHAT IS NOT TRUE.

AND RECEIVE REFERENCES MY TWEETS, I UNDERSTAND SHE WANTS TO SPEND TIME ON THAT IT'S PROBABLY A WELCOME DEFLECTION FROM HER OWN RECORD AND THE THINGS WHERE SHE FALLS SHORT AS A CANDIDATE WHETHER IT'S HER CREDENTIALS OR EXPERIENCE IN CONNECTICUT ELECTIONS.

I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES IF NOT ONCE A HUNDRED TIMES THAT JOE BIDEN IS OUR PRESIDENT AND I DID THAT AFTER I ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ELECTIONS BECAUSE THAT IS MY MORAL RESPONSIBILITY AND RIGHT AS A CITIZEN TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

AND THAT IS HOW I LEARN HOW I LEARN IN THE TECH INDUSTRY AND LEARN IN ELECTIONS AND I DEVELOPED GREAT EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA.

AND JOE BIDEN IS OUR PRESIDENT.

AND SO WE MOVE ON FROM THERE.

BUT WE GOT TO REMEMBER THESE CASES OF FRAUD THESE ARE REAL CASES.

AND LISTEN, LET'S EXPAND ON THIS IDEA JUST A LITTLE BIT.

WOULD EVERYONE AGREE THAT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN CONNECTICUT SHOULD NOT HAVE COMMITTED VOTER FRAUD OR YOU SHOULD NOT BE ELECTED TO HOLD THE OFFICE IN THIS STATE?

THAT SEEMS TO BE THE COMMON SENSE THING THAT I COME UP WITH AND MANY OF YOU AGREE.

SO FOR EXAMPLE YOUR COLLEAGUES IN HARTFORD SENATOR OR GEORGE CABRERA, I THINK HE CHANGED HIS NAME A LITTLE BIT HE COMMITTED FRAUD IN CONNECTICUT.

AND HE IS NOW A SITTING U.S. STATE SENATOR.

RIGHT MERE IN HARTFORD, MINI GONZALEZ ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES COMMITTED VOTER FRAUD AND SHE GOT ELECTED TO HARTFORD.

SHE MAYBE WORKING ON ABSENTEE BALLOTS RIGHT NOW WHO KNOWS.

BUT THE NEXT ONE IS EVEN MORE DRAMATIC AND MORE DISTURBING IS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT WHICH IS LITERALLY THE PUNCHLINE OF EVERY ELECTION ISSUE WE HAVE, IS THE CITY CLERK WHO IS IN CHARGE OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS LYDIA MARTINEZ HAS COMMITTED VOTER FRAUD.

AND I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HEN WATCHING THE -- THE CHICKEN WATCHING THE HEN HOUSE.

IF WE'RE NOT -- I HOPE YOU WOULD JOIN ME IN SAYING THESE PEOPLE SHOULD ALL RESIGN FROM THEIR POSITION.

I HOPE YOU WOULD JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THESE ISSUES OF FRAUD ARE SERIOUS ISSUES.

AND NOT LOOK THE OTHER WAY, NOT KEEP YOUR HEAD IN SAND IF YOU DO THAT YOU ARE A FRAUD DENIER AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

AS SECRETARY OF STATE I WILL IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS IN FRONT OF US, AND I WILL TAKE THEM SERIOUS AND I WILL FIX THEM AND THAT IS OUR JOB.

IF YOU CAN'T IDENTIFY A PROBLEM THEN YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIX IT.

>> REBUTT?

>> WOW.

THERE IS A A LOT TO UNPACK THERE FOR SURE.

FRAUD DENIER I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU LIKE TO TWEET AT ME.

I DON'T OFTEN READ MY TWEETS BUT SOMETIMES I JUST CAN'T LOOK AWAY.

AND I FEEL LIKE YOU'RE PROTESTING A LITTLE TOO MUCH.

I DID NOT BRING UP JOE BIDEN THOSE ARE NOT THE TWEETS I'M TALKING ABOUT.

THE TWEETS I'M TALKING ABOUT ARE THE ONES WHERE YOU HASHTAG STOP THE STEAL WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT PATRIOTS ON JANUARY 6TH, DOING WHAT IS RIGHT IN WASHINGTON D.C.

THE TWEETS WHERE YOU CALLED ME A SOCIALIST OR A COMMUNIST.

I WILL SEE THAT YOU TALK ABOUT MY CREDENTIALS.

I HAVE LED SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS.

I'VE STARTED MY OWN BUSINESS.

I WOULD NEVER CONDUCT MYSELF IN ANY PROFESSIONAL SETTING WITH THAT TYPE OF DEMEANOR AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE WANTS A SECRETARY OF STATE WHO DOES SO.

I'M NOT POLITICAL.

I AM FOR THE PEOPLE.

AND BY SAYING THAT I'M ZERO FRAUD IS NOT POSSIBLE DOESN'T MEAN IT'S SOMETHING THAT I DON'T WORK TOWARD AS A BUSINESS CONSULTANT FOR 25 YEARS, I ACTUALLY AM HIRED TO COME IN, LOOK AT PROBLEMS AND SOLVE THEM AND PEOPLE ONLY HIRE CONSULTANTS WHEN IT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE.

SO I WILL STOP THERE AND KNOW THAT I AM OBVIOUSLY A COMMITTED PROFESSIONAL.

I SERVE IN THE LEGISLATURE.

I DIDN'T REALIZE JUST BECAUSE THERE WERE 150 OTHER PEOPLE WHO SERVE IN THE LEGISLATURE, SOMEHOW GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION.

I KNOW IN MY WORK AS A VICE-CHAIR OF OUR ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, I SPENT MUCH OF MY TIME ACTUALLY DEBATING YOU WHEN YOU APPEARED IN EVERY PUBLIC HEARING WHEN YOU WERE BOARD CHAIR LAST YEAR FIGHT VOTER FRAUD TALKING ABOUT THE 5700 AND I THINK 35 PEOPLE WHO YOU CALLED GHOST VOTERS WHO WERE DEAD, WHO VOTED IN THE 2020 CONNECTICUT ELECTION.

I BELIEVE YOU THEN WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT THE 103, I BELIEVE, CASES OF FRAUD THAT YOU FOUND HERE IN CONNECTICUT ALL OF WHICH PROVED TO BE UNTRUE.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT AS A LEADER, RUNNIN AROUND SCREAMING FRAUD ONE DOES NOT INSTILL CONFIDENCE AND AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE SWORN TO PROTECT THE SYSTEM, IT JUST FEELS LIKE THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.

>> WELL, THERE YOU GO AGAIN DEFLECTING, RIGHT?

AND REALLY FRANKLY, COMING OUT WITH UNTRUTHS.

I HAVE ALWAYS ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ELECTIONS.

AND REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS YOU WILL REMEMBER IN THESE TESTIMONIES I NEVER USED THE WORD F WORD OR FRAUD I TALKED ABOUT REAL PROBLEMS THAT CAME FROM OUR VOTER ROLLS.

THIS IS NOT STUFF YOU MAKEUP WE HAD 5700 PEOPLE VOTE ON NOVEMBER THIRD BUT THEY WERE NOT REGISTERED FOR DAYS LATER.

THAT IS A PROBLEM IT'S NOT ABOUT FRAUD IT'S ABOUT FIXING OUR SYSTEM.

WE IDENTIFIED 104 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP IN THE VOTER ROLLS AS HAVING VOTED TWICE SAME NAME, ADDRESS, SAME BIRTHDATE.

SHOWN UP TWICE VOTING TWICE WITH TWO VOTER ID NUMBERS.

NOW, IT TOOK THE SEC 14 MONTHS TO ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE THEM.

I HAD TO PROMPT THEM THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH IT.

AND WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THAT CASE WHEN WE PRESENTED THAT INFORMATION WE NEVER CALL TO DO FRAUD WE SAID THIS IS AN ANOMALY WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND THAT VERY NEXT MONTH REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS HELPED WHAT I CALL A COVER UP.

SHE PUT IN THE BILL SHE WITHDREW THE ABILITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE THE VOTER ID'S AND SEE THE BIRTHDATES.

YOU CAN NO LONGER FIND DOUBLE VOTERS MANY WELL, TODAY THAT IS NOT HOW YOU FIX PROBLEMS BY TRYING TO COVER THEM UP.

WE CAN DO BETTER.

>> FINAL WORDS ON THIS QUESTION?

>> ALTERNATIVE FACTS.

>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR THIRD QUESTION.

WHICH YOU BOTH HAVE MENTIONED IT IS A LONG ONE.

OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE FOR SUPPORTING VOTING IS TOWN-BY-TOWN.

SOME TOWNS ARE MORE RESOURCES AND PEOPLE ABLE TO BE ELECTION WORKERS THAN OTHERS IN AND ERA WITH NEW MACHINES AND NEW SOFTWARE AND NEW SYSTEMS SUCH AS RANK CHOICE VOTING HOW DO YOU PROPOSE WE GET ALL TOWNS ADEQUATELY STAFFED AND SERVED, THIS QUESTION GOES TO YOU.

>> CONNECTICUT HAS WHAT I BELIEVE IS A PHENOMENAL SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS BASED ON A DECENTRALIZED MODEL.

WE HAVE 169 TOWNS EACH WITH A UNIQUE FLAVOR AND UNIQUE WAY OF TAKING CARE OF THEIR OWN STAFFING AND THEIR FUNDING OF ELECTION DAY.

AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS MODEL, AND AS A MODERATOR I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND, THEY'VE OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE THE STARS OF THE STATE.

WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS.

THEY ARE THE ROCK STARS BECAUSE THEY ARE DETAIL ORIENTED.

THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL.

AND ALL THEY WANT IS A COUPLE THINGS: THEY WANT THE EQUIPMENT TO WORK WHICH IS NOT DOING NOW.

THEY WANT THEIR SOFTWARE TO WORK WHICH IT'S NOT DOING RIGHT NOW.

INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS.

THEY WANT TO BE HEARD IN HARTFORD.

AND THEY CONSTANTLY COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR OPINIONS DO NOT MATTER AND THEY WERE NOT LISTENED TO.

SO AS A SECRETARY OF STATE, AND SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR THREE DECADES, IT'S GOING TO BE MY HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO GET OUT INTO THE FIELD AND WORK WITH OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS AND TREAT THEM LIKE CUSTOMERS.

BECAUSE WHEN ANYBODY IN BUSINESS KNOWS WHEN YOU TREAT SOMEONE LIKE A CUSTOMER THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY NEED.

AND THAT IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT CONVERSATION STARTED.

>> MRS. THOMAS?

>> DEFINITELY, OUR DECENTRALIZED SYSTEM PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO DO THE SAME HAVE THE SAME QUALITY CONTROL OVERALL 169 TOWNS WHEN I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE REALIZE THERE'S LESS THAN TWO DOZEN TOWNS THAT HAVE FULL-TIME REGISTRARS.

THE REST ARE PART-TIME.

SO THAT DOES PRESENT REAL CHALLENGES.

WE DEFINITELY HAVE SOME ON-LINE TRAINING MODULES FOR PEOPLE.

WE HAVE RECIPROCITY WITH UNIVERSITIES TO GET ALL THE STAFF TRAINED SO THAT THERE IS A GOOD BASELINE.

BUT I THINK WE COULD DO MORE AND AS SECRETARY I FEEL LIKE WHAT WE CAN REALLY FOCUS ON TO HELP MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS IMPLEMENTED EQUALLY, TWO THINGS: ONE, WHAT I WOULD CALL HUMAN TRAINING.

I THINK WHAT HAS BEEN MISSING IS THE OPPORTUNITY THE SECRETARY A OFFICE HAS DONE IT IN THE PAST AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO GET BACK TO REGULAR CONVENING, ZOOM OR ON THE PHONE REALTIME WHERE THE SECRETARY'S STAFF CAN UPDATE THE WORKERS ON WHAT IS HAPPENING.

WHAT IS COMING DOWN THE PIKE.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, ANSWER REALTIME PROBLEMS WHATEVER IS TOP OF MIND.

EVEN REGISTRARS I KNOW WHO WORKED 20, 30 YEARS SAY LIKE SOMEONE WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR THIS IS A HIGH-TOUCH BUSINESS AND THEY GET A QUESTION AND IT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH BEFORE.

SO HAVING SOME REGULAR CALLS SETUP AND HAVING RAPID RESPONSE SO THERE'S MORE OF THAT HUMAN INTERACTION BECAUSE I ELUDED EARLIER TO ALL THE NEW REGISTRARS THAT ARE HERE AND I THINK WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THEM IS THAT THEY NEED MENTORSHIP.

MANY OF THE OFFICES ARE VERY SMALL SO THEY DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF.

SO THAT'S OF HUGE IMPORTANCE.

AND I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE REALLY GOOD TRAINING AROUND THE INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES.

SO WHETHER IT'S THE OPTICAL SCANNERS OR THE ASSISTED DEVICES, FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, I'VE HEARD STORIES WHERE SOMEONE WILL WALK IN AND LIKE THE MACHINE'S NOT PUT TOGETHER.

AND SO ON.

SO I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS WE COULD FIX THAT DON'T COST A LOT OF MONEY BUT DO TAKE TIME AND ATTENTION TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MORE UNIFORMLY HANDLING OUR ELECTIONS.

>> IN MY CAREER, SORRY WALTER.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD AND YOU CLEARLY DO.

I CLEARLY DO.

IN MY CAREER IN BEING ABLE TO ACHIEVE MY LARGE GOALS IN BUSINESS BOTH SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE BUSINESSES AREAS WHERE I HAVE EXPERIENCE, I HAVE BEEN ONE OF MY GREAT ROLES I HAVE BEEN A PROFESSIONAL TRAINER IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD IN THE MID-90s.

I HAVE HAD TO TRAIN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND MY ROLE I HAVE TO TRAIN 20,000 PEOPLE A YEAR IN VERY HIGH-TECH COMPLICATED SUBJECTS.

NOT A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE ISSUES AND THE PROCESSES AROUND ELECTIONS.

SO FOR US TO ESTABLISH QUALITY CONTROL WE NEED TRAINING AND I DO APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF IN-PERSON TRAINING BECAUSE I'VE DONE IT.

BUT IT IS NOT FAST ENOUGH AND IT IS NOT VERY HARD TO MEASURE.

SO WHAT I WILL PROPOSE AND AS SECRETARY OF STATE WHAT I WILL BRING IS WHAT IS CALLED A LARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO OUR ELECTIONS.

ON-LINE STUFF WE'RE DOING NOW I DON'T KNOW THAT WAS LIKE IT'S LITERALLY A DECADE OLD.

IT'S POWERPOINT ON STEROIDS.

WE ARE GOING TO DO A MODULES WHERE THE PEOPLE OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS LOG IN, THEY TAKE MODULES YOU SHORT COMPACT MODULES AND THEY GET MEASURED THEY TAKE TESTS AND EXAMS.

EASY STUFF THEY CAN DO ON THEIR PHONE OR THEIR COMPUTER AND WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE THEM AND WE'LL KNOW HOW THEY ARE DOING.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM DRIVE TO UCONN AND PAY $200 AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS AND SAY THIS IS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TRAIN OUR PEOPLE.

AS NEW THINGS HAPPEN WE WILL HAVE NEW MODULES TO PUSH OUT TO PEOPLE.

UNDERSTAND THIS OUR REGISTRAR TRAINER OF VOTERS ON AVERAGE 25% OF THEM HAVE NOT COMPLETED THEIR CERTIFICATION.

WHATEVER WE'RE DOING NOW IS NOT WORKING.

AND THAT WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR ME TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND FRANKLY WHEN YOU WANT QUALITY CONTROL IT REQUIRES LEADERSHIP.

IT REQUIRES GREAT COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW THEY GET VERY SKETCHY ONE WORD ANSWERS.

LAST FALL PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER IN THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS THEY GOT THE WRONG INTERPRETATION OF A STATUTE REGARDING HOW YOU SIGN THE ASSISTANCE OF AN ABSENTEE BALLOT THAT AFFECTED THOUSANDS OF BALLOTS.

I'M SORRY THIS IS NOT FAKE NEWS THESE ARE REAL THINGS THAT HAPPEN ALL CHRONICLED IN THE SEC DOCUMENTS.

BUT THE POINT IS LEADERSHIP, GOOD COMMUNICATION, AND A 21ST CENTURY LEARNING SYSTEM OR LMS.

>> IF I COULD ADD, I LOVE LMS SYSTEMS I THINK THEY WORK BEST WHEN I THINK FOR LIKE AN ENTRY LEVEL REGISTRAR WHEN THERE IS VERY DISCREET SPECIFIC INFORMATION LMS IS GREAT.

BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE TIME TO INVEST MONEY IN SUCH A SYSTEM WHEN THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE HAS BEEN ROUTINELY UNDER RESOURCED IF I COULD REDEPLOY THAT MONEY I WOULD RATHER HIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE DO CALL IN THEY ARE NOT GETTING ONE-WORD ANSWERS BY OVERBURDENED STAFF.

I THINK THE PROBLEM WITH LMS AND THE REGISTRAR'S JOB ARE EVEN THIS PORTION OF THE TOWN CLERK'S JOB IS THAT EVERY QUESTION IS VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH HUMANS WHO COME IN WITH PROBLEMS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU WON'T SEE IT EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.

THERE ARE, OF COURSE, COMMON QUESTIONS.

SO LMS IS PART OF THE SOLUTION BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THE WHOLE SOLUTION.

>> WELL, IT'S A SOLUTION IN SILICON VALLEY WHERE WE TRAIN ON THE MOST COMPLICATED UP-TO-DATE SUBJECTS THAT ARE KNOWN TO MAN.

I THINK IF WE CAN DO IT IN SILICON VALLEY WE CAN DO IT IN CONNECTICUT AND WE DON'T REPLACE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ASPECT OF IT.

WE MAKE SURE WHOEVER ANSWERS THAT PHONE KNOWS WHAT THE HELL THEY ARE DOING.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE LACK RIGHT NOW.

SO LMS SYSTEMS ARE THE WAY TO GO.

AND THIS IS A WAY I AM ABLE TO TRAIN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ON COMPLEX SUBJECTS AND IT WILL WORK HERE IN CONNECTICUT.

THAT IS SOMETHING I WILL GUARANTEE YOU.

AND BY THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT THE COST?

COST IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE.

BUT ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE IS INFRASTRUCTURE NO DIFFERENT THAN ROADS AND BRIDGES.

WE WILL INVEST THE MONEY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR BRIDGES AND ROADS ARE GOING AND OUR ELECTIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO INVEST EVEN IF I HAVE TO FIND PRIVATE FUNDING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO HELP INITIATIVES GET OUT THE DOOR.

>> ANYTHING TO ADD?

>> NO, THANK YOU.

>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION AND THIS QUESTION WILL START WITH MRS. THOMAS.

PART OF THE ROLE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS MANAGING BUSINESS SERVICES.

HOW DO YOU PLAN ON ATTRACTING MORE BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT?

>> SURE.

YOU KNOW, THE SECRETARY'S ROLE MANAGES THE BUSINESS SERVICES SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE REGISTERING, FIING THEIR ANNUAL REPORTS, INTERACTING WITH THE MY CONNECT SYSTEM I AM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.

I LET'S SEE I HAD MY FIRST MANAGEMENT JOB WHEN I WAS 16.

I WORKED MY WAY UP FROM INTERN TO PRESIDENT OF A COMPANY.

I STARTED MY OWN COMPANY FROM SCRATCH WITH $1,000 IN CAPITAL.

AND GREW IT WITHIN TWO YEARS TO OVER $2 MILLION AND UP.

I RAISED $20 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR NONPROFITS I THINK I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS EXPERIENCE.

BUT WITH THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE WHERE I THINK THERE'S GREAT ROOM FOR PRO-ACTIVE IMPROVEMENT IS BEING A REAL PARTNER TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS A LEGISLATOR FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN NEW PROGRAMS, NEW TRAININGS, NEW RESOURCES BECAME AVAILABLE, I WOULD PUSH OUT E-MAILS TO THE BUSINESSES IN MY DISTRICT AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED ME TO SAY HOW HELPFUL THAT IS.

BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A BUSINESS, AND YOU KNOW, 90 SOMETHING PERCENT OF OUR BUSINESSES IN CONNECTICUT ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.

AND WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT EVERYDAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO SEEK OUT ALL THE RESOURCES.

SO WE KNOW WHAT INDUSTRY'S BUSINESSES ARE IN AND WE OFTEN KNOW IF THEY ARE A MINORITY-OWNED, WOMEN OWNED OR VETERAN OWNED SO WE CAN PLAY A STRONGER ROLE IN GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO THEM THAT COULD HELP THEM.

AND I THINK THAT IS JUST ONE THING THAT WOULD MAKE US FEEL MORE BUSINESS FRIENDLY.

I KNOW THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE CURRENTLY IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT OUR FEE STRUCTURE AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD CERTAINLY SEEK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPETITIVE WITH NEARBY STATES IN PARTICULAR.

AND I'VE ALSO BEEN TRAVELING AROUND TALKING TO BUSINESS OWNERS AS INDIVIDUALS.

BUT ALSO CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE COULD BE ADDITIVE WITHOUT STEPPING ON ANYONE'S TOES AND ONE THING THAT CAME UP IN ONE OF THOSE BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS WAS BUSINESSES ALL OVER THE STATE MANY LIKE I BELONG TO MY CHAMBER IN NOR WALK, AND NORWALK, AND THERE IS ANOTHER CHAMBER IN WESTPORT NEXT DOOR THERE IS ANOTHER IN WILTON, ET CETERA.

AND I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT EACH ONE IS DOING.

WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING THE SECRETARY MOBILIZE A SITE LIKE SOMETHING LIKE USING SOMETHING LIKE MOBILIZE AN APP SO THAT CHAMBERS CAN UPLOAD THEIR EVENTS SO BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE A ONE-STOP SHOP WHERE THEY CAN SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THE STATE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

AND THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.

BUT AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I VERY MUCH AM COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT COMMUNITY IS LISTENED TO JUST LIKE VOTERS AND ELECTION WORKERS.

>> SO I AM NOT AFRAID TO STEP ON TOINGS.

AND -- TOES.

AND I HAVE OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES IN BUSINESS, I'VE BEEN IN BOTH I'VE HAD BOTH SMALL BUSINESS I'VE WORKED IN RETAIL.

I'VE MANAGED CHAIN STORES, STOREFRONTS AND I HAVE BEEN EVEN BEEN THE A VICE-PRESIDENT MANUFACTURING HERE IN CONNECTICUT OF A TECH FIRM.

I'VE SIGNED THE FRONT OF THE PAYCHECK AND NOW I WORK WITH LARGE U.S. RETAILORS AROUND THE COUNTRY INCLUDING THE U.S.-MILI.

SO WHEN I COME INTO THIS OFFICE AS SECRETARY OF STATE, I WILL BRING A LOT OF CREDIBILITY AND THE SCOPE OF EXPERIENCE THAT IS HARD TO MATCH.

I CAN I HAVE A SCALABLE PERSONALITY AND I CAN TALK TO A STORE MANAGER OR SALES ASSOCIATE AND TWO MINUTES LATER BE WORKING WITH THE C.E.O.

AND THAT SKILL SET IS UNVALUABLE IN TO BE GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO REIMAGINE THE ROLE OF SECRETARY OF STATE.

I MIGHT STEP ON TOES IN DOING SO BUT THE PRIMARY THING WE HAVE THAT I WANT TO DO IS BACK TO TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION.

WE NEED DATA.

WE NEED DATA IN OUR BUSINESSES WHAT BUSINESSES ARE COMING IN AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHY OUR BUSINESSES ARE FAILING.

WE ARE NOT DOING A FORENSIC AUDIT AS THEY EXIT CONNECTICUT OR GO OUT OF BUSINESS WHETHER THEY ARE CRUSHED DURING THE MANDATES OF COVID OR FIND IT UNCOMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT OR CANNOT GET LABOR.

WE HAVE TO BUILD A DATABASE OF THAT INFORMATION SO WHEN COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TO COME FROM OUTSIDE CONNECTICUT HERE AND MOVE INTO OUR STATE, THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE ONE MORE CHAMPION FOR THEM AND THEY NEED THE DATA AND UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR MARKETS ARE GOING TO BE.

IF YOU ARE AN AEROSPACE COMPANY THERE'S NO WAY TO FIND OUT WHO IS MAKING BALL BEARINGS IN CONNECTICUT.

BUT WE NEED A MORE ROBUST SET OF DATA LIKE WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER STATES.

BUSINESS MARKETING TOOL WHICH WILL BE SOMETHING THAT I WILL BE MY PLEASURE TO BRING TO THE PEOPLE.

AND TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY OUT THERE, I PROMISE YOU WE WILL NOT TREAT YOU LIKE AN ATM WE'RE GOING TO TREAT YOU LIKE A BUSINESS PARTNER LIKE A CUSTOMER ALL DAY LONG BECAUSE YOU ARE BRINGING REVENUE TO THE STATE AND YOU DESERVE THE BEST SERVICE THAT YOU CAN GET FROM YOUR STATE WHETHER IT'S FROM ME OR MY COLLEAGUES IN HARTFORD.

>> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT A LOT OF THAT WORK IS DONE BY COMBINATION OF PARTNERS, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, OFFICE OF WORKFORCE STRATEGY, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

SO SOME OF THAT WOULD NOT BE WITHIN THE LANE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE BUT WE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE SHARE THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE TO BE GOOD PARTNERS TO BUSINESSES AS I SAID.

AND I STAND BY THAT.

>> WELL, AS I SAID, WE ARE GOING TO REIMAGINE THE ROLE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION.

AND THIS ONE WILL START WITH YOU YOU Mr. RAPINI WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON RANK CHOICE VOTING AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE ROLE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN RELATION TO THIS METHOD OF VOTING?

>> WELL, THE SECOND PART OF THAT QESTION IS SELF EVIDENT.

WE HAVE -- I'VE STUDIED RANK CHOICE VOTING AND LOOKED AT IT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT.

I'M INTERESTED IN ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE AN INNOVATION.

BUT IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, RANK CHOICE VOTE SOMETHING A PONZI SCHEME.

IT IS DESIGNED BY ELECTION REFORMERS TO HELP MARGINAL CANDIDATES TO GET ON TO A TICKET AND GET VOTES THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD NOT EARN.

WHEN YOU ARE RUNNING A CAMPAIGN AND A CANDIDATE YOU SPEND A YEAR IF NOT LONGER RAISING MONEY, BUILDING SUPPORT, SENDING YOUR MESSAGES.

IN RANK CHOICE VOTING YOU CAN SHORT CIRCUIT THAT.

AND YOU HAVE AN ELECTION WHERE EVERYBODY GETS A VOTE LIKE IN LITTLE LEAGUE WHEN EVERYBODY GETS A TROPHY.

OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME FOR A COUPLE HUNDRED -- CENTURIES NOW IS BASED ON THE VERY BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT EVERY VOTER GETS ONE VOTE.

NOT MANY VOTES.

AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, LOOK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIED BEFORE LIKE JERRY BROWN THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.

WHO VETOED AN EXPANSION OF IN 2016 OF RANK CHOICE VOTING SAYING THIS IS TOO COMPLICATED.

THIS IS NOT PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO GET A MANDATE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO UNDERSTAND IT.

AND WE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE NEW YORK PRIMARY TWO YEARS BACK.

AND THE PRIMARY FOR ERIC ADAMS.

AND THAT WAS SO COMPLICATED IT TOOK THEM THREE WEEKS TO DO THE CALCULATIONS FOR RANK CHOICE VOTING.

AND WHAT HAPPENED IS MOST PEOPLE STOPPED THEY DIDN'T PUT IN OTHER VOTES FOR THE OTHER 10 CANDIDATES.

AND SO TOWARDS THE FINAL ROUNDS, 140,000 VOTERS IN NEW YORK CITY HAD THEIR BALLOTS THROWN OUT.

THAT IS SOMETHING CALLED BALLOT EXHAUSTION THEY WERE DISENFRANCHISED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE GAME.

WE SAW THE SAME THING IN ALASKA THEY DID NOT GET THE RESULTS UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST.

11,000 VOTERS HAD VOTES CAST OUT.

I WOULD SAY HERE IN CONNECTICUT WE HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS WITH OUR ELECTIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO INTRODUCE A SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS THAT REQUIRES A USER MANUAL.

MY ANSWER IS NO TO RANK CHOICE VOTING.

>> MRS. THOMAS?

>> I DON'T THINK IT IS A PONZI SCHEME.

I THINK MANY PEOPLE LOVE IT AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

I THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW IT'S ALTHOUGH IT'S ONLY USED IN TWO STATES IN COMPLETION IT'S USED IN MANY JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE FIND IT A VERY PALATABLE WAY TO AVOID HOLDING THEIR NOSE AND VOTING BETWEEN THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.

BUT, WHETHER IT'S RIGHT FOR CONNECTICUT NOW?

I HAVE BEEN ON THE RECORD MANY TIMES SAYING I DON'T THINK SO.

IT'S JUST NOT ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES.

I KNOW THE GOVERNOR RECENTLY SAID HE WOULD BE LOOKING INTO IT.

WE HAVE SOME REAL CHALLENGES HERE IN CONNECTICUT IN PART BECAUSE OF THIS DECENTRALIZED SSTEM THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE EQUIPMENT THAT IS OLD OVER 20 YEARS OLD.

THAT WE COULD NOT USE FOR RANK CHOICE VOTING.

WE WILL BE PURCHASING NEW EQUIPMENT UNDER THE NEXT SECRETARY.

SO IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED.

BUT THAT IS GOING TO BE A FEW YEARS OFF.

BUT WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT RANK CHOICE VOTING IS OFTEN TREATED AS A PANACEA FOR PEOPLE SORT OF ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE RANK CHOICE VOTING, MINOR PARTY CANDIDATES OTHER CANDIDATES YOU MIGHT NOT TYPICALLY HAVE A FAIR SHOT HAVE A BETTER SHOT.

AND GIVEN CONNECTICUT'S SYSTEM I'M NOT SURE THAT'S TRUE.

WE HAVE THIS TOWN COMMITTEE SYSTEM WHICH REALLY WORKS WITH BOTH PARTIES.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT RULES FOR GETTING ON THE BALLOT FOR MINOR PARTY CANDIDATES.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT GRANT AMOUNTS UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE CITIZENS ELECTION PROGRAM.

SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS MIGHT STILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF VOICE IN RANK CHOICE VOTING WON'T SOLVE THAT.

SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING NICE TO LOOK INTO.

THINK ABOUT, I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THE SAME THING ANY POLICY WORKS BEST FROM THE GROUND UP.

RATHER THAN FROM THE LEGISLATURE DOWN.

SO IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN RANK CHOICE VOTING, I ENCOURAGE THEM TO LOOK INTO IT, LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, AND THEN EVENTUALLY IF ENOUGH PEOPLE THINK IT IS OF INTEREST THEN WE CAN START STUDYING IT SERIOUSLY.

>> SO THE GOAL IF THE GOAL IS TO GET MORE BALLOT ACCESS, LET'S LOOK AT THIS CURRENT ELECTION HERE IN 2022.

WE HAVE A SAND PARTY, THE INDEPENDENT PARTY, THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY WE HAVE THE WORKING FAMILIES PARTY THAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES.

AND THESE GUYS ARE ON EVERYBODY IS GETTING ON THE BALLOT.

NOW THAT SAID, PROBABLY CONNECTICUT IS PROBABLY THE THIRD HARDEST STATE IN THE UNITED STATES TO GET BALLOT ACCESS.

THERE ARE THINGS WE COULD DO.

I WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE THAT ACCESS THE MORE THE MERRIER.

BUT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DESERVE TO GET ON THE BALLOT I DON'T THINK THEY ALL DESERVE A VOTE AND THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RANK CHOICE VOTING AND OUR CURRENT SYSTEM OF ELECTIONS.

WHAT STRIKES ME IS PROBABLY WHAT IS MISSING HERE IN THIS CONVERSATION IS A MAJOR ADVOCATE OF RANK CHOICE VOTING IS CYNTHIA JENNINGS FROM THE INDEPENDENT PARTY.

I'M NOT SURE WHY SHE IS NOT HERE.

I KNOW ROBERT HOT LING WAS ON THE STAGE WITH LAMONT.

I RESPECT ALL OPINIONS I LOVE TO HEAR WHAT SHE SAYS ABOUT RANK CHOICE VOTING BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO HEAR THAT TONIGHT.

SHE IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE WARRIOR AND PASSIONATE I'VE MET HER AND SHE IS AN INTERESTING CANDIDATE FOR US.

AND A LOT OF YOU FOLKS OUT THERE, IF YOU LIKE REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS YOU PROBABLY LIKE JENNINGS TOO, YOU SHOULD LOOK AT HER AS WELL.

>> I FIND THAT A LITTLE INSULTING SINCE SHE IS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN I'M -- WOMAN I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE IN COMMON OTHER THAN THAT.

BUT I WILL STOP THERE.

>> I CERTAINLY THINK SHE IS A CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY OF STATE THAT IS WHAT SHE HAS IN COMMON WITH US.

AND IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO ANYTHING ELSE BEYOND THAT, AND PLAY A RACE CARD GOD BLESS YOU BUT I'M NOT GOING TO PLAY BALL WITH THAT.

>> YOU SAID ME NOT US WHICH IS WHY I TOOK OFFENSE.

>> WELL, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF PASSION TOGETHER I THINK YOU GUYS PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK.

TAKE A LOOK AT HER AND TAKE A LOOK AT ME AND REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS.

>> FINAL THOUGHTS?

ABSOLUTELY.

>> THIS QUESTION IS WE'RE GOING TO START WITH YOU MRS. THOMAS ON THE BALLOT IS A QUESTION ABOUT ALLOWING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PROVIDE FOR EARLYET VOTING IN THE STATE.

WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON THIS BALLOT QUESTION AND WHAT EARLY VOTING LOOK LIKE IN YOUR ADMINISTRATION?

>> SURE.

OBVIOUSLY AS VICE-CHAIR OF THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THIS MEASURE I AM A BIG FAN OF EARLY VOTING IN THAT PEOPLE OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE NEED OF EARLY VOTING AS BEING IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOOD FOR PEOPLE OF A LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OR PEOPLE OF COLOR AND YES, THAT'S TRUE.

BUT EARLY VOTING BASED ON EVERY PERSON I'VE TALKED TO THAT PEOPLE WHO CAME TO TESTIFY AND SUPPORTED THE BILL OVER THE MANY YEARS, IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

IT'S GOOD FOR SENIOR OR ANY COMMUNITY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THEIR GOOD DAYS FROM THEIR BAD DAYS.

I'VE MET MEN WITH ARTHRITIC KNEES AND ELDERLY GENTLEMEN WHO SAID I COULD NOT MAKE IT OUT TO VOTE AND MY KNEE PAIN WAS SO GREAT I COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED.

IF HE HAD A COUPLE OF DAYS TO CHOOSE FROM HE COULD HAVE VOTED.

IT'S GOOD FOR I'VE TALKED TO MOTHERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WHO SAY OH, MY LITTLE ONE WOKE UP AND I COULDN'T BUNDLE THEM TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE THEY WERE TOO SICK THEY HAD TO STAY IN BED AND THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE TO WATCH THEM.

IT'S GOOD FOR PEOPLE WITH UNRELIABLE TRANSPORTATION.

I TALKED TO A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE MY CAR BREAKS DOWN A LOT.

IT'S GOOD FOR PEOPLE WHO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

IT'S GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

SO I AM A PASSIONATE SUPPORTER.

WHERE I THINK I DIFFER FROM Mr. RAPINI HERE, IS HE THINKS THE COMPLICATION TO IMPLEMENT IT MAKES IT NOT WORTH HAVING.

I BELIEVE THAT IS A CHALLENGE THAT ALMOST EVERY OTHER STATE IN OUR COUNTRY AND ALL OF THE U.S.

TERRITORIES HAVE MANAGED TO TACKLE.

CONNECTICUT IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR STATES THAT DOES NOT HAVE SOME EARLY VOTING AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING.

SO WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF OUR 169 TOWN STRUCTURE.

WE DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES TO DO, THAT WE ATTACH THE FUNDING SO THAT THE COSTS DON'T GET PUSHED DOWN TO INDIVIDUAL TOWNS.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THAT POLICY LOOKS LIKE COULD ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE STATE.

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT MODELS.

I KNOW THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE IS ALSO LOOKING AT MODELS.

THERE WERE STUDIES DONE IN THE PAST.

SO WE HAVE ALL THE DATA WE NEED.

I'M STILL LOOKING AT MODELS BUT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD DEFINITELY FALL SOMEWHERE BETWEEN TWO DAYS AND FIVE DAYS.

AND I'M STILL WORKING ON WHAT THAT WILL EXACTLY LOOK LIKE.

BUT I WILL BE READY TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION IN JANUARY.

>> WHEN I LOOK AT A PROBLEM, AND I PARTICULARLY WHEN I LOOK AT ISSUES PROBLEMS HERE IN CONNECTICUT OR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS IN CONNECTICUT, I LOOK TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO CONNECTICUT.

YEAH, MAYBE THERE'S 46 DAYS OF TO AN EARLY VOTING BUT THERE IS NO WESTERN DEMOCRACY DOING IT.

SO THEY ARE COUNTING THEIR BALLOTS IN ONE DAY LIKE FRANCE.

IF YOU WANT TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES THAT'S FINE BUT WE HAVE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IMPORTANT FOR CONNECTICUT AND THE CONNECTICUT STRUCTURE OUR STRENGTH IS THE DECENTRALIZED VOTING SYSTEM AND THE ELECTION OFFICIALS THAT WE HAVE NOW WHICH ARE MOSTLY PART-TIME.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT EARLY VOTING, WE LOOK AT A REFERENDUM THAT IS WRITTEN LIKE A BLANK CHECK WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.

THREE DAYS, FIVE DAYS OR 45 DAYS.

WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THE LAWMAKERS WHO ARE GOING TO DECIDE THAT HAVE NOT BE ELECTED YET.

AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I DON'T SIGN A CHECK UNLESS I KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ON IT.

THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE IN THE BUSINESS WORD AND US PERSONALLY.

LET'S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS.

IF WE HAD 30 DAYS OF EARLY VOTING, WE HAD TO HAVE ONE PRECINCT FOR 30 DAYS, THAT I ESTIMATE WOULD BE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MILLION DOLLARS OF UNFUNDED MANDATE FOR THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT.

WE'RE ALL WORRIED ABOUT COSTS AND WORRIED ABOUT INVESTMENTS AND I LOVE TO INVEST IN ELECTIONS BUT THIS IS NOT WHERE I WANT TO PUT OUR MONEY.

AND OUR CITIES UNTOWNS DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO THAT.

THE SECOND THING WE LOOK AT, WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE SOLVING?

CONNECTICUT HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST VOTER TURNOUTS IN THE COUNTRY.

IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.

WE DO A GREAT JOB WITH OUR ELECTION OFFICIALS IN THE TOWNS AND CITIES.

WE HAVE A HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT THAN THE CITIES THAT STATES THAT HAVE EARLY VOTING LIKE GEORGIA AND PENNSYLVANIA, CALIFORNIA.

WE HAVE A HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE SOLVING?

AND THIS IS CRITICAL WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LABOR.

WHEN YOU TAKE A PART-TIME WORKFORCE COMPARED TO THE FULL-TIME THE FULL-TIME ELECTION OFFICIALS IN ALL THE OTHER STATES AND THE COUNTY BASED GOVERNMENT, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOMS AND DADS WORKING 10 HOURS A WEEK AS ELECTION OFFICIALS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GOT TO WORK 30 DAYS.

THEY NORMALLY THEIR NORMAL LIFE IS WATCHING THEIR GRANDCHILDREN OR THEY HAVE A FULL-TIME JOB AND WE'RE GOING TO CRUSH THIS WORKFORCE RIGHT AND CREATE CHAOS ACROSS THE STATE AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE VALUABLE TALENT IF WE DON'T GET CONTROL OF THIS.

SO FOR ALL THESE REASONS, I DO NOT THINK EARLY VOTING IS RIGHT FOR CONNECTICUT.

UNDERSTAND MY JOB IS TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT IS WHAT I DO IN BUSINESS AND HOW I WILL CONDUCT MYSELF AS SECRETARY OF STATE.

I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.

IF THE VOTERS DECIDE ON THIS, ON THIS REFERENDUM, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT I WILL DO THE BEST JOB I CAN AND DELIVER THE BEST VOTING EXPERIENCE THAT CONNECTICUT CAN HAVE.

AND I WILL FIGHT FOR THREE OR LESS DAYS.

THANK YOU.

>> I WOULDN'T CHARACTERIZE THIS AS A BLANK CHECK.

IT IS ACTUALLY THE LAW MAKING PROCESS.

OUR CONSTITUTION WOULD NEED TO BE CHANGED TO ALLOW FOR EARLY VOTING UNTIL IT'S CHANGED WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD DECIDE TO DO.

NO I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYONE AT ANY TABLE IN CONNECTICUT TALKING ABOUT 30 DAYS BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE.

THE LONGEST PERIOD I'VE HEARD ANYONE SAY IS SEVEN DAYS.

SECRETARY MERRILL WHEN SHE WAS IN THE ROLE, I BELIEVE IN 2017 OR 2019, WHEN SHE MADE A RECOMMENDATION IT WAS THREE DAYS.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS COST AND 30 DAYS THAT IS UNREALISTIC SCENARIO THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

AND WHEN THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES TO HEAR IT, SHOULD THE BALLOT REFERENDUM PASS, I HOPE Mr. RAPINI WILL SHOW UP TO TESTIFY FOR WHAT HE THINKS IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

AS FAR AS HIGHEST TURNOUT, YOU KNOW THE U.S. CONNECTICUT IN 2020 I THINK WE RANKED NUMBER 20 OR NUMBER 19 IN TERMS OF TURNOUT.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS WHERE ROUTINELY BETWEEN 30 AND 40% TURNOUT, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ZERO TOLERANCE FOR SO-CALLED FRAUD, I TALK ABOUT ZERO TOLERANCE FOR DOING ANYTHING THAT WOULD DEPRESS TURNOUT.

I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE IN A SOCIETY WITH 100% TURNOUT.

SO EARLY VOTING IS GOOD FOR ALL THE POPULATIONS I'VE TALKED ABOUT AND MORE.

IT IS ROUTINELY SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE.

WHAT I FOUND IN 2020 WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I WAS OUTDOOR KNOCKING SO MANY PEOPLE READ THE NATIONAL NEWS THEY THOUGHT WE HAD EARLY VOTING HERE IN CONNECTICUT.

AND THEY WERE SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT WE ARE SO RESTRICTIVE.

I REMEMBER IN THE PUBLIC HEARING THERE WAS A WOMAN FROM TEXAS AND TEXAS INCIDENTLY WAS THE FIRST STATE TO ADOPT EARLY VOTING IN THE 1980s.

AND SHE SAID WHAT?

THERE'S SOMETHING WE HAVE IN TEXAS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IN AND ALLOW IN CONNECTICUT?

I THINK PEOPLE ARE SHOCKED.

AND I HOPE THEY'LL BE VOTING YES ON THE BALLOT REFERENDUM AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

>> TEXAS HAS OTHER THINGS WE DON'T HAVE.

FULL-TIME ELECTION OFFICIALS AND COUNTY BASED ELECTIONS.

AND THE KEY PHRASE IN THIS REBUTTAL IS WE DO NOT KNOW.

AND I WILL NOT SIGN UP FOR ANYTHING WHERE I DO NOT KNOW THE PARAMETERS BEFORE I SIGN IT.

IT IS VERY THAT SIMPLE.

WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH MAIL-IN VOTING WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF PUTTING MORE RIGOUR AND CONDITIONS AROUND MAIL-IN VOTING THAN WE WOULD BE WITH EARLY VOTING IT'S NOT RIGHT FOR CONNECTICUT.

WE DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> SO ACTUALLY I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM SO THEN YOU'RE SAYING YOU SUPPORT INSTITUTING NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE BALLOTS?

BECAUSE -- >> WHAT I'M SAYING IF GIVEN MY CONDITIONS AND THE PARAMETERS I WOULD OUTLINE IF THE LAWMAKERS WOULD AGREE TO THAT, THEN I WOULD ACCEPT SOME OF THAT.

I WOULD LET THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE IT'S WAY BETTER THAN EARLY VOTING AND I CAN PUT MORE CONTROLS OVER MAIL-IN VOTING BASED ON WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

I CAN PUT MORE RIGOUR AND KEEP IT MORE SECURE THAN WE HAVE TODAY.

>> THE ONLY ISSUE WHEN I TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIKE TO GO IN-PERSON AT THE POLLS.

NO EXCUSE ABSENTEE BALLOT IS NOT THE SAME FOR THEM.

AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT DEPRESSES TURNOUT.

AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT CHEAPLY, FAIRLY, WE DON'T NEED COUNTY GOVERNMENT NOT EVERY STATE USES THAT COUNTY SYSTEM.

>> I'M GOOD.

>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.

OUR NEXT QUESTION AND WE'LL START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE.

THE LAST TIME YOU UPGRADED VOTING MACHINES WAS 20 YEARS AGO THANKS TO FEDERAL FUNDS.

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO UPGRADE VOTING MACHINES AND WHERE WOULD THE MONEY COME FROM?

>> AS I DESCRIBED, OUR ELECTIONS AND THE ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT WHICH IS THE CORE IS OUR TABULATORS.

MY PLAN IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF TABULATORS BASED ON PAPER WHICH HAS AN INCREDIBLE AUDIT TRAIL.

I'VE SEEN THE PROCESSES AND THAT IS FANTASTIC AND I WANT TO CONTINUE THAT.

I WANT MACHINES TABULATORS THAT ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S NO REASON FOR THEM TO BE.

AND THEY ARE EASIER TO MAINTAIN.

THAT IS THE PLAN IS TABULATORS WHICH ARE ALREADY FIVE YEARS PAST THEIR EXPIRATION DATE.

118 ARE OUT OF SERVICE RIGHT NOW COMING OUT OF THE PRIMARY.

AND IT'S NO REASON FOR THAT.

WE NEED A TECHNOLOGY PLAN SO THAT THE DAY WE BRING IN A NEW TABULATORS WE HAVE A PLAN TO REPLACE THEM.

THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE CONCURRENTLY.

THE MONEY I BELIEVE THE TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT SO WE WHAT WE HAVE AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF THE NEW MACHINES.

I WOULD CONSIDER PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR THAT BUT I THINK THE LAWMAKERS OWE IT TO CONNECTICUT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

I TELL YOU WHERE WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN MONEY.

IN 2020 WE SPENT $7 MILLION SENTING OUT ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS TO EVERYBODY IN CONNECTICUT WHO WAS A REGISTERED VOTER.

AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS THESE ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS WERE DOWNLOADABLE OFF THE INTERNET.

IF WE DON'T WASTE OUR MONEY WE CAN FIND THE FUNDS TO DO THIS STUFF AND WE HAD 200,000 BALLOTS COME BACK AS UNDELIVERABLE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.

>> UM, MOST OF THAT MONEY, I THINK $5.4 MILLION WAS CARES ACT AND SOME OF THE OTHER WAS LIMITED IN USAGE SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE IT THAT WAY ANYWAY.

I WILL STOP THERE.

>> WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT QUESTION WHICH WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION FOR THE EVENING.

AND WE WILL START WITH YOU MRS. THOMAS.

WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE TO PROTECT VOTER INFORMATION AND VOTER PRIVACY?

>> PROTECT VOTER INFORMATION AND VOTER PRIVACY.

I'M NOT SURE I 100% UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION.

YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE PRIVACY.

ACTUALLY ONE THING THAT JUMPS OUT AT ME AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BRING UP BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE WITH VOTING.

AND SOME OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH OBSTRUCTIONS AND SIDEWALKS AND LACK OF CURB CUTS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

BUT ONE ISSUE THEY TALK ABOUT A LOT IS UM, HOW MANY OF THE PEOPLE AT THE POLLS RESTRICT THEIR RIGHT TO INDEPENDENCE AND PRIVACY IN VOTING THEY ARE TRYING TO BE HELPFUL BUT THEY OFFER TO HELP THEM FILL OUT THE BALLOT.

THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A SLEEVE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE IN THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE CAN REALLY DO A LOT MORE TO MAKE SURE VOTING IS MORE ACCESSIBLE.

AND THAT JUST OCCURRED TO ME AND I HAVE TIME SO I THOUGHT I WOULD TALK ABOUT IT.

IN TERMS OF VOTER INFORMATION, Mr. RAPINI DID ELUDE TO SOMETHING EARLIER WHICH IS OUR CENTRAL VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM WHICH GOES DOWN AND IT'S GLITCHY, THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE IS IN THE PROCESS OF ROLLING OUT A NEW VERSION WHICH WE DEFINITELY NEED TO IMPLEMENT VERY AS SOON AS WE CAN.

BECAUSE THAT IS A BIG ISSUE.

WE AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW WITH FEDERAL LEGISLATION THERE IS A LOT OF Mr. RAPINI TALK TALKED AT 200,000 RETURNED APPLICATIONS WE ROUTINELY HAVE TO SEND OUT 175,000 NOTICES A YEAR TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW IF SOMEONE IS VALID TO VOTE LIKE A CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR SOMETHING CHANGED.

SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE SYSTEM THAT CAN TAKE IN ALL THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE HAVE A PART-TIME STAFF THAT WE CAN'T HAVE THEM LOSING WORKDAYS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS DOWN.

I WILL STOP THERE.

>> SO VOTER PRIVACY AND VOTER INFORMATION PROTECTING THAT DATA STARTS WITH CYBERSECURITY.

HERE IN CONNECTICUT WE HAVE 169 POINTS OF VULNERABILITIES AND I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE A PROBLEM I'M SAYING THAT IS THE REALITY OF CYBERSECURITY.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE OUR CYBER PROGRAMS ARE STRONG AND SECURE WHETHER IT'S LIMITING THE DEVICES OR HAVING PRIVILEGES FOR LOGGING IN.

THE CHALLENGE I HAVE WITH UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR CYBERSECURITY STATE IS RIGHT NOW, IS THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD AN UPDATE ON THAT PROGRAM SINCE 2018.

I'M SURE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING WORK.

I KNOW THERE'S GOOD PEOPLE THERE.

BUT SINCE 2018 THERE'S BEEN NO UPDATE NO TRANSPARENCY WHAT WE ARE DOING TO ADVANCE VOTER SECURITY AND CYBERSECURITY.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CYBERSECURITY WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT AFFECTING PEOPLE'S VOTES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE VOTER ROLLS, ACCESS TO THE CVRS SYSTEM I KNOW THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS FOR DOING THAT BUT THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PROCESS FOR TWO OR MORE YEARS AND FAILED THE GOALS TO MAKE THE SYSTEM ROBUST AND RELIABLE.

CYBERSECURITY HAS TO BE REALLY IN THE DAY AND AGE OF EVERYONE WHO TOUCHES OUR ELECTIONS AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF MY PRIORITIES WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STRESS TESTING THE SYSTEM WITH THE NATIONAL GUARD BECAUSE THEY HAVE RESOURCES.

AND I WANT TO BRING IN PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES THAT CAN REALLY PUSH US HARD TO MAKE SURE AND HELP US IDENTIFY ANY OPENINGS OR LOSSES THERE.

SO CYBERSECURITY IS WHERE WE NEED TO SPEND THE RESOURCES AND APPLY THEM AND INSPECT WHATWE EXPECT.

>> YEAH.

SINCE YOU MENTIONED CYBERSECURITY OBVIOUSLY HUGELY IMPORTANT WE AS YOU SAY, WITH THE 169 TOWNS, YOU KNOW THERE'S RANSOM, PHISHING ALL OF THOSE MAKING SURE WE'RE EDUCATING THAT WORKFORCE HOW TO AVOID SOME OF THOSE THREATS.

I THINK WE NEED A RISK ASSESSMENT DONE IN EVERYONE OF OUR 169 TOWNS BECAUSE FRANKLY THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT.

WE I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT CHAIN OF CUSTODY A LITTLE MORE CLOSELY NOW, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TWO PEOPLE REQUIRED FOR SOME THINGS IN OUR CYBERSECURITY SYSTEM BUT NOT FOR EVERYTHING.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN UP THE DETAILS.

OBVIOUSLY I HAVE SAID IT ONCE AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON VOTER EDUCATION.

THERE ARE SO MANY THREATS AND ALSO ELECTION WORKER EDUCATION BECAUSE MANY OF THESE THREATS CAN BE MITIGATED IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING WHAT TO DO, WHAT NOT TO DO.

AND LASTLY, I DEFINITELY HAVE ALREADY BEEN MAKING SOME OUTREACH TO SECRETARIES OF THE STATE AROUND THE COUNTRY.

I WOULD VERY MUCH BE ACTIVE WITH THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECRETARIES OF THE STATE, SECRETARY MERRILL, I KNOW SAT ON THE CYBERSECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE AND THE CYBERSECURITY INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AGENCY THEY OFFER MANY TRAININGS.

WHENEVER I'VE LED A GROUP I'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN INVOLVED AND SERVED ON COMMITTEES AND I WOULD DEFINITELY BE WORKING TO MAKE SURE CONNECTICUT IS BEST IN CLASS ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERYTHING WE DO.

THANK YOU.

>> WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO CYBERSECURITY WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR ON THE JOB TRAINING IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO TACKLE ON DAY ONE.

ONE OF THE FIRST APPOINTEES I WILL HAVE IN THE OFFICE WILL BE A CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.

SOMEBODY THAT WILL OVERSEE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS THAT I WILL BRING ONBOARD INCLUDING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CYBERSECURITY.

STRESS TESTING NEEDS TO HAPPEN TWICE A YEAR.

ONCE FROM THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THAT WE HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO EACH STRESS TEST.

THAT'S WHERE WE STAND.

>> RESPONSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO CLOSING STATEMENTS?

>> NO.

IT'S FINE.

>> WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE CLOSING STATEMENTS YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES IN YOUR HE CLOSING STATEMENT.

AND Mr. RAPINI YOU WILL GO FIRST.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO ELECTION INTEGRITY IS MY PRIORITY IT'S IN MY DNA AND IT WILL BE IN THE DNA OF EVERYONE THAT TOUCHES THE CONNECTICUT ELECTION SYSTEM.

THERE ARE THREE PILLARS: ONE REQUIRES RELIABLE ACCURATE TECHNOLOGY.

WE'VE HAD OVER A DECADE OF NEGLECT OF OUR TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

OUR MACHINES ARE FAILING.

OUR SOFTWARE IS ON THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS BEING USED ON A BROWSER IT WASN'T DESIGNED FOR.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY MORE THINGS WE CAN DO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS STUFF UNDER CONTROL.

I WILL FIX OUR TECHNOLOGY AND MODERNIZE IT AND BRING IT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.

ELECTION INTEGRITY REQUIRES LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION.

WE HAVE HAD FAILURES COMING OUT OF THE OFFICE IN HARTFORD WHETHER IT'S BAD GUIDANCE OR MISINTERPRETATION OF STATUES.

THIS OFFICE TO BE TO BE CLEAR ON COMMUNICATIONS SO THE OFFICIALS HAVE THE PROPER MARCHING ORDERS.

THEY WANT TO DO THE RIGHT JOB AND THEY NEED GOOD COMMUNICATION.

I WILL BRING THE BEST PRACTICES FROM THE BUSINESS WORLD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND ACCOUNTABILITY THERE IS A CULTURE OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION IN OUR CITIES I WILL ELIMINATE THE CAUSES AND BRING TRUST INTO OUR ELECTIONS.

IT IS VITAL TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO INSURE THE SAFETY, SECURITY AND ABILITY OF OUR ELECTIONS I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT HAS THREE DECADES OF TECHNOLOGY EXPERIENCE, THREE DECADES OF BUSINESS EXPERIENCE AND I'VE ROLLED UP MY SLEEVES AND DONE THE HARD WORK TO UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTICUT ELECTIONS WHETHER IT'S THE DATA OR MODERATOR AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE REALITIES ARE ON ELECTION DAY.

MY VISION FOR CONNECTICUT ELECTIONS RESLOFLS AROUND INNOVATION, LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

MY PLEDGE I WILL BRING TO BEAR A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCES TO THIS OFFICE.

I WILL GOVERN WITHOUT IDEOLOGY AND I WILL GOVERN IN A NONPARTISAN MANNER AND LEAVE AN R NEXT TO MY NAME AT THE DOOR AND WHEN I'M SECRETARY OF STATE I WILL ROLL UP MY SLEEVES AND GET THE JOB DONE.

I'M POISED TO DO MY BEST WORK.

ON NOVEMBER 8TH I ASK THAT YOU GUYS CONSIDER VOTING FOR DOMINIC RAPINI FOR SECRETARY OF STATE THANK YOU AND GOD SPEED.

>> WE'RE GOING TO RESET THE CLOCK HERE.

ALL RIGHT AND MRS. THOMAS.

>> HERE'S WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE... CONNECTICUT DOES NOT NEED MISINFORMATION AND EXTREMIST RHETORIC.

IT NEEDS HELP TO AVOID SINKING INTO THE DIVISION THAT IS BEING SOWED AROUND THE NATION.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH TO SEE THAT ONLY ONE OF US REPRESENTS THAT PATH.

ON DECEMBER 17TH, GENTD Mr. RAPINI CITING A NEWS MAX STORY BY DONALD TRUMP TWEETED WE HAVE REPORTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS VOTING IN CONNECTICUT.

HE LIKES TO TWEET INSULTS AT ME AND OTHERS.

ON JANUARY 6TH, 2021, Mr. RAPINI TWEETED PATRIOTS BY THE THOUSANDS IN DC FIGHTING FOR WHAT IS RIGHT.

MY MENTOR USED TO SAY I NEVER BUY WHEN I'M BEING SOLD.

WE DON'T NEED A SALESMAN.

WE NEED A BALANCED PROBLEM SOLVER, A MANAGER, AND A DEMONSTRATED LEADER.

WHETHER YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT WORKING FAMILIES PARTY, REPUBLICAN, UNAFFILIATED, INDEPENDENT, GREEN PARTY OR ANY OTHER PARTY I HOPE TO EARN YOUR SUPPORT WHETHER YOU ARE FEMALE, MALE, NONBINARY, SPEAKING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE WHETHER YOU'RE YOUNG PERSON OR SILVER HAIRED AND ATHEIST OR DEVOUT DIFFERENTLY ABLED OR NEUROTYPICAL.

WHETHER YOU HAVE A PH.D. OR NO DEGREE I HOPE TO EARN YOUR SUPPORT.

IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME IF YOUR ISSUE IS PROTECTING ABORTION OR PREVENTING ABORTION.

YOU HAVE A RIGHT IN A REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF DEMOCRACY TO EXPRESS THOSE OPINIONS AND IT ALL STARTS AT THE BALLOT BOX.

I HOPE TO RECEIVE YOUR SUPPORT ON NOVEMBER 8TH.

SO THAT I CAN IN TURN SUPPORT YOU BY PROTECTING THIS MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT.

PLEASE SEE MY WEBSITE IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT MY PLATFORM VOTE STEPHANIE THOMAS.COM.

THOMAS.COM.

>> THANK YOU CANDIDATES AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING CONNECTICUT PUBLIC AND THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF CNNECTICUT'S DEBATE SERIES.

FRANK GRAZIANO IS STANDING BY WITH YOUR POST DEBATE COVERAGE.

OUR NEXT DEBATE WILL TAKE PLACE THIS THURSDAY BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES FOR CONNECTICUT'S FIFTH CONGRESS AT DISTRICT REPUBLICAN GEORGE LOGAN AND DEMOCRAT JAHANA HAYES.

THE DEBATE WILL BE HOSTED BY FRANK GRAZIANO LIVE FROM THE CAMPUS OF CENTRAL CONNECTIUT STATE UNIVERSITY.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK THOSE CANDIDATES HEAD TO...

I'M WALTER SMITH RANDOLPH.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

FOR CONNECTICUT PUBLIC I'M FRANK GRAZIANO.

TONIGHT IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE DEBATE CANDIDATES DOMINIC RAPINI A REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRAT STEPHANIE THOMAS CLASHED ON A COUPLE OF ISSUES INCLUDING EARLY VOTING AND, OF COURSE, ALSO ON THE OTHER THING THEY DID WAS VOTER ID.

VOTER ID AND WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE PRESENTED ON ELECTION DAY WHEN PEOPLE ARE VOTING AND EARLY VOTING.

AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF UGLY MOMENTS WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT TWEETS MADE BY DOMINIC RAPINI AFTER THE 2020 ELECTION AND AN AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN THE THIRD CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE WAS BROUGHT UP.

IN A SECOND WE'RE GOING TO UNPACK THIS.

A COUPLE OF EXPERTS WILL JOIN ME HERE.

THE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD AND SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER WITH WSHU.

BUT FIRST, I WILL BRING IN A COUPLE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO TALK TO US ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND THE CAMPAIGN AND THE DEBATE TONIGHT INCLUDING BEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONNECTICUT REPUBLICAN PARTY.

>> MAN, QUICKLY, ELECTION INTEGRITY IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH DOMINIC RAPINI AND STEPHANIE THOMAS IN GETTING A JAB IN TONIGHT IS THE FACT THAT THE FORMER ORGANIZATION THAT HE WORKED WITH FIGHT VOTER FRAUD ASKED THE STATE ELECTION ENFORCEMENTS COMMITTEE TO LOOK INTO THE 2020 ELECTION.

THERE WERE TWEETS ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION.

IS IT IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK FOR DOMINIC AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO DISSTANCE THEMSELVES ABOUT TALKING ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION?

>> I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT STEPHANIE THOMAS THINKS IT'S OK TO HAVE FRAUD IN OUR ELECTIONS.

SHE SAID SHE COULD WITHSTAND AND TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FRAUD IN OUR ELECTIONS THAT THAT EXISTS.

THAT SHOULD BE A ZERO TOLERANCE GAME FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE FACT THAT A CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF FRAUD IS ACCEPTABLE DISQUALIFIES HER FROM THAT OFFICE.

SHE SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING.

THE DEMOCRAT SHOULD HAVE NOMINATED SOMEBODY WHO THINKS FRAUD IS A PROBLEM.

AND SHE INDICATES THAT IT'S NOT AND IT'S OK.

SO, YES, AT THE END OF THE DAY, SHE IS THE PROBLEM.

>> BEN, THE STATE SAYS THEY HAVE NOT FOUND FRAUD FROM THE 2020 ELECTION OR SOME OF THE INSTANCES THAT FIGHT VOTER FRAUD ASKED THEM TO LOOK INTO IT.

>> WE HAVE SOMEONE BEING CONVICTED ON 26 COUNTS OF FRAUD IN STAMFORD A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES AND ELECTIONS OFFICIALS WHO HAVE GONE TO JAIL FOR FRAUD.

>> INCARCERATED VOTING PEOPLE VOTING THAT WERE INCARCERATED.

THEY DIDN'T FIND THAT.

>> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ONE ELECTION.

THE ELECTIONS ARE TAKEN OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

AND AS A RESULT WE'VE IN NUMEROUS CASES OF FRAUD.

IF PREVALENT?

NO.

SHOULD IT BE TOLERATED AT ALL, NO.

SHE IS WILLING TO TOLERATE FRAUD THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

SHE SHOULD NOT BE SAYING ANY LEVEL OF FRAUD IS ACCEPTABLE MANY THE FACT SHE THINKS THAT DISQUALIFIES HER FROM THIS OFFICE.

>> ONE MORE QUESTION.

ONE MORE QUESTION.

THE CANDIDATE DOMINIC RAPINI WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE SHOULD VOTED FOR HIM AND SUPPORT HIM AS SECRETARY OF STATE?

>> THE MOST QUALIFIED AND THAT WAS PROVEN.

DOMINIC RAPINI HAD ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD AND TECHNOLOGICALLY AND PROTECT OUR ELECTIONS.

HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO INSURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT WHO WANTS TO COST A VOTE CAN CAST A VOTE AND IS EASILY CAST.

CLEARLY BY FAR THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR STEAK.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CONNECTICUT REPUBLICAN PARTY.

I WILL BRING IN OUR NEXT GUEST WHO IS DENESS MERRILL.

AND DENISE YOU MIGHT SAY THAT STEPHANIE THOMAS IS MORE QUALIFIED.

I WANT TO ASK YOU THE FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE MERRILL, OBVIOUSLY SHE WOULD BE SUCCEEDING MARCO LAR BUT DO YOU STEPHANIE THOMAS IN BECOMING THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WHAT QUALITIES ENDEAR HERE TO THE PSITION?

ISM I THINK SHE HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE JOB ENTAILS.

AND WHAT IT IS IS MAKING SURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN HAS ACCESS TO THE VOTE.

AND WE HAVE FOUGHT VERY HARD IN CONNECTICUT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS TRUE AND I THINK IT'S TRUE IN CONNECTICUT I WOULD STAND BY CONNECTICUT'S ELECTIONS AND ITS TECHNOLOGY BY THE WAY.

STAND IT UP AGAINST ANY STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

I THINK SHE HAS THE PASSION FOR THAT.

WHICH IS WHAT I THINK YOU NEED FOR THIS JOB.

IT IS A HARD JOB IT IS NOT AS EASY AS IT USED TO BE.

I THINK SHE IS THE ONE THAT DISPLAYED THAT TO ME.

>> I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN SEE OUR FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE AND A LOT OF THE WORK THAT YOU DID WAS TO BRING EARLY VOTING TO BE BACK ON THE BALLOT AND THAT WILL BE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT QUESTION THAT WILL SHOW UP ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER I GOT TO ASK YOU DO YOU THINK THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IF THIS GOES THROUGH IS POISED TO ADOPT EARLY VOTING?

>> ABSOLUTELY AND IT'S ABOUT TIME.

46 OTHER STATES HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT.

I HAVE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME FROM PEOPLE SAYING WHY AREN'T WE DOING IT IN CONNECTICUT THEY ARE SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT.

IT'S PROVIDING MORE ACCESS WITHIN A SYSTEM WE ALREADY HAVE AND I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME.

>> LAWMAKERS ARE CERTAINLY BATTLING OVER IT IF IT DOES GO THROUGH MAYBE IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> IT HAD A HEALTHY VOTE A BIPARTISAN VOTE IN THE LEGISLATURE TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT AND IT'S THE TURN OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE TO DECIDE IF THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT AND THE LAWMAKERS WILL FULFILL THAT PLEDGE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DENISE MERRILL FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE CONNECTICUT.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PORTION OF OUR -- THE POST DEBATE ANALYSIS AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION PROFESSOR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF EARLY VOTING NO EXCUSE BATTLING IF THAT GOES COME TO BE AFTER A VOTE.

DO YOU THINK THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT IS POISED TO ADOPT THAT PROFESSOR?

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

I THINK WE DEFINITELY ARE READY TO DO IT.

WE'RE LONG OVERDUE TO ACTUALY BRING ABOUT THIS KIND OF REFORM TO OUR ELECTION SYSTEM HERE IN CONNECTICUT.

AS THE FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE MENTIONED WE ARE YOU KNOW, ONE OF FOUR STATES THAT ACTUALLY HAS NOT IMPLEMENTED SOME FORM OF EARLY VOTING SO WE'RE LONG OVERDUE TO DO THAT AND MANY WAYS WE WILL BE CATCHING UP WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WORKING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

I CHAIR THE BOARD FOR COMMON CAUSE IN CONNECTICUT AND THAT IS A PRIMARY ISSUE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHE ALSO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE LOTS OF LABOR GROUPS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS A.C.L.U.

AND THIS IS THE YEAR THIS REFORM WILL COME THROUGH AND NEXT YEAR DURING THE NEXT SESSION CONNECTICUT LEGISLATORS WILL COME UP WITH A GOOD PLAN.

>> PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD.

>> GO HAWKS.

>> A BIG FAN OF THE HAWKS.

AND JOINING ME TO OUR LEFT IS SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER AT WSHU.

YOU GET THE NEXT QUESTION HERE.

EARLY VOTING I'VE TALKED TO BOTH CANDIDATES ABOUT EARLY VOTING AND THEIR POSITIONS ON IT.

DOMINIC RAPINI IS TALKING ABOUT HAVING IT IN A SHORTER WINDOW IF YOU HAVE IT AT ALL AND IT MIGHT COST TOO MUCH MONEY TO IMPLEMENT.

STEPHANIE THOMAS IS CERTAINLY A IS SUPPORTER OF EARLY VOTING AND WANTS IT TO HAPPEN IN THE STATE NO DOUBT SOON.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CANDIDATE -- WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO WHAT THE CANDIDATES SAID ABOUT EARLY VOTING TONIGHT?

>> WELL IT WAS CONFUSING WHAT RAPINI SAID BECAUSE INITIALLY HE WAS AGAINST ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING AND THEN HE SAID HE WOULD ACCEPT EARLY VOTING IN IT IS PASSED HE WOULD IMPLEMENT IT.

HE WAS LET'S JUST SAY THAT IT WAS A BIT CONFUSING WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

AS FAR AS THOMAS IS CONCERNED SHE SEEMS TO BE ALL FOR EARLY VOTING.

AND IT SEEMS AS IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EARLY VOTING AS LONG AS THE VOTERS IN CONNECTICUT PASS THE -- IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER AND IF IT GETS PASSED IN NOVEMBER THEY WILL COME BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE.

>> AND I DON'T KNOW IF I FRAMED THIS PROPERLY TO FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE MERRILL, OR MAYBE IF I FRAMED IT TO YOU PROPERLY.

BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION.

SO YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE THE LEGISLATURE FIGHT OVER EARLY VOTING EVEN IF IT GETS PASSED THROUGH.

I'M NOT SAYING IT WON'T, I'M SAYING AT LEAST WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT A CLERK IS ABLE TO SEND THESE OUT OR IF IT GOES TO SOMEBODY'S HOUSE IF WE HAVE NO EXCUSE EARLY VOTING.

>> SO BASICALLY, IT HASN'T BEEN WORKED OUT.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT HASN'T BEEN WORKED OUT.

THE BASIC THING WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW IS THE CONCEPT OF EARLY VOTING.

IF WE GET THAT ON THE BALLOT PASSED ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER, IT COMES BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE.

AND THEY WILL NOW PRETTY MUCH COME UP WITH HOW THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT.

>> YOU KNOW WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF 46 STATES THAT HAVE DONE SOME FORM OF EARLY VOTING WE CAN LEARN VALUABLE LESSONS WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO IMPLEMENT THIS.

YOU KNOW, THOMAS TALKED ABOUT SOME WINDOW BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE DAYS.

SOME STATES HAVE GONE LONGER.

MAYBE SEVERAL WEEKS.

I KNOW IN SOME STATES FOR EXAMPLE, THIS HAS BEEN A REAL WHERE IN SOME COMMUNITIES YOU HAVE AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO WILL DO ON SUNDAYS WHEN THEY'VE HAD EARLY VOTING AND DECIDED SOULS TO THE POLLS.

SO THEY HAVE TRANSPORTED PEOPLE TO THE POLLING PLACE.

BUT I THINK WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM IS ABOUT DOES CONNECTICUT HAVE IN PLACE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE EARLY VOTING POSSIBLE.

AND SO I THINK IF YOU LISTEN TO BOTH OF THEM CLOSELY, I THINK THERE IS A AGREEMENT THAT RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR 169 TOWNS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE IN PLACE SO WHEN WE DO IMPLEMENT EARLY VOTING WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE OFFICES OPEN AND PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE STAFFED.

AND THAT WILL BE THE INTERESTING QUESTION THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL NEED TO PUT MONEY BEHIND THIS.

>> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT VOTER ID.

I WILL GO BACK ON THIS WE TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE A LOT WAS MADE ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT TONIGHT.

AND ALSO CANDIDATE RAPINI SAID THAT OUR ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE IS ON THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS.

DO YOU FIND THAT TO BE THE CASE?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS.

BUT I WILL GIVE FORMER SECRETARY MERRILL CREDIT FOR HER EFFORTS TO TRY TO RESOURCE AND TRAIN REGISTRARS.

WE HAVE YOU KNOW ACROSS THE STATE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL FULL-TIME REGISTRARS, A COUPLE DOZEN OR SO BUT A LOT OF PART-TIME WORKERS.

PEOPLE WHO COME OUT AND VOLUNTEER TO MAKE OUR ELECTION SYSTEM WORK.

AGAIN, THIS MAY COME DOWN TO THE QUESTION OF HOW DO WE RESOURCE THAT POSITION, MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE CONNECTICUT CONTINUES TO HAVE A REALLY GREAT ELECTION SYSTEM.

>> FOLLOW-UP OF COURSE YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING.

>> A LOT OF MONEY HAS SINCE THE 2000 ELECTION A LOT OF MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON TRYING TO IMPROVE THE VOTING EQUIPMENT AND THE VOTING SYSTEMS.

A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON IT AS WELL AS STATE MONEY.

AND SO I DON'T THINK WE ARE ON THE ABYSS RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS THE SYSTEM IS CONCERNED.

>> VOTER ID, STEPHANIE THOMAS SAYS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T NEED TO HAVE A VOTER ID OR HAVE TO PRESENT IT BECAUSE IT CAN BE, I GUESS, A BARRIER FOR SOME FOLKS THAT GO TO THE POLLS.

DOMINIC RAPINI VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF HAVING VOTER ID.

AT THE POLLS.

I GUESS IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING TO DEMONSTRATE PROOF OF YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE, AT THE POLLS NUMBER ONE, AND THEN NUMBER TWO NOT HAVING EARLY VOTING DO YOU SEE CANDIDATE RAPINI BEING MORE OF A RESTRICTIVE ON VOTER ACCESS ISSUES?

>> WELL, THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS WHEN I GO TO VOTE THEY ASK ME FOR ID.

PEOPLE ARE ASKED FOR THEIR ID RIGHT NOW.

THE VERY FEW INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE AN ID.

SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE TALK ABOUT A LOT, BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS FAR AS VOTER ID IS CONCERNED.

I DON'T THINK IT IS AN ISSUE.

>> AND ACTUALLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO DO AND IF YOU HAVE PHOTO ID YOU CAN PRESENT THAT BUT THERE ARE OTHER FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION THAT YOU CAN PRESENT THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO BE ABLE TO VOTE.

IN MANY WAYS THOMAS IS CORRECT THIS IS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.

AND THIS IS CERTAINLY BEEN AN ISSUE THAT ESPECIALLY FOR REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR, PHOTO ID, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP THERE IS A LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION SYSTEM AT LEAST WHAT THE CLAIM IS, BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS: IS IN-PERSON FRAUD A PROBLEM?

AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT IT IS A PROBLEM.

IN MANY WAYS, AGAIN IT IS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH -- A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM AND WHAT IT MAY REALLY RESULT IN IS CREATING A BARRIER TO ACCESS TO VOTING.

THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE PHOTO IDENTIFICATION, WHO DON'T FOR EXAMPLE DO BANKING OR FLYING ON PLANES FOR EXAMPLE OR HAVE A CAR.

THEY HAVE NOT HAD A NEED FOR THAT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF IDENTIFICATION.

>> LET'S STAY ON VOTER INTEGRITY.

THE INTEGRITY OF THE VOTE IN OUR ELECTIONS.

STEPHANIE THOMAS WHEN WE WERE IN THE BACK WE WERE JOKING ABOUT HOW SHE MIGHT HAVE LANDED THE FIRST PUNCH TALKING ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION AND SOME OF THE TWEETS SENT OUT BY DOMINIC RAPINI.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT DOMINIC RAPINI TRIED TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THAT SAYING TONIGHT THAT JOE BIDEN IS OUR PRESIDENT.

BUT YOU SAW THAT MOMENT.

DO YOU THINK, I GUESS THAT RAPINI AND THE REPUBLICANS OR THIS GROUP FIGHT VOTER FRAUD DO YOU THINK THEY'VE DISTANCED THEMSELVES FROM TRYING TO CHALLENGE THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION AND SHOULD THIS CONCERN CONNECTICUT IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY IN THAT POSITION IN CHARGE OF OUR ELECTIONS?

>> I WOULD SAY IF YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER JOE BIDEN IS PROBLEM THAT IS A PROBLEM.

>> AND I THINK WHAT IS INTERESTING AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON THE ONE HAND THEY SAY JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT.

BUT THEY ARE STILL RAISING THE QUESTIONS THAT FUEL THE SORT OF DENIAL THAT BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT OR WON THE ELECTION.

THEY ARE POINTING OUT THEY COME WITH A LIST OF HERE ARE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.

BUT AGAIN, PROVIDING THE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE CLAIMS IS THERE IS A GULF, A GAP BETWEEN ACCUSATIONS AND ACTUAL EVIDENCE IN THE SENSE.

SO I SEE A WILLINGNESS TO SAY AND I THINK BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE HAVE ACCEPTED THE IDEA WE'RE TWO YEARS INTO THE ADMINISTRATION JOE BIDEN IS THE PRESIDENT HE IS NOT GOING TO BE REMOVED.

AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU STILL SORT OF PICK AWAY THAT THESE PROBLEMS THAT YOU BELIEVE IS THERE THAT CREATED THE SITUATION FOR JOE BIDEN TO BECOME PRESIDENT.

SO IT'S SOMETHING DISINGENUOUS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING WHEN THEY DO THAT.

>> AFTER DOMINIC RAPINI SAID THAT JOE BIDEN IS OUR PRESIDENT, HE KIND OF DISMISSED WHAT HE WAS DOING AFTER THE ELECTION AS SIMPLY QUESTIONING WHAT HAPPENED THERE.

AND WE SAW FIGHT VOTER FRAUD MADE COMPLAINTS TO THE STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION ABOUT VOTER FRAUD THEY SAW IN CONNECTICUT AND WE SHOULD SAY THAT SEEK DID NOT RETURN THEY DID INVESTIGATE EVERY SINGLE CLAIM THAT IS WHAT MERRILL TOLD ME BUT DID NOT REFER RETURN ANY CASES OF VOTER FRAUD.

I WANT TO MOVE ON FROM THIS DEBATE BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES LEFT.

WE HAVE THE FIFTH DISTRICT DEBATE ON THURSDAY, I WILL HOST A POST DISCUSSION PANEL THAT WILL BE BIG BETWEEN JAHANA HAYES AND GEORGE LOGAN.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN THE FIFTH?

>> A LOT OF MONEY IS BEING SPENT.

IT'S MOST EXPENSIVE CONGRESSIONAL RACE IN THE STATE THIS YEAR.

I BELIEVE $5.5 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT SO FAR.

AND THEY ARE STILL SPENDING MONEY.

THERE IS A LOT OF SUPER PAC MONEY COMING IN.

ON BOTH SIDES.

HOWEVER, HAYES HAS THE MONEY ADVANTAGE RIGHT NOW.

AND LOGAN IS TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP.

BUT IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE CAMPAIGN THAT THE NATIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE SPENDING MONEY ON.

SO BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T'S HAD A REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS FROM CONNECTICUT SINCE 2008?

2008.

IT WAS JIM HIMESS.

>> IN THE FOURTH DISTRICT.

>> AND THE REPUBLICANS FEEL THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE THIS YEAR.

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PANS OUT.

BECAUSE HAYES HAD HAD TOUGH CHALLENGES IN THE PAST AND SHE HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT.

BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS THIS TIME.

>> PROFESSOR, CHAIR OF COMMON CAUSE I BET YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS CLOSELY ESPECIALLY THE FIFTH.

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> AGAIN THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING RACE AS YOU POINTED OUT IT IS A RACE THAT HAS DRAWN A LOT OF NATIONAL ATTENTION WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF MONEY COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE STATE INTO THE STATE TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME.

REPUBLICANS CERTAINLY THINK THAT THAT IS A POTENTIAL PICK UP FOR THE PARTY IN THE STATE.

AND IT'S THAT KIND OF A DISTRICT WHERE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE.

THE ONE THING AND I WILL CLOSE ON THIS IT'S BEEN INTERESTING ABOUT THAT RACE IS JUST HOW NEGATIVE THE CAMPAIGN ADS HAVE BEEN AND IT'S REALLY GONE NEGATIVE.

IT WENT NEGATIVE EARLY SO I IMAGINE IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS IT'S GOING TO BE UGLY SOME OF THE ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDERS WE'RE GOING TO SEE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HE IS DOING AT WSHU COVERING THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND MORE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AND THANK YOU TO WALTER SMITH RANDOLPH WHO MODERATED THE DEBATE.

JOIN US ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOR THE FIFTH DISTRICT DEBATE.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH THAT IS 8:00 P.M. ON CONNECTICUT PUBLIC TELEVISION.

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