For more than 35 years, it has been my great honor to serve the people of Vermont as a  public servant as Secretary of State (12 years), State Senator (8 years), and South Burlington City Councilor (18 years).

As we watch new information emerge from the January 6 Committee Congressional hearings, one truth has been made crystal clear. Whether it’s insurrection at the Capitol or violent threats against election officials, these acts are a consequence of a single insidious lie: that voter fraud altered the outcome of the 2020 General Election.

Let today’s anniversary be a wakeup call to Congress: in Vermont we have worked to expand access to the ballot box and protect the rights of voters. In other states, access to the ballot box is under continual assault. It is essential that Congress act to create minimum standards for states.

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos issued the following statement on Sept. 28 encouraging Vermonters to register to vote, or to update their voter registration information, for National Voter Registration Day, a non-partisan civic holiday celebrating democracy held annually on the fourth Tuesday in September.

This Independence Day was an opportunity to reflect on the resiliency of our country, and of our democracy. There has been no shortage of challenges over the last year and a half. …Frankly, I am concerned for our nation. We stand at a crossroads, and the decisions we make now will ripple throughout time. 

I love voting. Going to the polling place to engage in the democratic process alongside family, friends, and neighbors is something I always look forward to. In fact, that is one of the reasons why I got involved in public service and ran to become your Secretary of State.