Below is the full public testimony provided by Aly Heimer during Thursday’s Board of Alders City Services and Environmental Policy (CSEP) committee workshop about recently discovered voter-district errors. Heimer is the administrator of the city’s public-financing Democracy Fund. To the Hono rable members of the Board of Alders, and fellow New Haveners, Voting is the foundation of our democratic government. Every eligible voter deserves confidence that their registration is accurate, their district assignment is correct, and their vote will be counted as intended. When similar administrative issues arise repeatedly over many years, it becomes appropriate to evaluate whether current management structures, oversight mechanisms, staffing levels, training procedures, and leadership practices are producing the level of performance that New Haven voters deserve. I am asking the Board of Alders to take this opportunity to strengthen public confidence in our election system through an independent review, greater transparency, improved verification procedures, and stronger community engagement. New Haven has repeatedly demonstrated that it can lead the nation in innovative democratic reforms such as public campaign financing. We should apply that same commitment to election administration and voter registration. The question before us is not whether mistakes can happen; the question is whether our systems are designed to prevent, detect, and correct those mistakes before they affect voters. Let us use this moment not to assign blame, but to build a stronger system for the future. Here is a 6-point plan to correct the problem.  1. Leverage Existing Technology and ExpertiseThe City already maintains access to GIS mapping resources through its existing Esri infrastructure, and Connecticut election officials have access to training, guidance, and redistricting resources through the Secretary of the State’s Office. Before investing in new software or outside consultants, we should ensure that we are fully utilizing the tools, data, and expertise that are already available. In my role as Administrator of the New Haven Democracy Fund, I regularly work with voter registration data to verify matches and grant eligibility for public campaign financing. That experience has shown me that many of the tools needed to identify, measure, and correct data discrepancies already exist within city government or are entirely free. 2. Data Protection and Rebuilding Voter Confidence Any review process should prioritize the protection of voter information and maintain public trust. While much voter registration information is publicly available by law, the city should adopt clear protocols governing how data is accessed, reviewed, shared, and corrected throughout the audit process. Transparency about these procedures will help reassure voters that their information is being handled responsibly and professionally. 3. Full Independent AuditThe city should conduct a comprehensive canvass that goes beyond mailing verification cards. A coordinated effort utilizing trained canvassers, community organizations, and existing voter-contact infrastructure would allow New Haven to verify addresses, identify new residents, update records, and improve voter outreach before future elections.An independent canvass would not only improve the accuracy of voter rolls, but also help identify eligible residents who are not yet registered and reconnect voters who may have disengaged from the process. 4. Redistricting Verification Process Reform District boundaries change periodically, but predictably. Connecticut already provides election officials with access to guidance, training, mapping resources, and professional networks through the Secretary of the State’s Office and related election administration organizations. New Haven should adopt a formal verification process whenever district boundaries change if we don’t have one already, including map review, address validation, spot-checking, and documented sign-off procedures. Maps and boundary information should be made easily accessible to the public on the city’s website. 5. Public Transparency Dashboard with Office Performance Metrics Let’s use the standards set by the state and have a public-facing information dashboard on the city’s website that shows things like voter registration processing times, election day reports, complaint portal for issues with redirection to SEEC for larger issues, and public notification of corrections. Accountability will restore voter confidence.  There is some general information that we should be able to provide to the public without sharing more personal info: registration statistics, corrections made, election preparation milestones, polling place readiness checklists, training materials, and post-election reports. 6. Citizen Advisory Committee The office should establish a Citizen Advisory Committee composed of residents, election workers, civic organizations, and data professionals. The committee should meet quarterly to review election administration practices, identify emerging concerns, evaluate proposed improvements, and provide constructive feedback. Meaningful public engagement will strengthen both election administration and public confidence in the process. My goal is not to criticize public servants, elected officials or the Democratic Party. Election administration is difficult work, and I respect and appreciate those who serve. My goal is to ensure that New Haven becomes a model for election administration in Connecticut, just as we have become a national model for public campaign financing. Let’s be a city where voters can have complete confidence that every registration is accurate, every district assignment is correct, and every vote is counted as intended.  Thank you, Alyson Heimer The post Heimer: It’s Time To Conduct A “Comprehensive Canvass” appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less