Secretary of State details IT upgrades, voter guide and staffing needs; flags OPR deficit and federal grant uncertainty

Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanses told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 14 that her office is three-quarters of the way through major information-technology upgrades and is asking lawmakers for new funding to mail a voter guide, add licensing staff and cover other priorities.

Hanses said the office’s IT platforms are “coming in on time and on budget,” and that the Vermont Election Management System — “the most complex and most consequential” of the projects — will roll out after local clerks complete town meeting and school budget votes. She also told the committee the office reduced office-space costs by about $50,000 a year by accommodating hybrid work and is improving overhead allocation for the Office of Professional Regulation (OPR).

The administration’s supplemental requests include a $1.5 million general‑fund allotment for a mailed, ballot‑specific voter guide to every household of registered voters in general elections and additional general‑fund support this year for staff tied to mental‑health licensure and early‑childhood licensure initiatives. Hanses said the mailed voter guide would require planning in fiscal 2026 and is intended to reach voters who…