Stephanie Thomas (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephanie Thomas
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Thomas in 2023
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| 75th Secretary of the State of Connecticut | |
| Assumed office January 4, 2023 |
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| Governor | Ned Lamont |
| Preceded by | Mark Kohler |
| Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 143rd district |
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| In office January 6, 2021 – January 4, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Gail Lavielle |
| Succeeded by | Dominique Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1968/1969 (age 55–56) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | New York University (BS) New School (MS) |
| Website | |
Stephanie Thomas, born in 1968 or 1969, is an American politician. She has been the Secretary of the State of Connecticut since January 2023. Before this, she was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 2021 to 2023. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Stephanie Thomas made history as the first African-American person to become the Secretary of the State of Connecticut.
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Her Education and Early Career
Stephanie Thomas studied at New York University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in sociology. Later, she went to The New School and received a master's degree in nonprofit management.
Before she became a politician, Stephanie Thomas worked as a consultant for 26 years. She helped nonprofit organizations with their fundraising plans through her company, Stetwin Consulting. She was also a member of the Norwalk Democratic Town Committee.
Serving in the Connecticut House of Representatives
Running for Office in 2018
In 2018, Stephanie Thomas decided to run for a seat in the Connecticut House of Representatives. She wanted to represent the 143rd district. She was new to politics and ran against Gail Lavielle, who was already in office. The Connecticut Working Families Party supported her campaign.
Winning the 2020 Election
Stephanie Thomas ran for the same district again in the 2020 election. She announced her plan to run in February 2020. The person she ran against in 2018, Gail Lavielle, decided not to run again.
Stephanie Thomas won the election and became a state representative on January 6, 2021. While serving in the state house, she was part of important groups called committees. These included the Commerce Committee, the Transportation Committee, and the Government Administration and Elections Committee.
Becoming Secretary of the State
The 2022 Election
In 2022, Stephanie Thomas ran for the job of Secretary of the State. The person who held the job before, Denise Merrill, decided not to run again.
Stephanie Thomas competed against Maritza Bond in the Democratic primary election. Thomas received support from the state Democratic Party. She won the nomination and then ran in the main election.
During her campaign, Stephanie Thomas promised to make it easier for people to vote. She won the general election against her Republican opponent, Dominic Rapini. Her victory was a big moment because she became the first African-American person to hold the office of Secretary of the State in Connecticut.
Her Time in Office
After the 2023 Bridgeport, Connecticut mayoral election had some issues with how votes were handled, Stephanie Thomas spoke out. She supported new state laws to make sure elections are fair and well-managed.
In 2024, she started a program called NextGen Elections. This program encourages college students to become election workers. She also spoke to the state legislature about keeping election workers safe. Her office also works to help people in Connecticut understand how to spot false information about elections.
