Committee for Safe and Secure Elections Welcomes Major Chris Grotton as Co-Chair

CSSE’s leadership team continues its mission to strengthen collaboration between election officials and law enforcement

September 18, 2025 – The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections (CSSE) today announced that Major Chris Grotton, former Maine State Police, has been named Co-Chair of CSSE, serving alongside current Co-Chair Tina Barton. Grotton, a longtime member of CSSE and veteran law enforcement leader, will help guide the Committee’s continued work to protect election officials, voters, and election workers from threats, violence, and intimidation. 

Grotton served in the Maine State Police for more than three decades where he held leadership roles in traffic safety, training, special operations, and intelligence. He re-developed and commanded Maine’s Intelligence Fusion Center, worked closely with state and national partners on policy and security issues, and founded the State Police Incident Management Assistance Team, leading responses to major incidents in Maine and building a new model for law enforcement responses used across the country. As Major, he oversaw technical, forensic, and specialized units, driving innovative projects that strengthened law enforcement coordination and public safety. 

“I am honored to step into this role at such a critical moment for our nation’s elections,” said Major Chris Grotton. “As a former law enforcement officer, I’ve seen firsthand how important trust and collaboration are to ensuring safe and secure voting. This work matters deeply to me because it allows us to stand side by side with election officials, providing them the support they need to keep voters safe and to safeguard the electoral process.” 

Tina Barton, Co-Chair of CSSE and former City Clerk of Rochester Hills, MI, welcomed Grotton to the position. “Chris is an exceptional leader who has earned the respect of both law enforcement and election officials across the country,” said Barton. “His collaborative spirit, his deep understanding of the issues at stake, and his unwavering commitment to protecting the democratic process make him the perfect partner in leading this Committee forward.” 

Sheriff Justin Smith (Ret.), a founding member of CSSE, expressed strong support for Grotton’s new role. “Chris has been a trusted voice and a steady hand within CSSE since the early days,” said Smith. “His leadership is exactly what the Committee needs as it continues its vital mission of bridging the gap between law enforcement and election officials to keep our elections safe and secure.” 

Grotton has played a strong leadership role within CSSE, contributing to the development of national resources and training initiatives that strengthen collaboration between election officials and law enforcement. 

About The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections: 

The Committee for Safe and Secure Elections features cross-partisan experts in election administration and law enforcement who aim to support policies and practices that protect election workers and voters from violence, threats and intimidation. The Committee also works to build relationships and trust between election officials and law enforcement to better equip both to prevent and respond to threats and violence against voters and election workers. For more information about The Committee’s resources and policy principles, please visit safeelections.org.