Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Election Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elections division cites cybersecurity work, audits and new S209 firearms rule as safeguards
Summary
Lauren Hibbert described increased cybersecurity, a statewide dry run and routine audits that found no abnormalities, and discussed the implementation of S209 (a prohibition on firearms at polling locations) and signage requirements.
Deputy Secretary of State Lauren Hibbert told the committee the Elections Division increased its focus on both cyber and physical security after national incidents and local concerns.
Hibbert said the division built independent reviews into vendor contracts, coordinates with the Agency of Digital Services on cybersecurity, and staged a statewide dry run before the general election. "I think that dry run is what is the most critical factor to why our general election was run so smoothly in November," she said.
On audits, Hibbert described the post-election audit the office held in December, when selected towns’ ballots were brought to a central location and read on a tabulator to ensure local counts matched reported results. She said the audit “did not encounter any abnormalities or things that should be of concern.”
Hibbert also described S209, a recently enacted prohibition on firearms in polling locations during the 45 days before an election and on election day. She said the office provided training and signage for clerks and that firearms prohibitions were simpler to apply in school-based polling places because guns were already prohibited in schools.
Hibbert said the division has produced materials on misinformation and deepfake risks and a video in 14 languages explaining how to register and vote, and that it is seeking additional legal clarity on AI/deepfake use in elections.
