Washington state to require counties to partition off their election systems | Colin Wood/StateScoop
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Saturday signed 50 bills into law, including one designed to strengthen the security of election systems overseen by state and county offices. Senate Bill 5014, which the legislature unanimously approved last month, creates several new requirements for government offices involved in elections, including adoption of the .gov top-level domain for their websites. It requires election equipment to be partitioned from other “supporting electronic infrastructure” and adds new breach reporting requirements. Upon signing the bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Matt Behnke, Ferguson said it “will reinforce and strengthen Washington’s commitment to fair and secure elections.” The legislation advises all changes to be made “as soon as practicable,” but no later than July 1, 2027. Read Article