Indiana’s top elections official is planning to use more than $7.5 million in federal funding on improving the state’s election security but won’t upgrade its voting machines. Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson has announced plans for using the federal assistance to strengthen voting systems ahead of the November election. Indiana was among the states and territories to receive money from the $380 million approved by Congress amid ongoing threats from Russia and others. Indiana will also spend an additional $659,000 on election security under the requirement to match 5 percent of grant funding with state money, The Indianapolis Star reported. The state money will go toward evaluating election infrastructure, conducting third-party testing, implementing email encryption and training state and county officials, according to Lawson.
Indiana was one of five states to receive a failing grade this year in the liberal Center for American Progress assessment of election security. Indiana’s “F” grade was in part because some of the state’s voting machines don’t include voter-verifiable paper ballots.
But Lawson said adequate funding isn’t available to make that change.
Full Article: Indiana’s election security plans don’t include new machines – The Hour.