Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said new election equipment and millions of dollars worth of federal election security grants will help to further protect the state’s elections systems this fall. With the statewide primary election being held in August, residents should be aware that for the first time in 12 years, every voter will be using new election equipment designed with added security measures including optical-scan ballot tabulators, accessible features for voters with disabilities as well as upgraded election-management and reporting software. In Oakland County, voters will be using election equipment supplied by Hart Intercivic, a Texas-based company that signed a 10-year contract with the county and 10 other counties around the state in 2017.
“Most importantly, every voter across Michigan still will use a good, old-fashioned paper ballot to mark their choices,” said Johnson. “Then they’ll feed the ballot into a new next-generation voting machine. Buying all new election equipment isn’t all we’ve done to safeguard our election system.”
Other added security measures included the state’s acceptance of $11.2 million in federal election security grants, which will improve election systems statewide and strengthen them against attacks.
In addition, required cybersecurity training has been added to the local clerk education programs.
Full Article: Michigan election equipment new and systems more secure in 2018.