As local clerks finalize ballots for the statewide primary, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson today detailed how new voting equipment, $11 million in new federal security grants and the extensive preparations her office has made will better protect Michigan’s elections system for the 2018 election cycle. “Most importantly, every voter across Michigan still will use a good, old-fashioned paper ballot to mark their choices,” Johnson said three weeks before the August primary ballots will be sent out. “Then they’ll feed the ballot into a new next-generation voting machine designed with security in mind. But buying all new election equipment isn’t all we’ve done to safeguard our election system.”
“We carefully reviewed and improved our systems, and we’ll be putting $11 million of federal security grants toward further strengthening them against attack. Plus, we’re adding required cybersecurity training to our local clerk education programs.”
The Aug. 7 primary will be the first statewide election in which every city and township will use all new voting equipment that includes optical-scan ballot tabulators, accessible voting devices for voters with disabilities, and election-management and reporting software.
Full Article: Michigan upgrades election security for 2018 – UPMATTERS.