Leading up to the general election on November 6, Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson is launching a public awareness campaign to build understanding of cybersecurity efforts in Indiana and help explain why voters should feel confident their vote is secure.
Since the 2016 election, voters have a heightened awareness of the threats to election infrastructure. It’s more important than ever that states demonstrate the work going on to secure voting systems and prepare for potential threats.
“In Indiana, the security of our voting systems is of the utmost importance. This public awareness campaign demonstrates to voters that proper precautions are in place to secure their vote,” said Secretary Lawson. “We take great care to prepare our election administrators for each cycle, and in partnership with counties, other states, and the federal government we are developing new answers to security concerns and election policy.”
It is important to know that no piece of Indiana’s voting equipment is online. The machines and tabulators are not connected to the internet. In addition, the Secretary of State’s office has a mechanism known as the Voting System Technical Oversight Program hosted by Ball State University that tests all of the election equipment used in Indiana for an added layer of safety and security. Another tool is the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, an independent entity that partners with the Department of Homeland Security and allows 24/7 access to security information, threat notifications and security advisories.
Alongside the cybersecurity component of the public awareness campaign, Secretary Lawson will be continuously releasing information to help inform voters on other pertinent election topics such as registration deadlines and Election Day protocols.