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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > August > 26 > Entry
Brunner issues voting machine security directive
On the ongoing concerns with problems with voting machines in Butler County and several others, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner released this statement today:
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner issued Tuesday a directive for all county boards of elections to create security and risk mitigation plans for the November election. The directive was developed in partnership with the Ohio Association of Election Officials.
In addition to security standards issued by previously-released security directives, the plans will also incorporate new security standards for voting machine servers, also issued Tuesday.
The voting security directives are part of the Secretary of State’s focus on preparing “best practices” for election administration in partnership with local election officials, for a successful Nov. 4, 2008 general election.
“Success in November means ensuring that every eligible voter who wants to vote can do so easily with trust in a fair process,” Secretary Brunner said. “ This requires preparation for a record presidential turnout in partnership with the state’s local election officials.”
“These comprehensive security measures are strong enough to protect our elections, yet flexible enough to meet the needs of local boards of elections, and I commend the county boards of elections for their willingness to adopt these practices,” she said.
This year a bipartisan team of state and local election officials has worked in tandem to develop and issue security “best practices.” The practices are to be implemented for the November election according to each county’s Security and Risk Mitigation Plans, which must be submitted to the Secretary of State no later than Sept. 22, 2008. The plans, at a minimum, must meet the standards set in previously-issued directives, crafted in consultation with the bipartisan work group.
The directives include the following:
- Polling Place Security and Voting Equipment, Supplies and/or Ballots Chain of Custody Form;
- Direct Electronic Voting (DRE) Voting Machine Key Card Management;
- Security of Boards of Elections Offices as well as the Minimum Storage, Security, Access and Inventory Control Requirements for Voting Systems Equipment at the Board of Elections Office;
- Minimum Security, Access, Inventory Control, Storage and Preservation Requirements for Ballots and Election Data Media;
- Voting Machine Delivery Requirements; and
- Minimum Security Requirements of Vote Tabulation Servers.
“We have long supported Secretary Brunner’s efforts to provide consistent security standards and create security plans for all Ohio counties. Over the past 6 months, local election officials have worked closely with Secretary of State Brunner to develop these security best practices for local boards of elections. When state and local election officials collaborate, the voter wins. This is a great example of that happening,” said Shannon Leininger, President of the Ohio Association of Election Officials.
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