Colorado Desk - Colorado: Gov. Polis and Secretary of State Griswold Announce Additional State Resources are Being Deployed to Ensure Election Security

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DENVER ~ Denver, CO - In a recent announcement, Secretary of State Jena Griswold revealed that a hidden tab on the Department's website contained partial passwords to certain machines in Colorado's voting systems. This discovery has raised concerns about the security of the upcoming elections.

Governor Jared Polis has responded to this issue by providing support from the executive branch. This includes human capital, air and ground assets, and logistical assistance to help update all impacted passwords and review access logs. The goal is to complete these changes by the end of the day and ensure the security of voting components.

To aid in this process, certain state employees with cybersecurity and technology expertise will be deputized by the Secretary of State. These employees have undergone background checks and training to ensure their qualifications. They will work in coordination with county clerks and will only enter secured areas in pairs while being directly observed by local election officials.

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Governor Polis expressed his dedication to improving processes and instilling confidence in elections. "We want to be able to provide assurances that all votes are counted fairly and accurately for this election and all elections," he stated.

Secretary Griswold also expressed her gratitude for the Governor's support in resolving this issue quickly. "Colorado has countless layers of security to ensure voter's voices are heard," she said.

The Governor was briefed on Wednesday morning by the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) regarding this disclosure and overall election security. He then spoke with Secretary Griswold in the afternoon and worked with his team to identify additional state resources and staff to assist with updating passwords and reviewing access logs.

Multiple departments within CDPS, including Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) and Colorado State Patrol (CSP), as well as the Governor's Office of Information Technology, are collaborating closely with the Secretary of State's Office, county clerks, and state, local, and federal law enforcement.

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DHSEM has activated the Colorado State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) to oversee the state's overall response to this issue and ensure that all voters can safely and peacefully cast their votes. The Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) is also playing a crucial role in collecting, analyzing, and disseminating election-related threat and hazard intelligence.

In light of this situation, the CIAC is urging citizens to report any suspicious activity near election sites or instances of election intimidation through their online Community Member Suspicious Activity Report Form.

The state is taking swift action to address this unfortunate leak and ensure the security of the upcoming elections. With the support of Governor Polis and collaboration among various departments, they are confident in their ability to resolve this issue quickly and maintain the integrity of Colorado's voting systems.

Filed Under: Government, State

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