DENVER ~ Denver - In a joint effort, Governor Jared Polis and Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced today that all passwords have been updated and the security of affected active voting systems in Colorado has been verified. The operation was successfully completed on Thursday evening.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold expressed her gratitude to Governor Polis for deploying additional state resources to assist in the effort. She also reassured voters that Colorado has multiple layers of security in place to ensure fair and accurate elections.

Governor Polis also commended the swift work in updating the passwords, stating that every Coloradan can trust that their vote will be counted fairly and accurately. He acknowledged the critical need for immediate action and thanked the state employees and county clerk personnel who were involved in the effort.

The operation began on Wednesday, October 30, when Governor Polis was briefed on the password disclosure. He immediately deployed human capital, air and ground assets, and other logistical support to the Secretary of State's Office to complete changes to all affected passwords. The operation was completed quickly with the help of eight staff from the Department of State and an additional 22 state cybersecurity personnel directed by Governor Polis. All staff underwent appropriate background checks and training before working on election systems. They also worked in pairs under supervision from county elections officials.

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Despite this password disclosure, there is no threat to Colorado's elections or impact on how ballots are counted. The passwords were only one part of a two-step process required to make changes to a voting system, and could only be used with physical access. Under Colorado law, voting equipment must be stored in secure rooms with restricted access through ID badges that create an access log. There is also 24/7 video camera recording on all election equipment. Additionally, strict chain of custody requirements track when a voting system component has been accessed and by whom. It is considered a felony to access voting equipment without authorization.

Furthermore, Colorado's elections have multiple layers of security in place. Every voter casts a paper ballot, which is then audited during the Risk Limiting Audit to ensure that ballots were counted accurately according to voter intent.

In the event of any suspicious activity or election intimidation, Coloradans are encouraged to report it to the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) through their online Community Member Suspicious Activity Report Form.

Overall, the joint effort between Governor Polis and Secretary of State Griswold was successful in updating all passwords and verifying the security of affected active voting systems in Colorado. The state remains committed to ensuring fair and secure elections for all eligible voters.

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