Elections system is secure, not ‘rigged’

Election Day is almost here and everyone knows it. November 8th is equally controversial as it is highly anticipated.

For most Americans, the mechanics of elections are rarely considered until they are standing in the voting booth. During a presidential election, questions arise and many grow concerned with the logistics required to conduct a secure election.

These inquiries are valid and welcomed as voting is the only event in our nation where millions of people must show up at the same time to thousands of locations to complete the same task for the same purpose.

As Georgia’s Chief Elections Official, I can assure you that we are ready for Tuesday’s election. Throughout the year, whether it is during March Madness or football season, the Fourth of July or New Years, election officials in your county and at the state are preparing for the next Election Day.

Samuel Adams once cautioned, “let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote…that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society.”

We, as state and county election officials, recognize and are humbled by the trust that you place in us to execute this solemn task of perpetuating our democracy. We take this responsibility seriously and dedicate countless hours to preparing, executing, and monitoring all aspects of the electoral process.

The security concerns that are being flagged by the media are not new to us. For months, we have planned for these scenarios. We have contingencies, back-up systems, and audit logs to ensure if anything goes wrong, we can still guarantee an accurate result when the ballots are tallied.

While the threats to our system are real, we have ample security measures in place to ensure attacks are thwarted and that the system remains secure.

There are three categories of threats against our election system. The first is altering the outcome of the election.

Our voting units are layered with fail-safes. They are not networked. They are not on the Internet. These units are tested multiple times in a variety of different ways. They have overlapping physical security features to defeat cyber-attacks and logical security features to defeat physical incursions. Despite widespread media coverage, this attack is the least likely to succeed.

The second category includes efforts to disrupt elections. These threats could be cyber-attacks on web-based systems, but they more commonly occur with verbal altercations and intimidation, or misinformation distributed at polling locations.

The Secretary of State’s office actively monitors these activities, but we could use your help. If you or someone you know sees something suspicious at the polls, call our “Stop Voter Fraud” hotline at 877-725-9797 and report the issue to one of our POST-certified investigators.

Finally, there are threats that undermine the confidence in the outcome of the election. This is the most common attack as well as the most destructive to the electoral process. Here’s the simple truth: the system is not flawed or rigged. The election results can be trusted. The conspiracy theorists and members of the media who spread this misinformation have ulterior motives, and their outlandish claims should be fact-checked and scrutinized.

The greatest protection against these specters of uncertainty is the bipartisan nature of election administration. No matter what Georgia county you live in, your election board is comprised of Republicans, Democrats, and civic leaders. These people are your friends and neighbors, and they are the front line working to ensure that our elections remain secure, accessible, and fair.

Whether you voted early or if you are headed to the polls this Tuesday, take confidence in the process. Your vote will be counted, and your voice will be heard.