Ohio has taken a significant stride in securing its voting systems, with the recent approval of stringent voting system integrity standards. According to an announcement by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the Ohio Board of Voting Systems Examiners (BVSE) voted unanimously to implement the country's most rigorous security and performance mandates for all voting system vendors and equipment. These developments come after the Ohio General Assembly expanded the BVSE's oversight authority to include a wider range of voting equipment.
The initiative not only includes usual voting machines but also extends to ballot-on-demand printers and voter registration database systems. "Ohioans expect their elections to be secure, accurate, and accessible, and that starts with holding our voting systems to the highest possible standards," LaRose said. The state, in an effort to firmly establish its election integrity status, is looking to not just meet but also go further than federal requirements.
Leading up to the November general election, Ohio is in the midst of conducting logic and accuracy testing of its voting equipment. Additionally, county boards of elections are busy implementing both physical and cybersecurity improvements as described in Security Directive 6.0. These enhancements mark a series of progressive steps under Secretary LaRose's tenure, which has been characterized by a commitment to aggressive security standards for the state's 88 county boards of elections.
The latest standards demand that elections officials configure their networks and associated equipment with the latest approved security updates, a measure designed to fortify the electoral process against incursions. Secretary LaRose's office mandates that to ensure a robust defense against digital threats, boards must complete monthly cybersecurity checklists. Furthermore, he has led the creation of the first full-time cybersecurity team, tasked with performing targeted county-specific audits. "By going above and beyond the federal requirements, we’re once again proving that Ohio is setting the national example for election security and integrity," LaRose emphasized in his statement.
