OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington Secretary of State's office will be distributing $2 million across 29 election offices in Washington state to help increase election security.
The Secretary of State's Office said each county can receive up to $80,000 to pay to help improve election security.
Counties can use the funding to help with the following, according to the Secretary of State's Office:
- Purchase or upgrade elections security software and hardware
- Hire IT security personnel
- Make structural improvements
The Steven's County Auditor's Office used their funds to add multiple improvements to publicly accessible areas.
“With these resources, Stevens County has successfully implemented significant security improvements in our newly rented ballot processing space,” Stevens County Auditor Lori Larsen said. “The additions, including see-through wire mesh barriers, large monitors, and a lobby management system, have enhanced transparency and security for our election processes, ensuring a secure and observable environment for our interested election observers.”
A county must have an Albert sensor to be eligible for the funds. The sensor in operation helps monitor for cyber threats and attacks within its network.
The deadline for counties to apply is May 2, 2025.
The program was launched in November 2022.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to work closely with election officials to better protect our elections from cyber threats and other bad actors,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “With each new election cycle, these threats continue to escalate in frequency and severity.”
“County election officials and employees around the state work hard to ensure our election systems are fair and secure,” Hobbs said. “This additional funding will go a long way to bolster security efforts.”
