The Maine Republican Party sent out an Email Friday to its Supporters claiming Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV) risks the Security of your Vote. The Email include “Department of Homeland Security” and “Security Vulnerabilities.”
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap’s office replied to the GOP’s Email, telling Party Leaders that their Claim of Increased Cyber-Security Threats under RCV was inaccurate. Dunlap’s Office quoting the GOP’s Email in the Response: “At the same time Secretary Dunlap said that Maine’s Elections were safe from Hackers, the only piece of Maine’s Election System that is Vulnerable is the Voter file, because it is stored in a Single, Centralized Location.
The Central Voter Registration (CVR) Database is not comparable to the Ranked-Choice Tabulation process, since one is Secured Online and the other will be Secured Physically. The CVR is Online and can be accessed by City and Town Clerks with Passwords, to Update it as needed. It is Housed within the Department of the Secretary of State and Monitored by their own Information Services Staff for any Attempts at Unauthorized Access.
The RCV Tabulation will not be Online in any way, at any point in the process, and is thus not Susceptible to Cybersecurity Threats.
While the Final Rules are still in Development, No Part of the Process will be Conducted using Computer Systems that are Connected to any sort of Network/Internet. It is likely that the Sealed Boxes of Ballots from Hand-Count Towns and the Memory sticks from Tabulation Machines will be Transported to a Central Location by an Authorized Entity, likely Maine State Police, and Stored in a Secure Location to be Run through a High-Speed Tabulator to get the Overall Results. The Software to determine the Results will be operated on Hardwired Computers that are on a Closed System. None of the Tabulator machines Statewide have Connectivity Capability either.
“Thus, it is incorrect to say that RCV presents the same type of security vulnerability Secretary of State Dunlap has identified for the voter file,” writes Dunlap’s Office.
RCV will be used in a Primary Elections for Governor, State Legislature, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate, for the First Time.
Voters will also Vote on the People’s Veto to Officially Repeal the Law that Sets RCV up for Repeal in 2021.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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