(Image source from: Fifth Domain)

Michigan state in has upgraded its election security by setting up new election equipment.

Secretary of State of Michigan Ruth Johnson said that the new election equipment and millions of dollars worth of federal election security grants will help to further protect the state's elections systems this fall.

For the first time in 12 years, every voter will be using new election equipment in the statewide primary election being held in August, designed with added security measures reckoning optical-scan ballot tabulators, approachable features for electors with disabilities as well as enhanced election-management and reporting software.

Electors in Oakland county will be using election equipment rendered by a Texas based company, Hart Intercivic that signed a contact for 10 years with the county and 10 other counties around the state in 2017.

“Most importantly, every voter across Michigan still will use a good, old-fashioned paper ballot to mark their choices,” said Johnson. “Then they’ll feed the ballot into a new next-generation voting machine. Buying all new election equipment isn’t all we’ve done to safeguard our election system.”

The state's acceptance of $11.2 million in federal security grants is included in security measures that will amend election systems statewide and strengthen them against attacks. In further, requisite cybersecurity training has been added to the local clerk education programs.

The new upgrades include

- Next generation voting equipment
- $11.2 million in election security grants
- Upgraded qualified voter file system
- Strengthened relations with the state and federal-law enforcement and homeland security agencies
- Expanded cybersecurity training for local election officials
- Post-election audits that included ballot validation

By Sowmya Sangam