Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold confirmed that the employee responsible for a voting security breach, which led to passwords being posted online, is no longer employed in her office. Griswold assured residents that the incident should not undermine their confidence in the election.
In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, Griswold stated that the employee, described as a ‘civil servant,’ was no longer part of her team following the error. She emphasized that the necessary measures were being taken to reset passwords and review access logs for affected counties.
Griswold explained, “The employee who made this mistake is no longer with the department. We are working diligently to ensure the public’s trust and collaborate with the counties. We believe that there is no security threat to Colorado’s elections.”
It remains unclear whether the employee was terminated or resigned, as their identity was not disclosed. The Epoch Times reached out to the secretary’s office for further comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Griswold reassured the public that her office is actively addressing the situation, despite facing challenges such as misinformation, conspiracy theories, and threats against election workers. She highlighted the impact of these issues on county clerks handling elections.
The incident involved passwords being inadvertently left on a spreadsheet online for an extended period. Griswold announced that collaborative efforts between local, state, and federal agencies were underway to change passwords and inspect logs for any potential tampering.
The Colorado County Clerks Association expressed confidence in the security of the state’s voting systems, citing multiple layers of safeguards and the implementation of a remediation plan.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign raised concerns about the security breach in a letter to Griswold, prompting a response from the secretary of state. Griswold reiterated the robust security measures in place to prevent any compromise to the election system.
Efforts to change compromised passwords are being closely monitored by local election officials, according to a statement from Colorado Governor Jared Polis’s office. The goal is to ensure fair and accurate vote counting in all elections.
Griswold emphasized the numerous security layers in place to safeguard voters’ voices and expressed gratitude for Governor Polis’s swift action in addressing the error.
Despite reassurances from officials, a former Colorado secretary of state described the security incident as a “serious breach,” underscoring the need for heightened vigilance.
Political forecasters do not anticipate Colorado being a battleground state for Trump in the upcoming election. Recent polls suggest a significant lead for Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in Colorado.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Could you please rewrite this sentence?
Source link