Warner assures election cyber security is intact

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia’s Secretary of State says despite widespread reports of Russian meddling in the United State’s election process, there have been no reported breaches. Mac Warner says West Virginia has taken the lead to insure there never area.

“The Russians were not able to change one vote in the United States in this last election,” Warner told participants in a telephone Town Hall Meeting. “Even after all of this media attention, it did not affect one vote.”

Although the meddling didn’t impact any votes, Warner added however it is a huge concern and he and his staff have taken some of the most drastic steps in the nation to insure the integrity of the vote.

A cyber analyst with the West Virginia National Guard has been placed inside the West Virginia Fusion Center and his sole job is to watch and maintain the integrity of West Virginia voting. Warner said it’s not uncommon to have attempts by outside entities trying to hack into voting systems, but in West Virginia he added there are safeguards to keep them from being successful.

“There are thousands of attempts a week,” said Warner. “But the registration process happens on line, but no voting takes place on line. There’s an ‘air-gap” between our voting equipment and the tabulation to the internet.”

Warner said the National Guard observer who is watching the process gives him a weekly report. Amid thousands of attempts to hack into the voting system, Warner said there have been no breaches during the 18 months he’s been in office.

Warner says other states are inquiring about West Virginia’s efforts at election security and hope to duplicate what’s being done in the Mountain State.





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