Indiana Democrat Calls For Enhanced Election Security

Democratic Secretary of State candidate Jim Harper says Hoosiers should be concerned about election security this year.

Harper says Republican incumbent Connie Lawson hasn’t done enough to protect votes at the ballot box this fall.

Less than half of Indiana counties use paper back-up ballots. And the state doesn’t require an audit of all results after the election. Harper says he wants to use new federal funds to change both those things.

“The reason that this is so important is not just to make sure that every vote is properly counted – although that’s absolutely part of it. But it’s also to make sure that Hoosier voters can have confidence in the results,” Harper says.

The federal government gave Indiana more than $7 million to address election security.

Secretary of State Lawson’s office says the money will help enhance ongoing efforts, which include evaluations of election night reporting and security protocols, security scans, and enhanced encryption. It also says the federal dollars aren’t enough to replace all county voter systems that don’t have paper backups – and that Lawson will work with the General Assembly next session to secure such funds.