According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, “Technology has transformed American elections. Election officials of today act as Information Technology managers, which requires a unique set of attitudes, knowledge, and skills to plan, direct, and control contemporary election administration.”
Best Practices for Election Officials
Here are some of the best practices that election officials in the U.S. ought to follow to improve the overall security of election and voting system computers and other electronic devices:
- Limit the use of software to the fundamental functions needed to perform the election system’s processes. Do not install unauthorized apps or software programs on any component of voting systems, e-poll books, or other election systems.
- Use third-party tools to validate the hashes of the installed software to guarantee that voting systems are running the approved and correct versions of their software.
- Review audit log information regularly to keep track of the system’s sequence of events and identify the people who initiated them. This should be done to the greatest extent before, during, and after the election.
- Follow proper procedures to ensure all encryption keys are properly managed, including following all state, manufacturer, or IT department instructions. Well-defined policies and procedures must be employed to control access to the voting system, the circumstances under which users can access the system, and the functions users can perform.
- Use a two-person accountability and control system, where possible. Access, control, and custody should involve at least two people, preferably from separate political affiliations.
Online Safety for Voters
Each voter is responsible for researching and casting their vote based on an informed, objective decision. However, staying safe online is essential while examining the presidential candidates and choosing who to vote for.
One way to stay safe online during the election season is to use a VPN. Here are some of the benefits that VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) can offer to voters:
- Improved security: VPNs hide the voter’s IP address and encrypt their internet connection, which makes it harder for third parties, including ISPs and suspicious websites, to track their online activities. This ensures greater privacy for voters when researching candidates, political parties, or election-related information online.
- Secure access to information: In countries where government censorship or restrictions on internet access are rampant, VPNs can bypass these barriers by allowing users to connect to servers in different countries. This enables voters to access unbiased and uncensored information about candidates, political parties, and election procedures. Some of the best VPN locations for censorship information include countries in the European Union and the U.S.
- Safety on public Wi-Fi: Not everyone can access a safe and private internet connection. When voters access election-related information using public Wi-Fi networks, they may be vulnerable to various cyber threats, such as hacking or surveillance. VPNs encrypt internet traffic, providing an additional layer of security and protecting voters’ data from interception or unauthorized access.
- Access to voting platforms: In situations where remote or online voting platforms are available, VPNs can help voters securely connect to them, particularly in situations where they’re accessing them from outside their home country or region. VPNs can ensure their voting activities remain private and secure, reducing the risk of interference or tampering from unauthorized parties.
- Preventing voter suppression: In regions where concerns exist about voter suppression or intimidation, VPNs can provide a means for voters to access information and communicate with election monitors, advocacy groups, or legal assistance organizations securely and anonymously.
Safe Elections Matter
Elections are a crucial component of our modern democracy, and it’s up to us, the voters, to make informed decisions before casting out ballots. However, as the world becomes increasingly digital and online threats become commonplace, ensuring that both polling places and your online activities around the elections are safe and protected is paramount.
Election officials follow an extensive list of best practices to safeguard the election process, and you should protect yourself and your devices with safety tools like a VPN (a virtual private network).
