The countdown is on until election day, and local election offices are making sure your vote is secure.
We talked with the director of the United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
The federal agency provides support and training to protect the nation’s elections from cyber, physical, and operational security risks.
“Election officials have been preparing for this for years. They have been training and exercising and working through a full range of disruptive scenarios so that they have contingency plans in place to deal with disruptions. they are ready, they are prepared to meet this moment,” said Jen Easterly, Director of the United States Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
We’ve reached out to our local election offices across the viewing area to see how they’re preparing. This is how they responded.
Botetourt County:
“At our chief/assistant chief training on Saturday, I did have someone from CISA come to do a brief physical safety and de-escalation training. I have also had planning meetings with the Sheriff’s office, Fire/EMS, dispatch, and Technology Services to discuss potential issues during early voting and on election day. Security (physical and cyber) are top priority.”
Traci Clark, Director of Elections
Campbell County:
“I have attended many CISA training courses and have brought what I have learned to the Electoral Board and we have implemented the cybersecurity and physical threat items in our security policy and in our training sessions for election officials. All of the staff and election officials are trained to be aware of their surroundings and notify us and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office of anything that may be suspicious. We expect to have safe and fair elections this year and value the dedication from all of our election officials.”
Kelly Martin, Director of Elections
Danville:
“We are preparing as we always do for elections. We cannot release any details on security plans as that would defeat the purpose, but rest assured we are prepared. We have not attended any in-person CISA training but get releases from their organization and read their alerts.”
Peggy M. Petty General Registrar/Director of Elections
Montgomery County:
“We prepare for elections by:
Officers of Elections that work the elections are required to attend in-person training by the Electoral Board.”
Connie M. Viar, VREO, CGR Director of Elections & General Registrar
Radford:
“The Radford Office of Elections and the Radford City Electoral Board began training Officers of Election this past week and will continue through October 31st. Our training covers the array of the Code of Virginia, many Election Day scenarios that may arise, and emergency preparedness. Additionally, we will have a representative from the Department of Homeland Security at our Chief’s and Assistant Chief’s training next week to cover situational awareness and de-escalation tactics for these leaders at precincts on Election Day.”
Lindsey H. Williams, Director of Elections & General Registrar
Roanoke County:
“We are sharing DHS and CISA resources with our officers ahead of Election Day and discussing emergency preparedness and basic de-escalation techniques during training sessions.”
Anna MA, JD, Director of Elections & General Registrar
Salem:
“The electoral Board does the training of poll workers. We have the support from Salem Police Office and State Police.”
Dana M. Oliver CPDR, VREO, CERA
For more information on voting in Virginia, we have everything you need to know here.