Ohio voting system standards surpass federal regulations

Audio By Carbonatix

(The Center Square) – Voting systems and equipment in Ohio must now meet standards higher than those of the rest of the nation.

The Ohio Ballot Board approved a new set of voting system inspection and security standards, making them the strongest in the country, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

The new performance and security requirements for vendors, systems and equipment include ballot-on-demand printers and voter registration databases to the board’s previous oversight of voting machines.

“Ohioans expect their elections to be secure, accurate, and accessible, and that starts with holding our voting systems to the highest possible standards,” LaRose said. “By going above and beyond the federal requirements, we’re once again proving that Ohio is setting the national example for election security and integrity.”

Currently, election officers are testing the logic and accuracy of voting equipment before the November general election. At the same time, local boards of election are implementing higher physical and cybersecurity standards, which LaRose recently implemented in a directive.

The new security standards include:

• Configure networks, firewalls, vulnerability assessment tools and equipment with the most recent approved security updates.
• Complete monthly cybersecurity checklists to ensure protection from threats.
• Conduct a county-specific security audit led by the secretary of state’s chief information security officer and cybersecurity team.
• Comply with enhanced physical security requirements, including proper equipment storage, video surveillance, and bipartisan access protocols.