Office of the Iowa Secretary of State, "Iowa 2018 HAVA State Narrative." 2018. Unclassified.

0.87 MB·English

by  2018-00-00

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SECRETARY oF S:

Orricn 07 THE Towa SECRETARY OF S7A7E
Mark Abbott

Grants Odiver

U.S. Blectian Assistance Commission,

Dear Mr. Abort:

“The integrity of lows's elections is the top priority for Secresary of State Paul D. Pate
and his staf. These AVA funds will be used for that purpose.

Secretary Pate has taken numerous steps to bolster election security in lowe. That
includes unprecedented partnerehive with county, state, and federal entities. The Towea
Bleesion Cyhersceurity Working Group ereated by Secretary Mal

variety of experts and staleeholders who a ‘to proteeting the integrity of
the vote

wking with the Tows Legislature und Governor Reynolds, Secretary Pate has bean
the proceas of replacing the state's voter registration database, 'VOTERS, Iowa's
LAVA match funde will be used tor eynorseaurity protections related £0 this project

Ie Js viral fo build & human firewall chal is just ae robust ws Lechnologiea! one,
Secretary Pate is partnering wich all U9 county aditors ta enstare the protection of our
sleations on every level.

9 mailion, Secretary Pate is warking to smplemant a two-factor
authentication requirement for access to LVOTERS, The database is utdized by ell 4
counties. Additionally, eysereceurity taining wil! become mandatory for all -VOTERS

‘Secretary Pate is partnering with the 1.8, Repartmens of Homeland Security and the
Office of the Chief Information Office: to provide robust cybersecurity protection and.
esuurees for w] 09 countizs. Highiy-attended warkshozs have been conducted 12
;nform counties ahous these resonices. The goal is to have every county iraplement
these protections, in addition to the ones they already utilize, iz advence of the
November elections,

‘These plans for the HAVA funda remain fhaid ard will be hanes! on immediate and
lang-term needs. Cybersecurity ies race without a Rnish inne ane Towa intends to
this zace. First in the nation in voting demands first in the nation security. Secretary
Pace and hig staff are fully committed to protecting the integriry of Iowa's elections,

dj

Sincerely

Molly M. Hammer
Tegal Counsel

Prone S15 251 S07 Fax S15 STS Talore
Introduction

‘The overarching mission of the lowa Secretary of State is to administer fawtu), fair,
impartial, and secure elections, Secretary Pate wants every eligible Iowan to register to
vote and participate in our elections. The greateat challenge over the past bro years has
been te eneure that every possible measure has been taken to protect Iowa's election,
infrastructure, including the state voter regiatration aystem, election night reporting
system, and public-aclng website, az well as the election inffastracture of all $9 fowa
counties,

‘The Iowa Secretary of State has been worklng closely with federal, state, and local
partners to harden the cybersecurity and human security of Iowa's clection
Infrastructure. Active partners include the U.S, and Iowa Departments of Homeland
Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Election Infrastracture - Information Sharing
and Analysis Center, Center for internet Security, U.S, Election Assistance Commission,
Towa National Guard, lows Intelligence Pusion Center, lowa Office of the Chief
Information Officer, Towa State University Information Assurance Center/Iowa Cyber
Alliance, private vendors, and county auditora and IT officials. The Secretary has
‘uppointed several of these pariners to the lowa Election Cybersecurity Working Group,
‘whose purpose ia to advise the Scerctary on election cybersecurity.

‘Through these partnerships, the Iowa Secretary of State is working (0 build cobust
technological and human firewalls both at the state level, and in all 99 Iowa counties
‘The Secretary will use the $4.8 million in federat and state HAVA funds to inprove
election administration, harden election security, and Increase accessibility, An
emphasis will be placed on providing resourece and support to Iowa's 99 counties, with
‘an efiort to identify and encourage the use of est practices. The HAVA funds provide
‘a unique challenge and opportunity to ensure the integrity of Iowa's elections for years

‘The State of Towa’s matching fandy were appropriated through the Rebuild lowa
Infrastructure Fund (RIF). The money will be sed to replace LVOTERS, Iowa
statewide voter registration system, The project is currently in the rescarch phase, but
the RFP process is expected to begin im 2019. The matched funds will be expended on,
eybersectrity protections for the statewide voter registration ayatem.

HAVA Program Initiatives

A. Voting ent

Votera in Iowa cast paper ballots that are counted sith the use of Ballot scanners at
each precinct, The came process is utlized al county election offices for absentee ballots.
In addition, each precinct is required to have a baliot-marking device tat meets federal
accessibility standards. Decisions on type of election equipment are made by each
‘county, from a list of approved and tested equipment managed by the Iowa Secretary of
State,

‘Over the past three years, the large majority of lowa’a 99 counties have talren the
initiative to update thelr election equipment, For this reason, and because counties
hhave statutory responsibility and authority over the purchase and management of

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lection equipment, these funds will not be focused on the purchase and replacement
of election equipment.

B. Blecton Auditing

Towa will be wunducung post-election audits beginning with 2018 General Election.
‘These fonds will be utilized te educate, carry out, and improve the audit process, They
vill also be utilized to investigate the benefits and casts of riak limiting clection audits
in the State of Lowa.

©. Voter Registration

Iowa has begun the process of joining the Electronic Registration Information Center,
Inc, (ERIC). The benciite of participation in ERIC include more accurate and up-to-date
voter lists, and a regular process ta identify and encourage elig(ble, but unregistered,
Citizens 10 register (0 vote, These funds will be utilized for membership duce,
programming coats related to ERIC, and required mailings associated with membership
Jn the ERIC progear.

D. Cybersecurity

HAVA funda will be used for a combination of statewide and county level measures. On.
2 statewide level, the funde will be utilized for Grewall upgrader, icreaned security for
L-VOTERS, the atatowide registration database, and to add additional stall members to
Detter serve and assist countics as they seek to enhance their security meacurce

On county level, the lands will be used lo provide more secure access to LVOTERS
through implementation and utilization of two-factor authentication, The funds will also
bbe used to explore imaprovements (o technology and security equipment available to
Towe's counties,

‘The HAVA funds will allow the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office to continue and expand
upon educational and training opportunities available to County Auditors, their stall,
and County IT professionals. Educational programming will include: The National
Blection Security Summit in St. Louia, yearly Cyberscourity summits with County
‘Auditors and IT staff, Cyber Incident Tabletop Ixercises, and County Incident Planning,

E. Communication

Communication efforta include improvementa to the Elections portion of the lowa
Secretary of State's webslte to provide for added security, functionality and accessibility.
Additional funds will be used to encourage voter participation through voter education
‘and th build the public's confidence in the integrity af Iows's elections.

E. Accessibility

HAVA funds will he used, along with fonda provided by Diasbility Righta Iowa, to provide
‘Curbside Voting Signs to counties lor use in Iront of precincts. Counties wi) alag have
the opportunity to apply for ADA compliance grants for use at polling sites. Additional
fanda will be used for outreach te the disability community, inchuling organizations

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that provide services to injured or disabled veterans, tp help encourage registration and
patticipation.

9. Election Administration

Funde will be aed ta continne and enhance training for County Auditors and their staff,
Precinct Dlection Oilicials and the Secretary of State's staff. Funds going tawards
Gleetion administration will algo be used to increase the efliciency, functionality and
security of our Election Night Reporting Service,

Activities ta Oosur or During the 2018 General Bleotion Cycle:

+ Portnerahip with DHS on the "Last Mile Project," to provide security posters for
cach of lows's 99 counties

+ DHS assesements, including Risk and Vulnerability, Cyber Resilience Review,
Exlernal Dependency Management, Infrastructure Survey, and Phishing

Campaign

Joined DHS Iaformation Netwark

Preform weekly vulnerability scan

Upgnules o Grewalls protecting internal network.

Joined the Blectronic Registration information Center, Inc. (ERIC) and will be

sending out an Unregistered But Eligible (UBE) mailing by October 1, 2018

+ Two-factor authentication for L-VOTERS users

+ Develop and implement eounty level incident response plans

* 2 table tops session were held in parmership with DHS for County Auditors,
elections staif and county IT profcasionals

+ Create and distribute Curbside Voting Signs to counties for use at polling
ovations

Requiring “Seouring ke Hussam," an online cybersecurity training program, to
county level staff in partnership with the Towa Office of the Chief Infermaation
Gfticer (CTO)

+ Cybersecurity training opportunities for Secretary of State staff, County Auditors,
elections staff, and county IT professionals through conferences at NASED, The
Bleetion Center, and The National Election Security Summit

+ The Lowa Seoretary of State's Office hosted to Cybersecurity Workshops for
County Auditors, clectiona staff and county IT professionals to promote free
services offered by the OCIO, DHS, and other etate and federal partners

+ Post-clection audits will be conducted following the Ceneral Election

+ Upgrades to Blection Night Reporting evatera, including increased eybersccurity
protections such as two-factor authentication

+ Hiring ear Information Seeurity Officer und Cyber Navigator

+ Partnering with OCIO to offer all interested countice malware pratection and an
Intrusion detection system

+ Development of training tnols for County Auditors, elections staif and precinct
lection officials

+ Development of communications aimed at reassuring the public confidence in
the integrity and security of Iowa's elections

+ Development of communications aimed at educating and encouraging voters with,
disabilities tn vote, including veterans with disabilities

“+ Creation of a Cyber Working Croup with local, state and federal partners

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