State of Michigan Secretary of State, "Michigan Plan and Narrative: 2018 HAVA Election Security Grant." 2018. Unclassified.

0.55 MB·English

by  2018-00-00

Sram ce Mice
[Ron Joomon, SECReTARy oF Brae
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Lavenec
MICHIGAN PLAN AND NARRATIVE:
2018 HAVA ELECTION SECURITY GRANT

Introduction / General Summary

‘The State of Michigan was awarded a total of $10,706,992 in recently-released Federal Help Armerica
Vote Act (HAVA) election security grant funds, The reguired 5% match ($535,350) has been
appropriated into the Department of State's budget by the Michigan laghsature, for a total of
$21,247,342 available for use to implement improvements to further enhance Michigan's election
security. Michigan takes pride in the robust security processes which are bull inlo is elections.
‘administration. Michigan has checks and balances throughout the election ifecyele and continues to
‘build strong partnerships with law enforcement and security agencies, while working closely with state
and federal partners to continue to build and enhanee our reputation for secure vating. Michigan fs
pleased to recelve addittonal funding to further enhance eur election system's security end to end,

11.2017, Michigan began the process of replacing its aging paper-based optical scan voting systems with
‘upgraded digital opticat scan systems; In doing so, the continued use of a paper ballot statewide was a
ajar priority. Gradual rollout of the new systems bagan in August of 2017, and all urisdetions
statewide wll use the new systems in Michigan’s upcoming August 7, 2018 primary. Michigan was able
to fund the purchase of tis new generation af more seeure voting systems by utilizing remaining
funding from the original HAVA grant ($20 rilon), along with an adeltional $10 million appropriated by
the Michigan legislature. Therefore, the rocently-released additional HAVA funding will not be used to
replace voting systems, but Instead willbe focused on assessing and enhancing election security at all
levels (state, county local); as well as continued enhancements to a major upgrade alceady underway
forthe statewlde Qualified Voter File (VFI, with an averall emphasis on securkty, Addtionally,
Michigan vail pursue several targeted efforts that involve data validation and integrity projects, as well
as comprehensive training, auditing and communication efforts specifically focused on election security
atall levels,

State-Level Security Assessments
(Michigan's 2038 HAVA grant spend plan focuses on cyber, information and physical security; specifiy,
ur largest area of emphasis will involve providing funding andl resources statewide to allow far the
completion of detailed election system security assessments at the state, county and local (ity
township} level. With Michigan being one of only elght states in the nation to administer elections at the
local level (with over 1,609 diferent county, cty and township offelas each independently
administering elections locally}, a substantial portion ofthe security grant will be used to asst counties,
cities and townships with assessing their end-to-end election systems, identifying possible Issues and
‘making the necessary changes and improvements to ensure the highest posslbic level of securfty Is
present inal major systems involved in administering election,
At the state level the OVF is already secured and protected by Michigan's Department of Technology,
Management and Budget (OTM), via a rabust network and multiple layers of mentoring, including
intrusion detection systems. All ofthese systems and tools are housed inthe state's centralized Data
eater, managed by DTMB. Al{counties, citles and townships access the CVF through this network.
‘Advanced security testing has already been completed on the statewide CVF and Is also oceurring on the
statewlde Electlon Night Reporting [ENR) system. A portlan ofthe funding wil be used ta ensure reguter
‘testing ofthis type continues to accor with key election system compomients atthe state Level

ln addition ta major election IF-related systems, Michigan's statewide assessment of end-to-end
election systems and processes will indude a review of state-lacal pracedures, responsiblitles an
<ommurications. Curremtiy in the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage, the tate plans to award a contract
to.a qualified consultant group with specialized, mult-faceted expertise in election administration;
«yber, information and physical security; and communications, The results ofthis assessment will also
help to set further detailed plans inte motion for continued use ofthe grant funds to aselst county and
local election officials with similar detailed assessments anc completion of necessary Improvements at
‘he county and local level

CCounty-Loral Securty Assessenents
Michigan expects to follow a model similar tothe statewide election assessment currently underway to
‘work with counties and local Jurisdictions to conduct similar evaluations and implement improvements
‘throughout their individuaf system configuratlons. Michigan plans to evaluate and qualify mukiple
service providers who may assist counties cities and townships with local assessments; as well as
provide multiple security-related product aptions (such as sensors, software, and Intrusion datertion
systems) which may be purchased with HAVA security grant funds as neads are Identified. Multiple
{qualified service providers will be available statewide to provide individualized assesements for county
and local election officals to thoroughly review and evaluate election systerns and develop plans for
‘necessary changes to Improve and enhance security. These assessments are expected ta indude &
review of connectvily to the state QVF; voting system election management system software
‘configurations and networks; county and local election night reporting systems; and ether key slecian-
related systems, configurations and procedures n piace at the county and local level. Grant funding
ray also be allocated to implement needed and approved changes atthe county and local lev.

State Qualified Voter File ~ Continued Advancement and Focus on Seeurty
‘Armalor upgrade ta Michigan's CVF system is underway. Michigan's statewide QVF system has heen an
Internally-developed product {and 3 national leader] since its inception in the mid-1990s. The upgrade
continues with an intemally-developed system and involves a migration to a secure, modern platform
and programming fanguage, along with numerous system enhancements ta Increase security and
provide added features that have been requested by users atthe county and local level. HAVA security
‘rant funding will be utlized to ensure a dedicated focus on securlty and an ovarall structure ta pravide
ongoing assistance and response to the needs of out over 2,000 users. Additionally, further security
enhancements wil be added to fully Implement seeurlty protocol that includes multifactor
authentication.

Other Data and Security-Related Projects
-Additionat projects are planned that wil involve 3 varied and wide-ranging approach to measuring and
‘enhancing election-related data, including election audits: data validation and integrity projec
statewide infrastructure change to 2 proven, cutting edge geo-spatial addressing system in the QVF; and
an upgraded, improved, interactive and secure statewide Election Night Reporting system.
Plan Implementation: Dedicated Election Sacurity-Relsted Resources
“To ensure a full focus on electlon security and ta acsst with the timely completion of al planned
activities related to the HAVA election security grant, Michigan plans to employ dedicated resources
‘who ate focused on electlan security. These rascurcas will include atleast two limited term (S-vear}
employees; one working directly in Michigan's Bureau of Elections (Election Security Specials}, and 2
2° under the direction of the State's DTM (Cyber Election Security Specialist), These resources will
‘work ciosely together and with the Bureau of Elections and State DTMB to ensure completion of all
facets of our HAVA security grant plan, and will be heesly involved inthe various efforts and projects
‘mentioned here, Additionally the Election Security Specalst wil also work with other Bureau of
Elections staff to fully develop and implement « comprehensive traltung plan with a specific focus on
security—cyber security ast relates to electians, as well as physleal and infarmatian security; and
adattional thorough training on other key county and local procedural raqulremants that affet the
‘overall security of the elections provess.

HAVA Election Security Grant Spend Plan - Summary by Category
Michigan's HAVA Security Grant Budget Detalls attached. A summary of the total estimated costs by
‘major program category, Including specific compenents under each, are listed below:

Program Total ‘Major Plan Components
Catagory Estimated
Spand Plan

Cyber Security [$5.5 millon ‘Statewide election securily assessment
State, county and local seeurity assessments and
Improvements

+ Dedleated resources

voter SSA milion | « State, county and local security assessments and
Registration Improvements

System

‘© Dedicated resources

‘© Multi-factar authentication

© GeosSpatiataddressing structure

‘¢_Data validation and integrity initiatives
Communications [$1.6 million |» Dedicated resources,
PTaining ‘© Comprehensive election security training
{Auditing ‘= Election security procedural reviews

+ Enhanced/expanded post-aleetion audits

‘© Enhanced/expanded state-local election security,

disaster recovery and overall comeunicatlon plans

Tlection Wight | SL milion |» state, county and local security assessments and
Reporting {ENR} improvements

Enhanced, interactive and secure statewide ENR
[Budget infomation

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