AP16:117
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2016
CONTACT: Sam Mahood
(916) 653-6575
Secretary of State Padilla Appointed to the Department of Homeland Security's Election Infrastructure Cybersecurity Working Group
SACRAMENTO – California Secretary of State of Alex Padilla has been appointed to the Department of Homeland Security's Election Infrastructure Cybersecurity Working Group. Secretary of State Padilla’s appointment was made by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), a nonpartisan professional association representing the nation's chief state election officials. Secretary of State Padilla is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
“It is critical that election officials remain vigilant against cybersecurity threats,” Secretary of State Padilla said. “While we are always evaluating and adapting our security measures to protect the integrity of our elections, the Election Infrastructure Cybersecurity Working Group will bring together federal, state, and local officials to ensure that cybersecurity best practices are being shared in a bipartisan manner.”
Secretaries of State Appointed to Election Infrastructure Cybersecurity Working Group:
- Hon. Alex Padilla, California
- Hon. Denise W. Merrill, Connecticut
- Hon. Connie Lawson, Indiana
- Hon. Brian Kemp, Georgia
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the federal effort is designed to assist states in managing the cybersecurity risks to election and voting systems, in coordination with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Department of Justice.
The working group will also share and disseminate cybersecurity best practices and solicit input on cybersecurity challenges facing state and local election officials and their voting infrastructure.
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