Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold assured voters that a recent mistake involving the posting of sensitive voting system passwords online won’t affect the integrity of the elections.
The Secretary of State’s Office explained that only part of the password information was shared on a hidden tab and would not grant access to voting systems on its own.
According to Griswold, the error was made by a civil servant who no longer works there.
She emphasized that human error happens and that the office is taking corrective measures.
Governor Jared Polis responded swiftly, deploying additional state resources, including cybersecurity staff, to support the Secretary of State’s Office in updating passwords across affected counties.
Within hours of the issue being identified on October 30, the team had replaced all affected passwords.
State and local employees worked under supervision, undergoing security training and background checks, and changes were verified to ensure no election equipment settings were altered.
Colorado’s election systems have multiple layers of protection.
The leaked passwords represent only one of two required to access systems and cannot be used without physical access to secure areas, which are closely monitored.
Access to these areas requires an ID badge, which logs entries, and there is constant video surveillance.
Colorado also enforces strict custody protocols, including an audit of paper ballots to confirm accurate vote counts.
