Madison County takes steps to protect voter information, prevent cyber attacks

JACKSON, Tenn. — Madison County takes steps to protect voter information and prevent cyber attacks.

“The state of Tennessee has provided an extra measure of defense for us in the cyber security concerns,” Madison County Administrator of Elections Kim Buckley said.

“Hiring a company to come in and analyzing any weaknesses that we may have in our computer system,” Buckley said.

Buckley said the company will inspect computers in the election commission office to make sure they have not been hacked. “What they’re concerned about is our voter registration database, that nobody has hacked into that,” she said.

Voters told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News they support the extra security. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, make sure that we keep everything as honest and straightforward as possible,” Bassell Alexander, a voter, said.

“I think it’s a great idea because a lot of people don’t know that it’s happening,” Doris Miles, a voter, said.

Buckley said they calculate the votes on a computer not connected to the internet. She said they have safeguards in place to protect the election. “I believe that every vote will count and that everything will be done in an orderly and pure fashion,” she said.

Buckley said the company will inspect the computers before the election in November.

Early voting ends Saturday, July 28. Election Day is Thursday, Aug. 2.