OR Secretary of State’s Office release – Salem, OR — The Elections Division of the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, the Oregon Association of County Clerks (OACC) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) held a tabletop training exercise earlier this month to coordinate efforts across multiple local, state, and federal agencies to prepare for the 2024 elections. The exercise was attended by elections officials from all 36 of Oregon’s counties, representatives from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, representatives from CISA, and representatives from other state and federal partners, including the FBI and the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. “Oregon has a history of conducting safe, secure, and accurate elections,” said Tracie Krevanko, President of the OACC. “Our partnership with local, state, and federal partners is vital in helping us continue that tradition this election and beyond. This CISA exercise helped us think outside the box and provided tools to help us prepare for and respond to election cybersecurity and physical threats.” The goal of the exercise was to expose elections officials to realistic scenarios that may occur during an election. In doing so, elections officials could explore strategies on how best to prepare for and respond to such scenarios and protect Oregon’s election infrastructure. The topics covered included physical security of elections offices, threats to elections administration, the proliferation of misinformation, and cybersecurity risks. The exercise provided a critical opportunity for multiple partner agencies to collaborate and coordinate their efforts in advance of the 2024 election cycle. With an increased focus on election security from local, state and federal officials, election administrators are increasingly confident in their preparedness. “2024 will be the most secure election in Oregon’s history,” said Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade. “I am grateful for the support and partnerships we’ve built at all levels of government. With their help, we continue to improve our systems and we are better prepared than ever before.” “A vital component to safe and secure elections is the partnership between federal, state, and local election offices,” said Lori Augino, CISA election security advisor. “Working alongside the OACC, the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office, and our many election associates across Oregon to identify best practices and areas for improvement in incident planning, identification, and response to cyber and physical security threats will serve our citizens well.” For more information on how Oregon officials are working to ensure the integrity of elections, visit OregonVotes.gov.
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