Now is the time to make sure Wisconsin’s election system is secure

We have seen clear evidence that the Russian government interfered in our 2016 elections. And there is plenty of concern that such interference could continue in the 2020 contest. Congress has warned that such interference could be even greater in our next presidential election. Wisconsin could be a likely target, given that the state is expected to be a swing state once again. Yet hundreds of local clerks throughout Wisconsin continue to utilize outdated computer systems which could leave them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission that more than 500 local clerks are still logging on to the state elections system using Widows XP or Windows 7. That is despite the fact that Microsoft hasn’t provided tech support for Windows XP for the past five years. And the software maker will stop providing free security upgrades for Windows 7 in January. Even those clerks who utilize the latest operating systems still may not be installing security patches designed to keep their systems safe. According to the Election Commission an attack on the state’s election system could expose confidential information or prevent the distribution of absentee ballots. The Commission wisely has a plan to test systems throughout the state before the next election. The integrity of our elections is too important to remain vulnerable to attacks which we know are likely to happen.