MEDIA RELEASE: Secretary Pate’s election cybersecurity initiative named finalist for national award

DES MOINES - Secretary of State Paul Pate's initiative to enhance Iowa’s election cybersecurity is one of three finalists for the National Association of Secretaries of State’s 2019 IDEAS Award. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest issues election administrators face. Secretary Pate brought county, state and federal entities together to protect the integrity of Iowa’s elections at every level.

“First-in-the-Nation in voting demands first in the nation security. That requires a team effort,” Secretary Pate said. “The partnerships we created inside the state and at the federal level can hopefully serve as a roadmap that every state can utilize. I’m proud of the work my team put into this mission and that it’s being recognized by my fellow Secretaries of State.”

Secretary Pate organized a massive collaboration that ensured all 99 counties were receiving services from the State of Iowa’s cybersecurity programs. Partnering with county auditors and information technology staff, several state agencies, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and many others allowed Iowa to build a human and technological firewall to protect Iowa’s elections.

“I’m happy to see Iowa’s ‘Partnerships Pay Dividends: A Roadmap to Election Cybersecurity’ program being featured as a NASS IDEAS award finalist,” said NASS President Jim Condos, who serves as Vermont Secretary of State. “We look forward to Secretary Pate and the other finalists’ programs being showcased at our 2019 Summer Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The IDEAS award is a great opportunity for Secretaries to feature their individual state work and share tips, tricks and shared practices with other states."

The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) IDEAS Award was established in 2011. It recognizes significant state contributions to the mission of NASS and honors outstanding programs and achievements of NASS member offices.

This is the second time in three years Secretary Pate’s programs have been finalists for the NASS IDEAS Award. The “Helping Veterans and Iowans with Disabilities Vote” initiative was recognized by NASS members in 2017.

For more information on the NASS IDEAS Award and to view all three finalists’ award applications, click here.

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