MEDIA RELEASE: Secretary Pate, bipartisan county auditor group push back against election disinformation

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and his bipartisan Auditors Advisory Group are uniting to dispel election misinformation and disinformation ahead of the 2022 general election. There has been a recent increase in the spread of false claims regarding elections in our state, despite there being no evidence of intrusions into Iowa’s election systems. Secretary Pate and the county auditors also stand united in their support of the bipartisan teams of poll workers that will work at voting sites this November.

“Iowans vote on paper ballots, and you cannot hack a paper ballot. We have numerous security measures and checks and balances in place to ensure the integrity of the vote. That includes Voter ID, public testing of voting equipment prior to the election, post-election audits and wide array of cybersecurity protections,” Secretary Pate and the Auditors Advisory Group said in a joint statement.

“You also have your friends and neighbors staffing the polling sites-in a bipartisan fashion. They are standing up and providing a great service for our state and nation and deserve respect. We encourage all eligible Iowans to register to vote and participate in elections, and we want voters to know that we are dedicated to protecting their vote,” Secretary Pate and the Auditors Advisory Group added.

Secretary Pate’s office developed an Election Security in Iowa webpage to counter misinformation and disinformation. It includes a Myth vs. Fact section, a detailed breakdown of the many security measures Iowa has put in place to protect elections, and a five-minute video that details how ballots and election equipment are maintained.

“Iowa is one of the top three states in the nation for election administration and that’s because we have a dedicated team of professionals in every county. Election cybersecurity remains a race without a finish line, and we are committed to staying ahead in this race,” Secretary Pate and the Auditors Advisory Group said.

The members of Secretary Pate’s bipartisan Auditors Advisory Group and the county each represents include:

• Amanda Waske-Ringgold
• Carol Robertson-Mills
• Denise Beyer-Allamakee
• Denise Fraise-Lee
• Hayley Rippel-Benton
• Jamie Fitzgerald-Polk
• Jennifer Garms-Clayton
• Melissa Wellhausen-Page
• Rhonda Deters-Grundy
• Ryan Dokter-Sioux
• Sue Lloyd-Buena Vista
• Whitney Hein-Jones

A soundbite from Secretary Pate is available for your use at this link.

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