Free Trial

Colorado accidentally put voting system passwords online, but officials say election is secure

Stickers for voters sit in a roll on a ballot box at a voting drop-off location Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Washington Park in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

DENVER (AP) — Voting system passwords were mistakenly put on the Colorado Secretary of State's website for several months before being spotted and taken down, but the lapse did not pose an immediate threat to the upcoming election, said state election officials Tuesday.

The passwords were only one of two that are needed to access any component of Colorado's voting systems, and are just one part of a layered security system, said Jack Todd, spokesperson for the the Secretary of State’s office, in a statement. The two passwords are “kept in separate places and held by different parties,” he said.

“This is not a security threat,” said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold in an interview on 9News Tuesday evening. She said her office is investigating, that not all of the passwords in the spreadsheet were active and there is no reason to believe there’s been a security breach.

Griswold said workers are changing passwords, looking at access logs and chain of custody books.

She frequently calls Colorado the gold standard for election security, though there have been some hiccups in the past. The error has brought criticism from the chairman of the Colorado Republican Party at a time of heightened scrutiny of the country's election systems, though U.S. elections remain remarkably reliable.

Colorado law requires that election equipment is surveilled and stored in secure rooms — access to which is guarded, tracked and logged. Colorado voters fill out paper ballots, which are audited after the election.

Election officials learned last week that the spreadsheet, which held the passwords in a hidden tab, was available online. Once the lapse was discovered, Todd said, they acted immediately and informed the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The executive director of the Colorado Clerks Association, Matt Crane, told 9News that while the lapse was concerning, the association was satisfied with the Colorado Secretary of State's response.

Chairman of the Colorado GOP, Dave Williams, sent a letter to the department Tuesday demanding that, among other things, the secretary of state confirm that the exposed passwords have since been changed.

Earlier this month, a Colorado county clerk, Tina Peters, was sentenced to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme based in false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.

→ Watch this before it gets removed (From Porter & Company) (Ad)

Where should you invest $1,000 right now?

Before you make your next trade, you'll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis.

Our team has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and none of the big name stocks were on the list.

They believe these five stocks are the five best companies for investors to buy now...

See The Five Stocks Here

2025 Gold Forecast: A Perfect Storm for Demand Cover

Unlock the timeless value of gold with our exclusive 2025 Gold Forecasting Report. Explore why gold remains the ultimate investment for safeguarding wealth against inflation, economic shifts, and global uncertainties. Whether you're planning for future generations or seeking a reliable asset in turbulent times, this report is your essential guide to making informed decisions.

Get This Free Report
Like this article? Share it with a colleague.

Featured Articles and Offers

Recent Videos

Strong Markets Meet Rising Volatility—Are Your Investments Safe?
Analysts Bullish on AI-Powered Healthcare: Intuitive Surgical’s 30% Upside
Oracle’s Cloud Shift Pays Off: Will Momentum Continue?

Stock Lists

All Stock Lists

Investing Tools

Calendars and Tools

Search Headlines