For the past several days I have been looking for a news article, or a press release from the Hernando County Supervisor of Elections, Annie Williams announcing that she had finally moved the election equipment out of the old DPW site on Martin Luther King Blvd in Brooksville. I must have missed the report somewhere even though it was not listed in the press release on the SOE's website. Anyway, do you remember all the uproar in 2006 about the hazardous location where Annie Williams had her election equipment stored in a warehouse in Hernando county? Ms. Williams decided to leave this equipment at the old DPW site even though the county administrator worked dilegently to get it moved to a secure location. The Hernando County Supervisor of Election chose not move this equipment last year, stating it would be too inconvenient for her employees.
On March 3, 2006, Dawn K. Roberts, director of the Florida Department of State, Division of Elections sent a technical advisory memo to all 67 Supervisor(s) of Elections to immediately enhance voting system security throughout the state. Under the state of Florida, a set of guidelines and procedures were recommended based on threat models, or forms of perceived attacks on our election system. Ms. Roberts underscored the importance of items that could be a perceived threat to the voting methods in our state, such a transportation of ballots, and pre/post election security. One method that was discussed in her memorandum was the threat to optical scanners, like the type we currently use in Hernando County.
Why is this historical data significant to our election equipment? It is important to underscore the time it took for Ms. Williams to finally move this equipment into a secure, leased facility at the Airport Industrial Park. Yes, the election equipment was finally moved several weeks ago. This move was without any fanfare, or press releases from Annie Williams' office but I guess its better late than never, even if it took 16 months...
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