By Bobbie Gross | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
As your Mesa County clerk & recorder, I am deeply committed to the transparency, security, and integrity of our elections. I want to address a recent oversight by the secretary of state’s office, which inadvertently published BIOS passwords — one of the many layers that protect our voting equipment.
I assure you that your vote remains secure and will be counted accurately.
Our election system, here in Mesa County, is protected by multiple layers of security. Access to voting equipment is strictly limited to authorized personnel who pass background checks, and every entry and exit from secure areas is logged. These areas are monitored by 24/7 surveillance cameras, and we are immediately alerted to any unusual activity. Our election systems are never accessible online — passwords are secure, and only those with physical access can use them.
Anyone attempting to gain full access to our election equipment requires two unique passwords, including the BIOS password, which cannot be accessed remotely. In-person access is essential, meaning anyone attempting unauthorized access must bypass several physical security measures. These include restricted access key cards to enter secure rooms, which are continuously monitored by security cameras. This setup ensures only authorized, verified personnel can access sensitive areas and equipment.
On the night of Oct. 31, the secretary of state’s office staff visited Mesa County to update our system passwords. I observed and confirmed that only passwords were changed without altering system settings. My elections director was also required to enter her password, and I did not allow them unsupervised access to our equipment.
In Mesa County, all votes are cast on paper ballots, creating a reliable and verifiable record. After each election, these ballots are subject to audits to confirm accuracy, and we provide public access to ballot images for anyone wishing to review the results at no cost.
We’ve continuously improved our election processes, including enhancing ballot handling, updating voter rolls, and reducing undeliverable ballots by over half since 2022.
My commitment is to protect your vote. I understand that recent events may have impacted voter confidence, and we are doing everything possible to communicate the many layers of security and redundancies we have in place. As Election Day approaches, know that your voice matters and your vote is secure.
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