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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 04/04/2023 - The Kittitas County Auditors Office has been approved by the Secretary of States Office for up to $80,000 in election security investments this year, with additional investments expected in 2024 and 2025.
With election security and confidence a top concern among local, state, and federal officials, the County Auditors Office, has collaborated with our IT and Maintenance departments to implement a grant from the Secretary of States Office intended to enhance physical and cyber elections security. For the 2023 grant cycle, the Auditors Office requested physical security improvements to the Elections Center which will make the center both more secure and increase the public’s ability to access and participate in the elections process. Additionally, the Auditors office worked with our County IT department to help fund upgrades in cybersecurity, and additional staff training. The office expects the 2023 upgrades to be completed prior to a June 30th deadline, which will then open the next grant cycle. Auditor Bryan Elliott said "It's important to highlight the partnership with our IT and Maintenance Departments who are working with us to support a holistic approach in elections security across the county. I truly appreciate their support and am certain these relationships will continue to be critical to our success moving forward." The Auditors Office expects additional grant funds to be available for the 2024 and 2025 calendar years and is already leaning forward on ideas for continuing to improve our security posture. Auditor Elliott stated, "We can't afford to let an opportunity like this go to waste. We must continue to leverage the available funding from state and federal sources to make investments that will not only improve security, but also public access and transparency of the elections process. We have a plan and I'm excited that we can accomplish it with a minimized financial impact to the county.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Bryan Elliott, bryan.elliott@co.kittitas.wa.us509-962-7557