Tommy Doyle, Supervisor of Elections - Headshot of Supervisor featured with the Election's Office logo. Mission Statement: 'Our mission is to deliver superior election services to the voters of Lee County.'

Network Cyber Security

Election Security Memorandum

In response to recent public statements about cybersecurity, (FSE) Florida Supervisors of Elections President, Paul Lux issued a statement on April 26, 2019.

Speaking on behalf of Florida's Supervisors of Elections, we are deeply concerned about recent public statements about the state of our readiness that continues to erode voter confidence and undermine our ability to conduct free and fair elections.

One year ago, while Florida's Senators were painting a grim picture of our elections community's readiness Matt Masterson, the Senior Cybersecurity Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security, said, " Florida is one of the most, if not the most, engaged state working with DHS on securing election systems infrastructure ."

Since that time we have 100% of our counties participating with MS-ISAC and/or EI-ISAC, 100% who have installed or contracted to install threat detection and reporting systems, conducted specific training with DHS, the EAC, and the University of West Florida's Center for Cybersecurity, and spent nearly $17 million statewide to harden our infrastructure prior to the 2018 election cycle.

We recognize that the threat is not only very real but also ever-changing. We remain active and engaged with the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for Internet Security, and our other partners to ensure Florida has done everything to prepare.


Voter Registration and Elections Systems

The Lee County Supervisor of Elections is committed to prioritizing and ensuring the security of its network databases, computer systems, and elections through advanced, ongoing high-tech measures. We continuously coordinate our systems security practices through well-regarded cybersecurity agencies and programs in order to reinforce our commitment to secure elections.

Our organizational computer system, which includes our Voter Registration information databases, and website have sophisticated, round-the-clock network monitoring. Continuous monitoring allows us to review and block inbound internet traffic from identified threatening countries, foreign agents, or those who would attempt to gain unauthorized access to our network.

We were one of the first Elections Offices in Florida to change to this type of “live” monitoring system. We routinely copy (also known as “back-up”) our databases to ensure there is a replica of network data.

Our Tabulation Center, where Vote-by-Mail ballots are counted, is a highly secure facility. The Tabulation Center is under continuous video surveillance with an isolated, stand-alone network that does not have internet access thereby reinforcing security measures and preventing unauthorized access.

Our Information Technology Department’s mission continues to be at the forefront of protecting our critical systems through advancing all levels of security across our systems as technology changes.  

Every state differs in its administration of voter registration and elections. In the video below, the US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) examines a wide range of election security practices.