Homeland Security Head: Colorado Tops U.S. In Vote Security

DENVER (AP) — Dozens of Colorado state and local elections officials are participating in cyber security and other exercises to reinforce the state's voting status as among the most secure in the nation ahead of the November midterm elections.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen praised Colorado as a national leader in safeguarding elections during an address at Thursday's session in a Denver hotel.

Nielsen briefly reiterated her concerns about potential Russian state-led hacking of U.S. elections, particularly of voter databases.

On Wednesday, Nielsen acknowledged for the first time that Russia was trying to get President Donald Trump elected in its attempts to influence the 2016 presidential vote.

Colorado's Republican Secretary of State, Wayne Williams, told county officials the exercise aims to increase public confidence that their votes are safe in the state.

(© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)