$13.2M Grant To Help Illinois Stop Vote Tampering After Russian Hack
SPRINGFIELD, IL (Patch.com) — Two years after Russian operatives successfully hacked into the Illinois State Board of Elections database and viewed information for tens of thousands of voters, Illinois was awarded a $13.2 million grant aimed at stopping vote tampering. Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley, who first raised the alarm about the Russian hack last year, said the Election Assistance Commission is doling out $380 million to help fortify election systems across the country after 21 states were hit by the hack during the 2016 election.
"Last year, the American people learned that Russia targeted at least 21 states in the lead-up to the 2016 elections," Quigley said in a statement issued Monday. "Unfortunately, many of the vulnerabilities that existed then continue to undermine our election infrastructure today, and the Intelligence Community has warned that Moscow will likely employ similar attacks in the midterms—now less than seven months away. That is why I was proud to use my position as Ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the Election Assistance Commission to secure $380 million in new EAC grants to help states update and fortify our election systems to prevent future cyber-hacking."
