LIVE: Secretary of State Gorbea Working to Ensure Election Security
LIVE: Secretary of State Gorbea Working to Ensure Election Security
According to Gorbea, there is undeniable proof the Russian intelligence attempted to tamper with results of the 2016 election, though there is no evidence that any votes were changed as a result. Ahead of the 2018 elections, Gorbea is working as part of a national council to ensure the safety of election infrastructure. As a member of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), Gorbea is working as part of the Election Infrastructure Subsector Government Coordinating Council.
Rhode Island, Gorbea says, has one of the best voting systems. In her time as Secretary of State, she says she has made it a top priority by ensuring everyone who is voting has a right to. This includes working with interstate organizations and the Social Security Administration to purge the voter rolls of deceased voters or those who have moved to another city or state.
“The reported numbers of “dead voters” who actually vote in the election are very inflated,” Gorbea said.
With the deadline already past for candidates to submit their signatures, Gorbea says her office is working hard to process all the paperwork and prepare the primary ballot.
“We’ll continue to work through the weekend, and you’ll be able to access the sample ballot online sometime early next week,” Gorbea said.
This year, Rhode Island’s primary has been moved to Wednesday, September 12 due to a religious holiday the previous day. Gorbea encourages all voters to check their voter status online before August 13 to ensure they are able to vote. Those unable to make it to their polling place on election day can request a mail ballot, or, after the deadline has passed, obtain an emergency ballot from their local town hall.
“It doesn’t have to be an emergency,” Gorbea said. “They’re available to anyone who needs them.”
Above all, Gorbea encourages anyone who is eligible to do so to vote in both the primary and general election.
“So many decisions are made at the city and town level,” she said. “These elections are just as important.”