As top national security officials point to Russian and Iranian meddling in the upcoming general election, Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman is working to reassure voters their ballots are safe.
During a news conference Thursday outside the Tazewell County Courthouse in Pekin, Ackerman said his office fielded numerous calls from concerned residents after the reports of foreign interference spread.
“I just want to reaffirm, there is no way the votes that you cast can be hacked, manipulated, changed, anything like that,” said Ackerman “What's being discussed in the national media is disinformation--that is, Russian and Iranian agencies acting as third parties spreading misinformation about polling locations, voter intimidation, other items like that.”
On Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said the U.S. intelligence community believes Iranian and Russian operatives obtained voter record information. That resulted in voters in Florida and Alaska receiving some threatening emails.
Ackerman said there were no reports of email intimidation in Tazewell County, or anywhere in Illinois, and stressed that ballots cannot be altered after they are submitted.
“None of the information that we have concerning actual votes being counted is broadcast over the internet, or using any type of open circuit that could be hacked, manipulated, changed; it is all physically done in person. It's all done, counted so that there is a paper trail that there's audits afterwards. There is no way that your results on Nov. 3, can be manipulated, hacked or changed.”
Ackerman also dispelled another piece of misinformation circulating on social media platforms, saying COVID-19 regulations will not shut down polling places.
“All of our regular Election Day polling locations will be open, staffed and prepared for the public to come in and cast their votes,” he said. “So the citizens of Tazewell County, and really throughout Illinois, should feel reassured that polling locations will be open. There is no effect that any restrictions from COVID would have on your ability to go in and cast your vote.”
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