Secretary of State Connie Lawson takes great care to prepare for each election. In preparation for the upcoming election, Secretary Lawson has proactively worked to implement new security measures and resources to protect Hoosiers’ votes.

Voters should know that no piece of Indiana’s voting equipment is online. The machines and tabulators are not connected to the internet.

Some of the tools and precautions being taken in Indiana to ensure secure elections include:

• Testing voting equipment prior to use

All voting equipment in Indiana is tested by the Voting System Technical Oversight Program, hosted by Ball State University, for an added layer of safety and security. In addition, each county conducts public test of voting equipment prior to the election.

• Risk and vulnerability testing

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has conducted risk and vulnerability testing to secure Indiana’s electronic information. This includes the statewide voter registration system and the state election website.

• Multifactor Authentication Protocol

Indiana has invested in security by requiring two-factor authentication to access electronic information.  

• Intrusion Detection Systems

These systems monitor internet traffic accessing websites and databases.

• Security Protocol

State law establishes physical security standards for election equipment. Many county election boards adopt customized security resolutions above and beyond what is required by state law.

• Information Sharing

Indiana has partnered with the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center. This provides access to 24/7 security information, threat notifications and security advisories.

“I take the security of our elections process very seriously,” said Secretary Lawson. “I am working diligently to ensure that every available defense is utilized. Indiana has taken many steps to secure our elections, but let’s be clear: there will always be new recommendations, new technology, and new best practices where cybersecurity is concerned. The way we administer elections must continue to evolve, because this is a race without a finish line. I am fully committed to ensuring that we continue to move forward, using every tool at our disposal to maintain safe and secure voting for all Hoosiers.”

Voters with questions can call the Hoosier Voter Hotline at 866-IN-1-VOTE.

On Monday, October 22, 2018, Indiana State Police Detectives arrested a Seymour, Indiana man on a level one felony count of child molesting after an alleged incident that occurred in rural Jackson County.

In the evening of October 21^st, the Seymour Police Department began investigating an alleged child molesting although the investigation was referred to the Indiana State Police due to the offense occurring outside of the Seymour city limits.

Detective Andrew Mitchell, Indiana State Police-Versailles, conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Seymour Police Department, Indiana Department of Child Services, and the Indiana Child Advocacy Center.

Through the investigation, it was determined that Reynaldo E. Reyes-Perdomo, age 30, Seymour, Indiana allegedly took a 13 year old female to a rural location near State Road 11 and I-65 in northern Jackson County and engaged in sexual contact with the juvenile.

A second incident was reported to have occurred on a different date at a Seymour residence involving the same victim.

Reyes-Perdomo was located at a Seymour residence. He was taken into custody without incident.

He was transported to the Jackson County Jail where he was initially incarcerated on a level one felony count of Child Molesting, pending his initial appearance in the Jackson County Circuit Court.

Monday morning in Washington Superior Court, former sheriff’s reserve officer and City of Salem Police Officer Chris Strange faced a Level 6 Felony charge of forgery of a letter allegedly stating that he had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous classes when he had not been.

Through his counsel Amber Shaw, Strange entered a guilty plea of False Informing and a probation violation. 

According to Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Dustin Houchin, “the plea calls for [Strange] to do fourteen (14) days in jail, followed by 200 days of home incarceration with an alcohol monitor.  He will be on probation for 200 days.”

Strange had previously been arrested on March 3 for one count of operating a vehicle with a .15 Blood Alcohol Content or greater, a Class C Misdemeanor. 

As a result, Strange had been ordered to serve probation and attend AA classes.

He was arrested by the Indiana State Police on a Level 6 Count of Forgery on October 16 for allegedly forging a letter from a counseling center. 

Indiana State Police Officer Brian Busick received information on Sept. 27 that probation officer Kristin Bennett had in her possession a forged letter from Strange. 

The letter provided to Bennett was allegedly written and signed by Timothy Bowley, Assistant Director at the Helping Hands Counseling Center. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, Bennett contacted Deidre Miller, with Hoosier Hills PACT, who had given her a copy of a letter sent directly to Miller by Timothy Bowley and there were multiple differences between the letters. 

The letter Miller received stated that Strange had stopped attending counseling and the letter Strange handed Bennett stated that Strange was continuing to attend Alcoholics Anonymous. 

In addition, the email addresses for Helping Hands Counseling Center on the two letterheads were different. 

Busick spoke with Bowley and showed him a copy of the letter he had written and sent Miller and that he had not participated in the alternations or approved them.

Busick talked with Strange, who denied forging the letter and stated it was the same one that had been emailed to him but did not provide any proof of such email. 

Busick said he believed Strange had committed Level 6 Forgery, a Felony. 

Strange was arrested and booked into the Washington County Sheriff’s Department on October 22 and answered to the charges on Monday, Oct. 22.