Minnesota’s Elections Chief Gets ‘Secret’ Security Clearance

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Minnesota's elections chief says he's been working closely with the Department of Homeland Security to protect the state's balloting process from attack.

Secretary of State Steve Simon even got a security clearance of ``secret'' this month. It comes as concern grows about Russian targeting of America's election infrastructure.
Senate Intelligence Committee leaders recently said efforts to protect elections from Russian cyberattacks in 2016 didn't go far enough, and they recommended new safeguards for this year.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton's new budget proposal includes $1.4 million for upgrading Minnesota's 14-year-old voter registration system. It also includes $87,000 for software and hardware recommended by Homeland Security for the upcoming elections.

Minnesota also gets a slice of the $380 million for election security in the budget bill President Donald Trump signed Friday.