Longtime elections official weighs in on Russia

Posted on December 22, 2016

Ballots — The longtime former head of elections in Illinois is dismissing any concerns about Russian manipulating ballots in the recent presidential election. (WJBC file photo)

By RFD Radio/WFMB

SPRINGFIELD – Ron Michaelson knows a thing or two about elections.

He was the first Director of the State Board of Elections and held the post for nearly three decades before retiring in 2003. Hacking has been a concern at his old agency after someone hacked into the state voter database earlier this year. But, Michaelson said talk of more sinister hacking is off base. He doesn’t entertain the possibility foreign interests directly impacted results of the Presidential election…

“Absolutely not,” Michaelson declared. “We have such a decentralized system of elections in this country. The vote counting systems in this state which are done on a countywide basis, they are not tied into a central computer or anything.

Michaelson did not dismiss the possibility of Russia trying to include the election, which he said should be investigated.

Michaelson is now a professor at the University of Illinois-Springfield.

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