Delaware officials have learned the state was targeted by Russian hackers attempting to influence last year’s election.
But State Elections Commissioner Elaine Manlove said hackers trying to penetrate the voter registration system were unsuccessful.
The Department of Homeland Security told Delaware and 20 other states they were hit by attempts to access voter data. Other states targeted include Illinois, California, Colorado, Wisconsin and Washington State.
Manlove said hackers may have wanted to change voter information.
“All I know is what I hear from other states is somebody could go in and remove people from voter registration and then on election day, they wouldn’t be allowed to vote," she said. "That type thing.”
Sen. Chris Coons said he wants to see local, state and federal efforts to prevent inference in next year’s midterm elections to be better funded and more coordinated. He said he’s working with other senators to appropriate money to local and state elections officials.
“To either replace outdated voting machines or to strengthen the cyber security or the provisions of our electoral system,” he said.
Coons believes having local officials handle elections in every state helps fight Russia’s cyber attacks. But President Donald Trump has called Russian interference “fake news” and "a hoax."
