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2020 is looking to be a pivotal year in politics. But this year's elections are about much more than the race for the White House. And the coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a complicating factor. WKSU, our colleagues at public radio stations across Ohio and the region and at NPR will bring you coverage of all the races from the national to the local level.

Ohio Election Officials Put On Alert for Possible Iranian Cyber Attacks

a photo of Frank LaRose
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R-Ohio)

Election officials around the state have been ordered to be on guard for the possibility of a cyber attack from Iran. Ohio's Secretary of State said there's been a spike of suspicious activity happening around the U.S.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose said boards of elections are preparing for early presidential primary voting starting next month, and meanwhile there's been an increase in suspicious cyber activity, some of which can be traced back to IP addresses from Iran.

Because of that activity and the tensions between the U.S. and Iran, LaRose has ordered all county boards of elections to block certain Iranian IP addresses.

"What we want to make sure is that we're ready and that we're taking the necessary precautions and that's exactly what this is an abundance of caution to make sure that we are responding to the world's situation as it exists and making sure that our guard is up."

He points out that there have been no successful intrusions, and that voting machines are never online.

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.