Idaho gets $3.2M in grant money for election security

Idaho is receiving $3.2 million from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to secure and modernize its elections systems.

The commission on Tuesday released a report showing how states plan to spend $380 million allocated by Congress to strengthen voting systems amid threats from Russian and others.

The largest chunk – roughly 36 percent – is being spent to improve cybersecurity in 41 states and territories.

Idaho’s plan to spend the federal money includes devoting $1 million to upgrade the state’s election system and voter registration database, $581,000 to tighten cybersecurity and $700,000 for election auditing.

In accepting the federal money, states were required to provide a match of 5 percent and have five years to spend it. That means Idaho is expected to spend roughly $161,500 of its own funds.