Whether or not the Russians really are controlling our elections any more than they controlled our weather back in the 1960s – remember that one? You don’t? Ahem; Millennials can just skip to the next sentence – ballot security is not to be taken lightly. Especially in the Digital Age.

Well, you can rest assured elections in the City and County of Denver are among the most cybersecure anywhere. So says the Center for Digital Government. It awarded Denver first place in the City Government category of its Cybersecurity Leadership and Innovation Awards for showing a commitment to providing a secure 2016 election.

Notes a press announcement from the Denver Elections Office and Denver Technology Services:

In its 17th year, this award recognizes the commitment of state and local governments, as well as educational organizations, towards keeping confidential data secure, despite evolving threats.

“Elections are critical services for citizens and our reliance on technology has exponentially grown over the past 10 years,” said Amber McReynolds, Director of Elections for the City and County of Denver. “It is imperative we maintain voter confidence and deliver secure elections which requires commitment, collaboration, coordination and communication.”

The press release also informs us:

2016 marked the first time the City and County of Denver and the Colorado Secretary of State worked together to share network traffic information, jointly utilizing tools provided by the Colorado Division of Homeland Security. This strong intergovernmental collaboration, alongside the pre-election validation of equipment and day-of monitoring, ensured that election integrity remained intact.

And there’s this sobering reminder:

“Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, and as stewards of some of the public’s most important and sensitive data, it’s more critical than ever that we recognize the government, education and healthcare organizations that are raising the bar when it comes to the best ways to protect that information,” said Teri Takai, executive director of the Center for Digital Government.

Now, mail in those ballots!