Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold is facing serious allegations after her office reportedly published BIOS passwords for voting systems across 63 of Colorado’s 64 counties on the state’s website. These passwords, which are essential for secure system access, were allegedly available to the public without encryption from August until late October 2024.

They have the nerve to tell you that it’s not a security issue that the Colorado Secretary of State’s office had partial passwords to our voting systems online for the world to see.

Are you paying attention yet?

Tina Peters got nine years for sharing the password illegally with… pic.twitter.com/tCprCBCmNz

— Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) October 30, 2024

The Colorado GOP has raised concerns, claiming this potential security breach represents a critical failure in election security measures. In an affidavit received by the organization, it was reported that over 600 passwords were available without any protection, allowing public access to sensitive systems intended to be secure. According to state regulations, these passwords should be maintained securely by election officials.

BREAKING: Colorado’s Democrat Secretary of State reportedly leaked voting machine passwords online, exposing over 600 passwords for machines across 63 of the state’s 64 counties. pic.twitter.com/ljNceoxVft

— The General (@GeneralMCNews) October 29, 2024

Critics argue that this security lapse, especially so close to an election, could have compromised the state’s election infrastructure. Although no direct breach has been confirmed, the GOP emphasized that this could pose risks if anyone had downloaded the file. They have requested an immediate response from Griswold’s office.

Colorado Secretary of State posted a spreadsheet with voting system passwords. Watch the entire interview here: pic.twitter.com/DK5Yid6owN

— 🇺🇸 WeAreThe USAPeople 🇺🇸 (@spizeysistaTX) October 30, 2024

In response, a spokesperson for Griswold said the office acted swiftly once the issue was identified. They informed the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and took the file offline. Officials assured the public that election machines require in-person access for passwords to be used, which they argue limits potential misuse.

BREAKING: Colorado voting machine passwords were LEAKED online by the Democrat Secretary of State. Specifically, over 600 passwords for machines in 63 of the state’s 64 counties were posted for anyone to see

"BIOS passwords are highly confidential, allowing broad access for… pic.twitter.com/tPllgTsCUq

— George (@BehizyTweets) October 29, 2024

Matt Crane, a former Republican clerk and current head of the Colorado Clerks Association, confirmed the importance of secure password storage but downplayed the risk to vote security. “This is concerning, but it’s not a direct path to vote tampering,” he explained. The Colorado GOP has asked Griswold’s office for guarantees that new passwords have been set and for proof of enhanced security measures.