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Maryland officials create rules to ensure more election security

Election night viewers' guide
Posted at 5:15 AM, Feb 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-07 08:25:27-05

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland officials want new rules to require state contractors to notify the state at least 30 days before a company is sold to a foreign entity, a move prompted after state officials learned last summer a Russian oligarch was heavily invested in a company that maintained key parts of the state's election infrastructure.

The three-member Board of Public Works asked board staff to draft the new regulations at a meeting Wednesday.

Gov. Larry Hogan noted that the concerns in Maryland happened after an Annapolis-based company sold partial interest to a company owned by the oligarch.

Maryland is now using a new firm to host elections data. Linda Lamone, the state elections administrator, says Maryland is using Intelishift, a Virginia-based Data center and its subsidiary, The Sidus Group, through Dec. 3.