How state and federal leaders are protecting ballots in Wisconsin

It is now less than three weeks until Election Day.

State and federal official are watching Wisconsin to make sure your ballot is safe no matter how you choose to vote.

DECISION 20-20 NOW... AND THECOUNTRY'S HEAD OF HOMELANDSECURITY WAS IN THE MILWAUKEEAREA TODAY TALKING ELECTIONSECURITY.OUR REBECCA KLOPFSPOKE WITH HIM... AND STATEELECTION LEADERS ABOUT WHAT'SBEING DONE TO MAKE SURE YOURVOTE IS SECURE.With Wisconsin considered abattleground state in thispresidential election, stateand federal eyes are watchingto make sure your ballot iskept safe no matter how youchoose to vote.

"There is morechallenges this year thanmaybe there has been inprevious years."Because of thecoronavirus pandemic morepeople are choosing absenteevoting than ever beforeaccording to state electionleaders.An NBC News reportfound evidence in 2016 thatRussian hackers compromisedwebsites and voterregistration systems inWisconsin.

Federal officialssay voter registrationdatabases were accessed.

Butstate officials say, no voteswere changed and that voterswere not taken off the rolls.The acting head of the U.S.Department of HomelandSecurity says they have newsecurity measures in place towork with Election officialsin all states includingWisconsin.

"We will have warroom set up as we get closerto Election Day and that realtime communication so if theysay, 'Hey we see somethingfunny going on.'

We have theability to get into theirnetworks very quickly todetermine if that is justnormal just of the mill issueor something more."Concernshave also been raised aboutmail in ballots.

Stateelection officials say theytrack every ballot to a voterboth as it gets sent out andreturned through a database."We have intelligent mail barcodes built in as part of thatprocess so that the voter andthe clerk is able to trackthat through the process."("There is nothing moreimportant.

Sp getting it rightis everything."It is a felonyif you vote twice inWisconsin.

If you are mailingback your ballot, it mustarrive at your local clerk'soffice on or before ElectionDay, Nov.

3rd to count.Reporting in Milwaukee, TMJ4News.