Idaho Secretary of State’s offices launches election misinformation reporting tool

The Idaho Secretary of State’s office launched a new web portal Friday that will allow Idahoans to report election-based misinformation ahead of the Nov. 8 general election, according to a press release.

Secretary of State Lawerence Denney encouraged voters in the release to be aware of misinformation and report anything on social media that appears to be inaccurate or misleading, such as election dates, mail-in ballot rules, polling place hours and poll watchers.

Voters can use the web form or email [email protected] with the following information:

• A screenshot of the social media post and the link, if possible
• Your name, role, jurisdiction and email address
• A description of why the information is false, including any applicable laws that may have been violated

“Once misinformation has been reported, our cyber security team will evaluate the information,” Denney said in the release. “If it is determined that the social media post is trying to disenfranchise voters and undermine our democracy, the report will be passed to the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, who will verify the information and forward it to the (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security for further action.”

The release said intelligence officials have warned foreign and domestic actors are spreading misinformation prior to the Nov. 8 election. The website form is intended to provide Idaho voters with one nonpartisan location to report social media posts that are attempting to undermine and discredit Idaho elections.