TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – More than half the federal money the state recently accepted for election security has been spread out to 49 counties.
Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner on Friday announced the award of $10.3 million from the $19.2 million that the Joint Legislative Budget Commission formally accepted from the federal government on July 19.
Lawmakers were urged to accept the money to further secure voting systems targeted by Russian hackers in 2016.
The allocations range from $50,624 for Wakulla County to $1.16 million for Broward County.
Among the counties not on the list were Miami-Dade and Duval.
The Department of State continues to review application from the remaining counties, according to a news release from Gov. Rick Scott’s office.
Counties can use the money for such things as software security upgrades and improving the safety of buildings in which election equipment is stored or used.
The money must be used by the Nov. 6 general election.
Unused money would return to the state, which applied for the federal funding on May 30.
Money will be used by the Department of State, in part, to cover the cost of five cyber-security specialists and voter education.