On Election Day, November 5, 2024, Wexford County, Michigan, was hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted essential services across several government offices, including the courthouse and the sheriff’s office. The attack took place early in the morning, leading to outages in phone lines, email, and computer systems, although the county’s 911 emergency services remained fully operational. Wexford County Administrator Joe Porterfield assured residents that election integrity was not impacted, as the breach occurred before any election data arrived at county offices. To safeguard sensitive information, officials disconnected the county's network. Despite the disruptions, county staff continued essential operations, often relying on personal devices to maintain services.
The Michigan State Police (MSP), FBI, Michigan Cyber Civilian Corps (MiC3), and cybersecurity teams are investigating the attack to assess its scope and secure the county's digital infrastructure. As services remain limited and the county's systems are offline, Porterfield confirmed that the county website remains accessible to post election results, as assured by County Clerk Alaina Nyman. The investigation is ongoing, with officials working to understand the attackers' methods and any potential data exposure. Until full connectivity is restored, residents needing in-person services are advised to visit county offices directly.
