SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 16, 2023 – To enhance the County’s cybersecurity systems, the County’s website domain will be transitioning to .gov along with an updated name. The County will be trading ‘www.sanjuanco.com’ for the more official and secure ‘www.sanjuancountywa.gov.’ This change is set to take place by December 1.
“It’s not just a cosmetic change – it’s a step towards bolstering cybersecurity and aligning with new regulations,” said IT Director Tony Harrell. “Studies show that .gov websites help the public identify official, trusted information. Only verified government agencies can register for a .gov domain.”
The shift to a .gov domain will be seamless and should not impact access to the site. A redirect will be used to funnel users from the old domain to the new domain name. The IT department does not anticipate any disruptions to service.
In the coming months, the County will also transition employee emails to mirror the new domain name – for example, firstnamelastinitial@sanjuancountywa.gov. Again, redirects will be used to ensure no emails are lost during the transition. The County’s IT department will provide an update closer to implementation of the new emails.
What does this change mean for website users?
If you’re a San Juan County resident or just a curious internet surfer, this change signals a commitment to online security and a clear signal that the County’s website is a trusted space. The name change isn’t just a trendy update – it’s a digital fortification.
For the next year, users who mistakenly visit the old URL www.sanjuanco.com will automatically be redirected to the new URL. Residents visiting the County website are encouraged to update any ‘bookmarks’ in their browsers with the new URL: www.sanjuancountywa.gov.
Media Contact: Erin Andrews, Communications Coordinator, erina@sanjuanco.com, 360-370-7404
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