Election security experts wonder what lies beyond 2018

With just over a month until the midterms, election officials from across the country say they’re more prepared to fend off election security threats thanks to increased partnerships with the federal government and financial assistance from Congress. But without legislation to solidify these newfound intergovernmental relationships, it’s unclear if the developments will hold beyond 2018. At a Wednesday summit on election preparedness hosted by the Election Assistance Commission, election officials from the local, state and federal levels touted the various ways they’ve boosted their security posture. Election offices have been devoting resources toward updating election software and equipment, securing voter registration systems, assessing their vulnerabilities, preparing for ballot audits and other practices. Some of that work has been made possible by a $380 million grant that Congress appropriated earlier this year, under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Officials pointed to that as a good start, but some noted the need for […]

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EAC reassures lawmaker regarding security of voting systems

The top federal authority on elections is seeking to reassure a security-focused lawmaker that it is doing everything in its power to provide state election officials with all available resources in order to secure equipment and computer systems. The heads of the Election Assistance Commission were responding to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who wrote to the EAC in June asking how the agency is coordinating with them about security amid ongoing concerns over foreign election interference. In the response letter obtained by CyberScoop, EAC commissioners Thomas Hicks and Christy McCormick lay out the many ways the commission works with states on election security, including developing testing requirements and voting machine standards, offering guidance for spending federal grants and informing states about services available from other agencies. Earlier this year, Congress allocated $380 million to be split among the states for the sake of improving the administration of elections under the […]

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