Derek Tisler Brennan Center brief:
American elections face increasingly complex cyber and physical security threats from foreign adversaries, emerging technology, and escalating risks of political violence. Fortifying election systems against these threats is essential.
Historically, state and local governments have been responsible for ensuring the integrity of our electoral system, and that remains true. Decentralized election administration has been a significant source of strength for election security.
But over the past decade, federal support has increased as Congress and federal agencies provided state and local officials with funding and expertise and facilitated information sharing on the threat landscape. As security threats continue to evolve and with election officials now operating as frontline national security figures, that support has helped make U.S. election systems more resilient than ever.
However, the incoming Trump administration may roll back federal support for election security, as outlined in Project 2025. Therefore, it is critical that states step up and reclaim additional responsibilities to ensure our electoral system is protected against threats that experts agree are likely to grow in the coming years….