Department of Homeland Security Opens New Funding Stream for Election Security in the States; Brennan Center Reacts

Agency requires states to spend at least 3% of their Homeland Security grant funding on protecting elections

State and local election offices to have access to much-needed funding to protect against threats

Today the Department of Homeland Security announced that in fiscal year 2023, states must dedicate at least three percent of federal grant funds they receive through the Homeland Security Grant Program to election security. Plans for spending and using such funds must be developed in consultation with each state’s chief election official. The change in policy means that DHS’ previous recommendation that states prioritize spending some of the grant money on election security is now a requirement. The grant program — which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency with support from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — could provide state and local election offices with tens of millions of dollars to improve security.

Lawrence Norden, senior director of the Elections & Government Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, had the following reaction:

“By opening up this new stream of federal funding, the Department of Homeland Security has thrown a lifeline to election officials around the country. The past few years have been an unprecedented torrent of harassment and threats, and too many election offices lack the resources to fully protect their workers, the voters, and the vote. The funding through the Homeland Security Grant Program will help election officials retain staff who are now fearful for the safety of their coworkers, their families, and themselves. It will also allow officials to increase the resiliency of our election infrastructure, which faces cyberthreats from around the world, including at home.

“This decision by the Department of Homeland Security is a huge step towards protecting elections and the people who keep them fair and free. Still, much more must be done by all levels of government as the 2024 election approaches.”

Resources:

• Estimated Costs for Protecting Election Workers from Threats of Physical Violence (May 2022)
• How Federal Departments and Agencies Can Help Secure America’s Elections (April 2022)
• Local Election Official Survey (March 2022)
• Election officials say democracy is still at risk in 2024: 'The gun is still loaded’ (February 2023)

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