Some state election officials have expressed disdain that Congress has yet to set forth federal money that they have come to rely on to cover the cost of securing systems from attacks, updating equipment, and staff training.
Election officials are tasked with a long list of obstacles to overcome this year, including the potential for cyberattacks from foreign operatives, criminal ransomware gangs attacking computer systems, and the growing persistence of election misinformation that has only become more pervasive with the advent of artificial intelligence.
Lack of Federal Election Funds
Jocelyn Benson, the Secretary of State of Michigan, has said that it is "demoralizing and disappointing" that the federal government still has committed to funding portions of this year's presidential election.
"We are managing federal elections that are the foundation of who has power at the federal level and trying to manage a lot of different competing risks and challenges that have only escalated in recent years," said Benson, a Democrat. "It makes us feel like we're on our own."
Since the federal government decided to add voting systems to the list of critical infrastructures in 2016, Congress has sent $995 million to states for election administration and security needs.
The state of Colorado has used the money to develop a system for voters to track ballots and pay for training for election officials. In Florida, officials have designated funds for increased security of the state's voter registration system.
Allocating the Money
Money is being used to replace voting machines and add cybersecurity staffing in other states. The majority of federal funding was dulled out ahead of the 2020 election.
States used that money to sure up cybersecurity defenses and have been all but exhausted since that time. Another $400 million was required to be spent to cover pandemic-related election costs for years ago.
Congress approved another $75 million in December 2022. State allocations ranged from $5.8 million for California to $1 million for Nevada.
"Los Angeles elections alone cost $75 million," said Kathy Boockvar, the former chief elections official in Pennsylvania. "I don't think election officials have had expectations of $400 million. People have hoped for $75 million, and it's unclear whether even that will come."
Budget negotiations on the federal level have been bogged down by partisanship, and most federal agencies are still operating on budgets and spending levels, which were approved in 2023.
Congress has only been able to approve temporary funding plans that only cover a few months at a time. March 1st is the next deadline when the most recent temporary funding plan expires for some departments and a week later for others.
The government is in danger of suffering a potential shutdown if funding is not approved. There's no guarantee of new money for all elections, even if a deal is reached at the last minute.
Last year, House Republicans listed election security grants as "wasteful spending" and did not allocate money for the issue in the proposals. Instead, focusing on legislation that would ban private organizations from providing money to election offices.
"Americans deserve to have confidence in our elections, which means elections should be free from undue private influence," U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, a Wisconsin Republican who chairs the Committee on House Administration, said at a recent hearing.
