DHS ties states' counterterrorism funding to election security
The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday that states will have to adopt a series of election security measures to receive certain federal homeland security grants, linking counterterrorism funding to election administration.
Under the new guidance, states seeking Homeland Security Grant Program funding must certify that they have implemented what DHS called “common-sense election security measures.”
The agency laid out five eligibility requirements for DHS grants. States must: use the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements or SAVE database to verify voter eligibility, verify the citizenship of poll workers, conduct a manual audit of at least 5% of all ballots cast in federal elections, match the number of ballots to the number of voters, and move away from systems that rely on barcoded ballots. If states do not comply, 20% of the grant amount will be withheld by DHS.
The new safeguards are intended to ensure election integrity, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. States that do not comply risk losing a portion of their grant funding.
“Election security is national security and protecting the Nation’s critical infrastructure is a top priority,” Mullin said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking decisive action to protect election systems from threats like foreign interference, insider threats, and cyberattacks. These new requirements for homeland security grant recipients will preserve election integrity and ensure that Americans can trust the results.”
Tagged: Elections BACK TO HOMEPAGE