Two senior Democratic lawmakers have written to Department of Homeland Security officials requesting the restoration of election security funding that Congress appropriated in the fiscal year 2026 budget passed in April. Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York directed their letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and CISA acting head Nick Anderson, expressing urgency given that midterm elections are scheduled to occur in two months.
The lawmakers specifically highlighted gaps in funding for the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, a resource that previously provided free services to state, local, tribal and territorial election offices. After funding reductions in March 2025, the center transitioned to a paid membership model, which the lawmakers argue disadvantages under-resourced communities unable to afford such costs. The center historically supplied intelligence to election officials about methods used by bad actors to target election infrastructure.
Padilla and Morelle cited multiple emerging threats to election security, including ongoing international conflicts, increasing cyberattacks against American critical infrastructure, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. They specifically referenced current tensions with Iran, which has conducted sophisticated cyberattacks, as well as capabilities held by Russia, China, and other state and non-state actors. While large-scale voting machine compromises have not occurred, the lawmakers noted that hack-and-leak operations and disinformation campaigns on social media platforms have received significant attention and influenced media coverage.
The lawmakers also raised concerns about staffing reductions within CISA, noting the removal of hundreds of personnel and the administration’s efforts to reduce the agency’s overall budget. They argued these cuts undermine the ability to support election security advisory positions across the country. The authors concluded that the failure to distribute congressionally directed funds represents a failure to support election jurisdictions nationwide and damages trust with election officials ahead of the upcoming elections.
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