▶ 0:09:43The committee on house administration will come to order. The title of today's hearing is examining best practices for strengthening election security. I note that a quorum is present. Without objection, the chair may declare a recess at any time. Also, without objection, the hearing record will remain open for five legislative days, so members may submit any materials they wish to be included therein. Thank you, ranking member sewell, members of the committee and our witnesses for participating in today's hearing.
▶ 0:10:13Today, the subcommittee on elections will discuss the different ways that states can strengthen election security. The best practices that will cover today include enhancements to physical security and to cyber security. Addressing potential vulnerabilities improves voter experience and voter confidence. Preparation and resilience strengthens the integrity of our election systems because it prevents an issue before it arises.
▶ 0:10:41I look forward to discussing best practices for securing elections and how congress can be supporting those efforts. I'd first like to highlight the different resources the federal government makes available to elections administrators for election security. The resources include federal grants, testing programs, and guidance from the election assistance commission. One great example is the eac's election supporting technology evaluation program, or istep.
▶ 0:11:10This program offers voluntary security standards and evaluations for non voting systems like poll books, election day reporting systems, or other election supporting systems not covered by the voluntary voting system guidelines. The eac's voluntary voting system guidelines serve as a baseline certification for new voting systems to evaluate functionality, accessibility and security.
▶ 0:11:34There's also great work that many states and localities are doing on their own to enhance security and protect against threats to their elections. For example, in 2024, the university of south florida hosted a cyber tabletop exercise with county supervisors of elections, the fbi and local law enforcement to strategize responses to potential threats to election cybersecurity to quickly disseminate information about cyber threats.
▶ 0:12:02North dakota uses a whole of government approach, which allows agencies, cities, counties, and localities to have access to the same statewide system. In north carolina, the national guard and state emergency management agency work collaboratively to monitor and respond to cyber threats to respond to physical threats.
▶ 0:12:24Several states have implemented common sense integrity measures like tamper seals for ballots, monitoring systems, and backup power sources at polling locations. What's great about these physical security upgrades is that hava grants can be used for this exact purpose. I am very interested in hearing more about how these grants are administered, and what the results of past grants have been in states across america.
▶ 0:12:50Another important measure that increases voter experience and voter confidence is access for election observers. The committee on house administration deploys congressional staff to serve as election observers for U.S. house races and ensure elections are run in a secure manner. State parties and individual candidates also deploy observers because their presence at polling places builds trust with voters and allows for the rapid flow of information to necessary parties.
▶ 0:13:18While no two states administer their elections the exact same way, one thing should be universal election officials must take a comprehensive approach to administering secure elections. They should consider every factor to minimize security risks. By implementing strong risk management approaches, they not only strengthen election systems, they also build trust and transparency. And when voters feel confident in elections, turnout increases. That's a good thing for our democracy.
▶ 0:13:46The best practices we'll discuss today can help every state improve their election security efforts. I want to thank our witnesses for being here today, and I look forward to our conversation. With that, I yield to ranking member sewell for an opening statement. >> good afternoon everyone. I want to thank chairwoman lee and those witnesses who are gathered here today for your testimony.
▶ 0:14:07As ranking member of the subcommittee, I take very seriously the responsibility that congress holds to our constituents and to the constitution to ensure that our elections are fair and secure. Our elections are the foundation of public trust in self-government. Every american, regardless of race, religion, party, or ideology, deserves confidence that their votes will be counted accurately and that their election will be administered fairly. Yet the threats facing our elections are growing at an alarming pace.
▶ 0:14:39Voters at home see their right to vote targeted, while whether by hostile state legislatures or really aggressive courts. While all election officials face targeted threats from radical groups at home and abroad, moreover, our president and his allies have spread wide, widely spread debunked conspiracy theories and false claims that are designed to undermine our collective belief in democracy.
▶ 0:15:06And now the conservative supreme court recent decision in louisiana versus callais has ignited a fire alarm, a five fire alarm to the votes to the voters of this country. As this hearing occurs, republican state legislatures like mine in alabama and across the south are frantically redrawing jim crow era maps that would erase black political representation at all levels of government.
▶ 0:15:36And as this administration continues to perpetrate the lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, voter suppression and discrimination is at a fever pitch. Just this week, president trump created a taxpayer financed slush fund for january 6th. Insurrectionists who violently tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election. I think this is hypocrisy at its highest degree.
▶ 0:16:01We are here today doing important work to guarantee that election workers have the financial resources they need to do their jobs effectively, all while this president is paying out to people who committed horrendous, heinous crimes. Money out of taxpayers dollars. During a moment of incredible political turmoil.
▶ 0:16:24Election officials across the country are being asked to administer elections while republican state legislatures change the rules of the game in their. In their scramble to consolidate power. Our election officials must navigate these changes while also suffering from inconsistent and often inadequate funding streams.
▶ 0:16:43In my home state of alabama, local election administrators and county officials are responsible for running elections across 67 counties, often with constrained budgets and outdated equipment that must still meet modern security standards. Federal support through the help america vote act has helped alabama and other states improve voting systems, strengthen cyber security, and modernize election administration.
▶ 0:17:11Since congress passed that act, billions of dollars have been distributed nationwide to support election administration improvements. But even that funding has not been enough. Additional sustained federal funding would provide alabama and other states with much needed assistance to better support county elections. Congress has a responsibility to act before vulnerabilities become crisis. The cost of prevention is far lower than the cost of repairing public trust.
▶ 0:17:39Our democracy is one of the most important institutions we have, not just as members of congress, but as american citizens. Future generations will judge whether we meet this moment in american history with resolve. As primary elections are currently underway and we are getting closer to the midterm elections, americans must know that our elections will be fair and secure. Let us stand up for democracy. Let us stand up for the truth. Uh. Voters and the power of the ballot depend upon it.
▶ 0:18:08Let us provide every state with the tools, resources, and sustained federal support necessary to protect the sacred right to vote. I look forward to the hearing, hearing from our witnesses today, as well as the work that this committee, this important subcommittee, will continue to provide. I want to thank chairwoman lee and yield back the balance of my time. >> without objection, all other members opening statements will be made part of the hearing record.
▶ 0:18:35If they are submitted to the committee clerk by 5 p.m. Today. Today we have one witness panel. I will now introduce our witnesses. First, we have election assistance commission chairman tom thomas hicks. Next, we have ec vice chair christy mccormick. We also have the third ec commissioner, benjamin hovland. And finally, we have former ec commissioner don palmer.
▶ 0:19:02Each witness will have five minutes to provide an opening statement. I now recognize chairman hicks for the purpose of giving an opening statement. >> thank you, chairwoman. I ask that my full statement be accepted into the record. So ordered.
▶ 0:19:22Chairwoman lee, ranking member sewell and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you to discuss the election security work of the united states election assistance commission as an independent, bipartisan agency, the eac often offers trusted sources for the ground grounded in federal law and responsive to the practical realities of state and local election officials. We appreciate the subcommittee's important oversight and your close engagement with the eac.
▶ 0:19:53Election officials have been the first line of defense against escalating security threats and cannot be expected to defend their election systems alone. These are our neighbors, pta members, and part of our congregations armed not with guns or bullets, but with the law in the constitution.
▶ 0:20:09Many officials describe their work as increasingly technical and security focused, even though they do not have dedicated cyber security personnel in their budgets have been remained stagnant in recent years. The demand for assistance has grown significantly since the establishment of the agency.
▶ 0:20:28Under the help america vote act, the eac has engaged with officials from jurisdictions of all sizes to support ongoing election security work spanning four core areas physical security, cyber security, personal security and contingency management. Election officials work daily to meet the demands of an increasingly complex security environment. As a public profile of elections have grown, election infrastructure has become an active target for a broad range of bad actors.
▶ 0:20:58Physical security and cyber security measures focus on the protection of infrastructure and the backbone of election security. These measures include chain of custody, bipartisan teams, and protections against phishing and other cyber attacks.
▶ 0:21:14Election officials across the country have also grown faced a growing number of threats to personal safety, including swatting incidents, suspicious packages and bomb hoax threats targeting election officials and polling places.
▶ 0:21:28Even yesterday, with the incident that happened in pennsylvania, a 2024 national survey of election officials found a third have experienced harassment in connection to their work, while half knew of someone who had left the profession due to safety concerns. The eac has helped to facilitate a sharing of best practices between state, local and federal government partners to improve the overall security of U.S. elections.
▶ 0:21:56These efforts promote safe, secure, accurate and accessible elections for every voter while we offer online and in-person training on topics such as chain of custody, physical security of election facilities and contingency planning for many jurisdictions, especially smaller and rural offices, these trainings are the only source of nationally recognized nonpartisan election security guidance so far.
▶ 0:22:23More than 7000 officials across who serve more than 100 million voters have participated in eac training. This direct, no cost support represents about $1.6 million in savings for local offices. One of our most popular resources is the election scenario test decks, which provide real world scenarios to election officials so they can use to participate in training and evaluate their incident response.
▶ 0:22:53To date, more than 5500 decks have been distributed nationwide. The common thread through all the work is the human element. Election officials are the best tool for ensuring elections are secure. While hava was enacted with security in mind, the threat landscape and the presence of malicious actors has grown.
▶ 0:23:12Today, state and local officials are incorporating cybersecurity protections and physical security measures into nearly every aspect of election administration, even under significant staffing and funding constraints. For the united states to continue to be a world leader in election best practices, the federal government must support and invest in our election infrastructure. I have full faith and confidence in election officials to carry out their duties.
▶ 0:23:42The eac will remain dedicated. The eac will remain a dedicated federal partner through 2026 and beyond. So thank you for convening this important hearing and for your ongoing support. I look forward to continuing our work for the american people, and I'm here to answer questions you may have. Thank you. >> I now recognize vice chair mccormack for the purpose of giving an opening statement.
▶ 0:24:13>> chairwoman lee, ranking member sewell, and members of the subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today. I welcome the chance to highlight the ongoing work of the election assistance commission, the eac, to bolster election security. This hearing demonstrates your commitment to election integrity across america, and we thank you for your efforts. The eac partners with states to support secure, effective administration of federal elections.
▶ 0:24:38Strong election security depends on proven practices like pre-election testing, auditing, and paper ballots, along with constant vigilance against evolving threats through practical tools, best practices, and direct support, the eac helps election administrators protect the systems and processes that sustain public confidence in our democracy.
▶ 0:25:01During the 2020 midterms and beyond, hava funds help states in this endeavor by allowing them to invest in security resources that strengthen election infrastructure. Grant reports show that states use funds to support sustainable security practices such as network monitoring, endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, automatic system backups, physical security, and cyber security efforts.
▶ 0:25:26Over the past year, the eac election technology office modernized the nation's voting system infrastructure by certifying two voting systems to the latest voluntary voting system guidelines, vvsg 2.0, and we have five additional systems under test.
▶ 0:25:42Some of the enhanced security requirements of vvsg 2.0 include use of paper ballots, increased support for auditing, improved cybersecurity requirements like air gapped systems, enhanced access controls, and secure system updates, upgraded physical standards, limiting unauthorized access and what can be connected to the systems, and preventing undetectable changes in the software that could alter results.
▶ 0:26:08Vvsg 2.0 also emphasizes transparency, reflecting what election officials are already doing to secure systems and managing risk through measures like tamper evident seals, two person integrity, chain of custody procedures and continuity planning. The testing and certification division has also drafted vvsg 2.1.
▶ 0:26:30This initiative reflects the agency's commitment to continual improvement of election systems and the modernization of guidance centered around election integrity. Realizing the value that the vvsg certification process has provided a value to states, the eac launched the election supporting technology evaluation program, or step, in 2023.
▶ 0:26:52This started a focused eac effort to research best practices around election supporting technologies that are used year round, such as electronic poll books, electronic ballot delivery, voter registration and election night reporting systems. In may 2024, the eac launched the nation's first federal voluntary electronic public certification program. The program has already certified three systems with two more systems under test.
▶ 0:27:16The value of this process is proven by the fact that just weeks after certifying the first electronic poll book system, north carolina adopted the agency certification requirements for its own certification program. As jurisdictions continue to modernize their equipment, the eac is analyzing emerging election technologies and translating those findings into practical guidance such as list maintenance grants and physical security.
▶ 0:27:42In all of this, we strive to be transparent while ensuring the safety of all involved in the electoral process, from administrators to poll workers to observers with security top of mind for election officials, the eac will continue to move forward in our work to protect the election infrastructure that supports america's representative democracy. We are a small agency, but one exclusively devoted to fulfilling the promise of the help america vote act and meeting the evolving needs of election administration across the country.
▶ 0:28:10Thank you for your support of the eac and your tireless commitment to state and local election officials, and to election integrity. We look forward to collaborating with you on these and other important matters, and I would be pleased to respond to any questions that you have. Thank you. >> I now recognize commissioner hovland for the purpose of giving an opening statement. >> thank you.
▶ 0:28:32Thank you, chairwoman lee, ranking member sewell and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you to discuss this important topic and the work of the us election assistance commission. When congress created the a c with the help america vote act of 2002, it charged the agency with a clearinghouse function to look at best practices across the nation.
▶ 0:28:56The eac has embraced this part of our mission in recent years, particularly as election administration has evolved. My colleagues and I work with state and local election officials from all 50 states, five territories, and the district of columbia. From that experience, I can confidently say that no one cares more about the security and integrity of our elections than the americans who run them.
▶ 0:29:20The challenges faced by election officials today would have seemed nearly unimaginable to the officials serving when hava passed. The reality is that administering elections is harder and more expensive than it has ever been before. Our state and local election officials do an amazing job with limited resources.
▶ 0:29:40In the years since, hava, congress has provided significant funding which helps support essential aspects of elections such as secure and accessible voter registration, accurate ballot tabulation, auditable results and safe and secure election facilities. Federal funding, however, has covered less than 5% of the estimated total cost of running elections during that time.
▶ 0:30:06Similarly, the eac tries to help fill some of those gaps but is often limited by our level of funding. Last fiscal year, the eac saw a 15% reduction in agency funding at a time when demand has only increased. We've been doing our best to respond by sharing best practices, creating resources that help election officials, and offering technical assistance where possible.
▶ 0:30:32In fact, this past month we held meetings with our advisory boards made up of election officials from across the country and other key stakeholders. We heard resounding enthusiasm for the eac's work and the direction we are heading. But the agency is nearing a point where funding cuts will impact what we can accomplish and the support we can provide election officials, especially related to election security.
▶ 0:30:58My colleagues spoke about our election technology and field services team. They are doing amazing work, but they're a team of only ten people with over 8000 election jurisdictions in the united states. There are limits to our capacity, but not to our desire, our commitment. We continue to work creatively and thoughtfully to respond to election officials needs.
▶ 0:31:21We are piloting a number of efforts, including those to enhance election security and technology in a way that informs future programs and allows for rapid scaling if appropriate funding is provided. This is also part of why we designed the eac's learning lab to release new content on a rolling basis and provide asynchronous trainings accessible to election officials anywhere in the country at no cost.
▶ 0:31:50Additionally, one of the agency's most significant accomplishments was the development and adoption of the 2.0 version of the voluntary voting system guidelines. As vice chair mccormick noted, there are now two systems certified to this standard and five more in the testing process.
▶ 0:32:07A report that we shared with congress this week notes that much of the voting equipment in the in use is nearing the end of their recommended lifespans, and conservatively estimates a cost of $2.7 billion for jurisdictions across the country. To make this transition. I mentioned this because we must consistently invest in our election administration infrastructure.
▶ 0:32:32Too often, we're bailed out by the innovation and hard work of the public servants that run our elections. Many seasoned election officials have left the profession, taking with them valuable institutional knowledge to fully meet the challenges of this moment and ensure our elections remain secure. There needs to be greater support for elections at the local, state and federal levels. We know this investment matters.
▶ 0:32:58Since 2018, states report using hava security grants to replace paperless voting systems, hardened statewide voter registration databases, increased cyber security training, and enhanced physical security. Many of these improvements to election security were made possible because of the federal funding and congressional support at the eac. We are committed to continuing to do everything we can to ensure elections are safe, secure, accurate and accessible.
▶ 0:33:28Thank you for the opportunity to testify about our work and the challenges facing election officials. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. >> I now recognize former commissioner Mr. palmer for the purpose of giving an opening statement. >> thank you. Thank you, chairwoman lee and ranking member sewell.
▶ 0:33:48As you know, I recently moved to the heritage foundation as a senior legal fellow for election integrity, and the views expressed today are my own and shouldn't be reflected on the heritage foundation, but I really do appreciate the opportunity to talk about cybersecurity in the election, security of the voting systems and the election systems that we use. Election officials use. Uh, we want them to be able to concentrate on administering the election and not worried about the back end security of those systems.
▶ 0:34:18And that's why, um, I really appreciate the work that my colleagues to my right have done over the last decade. But as I sit back and I think about, um, you know, since I've moved on, what are some of the recommendations that I would provide to the committee? And I, I have a few, um, I would, number one, support the existing secure it concept that would add a formal vulnerability testing program.
▶ 0:34:46Um, there's great work that's done on the testing of voting systems. Um, but there needs to be, um, we need to add to that concept. The security act was made a part of the national defense authorization act. It required, uh, penetration testing. Um, and it was the first step to simulate real world attacks on election systems and voting systems that where you tabulate votes. Um, unfortunately, there was no appropriation attached. And obviously that's going to slow the work.
▶ 0:35:16Um, and in my mind, things need to be going quicker, not slower. Um, the work is way too slow to stay ahead of our adversaries in this area. Um, the window to secure elections and increase voter confidence. It's urgent on your mind. That window could be closing. And that's why this is the most rapid approach using a vulnerability testing program. Um, to, to do that.
▶ 0:35:39So, um, I think there should be a fully funded vulnerability testing program that should be the highest priority and that every voting machine needs to go through that process. The second, um, recommendation is that we heard a lot of great information on the step program, both from the chair and from the eac commissioners. Uh, that's a very positive program that really should be expanded.
▶ 0:36:07Um, the congress should look at expanding that. There's huge success stories with the certification of electronic poll books. That's been a concern of the congress for a number of years. And now there's actually a functioning program with systems being reviewed that should be expanded. Third recommendation I would make is that we prioritize voter registration system security and modernization.
▶ 0:36:31Um, as, as the committee is aware, um, voter registration system is really one of the core functions of the help america vote act. Um, it holds all the voter registration data of the, of the citizens that will vote. And we want to make sure that's secure and it's accurate. So there has been bipartisan concern over the years over the security of those voter registration systems, both in the congress and from outside groups.
▶ 0:36:58Um, and even more so, there's been documented instances of vulnerabilities being identified and those and those vulnerabilities being exploited. Now we know, and most of the breaches of voter registration system that's outward facing to the internet doesn't necessarily mean results are going to be changed. But the impact on the on the public could be, uh, very negative. And so we need to do everything we can.
▶ 0:37:26I say we, the country needs to be what we can to secure those voter registration systems. Um, but I can tell you right now, we are not doing everything we can. We should be doing everything we can, but we are not doing everything we can. My next recommendation is that we encourage coordination between the federal partners and the eac.
▶ 0:37:49Um, that just makes a lot of sense that there be a share of responsibilities on coordination that would save tax dollar money. Um, cisa has reduced its footprint in elections, but election officials want more election focus on the products. And I think the eac realizes that and has tried to step up to the plate and provide scenario training and coordination with other federal partners.
▶ 0:38:13So I think targeted funding to the eac, which would allow additional coordination, would be helpful and provide additional cybersecurity offerings at our election. Related. My last recommendation is obviously, local governments and local law enforcement are the most critical aspect of of physical security of local election officials. Um, the fbi has really stepped up with trainings and, and significant trainings, particularly on bomb threats, for example.
▶ 0:38:43So how can congress help? I would just use you one example, targeted assistance to increase the accessibility of polling places. That was a congressional initiative. And I think the same can be done for the physical security of polling places and election offices. Thank you. >> thank you. I'll now begin our questions today, followed by the ranking member. I now recognize myself for the purpose of witness questions.
▶ 0:39:12Chairman hicks, I will begin with you. From 2020 to 2023, the largest share of election security grants were disbursed for cyber security. Can you share with us some of the uses of those grant funds, and your assessment of whether that investment in cyber security was valuable? >> thank you. Chairwoman, I do believe that that investment was valuable.
▶ 0:39:39I the one criticism I would have is that it was not enough. Um, the fact is that most of these jurisdictions use this money to protect I, I t systems against foreign attacks. I don't want to remind the um committee how we are in conflict now with a very dangerous adversary. And that adversary attacked our systems back in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
▶ 0:40:08Um, that's nothing that's secretive to anyone. Uh, there are also other foreign actors that are out there who want to do us harm. Uh, so we provided the, um, jurisdictions with, with money for, to strengthen and harden their systems, but that was not enough. Um, they've updated their voting systems in some jurisdictions. They've improved the accuracy of their voting rolls, um, and other activities as well.
▶ 0:40:33But I do believe that, um, in order to ensure that we, um, combat this foreign threat over and over again, more resources will be needed. Thank you. >> and in 2024, the eac authorized the use of grants for physical security. Can you share with us some of the expenses that would be covered under that new guidance?
▶ 0:40:57>> so, um, I believe we also authorized things in 2022 for the personal safety of election officials overall, similar to what congress did, um, to ensure that, that their members remain secure, um, and safe.
▶ 0:41:11Um, so in 2024, we basically offered more trainings for, for election officials, but we also ensured that they can use this to upgrade systems that they have, um, basically harden those systems, whether or not that's two step authentication or other aspects as well. >> and vice chair mccormick, you discussed vvsg 2.0 during your testimony.
▶ 0:41:40Would you share with us some of the key distinctions between 2.0 and 1.0? >> yes. Thank you for the question, chairwoman. Um, vvsg 2.0 includes major improvements to cybersecurity guidelines, including requiring air gapping from any kind of public network. Uh, we have, uh, prohibited wireless technology in the machines.
▶ 0:42:05We've also provided that there must be multi-factor authentication for all the systems. Uh, another thing we have done is that we've required physical security and data protection requirements. Uh, those are, uh, strengthened significantly, uh, to make sure that there's no intrusion on the systems that cannot be detected. And as well, that goes to, uh, our software independence, which is now required. Uh, software independence, uh, helps us identify whether there's been any compromise to the systems.
▶ 0:42:34We also now are requiring penetration penetration testing before the systems even come in for test. Uh, so we've done a number of upgrades to the vvsg 2.0. Uh, as I said, we have two systems that have gone through this process and have been certified by the eac. Now, uh, those are now hitting the market for the first time.
▶ 0:42:54We have, uh, five systems under test, and we're also looking to upgrade, uh, from 2.0 to 2.1 and looking at things such as barcodes and wireless technology and other other ways we might be able to continue to strengthen the security aspects of our guidelines. >> Mr.
▶ 0:43:15Palmer, you just mentioned during your testimony you you gave several really interesting recommendations, uh, but one related to helping state and local officials with cyber security. You touched on the, the evolving role of cisa, uh, where cisa has a reduced footprint in the elections arena. Is there another agency? Is it the eac? Do you think there is another entity that could step up to help? Or would your recommendation be that cisa reengage in a different way?
▶ 0:43:48>> thank you, madam chair. I, I, I think that it is reducing its footprint and, uh, the eac, because it's the agency that focuses on elections primarily or solely in its core mission, that we have a responsibility to provide services across the board to election officials and so many of those services, um, have been picked up by the eac. Sometimes it's the federal agency coordination or it's, um, trainings that have been going on across the country.
▶ 0:44:18Um, and discussions with cisa that I've had, um, those services are still available. Sometimes I think the eac could serve as a translator and work with, as a, um, in coordination with ses to provide those services because um, election officials like it, they like to have election centric services. Eac has former election officials that serve on it. Many of its commissioners have been involved in elections.
▶ 0:44:43Um, and so a very professional group of former election officials that can, you know, sort of translate for the rest of the federal government what we, they, they want from the federal government. So, um. >> thank you, Mr. palmer. We're out of time. I now recognize the ranking member, uh, for five minutes. >> thank you, madam chair. Again, I want to thank all of our witnesses for your testimony.
▶ 0:45:07You know, I truly believe and we've hear over and over again in this subcommittee that we're not funding the election assistance commission and election security and integrity infrastructure. Enough. And I wanted to ask you, chair hicks, um, I know that administering the federal election security grants is one of the biggest responsibilities that you all have. Uh, and I might correct.
▶ 0:45:33Am I correct that the congress has gone from providing a high of 425 million in recent years to a low of 15,000,000 in 2025 in those grants. >> yes, you are correct, ranking member. >> and so how has that decreased? That's a big decrease. How has it manifested itself in our states? What are you seeing in terms of what um, is not going uh, funded that should be going funded because of this reduction.
▶ 0:46:04>> states are, um, basically trying to make sure that the federal government pays its fair share in terms of having the biggest footprint on the ballot and so forth for elections overall. But I believe that election, the, um, officials that I've talked to have said that they or are going to have to cut back on a few things in order to ensure that things remain safe and secure for the elections moving forward.
▶ 0:46:32>> uh, miss mccormick, um, I know that we, uh, appropriated about $45 million in 2026, and I'm hearing from lots of secretaries of state that that's simply not enough. Um, and directly from election administrators that that's simply not enough. What are you seeing is going undone because of the decrease in the amount of funding? >> so, uh, $45 million has to be distributed between the 50 states and the territories. And so. >> that turns out to be about what, 200,000 per state?
▶ 0:47:04>> I'm sorry. >> that 45 million turns out to be about $250,000 per state. I mean, the total is 45 million, right? >> right. It's it's a minimum amount of money. And states can't use that money to do things like purchase new voting systems, which a lot of them are in the position of needing to do at this point to strengthening the systems that they already have to provide training for their personnel. Uh, they need to do physical security as well.
▶ 0:47:30Physical barriers, uh, cameras, uh, card readers, uh, secure transportation for voting systems and ballots, uh, cybersecurity risk assessments, uh, incident response, uh, threat testing, threat threat monitoring and social media. And again, securing their voter registration systems. >> and all of that costs money, right? >> yes it does. And right now, we're not funding just a drop in the bucket. >> yeah. Um, you know, Mr.
▶ 0:48:00Palmer, you, um, I know you're a former commissioner, but, um, I think hindsight's 2020 vision. Right. So, um, what would you recommend to, uh, this committee and to congress in terms of funding adequately funding, uh, the commission and what do you see as the biggest threat? >> well, if we're talking about the commission, I think that, um, many of the programs that we've talked about, like the step program and the vulnerability testing program, there's already a framework to do that.
▶ 0:48:29The congress has set that up. Um, we're, I mean, I know the. >> are we funding it? >> no, it's not being funded. And, um, it's coming out of the nickels and dimes that we're funding in the eac is funding in the sofa trying to keep that alive. And so I just think that, um, that's a critical piece of national security vulnerability testing. Um, that it, it just makes a lot of sense. Um, it's a, it's an investment for the rest of the election community, a very small investment that would have huge dividends.
▶ 0:49:00>> absolutely. Um, commissioner hovland um, what would you say is the, the most essential, um, function that the commission runs and whether and, and how do you see the reduced funding affecting that mission? >> uh, thank you for the question, ranking member. I think that, uh, you know, again, we have our four core mission areas, but as we look to expand the clearinghouse function as well as our election technology initiatives, there is really a need.
▶ 0:49:29Again, we've provided information to congress to appropriations on how many of these programs are sort of ready and turnkey, because we've done pilots, because we have done the work to see how best to spend this money and how it can have an immediate impact. Uh, and again, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, when you look at the 8000 jurisdictions across the country, really the scale that we're talking about is significant. Uh, and so right now.
▶ 0:49:56>> do you think that $250,000 is enough per state to be able to adequately fund elections. >> on the grant side? Uh, again, I don't think that's sufficient. I know from election officials that every every dollar matters. But again, when you're talking about capital purchases, whether that's replacing voting equipment or upgrading the security of statewide voter registration databases, uh, you know, one of the things that we often hear about from congress is the unspent funds. And often when the amounts are lower, uh, they're waiting.
▶ 0:50:26The states are waiting to make those capital purchases, like replacing their statewide voter registration database or making those significant investments. >> uh, madam chair, thanks for indulging me for going a little over.
▶ 0:50:38I would like to request unanimous consent to submit for the record a letter from 84 voting, civil rights, faith, labor, environmental and disability rights organizations led by the southern poverty law center and the leadership conference that call on congress to allocate to allocate considerably more funding for election administration in fy 27. >> without objection. So ordered. Thanks. I now recognize the gentleman from north carolina, Mr.
▶ 0:51:05Murphy, for five or doctor murphy for five minutes. >> thank you, madam chairman. They gave me a cheat sheet for your names because I'm too old and I can't read everybody's name down there. Um, thank you very much for convening this, uh, the committee subcommittee hearing, obviously, this is a bipartisan issue we want people to have access to, uh, to what is a tremendous, uh, right that we're given here in the united states to vote. And we want to make sure that they're safe and secure. I was just reading, I was not aware of what happened in pennsylvania.
▶ 0:51:34So thankfully nobody was injured. I would like to go just a little bit quick off script, um, to ask Mr. or Mr. palmer rather about what, what, what's the deal going on with maryland? My understanding is they sent out 500 wrong mail in ballots. Oops. >> well, I mean, I saw some of the conversation about that, sir. And I would say that, um, you know, it's a mistake. It's just cannot happen. That type of mistake cannot happen. >> 500 000.
▶ 0:52:05>> it's a lot sir. And it's a, it's a, it's a very, um it's a huge mistake. I know the people that, you know, and then obviously you can point at the vendor and say, well, the vendor made the mistake, but the buck stops with the election officials. Exactly. And I, and I, you know, I, I have sympathy for them. I've been in a position where one mistake can have an impact on election, but it's that type of thing that hurts confidence.
▶ 0:52:30And so, um, I, I have, um, I have hope that continued training and professional training will, um, you know, sort of. >> this is where again, this committee and congress, it's better, you know, one way or the other, it's supposed to provide oversight. And their response is, well, we'll send another 500 000 out. What could go wrong there? Now it's just it just shows that there are problems with our election system and it's okay for us to question it. It's okay for us to do due diligence on these type of things. So, um, that's just amazed me.
▶ 0:52:58I've known some patients of mine who've come in and said they got mail in ballots and they've got them for people that lived in their residence three and four years or five times before. So they're obviously problems that go along with this. I want to talk a little bit about cybersecurity. We live in a world of digital world where now there's ai, there's quantum physics that are pushing out insane amount of data and, um, really jeopardizing our systems. We live in a dangerous time there world. There are enemies that want to destabilize, divide us at home.
▶ 0:53:27We've seen this in so many different instances. So, uh, commissioner hovland, I just want to ask about the a c um, how does it work to stay informed of the constantly evolving cyber threats? What does it do to not only figure these out, but also to communicate to, you know, state and local levels to, to, to make sure that people know what's going on. >> thank you for the question. Uh, you know, it is a real challenge.
▶ 0:53:52Often one of the biggest challenges when you talk about the, uh, the scope and scale of 8000 plus jurisdictions across the country is communicating to that last mile. Uh, one of the ways that we've been doing that, we communicate a number of things, but, but really so much on cyber security is about the basics. You know, even when we look at threats from artificial intelligence and ai, so much of the prevention comes down to being good at the basics.
▶ 0:54:19And so that's why we address that with both resources that we provide, uh, various, uh, you know, training guides, etc. But also, uh, pieces of our learning lab, uh, some of the trainings in that platform, uh, walk through best practices. And again. >> you guys communicate state and local as literally as currently. How often do you guys do that? What is your relationship with those folks?
▶ 0:54:45>> uh, we have regular contact with election officials all across the country and a number of. >> regular contact me. >> uh, every day. Uh, you know, again, it depends, but we have a monthly newsletter, uh, dedicated to election officials. We have a platform to communicate with election officials, our board meetings that I mentioned earlier, or have state and local officials from every state and territory in the country. Uh, and so through those processes, we get very widespread feedback. Small jurisdictions, large jurisdictions, state officials, local officials.
▶ 0:55:14And that really helps inform our work and makes it better. >> okay, great. Mr. hicks, just one question. And because I never understand what I don't know what the answer to this is. When people say pay their fair share, I've never had an idea when, you know, taxation, this, that and the other stuff, how much is, in your opinion, should the federal government be paying versus what should the state be paying as far as elections? What is the fair share number? >> that's a hard question to answer, congressman. >> but you're the one that brought it up.
▶ 0:55:43>> but yep, yep, I agree, I agree. Uh, but I would say that elections overall cost close to $6 billion, uh, per election cycle. I think adding two years ago for the congress to appropriate 15 million is not enough. So, um, if, if I had my druthers, I would say the federal government should pay 100% of federal elections. But that's not for me to decide. That's, um, a member that's for congress to decide. So fair share, I think is, is a significant amount.
▶ 0:56:13>> okay. All right. Thank you, madam chairman, I yield back. >> I now recognize the gentlelady from illinois, miss miller, for five minutes. Thank you, chairwoman lee, for hosting this important hearing. And to the witnesses for taking time to be here.
▶ 0:56:42American citizens deserve secure elections and to know that their votes are guaranteed. They're tired of fraud, and their faith in our elections is dwindling. We all know the democrats want to cheat by not passing the save america act, but I will continue to fight every day to get that piece of legislation to the president's desk.
▶ 0:57:06In this committee, we passed hr 8721, the preventing foreign interference in american elections act that makes important changes to our election laws by prohibiting foreign nationals from funding ballot harvesting and ballot collection efforts. This common sense bill put forth by my colleague will help the american people gain confidence in their elections, while curbing foreign influence that seeks to undermine our institutions.
▶ 0:57:36I look forward to the continuing good work that this committee is doing, and my first question is for Mr. hicks. What steps has the ec taken in an effort to mitigate illegal voting by non-citizens? >> congresswoman, um states run the elections and it's illegal for non-citizens to vote.
▶ 0:58:00And so what we do is we we don't play an active role into who can vote and who can't vote. The eligibility of the vote voters relies on the states, right? >> it's illegal for them to vote it. Correct. It's illegal for illegals to vote. So my question is, what steps has the ec taken to make sure that illegals are not voting in our elections? Non-citizens are not voting in our elections.
▶ 0:58:31>> the ec does not run elections, so we can't do anything to ensure that that's a state issue. >> you should be taking steps, though, to mitigate illegal voting by non-citizens. And also, if you want the federal government to pick up the tab for elections, then maybe the federal government could say, you have to have a photo id and you have to be a us citizen. Mr.
▶ 0:58:56Palmer, how does poll worker training contribute to election integrity and voter confidence? And what does poll worker training look like? >> poll worker training is, uh, I mean, that is the front lines of, of, of helping voters cast a ballot. And so that poll worker training is imperative. And it's, what it really means is officials at the county office and as well as other poll workers who are long term, have served a long time.
▶ 0:59:26They provide guidance and the different missions that take place inside a polling place. If it's confirming the identity of someone, if it's getting them the right ballot, making sure that there's a calm and no chaos in the polling place. That's the importance of a poll worker. >> I'm just curious, what how do you train a poll worker to, um, keep non-citizens from voting when they don't have to show an id?
▶ 0:59:54>> well, poll workers, um, they're going to follow the rules of the jurisdiction. It's up to us as the policy makers. Uh, it's up to up to the congress to set the rules. The state legislature set the rules of the eligibility of who's going to be casting a ballot. We expect the poll workers to follow the instruction of of the legislature. And so in some ways, I don't want to put that onus on them. They'll they'll follow the rules and procedures that's provided to them. >> which is why it's so important that we pass the save america act.
▶ 1:00:23Miss mccormick, as jurisdictions modernize their elections, what steps can they take to proactively ensure the security of their systems? >> thank you for the question, congressman miller. Uh, there are a number of things that that election officials can do. First thing that they can do is rigorous testing of the election equipment both before, during, and after an election. They can also engage in stringent auditing practices.
▶ 1:00:52Uh, all states now require the elections to be audited. And we now have 98% of the country using paper ballots. So the best way to do that is to do an eye exam, hand examination of the ballots to make sure that they match the results. I agree with you that we have a crisis in election confidence right now, and we need to be able to, uh, assure our voters that our election outcomes are accurate. They are fair. Uh, they are secure.
▶ 1:01:20Uh, part of that is to allow observers into the polling places to be as transparent as possible, and that are, that are some things that election officials can do to strengthen the, the security and the transparency of our elections. >> and I have to say across the country, democrats and republicans want they want election integrity. They want the, um, people to show voter id and proof of citizenship.
▶ 1:01:49We have to pass, um, our legislation here to require states and local governments to get prove that your U.S. citizens before you're voting. So, um, and with that, I'll yield back. >> I'd like to thank our witnesses for appearing before us today and sharing your experience, your expertise, and your insight.
▶ 1:02:12Members of the committee may have some additional questions for you, and we ask you to please respond to those questions in writing. Without objection, each member will have five legislative days to insert additional material into the record, or to revise and extend their remarks. If there is no further business. I thank the members for their participation and without objection, the committee stands adjourned.