The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is retreating from its prominent election security role ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to current and former agency officials. The shift is expected to reduce the federal government’s capacity to help states respond to voting-system disruptions, online hoaxes and efforts to undermine confidence in the results.
Since 2018, CISA had established a digital and physical operations center for each federal election cycle. The agency used it to exchange intelligence with state and local officials, provide regular updates to reporters and educate the public about foreign disinformation campaigns and the resilience of the U.S. voting system.
This year, CISA is expected to offer only limited support to election officials. An agency spokesperson confirmed Monday that there would be no scheduled briefings with reporters. Many state and local officials, meanwhile, are concerned that the federal government could interfere in election results rather than help protect the voting process.
Geoff Hale, a former senior CISA election security official, described the approach as “the bare minimum.” He said a reduced posture could make it harder to identify problems affecting multiple jurisdictions and to address the national security concerns that previously shaped the agency’s mission.
The change represents a significant departure from CISA’s visible presence during Election Day under both the first Trump administration and the Biden administration. As the cybersecurity arm of the Department of Homeland Security, the agency became a leading federal partner for states after the 2016 election, sharing cybersecurity practices and intelligence about foreign efforts targeting elections.
CISA leaders and election security advisers also worked to establish relationships with Republican, Democratic and nonpartisan officials at the state and local levels. Those efforts helped ease concerns about federal involvement in elections, which the Constitution places under the authority of individual states.
Sources: The New York Times Politics.