As a longtime champion for voting rights, Senator Warnock led his colleagues and the Administration in a unifying effort to address voter suppression efforts across the country, specifically in Georgia.

Senators to DHS: “As we work to keep our elections secure and strengthen our democracy’s resilience, these resources will help state and local governments ensure that our elections proceed smoothly in the face of evolving challenges including the rise in threats to election workers and the need to maintain our country’s election infrastructure, which is a matter of national security”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 22 colleagues in calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize funding for election security through DHS’ existing grant programs. 

“We write to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prioritize funding for election security and support for election officials through existing grant programs,” the senators wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly. “As we work to keep our elections secure and strengthen our democracy’s resilience, these resources will help state and local governments ensure that our elections proceed smoothly in the face of evolving challenges including the rise in threats to election workers and the need to maintain our country’s election infrastructure, which is a matter of national security.”

As a longtime voting rights advocate, Senator Warnock led his colleagues and the Administration in a unifying effort to address voter suppression efforts across the country, specifically in Georgia. Senator Warnock is one of the leaders of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, which would restore bedrock voting protections that have been eroded by the U.S. Supreme Court, and ensure that all eligible voters have both access to the ballot and assurance their ballot will be counted.

In addition to Senators Reverend Warnock and Klobuchar, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Dick Durbin (D-IL); Michael Bennet (D-CO); Angus King (I-ME); Peter Welch (D-VT); Elizabeth Warren (D-MA); Chris Coons (D-DE); Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); Tim Kaine (D-VA); Mark Warner (D-VA); Tina Smith (D-MN); Ed Markey (D-MA); Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Ron Wyden (D-OR); Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Richard Blumenthal (D-CT); Alex Padilla (D-CA); Ben Ray Luján (D-NM); Cory Booker (D-NJ); Bob Casey (D-PA); Jeff Merkley (D-OR); and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

Dear Secretary Mayorkas, Administrator Criswell, and Director Easterly:

We write to request that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) prioritize funding for election security and support for election officials through existing grant programs. As we work to keep our elections secure and strengthen our democracy’s resilience, these resources will help state and local governments ensure that our elections proceed smoothly in the face of evolving challenges including the rise in threats to election workers and the need to maintain our country’s election infrastructure, which is a matter of national security.

In particular we urge DHS to issue guidance that makes clear that election security is a national priority for the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) and the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Specifically, we urge you to designate election security as its own unique national priority and not combine it with other priority areas.

Importantly there is recent precedent for this type of guidance. In Fiscal Year 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) cited election security in two of its four national priorities for HSGP – “enhancing cybersecurity” and “enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.” That year FEMA also required HSGP grant recipients to spend a fixed percentage of their funds on each priority. We were pleased to see that FEMA included “enhancing election security” in its 2022 national priorities, and we urge you to do this again in 2023.

Just as FEMA has done with the HSGP grants, we request that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issue guidance to guarantee that a portion of funds from the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program is spent on election security. This four-year program was created in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure that state and local governments have resources to improve and maintain their cybersecurity, and it has the potential to play a critical role as states are preparing for the 2024 election cycle.

Election officials work year-round to prepare to administer our free and fair elections, and they bring important expertise to their jobs. We encourage you to include guidance that grant recipients should consult with election officials, which will help ensure that those on the frontlines of our democracy are informed about how these funds can be used and have the opportunity to advocate for their election-related needs.

DHS has done critical work to keep our elections safe and secure, including in the 2022 elections, but funding for election security must remain a priority. By requiring funds to be spent on election security and for election officials to have meaningful input, you will ensure that critical funds will be used to strengthen security in our democracy.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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