Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. The Trump administration is trying to rebuild the federal system to protect US elections, but it’s less than 100 days before Election Day. I mean, better late than never, right? They’re trying to reassign staff into new roles and build “trusted relationships” with state and local officials. Bless their hearts, it’s a bit of a challenge when you’ve dismantled the system and forced out many of the experienced election-security specialists. You can’t make this stuff up.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is trying to use a security mechanism they employed during the World Cup to protect the midterm elections. Because, you know, elections are just like soccer games, and we all know how well the World Cup went off without a hitch. Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded terrifying, and now it’s a plan. CISA promises a public plan in 30 days that will “lay out cyber and physical security resources” for states, which sounds like a great idea, but election officials are skeptical.
Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas told CNN that they’ve had to figure out how to share information and resources on their own, with “duct tape and, you know, maybe a bungee cord or two.” I love the image of election officials MacGyvering their way through election security. State and local election officials are confident they’ve taken the necessary steps to secure election infrastructure, but they acknowledge they haven’t been able to replicate the federal government’s ability to coordinate intelligence gathering and analysis.
CISA’s acting Director Nick Andersen said the coming election security plan will offer states cyber resources, including information about available no-cost voluntary services. But Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar, a Democrat, told CNN it’s “too late” in the election-preparation season for such a plan. Geoff Hale, a former election security official at CISA, said people should be realizing there’s a gap of information of 14 to 18 months. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that the Trump administration is trying to rebuild the system or that they think they can do it in such a short amount of time.
The silver lining for the election community is that they had nearly a decade of experience working with CISA’s security experts before the Trump administration gutted the agency. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, said election officials have grown to rely on a “ragtag team of advisors and coordinators” to fill the gap. West Virginia Secretary Kris Warner, a Republican, said his office’s hiring of a former CISA official as its chief information officer has been a big help. But even with their success in recreating CISA’s support, the financial cost of doing so remains an ongoing burden for election officials.
In conclusion, the Trump administration’s attempt to rebuild the federal system to protect US elections is a bit of a mess. With less than 100 days to go before Election Day, it’s a challenge to get everything in place. Election officials are doing their best to fill the gap, but it’s not going to be easy. As I finish my coffee, I’m left thinking that maybe, just maybe, they should have thought of this before dismantling the system in the first place. And on that note, I’ll just say that it’s going to be an interesting election season, folks. Buckle up!
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
