National: A federal agency has told rural counties and small towns how to safeguard their elections, but not all can afford the fixes | Fiona Glisson and Julia Ainsley/NBC

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has been offering recommendations to rural areas and small towns on enhancing election security, prompted by concerns raised after the 2022 midterms. However, many of these communities struggle to afford the necessary upgrades, leaving them vulnerable to physical threats against election offices and workers. Despite efforts from CISA to provide guidance, including suggestions for security enhancements, such as CCTV systems and outdoor lighting, financial constraints hinder implementation. Election officials in various states have expressed worries about threats stemming from online disinformation about the 2020 election, leading to increased intimidation of election workers. While CISA encourages seeking grant funding at state and federal levels, the process remains challenging for many jurisdictions, highlighting the need for increased investment in voting security, especially with the upcoming presidential election. Read Article

Pennsylvania: What to know about electronic pollbooks, which counties use them, and more | Katie Meyer/Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania is gradually introducing electronic pollbooks (e-pollbooks) in more counties ahead of the 2024 presidential election, aiming to streamline the voting process and enhance efficiency for poll workers. While e-pollbooks simplify voter sign-in and reconciliation processes, concerns about cybersecurity persist. Lancaster County piloted e-pollbooks last year, receiving positive feedback from poll workers, but some officials remain cautious, citing cybersecurity apprehensions. The adoption of e-pollbooks varies across counties due to cost considerations, with Philadelphia embracing them for their efficiency benefits, while others lag due to financial constraints. Despite security measures in place, challenges such as technical glitches and the need for comprehensive training persist, underscoring the importance of robust implementation strategies to ensure smooth election operations. Read Article

National: Experts try to solve a constant election challenge: How to pay for them | Jessica Huseman/Votebeat

A new initiative led by the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, headed by Tammy Patrick, aims to tackle the challenging issue of election funding in the United States. Unlike previous efforts, which focused more on election best practices, this collaboration seeks to delve into the core problem of insufficient resources for elections. With a bipartisan approach, the initiative brings together experts to examine various funding models and their effectiveness, aiming to dispel misconceptions about election funding and provide valuable insights for policymakers. The inaugural event in Kansas featured discussions with local election officials and highlighted the need for sustainable funding models across different jurisdictions. Read Article

National: Election Officials Seek to Bolster Public Trust | Carl Smith/Governing

As the upcoming general election approaches, a significant challenge for election officials lies in bridging the gap between the public’s awareness of the technical aspects and ethical standards of their work. Recently, a bipartisan group of current election officials revised a longstanding code of ethics to emphasize these standards during a crucial election period. While most Americans trust the fairness of elections, there’s a decline in Republican confidence, highlighting the importance of educating voters about election processes and ethical principles to combat false claims. The updated standards aim to provide common language across jurisdictions and outline steps for their application, promoting fair treatment and professional behavior.Read Article

How CISA Fights Cyber Threats During Election Primary Season | David Strom/Dark Reading

CISA is actively addressing concerns surrounding election security and integrity, establishing an Election Operations Center to coordinate threat responses during primaries. Despite no credible threats detected during Super Tuesday and previous primaries, CISA has enhanced cybersecurity support for state and local election officials, offering training programs, guidelines for security exercises, and hiring cybersecurity specialists. While traditional cybersecurity threats like DDoS and ransomware attacks remain a concern, the sophistication of attacks has evolved, with deepfake videos and misinformation campaigns posing new challenges. Efforts to combat these threats include partnerships with tech vendors and the creation of myth-busting websites. Additionally, focus has shifted to physical security, with initiatives to protect election workers and enhance the security of electronic voting machines. Read Article

National: Concern Over AI Interfering With Elections Remains Strong | Ethan Baron/GovTech

As the 2024 election approaches, concerns over the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in spreading misinformation are rising among elections officials and law enforcement agencies. Mock scenarios involving AI-generated fake news reports have been discussed, highlighting the potential threat posed by AI in influencing voter behavior. Recent incidents, such as the use of AI to create fake robocalls impersonating President Joe Biden, have prompted federal action to address the issue. While AI-enabled hacking of voting systems is considered less of a concern due to robust defenses, the spread of AI-generated misinformation targeting voters is seen as a significant risk. Read Article

National: Top AI-image generators show Biden hospitalized, election workers destroying voting machines—and other falsehoods | Sheila Dang/Reuters

Research conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) highlights the potential misuse of AI-powered image creation tools, including those from OpenAI and Microsoft, in spreading election-related disinformation despite policies against creating misleading content. Using generative AI tools, CCDH produced images depicting scenarios like President Joe Biden in a hospital bed and election workers destroying voting machines, raising concerns about false claims ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. These tools, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT Plus and Microsoft’s Image Creator, were found to generate misleading images in 41% of tests, particularly susceptible to prompts related to election fraud. Midjourney, in particular, performed poorly, generating misleading images in 65% of tests, with some already being used to create deceptive political content. While some companies, like Stability AI, have updated their policies to prohibit fraud and disinformation, others are working to prevent abuse of their tools, underscoring the ongoing challenge in preserving election integrity amidst technological advancements. Read Article

Arizona voters will face more frequent checks on citizenship, residency | Jen Fifield/Votebeat

Arizona election officials are set to implement new laws after a federal judge upheld them, requiring frequent checks on voters’ U.S. citizenship and proof of residency for registration. These laws aim to prevent non-citizens from voting, although instances of such voter fraud are rare. While the laws could disproportionately affect certain groups, including lower-income individuals and naturalized citizens, the judge ruled they are not discriminatory. The regulations outline processes for verifying citizenship and residency, with county recorders tasked with investigating voter eligibility. However, concerns have been raised regarding potential disenfranchisement of Native Americans and out-of-state college students. Read Article

Arizona investigators issue grand jury subpoenas as state’s 2020 Trump election probe accelerates | Betsy Woodruff Swan and Kyle Cheney/Politico

Arizona prosecutors have escalated their criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign’s attempts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the state, issuing grand jury subpoenas to multiple individuals connected to Trump’s campaign. Attorney General Kris Mayes is nearing a decision on potential charges against Trump’s allies, including GOP activists who falsely posed as presidential electors. The investigation also involves scrutiny of individuals close to Trump’s national campaign, such as Mark Meadows and Trump attorneys John Eastman and Kenneth Chesebro. Chesebro, who pleaded guilty for his role in organizing false electors in other states, has cooperated with investigators and agreed to speak with Arizona prosecutors. Read Article

Georgia: What we learned about voting security by touring a county election HQ | Ryan Zickgraf/Atlanta Civic Circle

To explain how the Georgia election was supposedly stolen for President Joe Biden in 2020, former President Donald Trump described the hypothetical sabotage of the voting system simplistically.  “With the turn of a dial or the change of a chip, you can press a button for Trump, and it goes to Biden,” Trump said in a December 2020 speech. A recent behind-the-scenes tour by the Atlanta Civic Circle sheds light on how the system operates, revealing that there are no dials as Trump suggested. Instead, votes are recorded on yellow memory cards, printed on paper ballots with a QR code, and then scanned for tabulation. The system is not connected to the internet until the results are transported to a secure server room. Despite ongoing concerns about security, the voting machines are sealed and monitored extensively, and rigorous testing ensures their functionality ahead of elections. This glimpse into the process highlights the meticulous preparation and security measures involved in conducting elections in Georgia. Read Article

Kansas Senate rejects election bill amended to force hand counts of Kansas paper ballots | Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector

The Kansas Senate rejected a complex election bill on Tuesday, marked by an amendment mandating paper ballots and hand counts without computer technology, proposed by GOP Senator Mark Steffen. Despite concerns raised by Senate President Ty Masterson regarding potential veto by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, the amendment was included in Senate Bill 365, leading to its defeat in a 18-22 vote. While some senators argued for enhanced election security, critics cautioned against regressive measures, including removal of ballot drop boxes and reliance on outdated hand-counting methods, deeming them costly and prone to error. Read Article

Louisiana Secretary of State to push for new voting machines | Richard Meek/Hammond Star

Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry emphasizes the urgent need for new voting machines as the state’s current ones are over 30 years old and frequently require cannibalization for parts. Landry highlights the establishment of the Voting System Commission to evaluate suitable voting machine options, with 85 percent of voters preferring advanced touch screen technology with a paper record. She stresses the importance of incorporating a paper component for recounts and audits, aiming to modernize the state’s election infrastructure while ensuring a reliable backup system. Read Article

Michigan judge issues warrant for lawyer who worked to reverse 2020 election | Craig Mauger/The Detroit News

Stefanie Lambert, a lawyer involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, faces additional legal trouble after failing to appear for a hearing regarding her compliance with court orders related to fingerprinting and DNA samples. The Oakland County judge issued a bench warrant for her arrest, expressing frustration at her repeated non-compliance. Lambert, already facing felony charges for her alleged involvement in a conspiracy to obtain voting equipment improperly, has been accused of deceiving prosecutors and is now subject to arrest. Her lawyer cited confusion surrounding the hearing, but the prosecutor deemed the bench warrant necessary. Read Article

Pennsylvania court rules electronic voting data is not subject to release under public records law | Mark Scolforo/Associated Press

A Pennsylvania court ruled 5-2 against granting public access to spreadsheets containing raw data associated with every ballot cast in the 2020 General Election in Lycoming County. The case began with a request by election researcher Heather Honey, whose work has been linked to right-wing attacks on voting procedures. The court concluded that the cast vote records, considered the modern equivalent of traditional ballot boxes, are not subject to public scrutiny under the state’s Right-to-Know Law. The majority opinion emphasized that optical scanners used in the election qualify as voting machines, thus falling under the law’s protection of voting machine contents. Despite arguments that releasing the data wouldn’t compromise ballot secrecy, the court upheld the decision, prompting consideration of an appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Read Article

Pennsylvania was deluged by election lawsuits in 2020. Experts say 2024 will be even more intense. | by Angela Couloumbis/Spotlight PA

Republican state lawmakers in Pennsylvania initiated a federal lawsuit to challenge executive actions expanding voter registration, arguing that such measures encroached upon the legislature’s constitutional authority regarding election procedures. This lawsuit signifies the start of what is anticipated to be a year marked by significant legal battles over various aspects of Pennsylvania’s electoral processes, particularly with the impending rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Potential litigation topics include the legality of drop boxes and the validity of mail ballots, with one case concerning undated or misdated mail ballots potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Read Article

South Dakota: Petitions circulate in at least 18 counties to eliminate vote tabulators and require hand counting | Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight

South Dakotans advocating for enhanced election security are mobilizing efforts to mandate hand-counting of ballots in the upcoming general election, with petitions circulated in multiple counties. State law permits citizens to petition for proposed laws to be voted on publicly, requiring signatures from 5% of registered voters in a jurisdiction; some completed petitions have already been submitted in Lawrence and McPherson counties. The movement, led by the South Dakota Canvassing Group, seeks to overhaul election procedures in response to concerns raised since the 2020 election, particularly regarding the security of electronic tabulators. However, legal experts and lawmakers are scrutinizing these petitions for potential violations of state and federal laws, including disability rights provisions, prompting legislative action to allow authorities to reject petitions deemed illegal. Read Article

Texas: ‘This was a circus’: Gillespie County GOP hand-counts ballots through the night for primary results | Natalia ContrerasandJessica Huseman/Votebeat

Despite initial expectations for a prompt return of results, the Gillespie County Republican Party’s decision to hand-count primary ballots resulted in an unexpected all-night endeavor, concluding at 4:30 a.m. The process, involving nearly 200 people and more than 8,000 ballots, ran contrary to expert advice citing its inefficiency and costliness compared to machine-based tabulation. While the party footed the immediate bill, Texas taxpayers are likely to cover most expenses through state reimbursements. Despite logistical challenges, some party members expressed enthusiasm for the traditional method, while others, including voters, found it unnecessary and antiquated, prompting questions about its future use and efficacy in the county. Read Article

Wisconsin fake elector settlement offers new details on the strategy by Trump lawyers | Sophia Tareen/Associated Press

A settlement reached in a lawsuit on Monday revealed that two attorneys for former President Donald Trump orchestrated a plan for fake electors to submit paperwork falsely claiming Trump won Wisconsin in an attempt to overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 victory. The settlement, which followed a civil lawsuit brought by Democrats in 2022, unveiled over 1,400 pages of documents, emails, and text messages detailing the scheme’s origins and replication in six other states. Although there is no admission of wrongdoing in the agreements, the attorneys promise not to participate in similar efforts in future presidential campaigns, with one also agreeing to pay an undisclosed amount to the plaintiffs. The documents illustrate how the attorneys utilized arcane laws to draft false certificates for fake electors and strategized to delay deadlines for certifying electoral votes while attempting to sway public opinion. Read Article