National

The looming possibility of a federal government shutdown could have significant consequences for the planning and security of the 2024 elections in the United States. Election officials are already preparing for the upcoming elections, and any disruption due to a government shutdown could lead to delays in critical security assessments for local election offices, potentially impacting their ability to implement necessary physical improvements. This concern is particularly pertinent given the ongoing threats and challenges in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections. It’s crucial that federal officials are able to provide support and intelligence on cybersecurity, physical security, and disinformation efforts to aid state and local election officials in safeguarding the democratic process. The potential shutdown also adds another layer of uncertainty for election officials who are already contending with unprecedented threats. Read Article

National: Artificial Intelligence and Election Security | Lawrence Norden and Gowri Ramachandran/Brennan Center for Justice

Within the elections community, many officials have expressed grave concerns about what generative AI might mean for election security. That sentiment aligns with recent media discourse highlighting the dangers posed by AI. An illustrative May 2023 article in the Washington Post described an increase in phishing attacks attributed to AI, noting that such attacks are “just the beginning . . . as attackers use artificial intelligence to write software that can break into . . . networks in novel ways, change appearance and functionality to beat detection, and smuggle data back out through processes that appear normal.” Read Report

National: Amazon’s Alexa has been claiming the 2020 election was stolen | Cat Zakrzewski/The Washington Post

Amazon’s voice assistant, Alexa, has been found disseminating misinformation about the 2020 presidential election, falsely claiming it was stolen. When asked about fraud in the election, Alexa cited unvetted sources, including Rumble and Substack, and stated that there were “many incidents of irregularities and indications pointing to electoral fraud.” Multiple investigations have found no evidence of widespread fraud, but the misinformation from Alexa raises concerns about the spread of false narratives through AI systems. Amazon has not provided an explanation for why Alexa’s responses drew from unverified sources, but has stated that such errors were delivered a small number of times and were quickly rectified when brought to their attention. The incident highlights the potential for AI-driven systems to amplify falsehoods and biases present in their sources. Read Article

National: ‘Alive and well’: Election deniers linger in statewide, presidential elections | Savannah Kuchar/USA Today

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, acknowledges the impact of conspiracy theories on election officials and workers in 2020 but believes that concerns over misinformation are diminishing, as the economy and other issues take precedence for most voters. However, research by States United Action suggests that election denial has become an entrenched element of American politics, with candidates who supported baseless voter fraud claims in 2022 now running again in 2024. These candidates, including Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, continue to perpetuate the false narrative, and while there are hopes that the narrative will fade, its long-term impact remains uncertain. Schwab also highlights the challenges in recruiting and retaining poll workers due to threats and intimidation they faced during the 2020 election. Read Article

National: ‘A.I. Obama’ and Fake Newscasters: How A.I. Audio Is Swarming TikTok | Stuart A. Thompson and Sapna Maheshwari/The New York Times

Advanced artificial intelligence tools that can clone real voices with remarkable accuracy have been used to create fake audio, amplifying the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories. These AI-generated voices are becoming a potent weapon in the online misinformation landscape, potentially accelerating political disinformation ahead of the 2024 elections. The manipulated audio complements the challenges posed by “deepfake” videos, ChatGPT-generated human-like writing, and image synthesis tools. TikTok and other platforms are working to detect and label AI-generated media, but staying ahead of this technology remains a challenge. Read Article

Opinion: Exodus of state election workers posing a threat to democracy | Mark Z. Barabak/Los Angeles Times

The spread of election denialism and falsehoods about the 2020 election is having a tangible impact on local election officials, with roughly 40% of chief local elections officials in 11 Western states, including California, being new to the job since 2020, according to a study by political reform group Issue One. In battleground states like Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, the turnover exceeds 50%. Experienced election professionals are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the election process, but many are leaving due to harassment and threats. This turnover could have serious consequences for the smooth operation of elections and further erode public trust in the system. The study emphasizes the need for increased federal funding, improved election security, and legislation to protect election officials and their staff from harassment and interference. Reads Article

National: AI disinformation is a threat to elections − learning to spot Russian, Chinese and Iranian meddling in other countries can help the US prepare for 2024 | Bruce Schneier/The Conversation

The evolving threat of foreign interference in elections is now being amplified by artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI and large language models. These technologies, introduced in late 2022 and early 2023, possess the capability to rapidly generate vast amounts of text in various tones and perspectives, making them potent tools for internet-era propaganda. As election seasons approach in numerous democratic countries, including Argentina, Taiwan, Indonesia, India, the European Union, and the U.S., the potential for AI-driven disinformation campaigns is substantial. While companies like Meta have become more adept at identifying and removing fake accounts, platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and TikTok provide new challenges, as they are less transparent and more suitable for short, provocative videos. Additionally, generative AI enables novel production and distribution techniques, like deploying persona bots on social media, which, when replicated en masse, could exert significant influence. Read Article

Voter rolls are becoming the new battleground over secure elections as amateur sleuths hunt fraud | Morgan Lee and Anthony Izaguirre/Associated Press

A group called New York Citizens Audit has been impersonating government officials and harassing residents in New York, falsely accusing them of breaking the law. State prosecutors have issued a cease-and-desist order, demanding that the group stop these unlawful voter deception and intimidation efforts. This tactic raises concerns among state election officials as conservative groups, motivated by false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, seek to access and potentially publish state voter registration rolls. The fear is that this could lead to voter disenfranchisement through intimidation or canceled registrations, and local election offices could face a flood of challenges to voter registration listings as they prepare for the 2024 elections. These efforts reflect the ongoing battle over voter data, balancing the need for transparency with the necessity to safeguard voter rolls from cyber threats. Read Article

National: Turnover of Election Officials in Swing States Adds Strain for 2024, Report Says | Neil Vigdor/The New York Times

A report by the Voting Rights Lab warns of a potential strain on the election system in 2024 due to a wave of resignations and retirements by election officials in battleground states, driven by threats, harassment, and interference. The departures in states like Arizona and Pennsylvania could weaken the independence of these positions, with over 50 top election officials at the county level leaving in Pennsylvania since the 2020 election. In Arizona, the top election officials in 13 out of 15 counties have also left during the same period, partly due to harassment and security concerns stemming from disproven conspiracy theories. The report also highlights other potential obstacles for the 2024 election, including new rules in Georgia and North Carolina likely to increase voter eligibility challenges and stricter ID requirements. Read Article

National: The disinformation sleuths: a key role for scientists in impending elections | Nature

Next year will see significant elections globally, and social media will play a crucial role in disseminating information to voters. However, researchers studying political campaigns and outcomes are concerned about the lack of access to Twitter data, which was previously available for research purposes. Twitter has discontinued its policy of providing researchers with special access to its data. This change could hinder researchers’ ability to monitor disinformation campaigns, especially those potentially involving AI-generated deepfakes, during upcoming elections. Access to reliable data is crucial for assessing the impact of online platforms on various aspects, including mental health, harassment, privacy violations, and hate speech. Read Article

National: Meta and X questioned by lawmakers over lack of rules against AI-generated political deepfakes | Matt O’Brien/Associated Press

Two Democratic members of Congress, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Representative Yvette Clarke, have sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and X CEO Linda Yaccarino expressing concerns about the emergence of AI-generated political ads on their platforms. They are calling on social media platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram, to explain why they aren’t imposing new labels on deceptive AI-generated political advertisements that could potentially fake a candidate’s voice or actions. The lawmakers argue that with the 2024 elections approaching, a lack of transparency about this type of content could lead to a dangerous deluge of election-related misinformation and disinformation. Read Article

National: Wealthy GOP donor bankrolled Cyber Ninjas’ effort to get voting data, whistleblower says | Bruce Siwy Robert Anglen/Arizona Republic

Stefanie Lambert, an attorney who enlisted Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan for voting machine access in Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia, is now accused of promoting a false election data report in Pennsylvania. A cybersecurity company, XRVision, is suing Lambert, alleging that she instructed employees to fabricate findings in her attempt to overturn the 2020 election results for Trump’s legal team. XRVision contends that when employees refused, Lambert and her financial backer, Bill Bachenberg, besmirched the firm’s reputation, leading to potential contract losses. The allegations shed light on coordinated efforts by Trump allies to challenge the election results, with investigations ongoing at state and federal levels. Read Article

National: Fox searches for link between George Soros and Smartmatic | Joe Miller/Financial Times

Fox is seeking to compel George Soros to disclose any connections to voting technology company Smartmatic, which is suing the network for $2.7 billion over its broadcasting of election rigging conspiracies. Fox, under the leadership of CEO Lachlan Murdoch, aims to mitigate potential financial repercussions from the defamation case. Lawyers for Fox claim that Soros’s association with Smartmatic dates back nearly a decade. Soros’s legal team deems Fox’s request as “unduly burdensome and oppressive.” Read Article

Local Labs, paid by a GOP group, requests voter data, claiming it’s for political research and journalism | Jen Fifield/Votebeat

Local Labs, a conservative-leaning news company, is overwhelming local election offices across the U.S. with unclear and extensive public records requests, causing frustration among officials. CEO Brian Timpone claims they aim to expose election fraud and sometimes receive GOP-backed payments for their work, blurring the lines between research and journalism. Critics argue this is not ethical journalism. The company’s past includes plagiarism controversies. Officials are unsure about the legality of releasing records due to the commercial nature of Local Labs’ requests. Their broad demands strain election offices, requiring substantial time and resources. A recent project funded by a Trump-affiliated think tank led to a misleading report on voter fraud. Read Article

National: As Trump Prosecutions Move Forward, Threats and Concerns Increase | Michael S. Schmidt, Adam Goldman, Alan Feuer, Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush/The New York Times

The prosecutions against former President Donald Trump have led to a surge in threats against law enforcement authorities, judges, elected officials, and others, prompting increased protective measures. This climate of threats and harassment is causing concern among experts who fear the potential for lone-wolf attacks or riots by angry individuals. Surveys show an increase in the percentage of Americans who believe the use of force is justified to restore Trump to the presidency. Attorney General Merrick Garland addressed the issue, emphasizing the importance of the rule of law and the need to protect public servants from intimidation. Read Article

National: When an Olive Branch Meeting Over Voting Machine Technology Turned Into Fresh Controversy | Eric Geller/The Messenger

Election technology companies held a three-day event to engage with security professionals and invited them to probe for vulnerabilities in their newly developed election devices. The event aimed to foster transparent communication between technology providers and researchers, but it stirred controversy in the election security community due to the exclusion of some leading experts. Critics argue that any security scrutiny is better than none, but the event may be perceived as more of a publicity stunt. While election vendors emphasized the unique challenges and safeguards in elections, security experts stressed the importance of addressing digital vulnerabilities alongside operational protections. Read Article

National: Senate panel weighs free speech and deep fakes in AI campaign ads | Jacob Fischler/States Newsroom

Members of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration raised concerns about the potential misuse of AI in next year’s election campaigns during a hearing. AI’s ability to create realistic but fake content, such as manipulated images and videos, poses a significant challenge for elections, potentially enabling disinformation campaigns. Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar advocated for the establishment of regulations to govern AI’s use in elections, proposing a bipartisan bill to ban deceptive campaign materials generated by AI. Read Article

National: X Fires Its Election Team Before a Huge Election Year | Vittoria Elliott/Wired

X, formerly known as Twitter, has dismissed its head of threat intelligence, Aaron Rodericks, and four team members responsible for countering disinformation and misinformation. This move comes just months before the US Republican primaries kick off the 2024 American election cycle, amidst a year when over 50 countries worldwide are heading to the polls. Rodericks’ team was focused on identifying and thwarting malicious actors on the platform, particularly those targeting elections. Critics argue that letting go of Rodericks and his team may embolden such malicious actors and make it easier for them to operate on the platform. The firings also coincide with X rolling back a feature that allowed users in several countries to report tweets containing hate speech or misinformation. Additionally, the trust and safety teams, responsible for content moderation, elections, and misinformation, have been significantly reduced since Elon Musk took over the company. Experts warn that with elections looming in numerous countries, this move could have far-reaching implications for safeguarding the integrity of democratic processes globally. Read Article

National: Cyber experts set out plan to secure crucial 2024 US election | Alex Scroxton/Computer Weekly

The Election Security Research Forum, facilitated by the Information Technology – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IT-ISAC), is piloting a collaborative approach to enhance election security and restore public confidence in the political process, especially in light of increasing cyber risks. The forum brings together security experts, ethical hacking firms like Bugcrowd and HackerOne, Microsoft, Protect AI, nonprofits including the Center for Internet Security, and former state and local election officials. It aims to proactively address cybersecurity challenges associated with election technology by conducting testing and assessments. The focus will be on new election technology slated for deployment in 40 U.S. states in the 2024 elections, with researchers and companies committed to coordinated vulnerability disclosure and best practices for disclosure timelines. The initiative aims to complement existing security measures in U.S. elections, including rigorous federal testing and certification standards, ultimately bolstering transparency and resilience in the electoral process. Read Article

National: Vivek Ramaswamy has called for ‘paper ballots.’ Most Americans vote that way already. | Amy Sherman/Politifact

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has been advocating a four-point plan for improving elections, which includes making Election Day a national holiday, implementing single-day voting on Election Day, using paper ballots, and requiring government-issued photo IDs matched to the voter file. However, the idea of “paper ballots” is not a new concept and is already widely used in American elections. Paper ballots, where votes are hand-marked on paper, are a standard practice in many states, and federal laws do not dictate whether states or local jurisdictions must use paper ballots. Efforts to pass a bill mandating paper ballots at the federal level ultimately failed, but many states have chosen to move towards using paper ballots over the past two decades. This trend towards paper ballots is considered one of the most successful movements in elections over the past two decades, as they provide a secure and verifiable way for voters to cast their ballots. Read Article

National: CISA Director: AI Posing Risks to Election Information Environment | Grace Dille/MeriTalk

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly assured Americans of the integrity and resilience of U.S. election infrastructure, citing the dedicated efforts of state and local officials over the past six years to secure election systems. While she emphasized confidence in the established security measures, Easterly acknowledged concerns about the information environment. She highlighted the use of AI in generating deceptive content, particularly deepfakes and generative AI in the context of disinformation. Easterly stated that CISA is actively focused on supporting local offices, employing tactics like rumor control and collaboration with partners in the Intelligence Community and FBI to address potential disinformation threats from foreign adversaries. She expressed confidence in the dedication of state and local election officials in safeguarding democracy. Read Article

National: Voting machine companies use cybersecurity stress tests to take on conspiracy theorists | Sean Lyngaas/CNN

As the 2024 election approaches and misinformation continues to pose a challenge for American voters, major US voting equipment manufacturers are collaborating with cybersecurity experts to conduct additional stress tests on their systems. Election Systems & Software, Hart InterCivic, and Unisyn have granted a group of vetted researchers access to their software and hardware for almost two days to identify potential vulnerabilities. The tests aim to address conspiracy theories by enhancing transparency about the security assessments conducted before equipment is deployed in polling places. While the results are still being analyzed, vendors are already making adjustments to their security protocols in response to the findings. This move comes after voting equipment manufacturers faced threats following false claims about the 2020 election, emphasizing the need for a delicate balance between addressing vulnerabilities and preventing the spread of misinformation. Read Article

National: GOP states announce new voter roll systems. Are they as secure as ERIC? | Daniel C. Vock/Route Fifty

Several states, including Alabama, Ohio, and Virginia, have recently entered into agreements to share voter information in an attempt to combat election fraud. Critics argue that these deals may potentially expose voters to security breaches and unfounded attempts to remove them from voter rolls. These partnerships come after some Republican-led states withdrew from the Election Registration Information Center (ERIC), which serves as a clearinghouse for voter data. Critics of ERIC claim it is too liberal, prompting some states to seek alternative methods to achieve similar goals. However, experts caution that the state-by-state approach may pose challenges in terms of data quality, costs, and security compared to ERIC’s more sophisticated methods for identifying voter movements and its secure data handling procedures. Read Article

National: Artificial intelligence is coming for elections, and no one can predict its impact | Laura Zommer/International Journalists’ Network

AI-generated disinformation is a growing concern for upcoming elections worldwide, as campaigns employ AI to create misleading visuals without clear disclosure. For instance, a video by Ron DeSantis’ campaign team utilized AI-generated images without informing viewers, blurring the line between real and fabricated content. In contrast, the GOP issued a video attacking President Joe Biden with a clear disclaimer about its AI origin. Fact-checking organizations stress the importance of scrutinizing image sources, looking for imperfections, and using automatic detection tools. Experts advise refining AI filters, creating tools to counter deepfakes and phishing, and appointing a lead agency for AI governance in elections to safeguard democratic processes. Read Article

Georgia: Trump electors: ‘fake’ or ‘contingent’? – Judge hears arguments seeking a move to federal court | Bill Rankin and David Wickert/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution