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Clearinghouse Resources on Election Security

Wednesday, October 09, 2024
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Image of a security seal with a checkmark. "Election Security"

The resources below are designed to help election officials combat threats to election systems and personnel to improve election security. 



Please refer to our main Clearinghouse Resources page for more best practices, tools, and guidance on other topics. 

 

 

 

Not finding what you are looking for?

Visit Election Security Preparedness, Election Official Security, or Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Election Administration to find additional resources. 

Election Security Resources

  • Enhancing Election Security Through Public Communications

    Joint EAC/CISA guidance to help election officials apply communication best practices to election infrastructure security topics.

  • Voting System Security Measures

    Resource outlines common best practices for securing voting systems, including locks, tamper-evident seals, security cameras, system testing before and after elections, audits, and access controls.

  • Checklist - Securing Voter Registration Data

    Resource intended to provide election officials information on best practices to protect their voter registration data.

  • Checklist - Securing Election Night Reporting Systems

    Resource intended as a baseline for election officials to assess their current election night reporting system cybersecurity protocols.

  • Chapter 6: System Security

    Chapter 6 of the 2nd edition of the Election Management Guidelines, published in 2023, discusses different facets of security election & voting systems.

  • Chapter 7: Physical Security

    Chapter 7 of the 2nd edition of the Election Management Guidelines, published in 2023, covers best practices related to physical security of election offices, voting locations, and election technology.

  • Best Practices: Chain of Custody

    Report outlining items election officials should consider when developing or revising their chain of custody procedures for physical election materials & voting systems, plus considerations for using third-party auditors for conducting audits and electronic discovery.

  • Memo: Removing Personal Identifying Information (PII) from Google

    Memo outlining steps that election administrators and election workers can take to remove URLs containing personal information from Google search results.

  • Collaboration Between Election Officials and Law Enforcement

    Recorded discussion about how election officials can collaborate with law enforcement, with Maribeth Behl, city clerk of Madison, Wisconsin; Nathan Jaramillo, Bernalillo County Bureau of Elections Administrator; and Chris Harvey, deputy director of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council.

  • A Secretary of State's Swatting Experience and Advice

    Recorded conversation with Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft about his experience and lessons learned for other victims of swatting incidents, moderated by EAC Commissioner Don Palmer.

  • Preventative Steps for Elections Swatting Incidents with DOJ Deputy Chief

    Recorded video with EAC Commissioner Palmer and DOJ Deputy Chief Robert Heberle discussing how to mitigate swatting incidents against election officials and offices.

  • Election Mail Handling Procedures to Protect Against Hazardous Materials (EAC/CISA/DOJ/USPIS)

    Joint guidance from multiple federal agencies on procedures to protect against potentially dangerous election mail, including preparation, training, and response.

  • Election Official Security Panel Discussion

    Discussion with EAC Commissioner Thomas Hicks, election officials, and law enforcement professionals about the threats they and others in elections have faced, how they dealt with these circumstances, and what election officials can do to mitigate threats.

  • Personal Security for Election Officials Checklist

    Checklist provides a quick reference for proactive steps election officials cand take to improve their security and document threats they receive.

  • 60 Second Security: Personal Security

    Resource intended to help election officials quickly identify and address potential security issues, in this case related to personal security.

  • 60 Second Security: Building Access

    Resource intended to help election officials quickly identify and address potential security issues, in this case related to building access.

  • 60 Second Security: Cybersecurity & Artificial Intelligence

    Resource intended to help election officials quickly identify and address potential security issues related to artificial intelligence.

  • 60 Second Security: Deploying Assets

    Resource intended to help election officials quickly identify and address potential security issues, in this case related to deploying assets outside the election office.

  • 2024 U.S Federal Elections: The Insider Threat

    This document, created jointly with CISA, DHS, FBI, and the EAC, outlines several recent examples of election security-related insider threats, discusses potential scenarios that could arise during the 2024 cycle, and provides recommendations for how to mitigate the risk.

  • Election Security Risk Profile Tool

    Web tool developed jointly by the EAC and CISA to help election officials at the state and local level assess their current networks and technology to better protect voter information and ensure secure elections.

  • Incident Response Checklist

    Checklist to help election officials respond to security incidents.
     

  • Blog: "Last Mile" Challenges to Better Security in U.S. Elections

    Blog featuring former EAC Testing & Certification Director Brian Hancock discussing challenges to election security.

  • 2019 Election Security Forum

    Recordings of a forum series on election security hosted by the EAC featuring a 3-panel discussion regarding election security and voting system certification.

  • 2020 Elections Summit: Securing the 2020 Elections

    Recording of a panel discussion focused on the efforts of election officials and their federal partners to secure U.S. election infrastructure in the lead up to the 2020 elections.

  • Best Practices for Election Technology Security

    Page containing a report that highlights security features essential for protecting election technology, a list of security measures by equipment type, and election security icons.

  • Election Infrastructure Incident Response Communications Guide (CISA & EAC)

    Resource to help officials develop effective incident communications plans with templates and considerations for maintaining transparency, and ensuring accurate and timely updates.