Election Security Bill Stalled in the Senate

A bid to advance a bipartisan election security bill out of committee is in limbo as pressure from states and voting tech vendors mounts.

A Senate Rules Committee markup of the Secure Elections Act was postponed at the last minute on August 22, surprising stakeholders and even committee staff, who only heard about the postponement 90 minutes before the hearing was set to kick off.

Provisions of the bill have generated opposition from some state officials including the Vermont Secretary of State, who is currently president of the National Association of Secretaries of State. Reportedly, more Republican votes will be needed to advance a “truly bipartisan bill.”

The bill would establish protocols for cyber threat information sharing between state election officials and DHS. It would require vendors of voting tech to report possible hacks to state officials, and for state officials to notify DHS. It would also require paper audit trails, and – depending on which Senator’s version is accepted – may require compulsory audits by hand.