News Insights: House panel backs election security bill in aftermath of 2016 Russian interference

The US House Administration Committee on Friday passed an election-security measure by Chairwoman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) on a party-line vote. That measure sets cybersecurity standards for vendors of election equipment and new requirements for states that tap funding under the Help America Vote Act. More background: https://lofgren.house.gov/issues/innovation-and-technology/cybersecurity

Committee ranking member Rodney Davis (R-IL) has introduced the “Election Security Assistance Act,” which includes grants to replace aging election infrastructure and other provisions designed to help state and local election officials in their cybersecurity efforts.

Dan Tuchler, CMO at SecurityFirst, commented, “There are now two approaches being proposed in the House to improve election security – one with a national focus and one with a more decentralized approach focused on helping the state and local officials. That’s great, if state and local officials are able to broadly collaborate, share best practices, and create economies of scale to create effective solutions. The important thing is that one of these bills reaches the Senate and is able to overcome partisan roadblocks and become law. Something needs to be done and it’s getting more urgent by the day.”