The report’s co-author Lawrence Norden
acknowledged it was too late for any of this to
happen in time for the 2020 presidential election.
“Even if (Congress) had the will, it couldn’t be
passed in time,” said Norden, director of the
Election Reform Program at the Brennan Center.
“This is another security vulnerability that
Congress hasn’t addressed.”
Norden said congressional inaction has
increased the pressure on state and local
election officials to secure their voting systems
and have measures in place should something
go wrong. Although Congress sent $380 million
to states last year for election security, Norden
said it was a “drop in the bucket” of what is
needed as state and local election officials
look to fund the replacement of outdated and
insecure voting systems, increase cybersecurity
personnel and add security upgrades.
The Brennan Center, which is based at New York
University School of Law, said the most logical
agency to handle federal oversight of election
vendors would be the U.S. Election Assistance
Commission. But that agency has been hobbled
in recent years by reduced federal funding and
leadership vacancies.
Although two commissioners were added this
year, the agency is searching for a new executive
director and general counsel.
The report acknowledges the commission does
not have the authority that would allow it to
certify election vendors. But the commission
could take steps through its existing certification
program for voting systems to ask vendors
to provide details on cybersecurity practices