Elections are a hallmark of democracy, making them prime targets for foreign interference. Find ASD’s work on the foreign threats to election infrastructure and electoral processes, as well as steps democracies can take to secure them, on this page.
The Election Official’s Handbook: Six steps local officials can take to safeguard America’s election systems
Protecting the 2020 Election Intelligence and law enforcement agencies warn that Russia, China, Iran, and other foreign actors will seek to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. De [...]
Jessica Brandt and David Salvo on How the Iowa Caucus Debacle Benefits Foreign Foes in The Hill
The Iowa caucus debacle not only delayed the results but also provoked misinformation about the integrity of the vote. While most of this misinformation is home-grown, these conspiracies are likely to amplified by Russian state-sponsored information [...]
Deepfakes and the 2020 Election: How Are the Platforms Poised to Respond?
Deepfake technology that uses artificial intelligence to create and modify videos, images, and audio recordings to place individuals in situations they were never in, or put false words in their mouths, has burst onto the scene as the latest technol [...]
David Levine on Northampton County’s Election Mishap in PennLive
The results produced by voting machines in Northampton County, Pennsylvania’s November 5, 2019 election were incorrect, forcing county election officials to count the paper backup ballots. Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine argues that an indep [...]
Laura Rosenberger on the Continuing Threat of Foreign Interference to the 2020 Election on CFR’s ‘Why It Matters’
There are not enough robust, multilateral mechanisms to share information about cyber threats, best practices, or lessons learned, Director Laura Rosenberger said on The Council on Foreign Relations’ podcast Why it Matters.  [...]
David Levine on Connecticut’s Election Security Test Results in the CTPost
It is vital that Connecticut state election authorities share the concerning results of the state's latest cybersecurity test on its voter registration infrastructure, argues Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine in the Connecticut Post.  [...]
Jessica Brandt Discusses Russian Hacking Operations in 2020 on Public Radio International
Russia has a history of hacking information and leaking it to affect U.S. candidates, Head of Research and Policy Jessica Brandt told Public Radio International. But in 2020, she is worried about the possibility that Russia could manipulate hacked m [...]
David Levine on the Importance of Paper Ballots in the Fayetteville Observer
One of the most critical election security measures is voter-verifiable paper backups, which help to increase voter confidence and ensure that no foreign actor penetrates election systems, Fellow for Elections Integrity David Levine wrote in the Fay [...]
David Salvo Talks the Ongoing Threat of Foreign Interference on KJZZ Phoenix
We shouldn't just be worried about foreign interference in 2016 or 2020, Deputy Director David Salvo told KJZZ Phoenix. "This is an ongoing, long-term threat to destabilize our democratic institutions."  [...]
Swing State Practices Bolster Election Security Ahead of 2020
The Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Director of National Intelligence, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), National Security Agency, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Age [...]
David Salvo and Bret Schafer on Foreign Interference as a Local Issue in San Antonio Express-News
Deputy Director David Salvo and Media and Disinformation Fellow Bret Schafer explain that foreign interference is a local issue, and local officials, community leaders, and citizens must come together to solve it.  [...]
David Levine on Election Assistance Commission Leadership in The Hill
Elections Integrity Fellow David Levine argues that the absence of leadership on the Election Assistance Commission just months before the first 2020 primaries could undermine some of the good work the agency has done since 2016. He outlines severa [...]