The federal government’s engagement with state election officials has significantly shifted under the Trump administration. While the first term saw the establishment of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and substantial congressional funding for election security upgrades, the second term has adopted a more confrontational stance towards states.
Reports indicate that CISA has reduced its election security assistance, even discontinuing work on issues like disinformation and removing or sidelining agency specialists. The administration has also sought voter data from all 50 states, a move that one court deemed “unprecedented and illegal.” Congressional Democrats, including California Senator Alex Padilla, have strongly criticized the federal government’s approach to election support during this period.
Senator Padilla noted that reductions in CISA’s funding and personnel, coupled with a lack of specific congressional grants for election security, have led states to feel more isolated rather than supported. Padilla previously served as California’s Secretary of State.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, interviewed at the National Association of Secretaries of State winter conference, discussed a $650,000 legislative package. This funding, which later passed, was intended to address vulnerabilities and aid recovery from a cyberattack on the state’s online candidate portal last year, which also involved defacement of state websites with pro-Iranian propaganda.
This $650,000 is a portion of a larger $3.4 million allocated by the legislature last year for cybersecurity enhancements in the state’s election system, particularly for a special election. Due to low turnout, some funds remained. Fontes’ office argued in a December letter for the critical need to utilize these leftover funds for election security, emphasizing the substantial investments still required. He stated that the allocated money, while appreciated, would not cover all necessary election programs. Fontes highlighted that an additional $2.8 million could significantly benefit counties by rebuilding cybersecurity infrastructure.
Arizona is among several states seeking alternative funding for election security as federal support diminishes. States now depend on only $45 million in federal election security grants from the Election Assistance Commission, averaging less than $1 million per state, while CISA’s election security expertise has significantly decreased.
To bridge information-sharing gaps, some states are engaging local resources. West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner recently completed visits to all 55 county clerks in his state. He emphasized direct communication, stating that clerks have direct contact information for him, his chief information officer, and chief of staff, ensuring close contact regarding potential risks.
Last year, Warner’s office facilitated the distribution of $272,000 in Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grant funding to six counties. These counties contributed an additional $323,000 in matching funds to upgrade voting systems, improve ID printer capabilities for stronger voter identification, and other related tasks.
A significant challenge for West Virginia’s upcoming elections is a shortage of poll workers. Warner’s office supports several legislative initiatives to address this, including a bill to establish a new tax credit for poll workers and another to allow 15- or 16-year-olds to receive poll worker training.
Federal officials and the White House have sought to downplay reports of a deteriorating relationship. In January, acting CISA Director Madhu Gottumukkala informed Congress that claims of reduced election security practices by DHS or CISA were “not accurate.” He cited ongoing support for states, including cybersecurity assistance, physical security guidance, incident response services, and threat briefings. Gottumukkala asserted that election security is treated like any other infrastructure sector, with services remaining fully operational.
However, this assertion conflicts with statements from many state and local officials over the past year, who report that communication and support from CISA and the federal government have either diminished or ceased entirely compared to previous election cycles.
Brenna Nelson of the National Conference of State Legislatures noted that CISA conducted 1,300 physical security assessments, 700 cybersecurity assessments, and 500 election security trainings nationwide between 2017 and 2025. She indicated that cybersecurity support and services, which election offices relied on for seven years, are now “less available” because “the agency is not prioritizing elections in the same way it has since 2017.”
Many state officials experienced CISA’s changes abruptly and without warning, leaving minimal time to devise alternative strategies. Nevada Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver told StateScoop last year that there was no prior knowledge to inform their legislature about the impending loss of essential tools and resources.
Tackett mentioned that cyber hygiene scans were the only consistent services provided by CISA. His office has become adept at utilizing other local or regional resources, such as information sharing and analysis centers, fusion centers, local university research centers, and the National Guard, for no-cost election security services.
Tackett indicated that West Virginia’s relationship with CISA has not been as severely affected as other states due to their reliance on other sources. However, he acknowledged a “somewhat diminished” relationship concerning incident response and intelligence sharing. Fontes, speaking candidly, stated that his state’s relationship with CISA has seen “no change” in outreach or technical assistance since his frustrated remarks last year. He strongly refuted any claims that it was “business as usual,” calling such statements untrue.
