Secure Elections Act

Summary

The “Secure Elections Act” is a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on August 10, 2018, to protect federal elections from cybersecurity threats. The bill emphasizes the importance of state control over elections while acknowledging that protecting elections is a national security priority. It defines various terms related to election cybersecurity and designates the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the primary federal entity responsible for sharing information about election cybersecurity incidents, threats, and vulnerabilities with relevant federal, state, and local election agencies. The bill mandates timely information sharing, provides technical resources to election agencies, and outlines procedures for handling classified information and protecting personal data. It also establishes an expedited process for granting security clearances to state election officials and technical personnel. The bill includes provisions to protect state and local governments from liability and requires an assessment of inter-state information-sharing mechanisms.