Senators call for full account of Election Assistance Commission's efforts to address Russian cybersecurity threats

CHICAGO – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today joined a group of 26 senators in calling for a full account of the Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) efforts to address Russian cybersecurity threats. The EAC played a crucial role before the 2016 general election by working with state and local election officials, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to coordinate an appropriate response to cybersecurity threats to our democracy. In a letter to Commissioners Hicks, Masterson, and McCormick, Durbin and Senate Democrats expressed deep concern about Russian interference in both U.S. elections and the federal government, and asked the EAC to provide an impartial assessment of the challenges that state and local election officials face in protecting U.S. elections from cybersecurity threats.

In August 2016, Illinois State Board of Elections officials said they believe personal information from as many as 86,000 voters was hacked through a cyberattack of possible foreign origin that began in June and was halted a month later.

“We have deep concerns about Russian interference in both U.S. elections and the federal government. As motivated and sophisticated cybercriminals will continue to target our election systems, we must ensure that our state and local election administrators have the resources they need to make critical cybersecurity upgrades,” the senators wrote. “As a first step, we are writing to request a full account of the EAC’s efforts in the cybersecurity sphere in 2016. Based on your work with election officials, cybersecurity experts and federal law enforcement, we also would appreciate an impartial assessment of the challenges that state and local election officials face in protecting future U.S. elections from cybersecurity threats. We are committed to strengthening the security of our democracy's infrastructure and look forward to receiving your responses and working with the EAC to achieve this goal.”

The other senators who signed the letter are Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Angus King (I-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Al Franken (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tom Carper (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Jack Reed (D-RI).

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