Thompson urges action by DHS to strengthen cybersecurity efforts for voting systems

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) called for action by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity efforts against foreign actors who attempt to exploit cyber vulnerabilities in the nation’s voting systems.

“The Department of Homeland Security must act swiftly to prevent even the suggestion that our electoral processes are vulnerable or under attack and ensure the public confidence of one of our most sacred treasures, the right to vote, is not affected by the prospect of malicious cyber and information technology intrusions,” Thompson said. “Local, county and state officials must be able to call on the federal government to defend the integrity, reliability, and validity of our free and democratic elections. DHS, as the federal government lead for working with state, local, tribal and territorial governments to secure critical infrastructure and information systems, is the natural partner for efforts to address cyber vulnerabilities in the nation’s electoral system.”

Thompson’s call to action comes in the wake of a hack into the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee late last month.

DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said last week that his department is considering classifying electronic ballot-casting systems for the November elections as critical infrastructure, which entitles those systems to the same level of cyber protections as the nation’s power grid and financial sector.