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Quigley Joins Bipartisan Group Urging Trump to Prioritize Election Security & Appoint an Election Security Coordinator

October 10, 2018

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), who serves as a Member of the House Intelligence Committee and New Democrat Coalition, joined a bipartisan group of Members in urging President Trump to immediately appoint an Election Security Coordinator within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) to oversee and organize election security efforts across the federal government.

"It is clear Russia executed a wide-spread disinformation campaign targeting the American public in order to sow discord, undermine the American public's faith in the democratic process, and ultimately, interfere in the 2016 election," the Representatives wrote. "It is imperative the United States act to prevent foreign governments or entities from meddling in the electoral process. Appointing an Election Security Coordinator to the EOP would be an important first step in acknowledging and mitigating these risks to our democracy."

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FBI, Election Assistance Commission (EAC), National Security Agency (NSA), and U.S. Cyber Command have all developed taskforces and initiatives to secure our elections systems and counter foreign influence. However, these various entities are operating in silos with no lead individual responsible for facilitating comprehensive interagency coordination. An Election Security Coordinator would ensure government-wide information sharing and cooperation.

"Elections are the foundation of our democracy," the Representatives continued. "Protecting the integrity of the electoral process and limiting foreign influence on American public opinion requires a centralized, senior position within the EOP to effectively manage this threat across government and communicate its urgency. Protecting U.S. national security requires an Election Security Coordinator, and we urge you to appoint someone immediately."

Last month, Rep. Quigley highlighted our election security vulnerabilities with a live demonstration illustrating just how easy it is to hack a voting machine and interfere with election results. As the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the Election Assistance Commission, he secured $380 million in new grants to replace outdated voting infrastructure and equip election officials with the training and resources they need to protect the voting process.

Read the full letter here.

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