WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today pressed top officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize the protection of state and local election systems in the wake of Russia’s attempt to hack into them last year.

            “I would urge you to put some urgency on this. We’ve got another election coming in eighteen months, and if we are talking about systems and registration rolls, time is going by. I believe this is, as we’ve already heard characterized, a very grave threat. It’s going to be back, and shame on us if we’re not prepared,” Senator King said.

Senator King today questioned the DHS Acting Undersecretary of the National Protection and Programs Directorate and the DHS Acting Director of Office of Intelligence and Analysis’ Cyber Division about the federal government’s ongoing efforts to provide technical assistance, information, and funding to state and local officials to protect their elections systems.

To watch Senator King’s questioning, click HERE.

On January 6, 2017, the Intelligence Community released a joint assessment of Russian activities in the 2016 election, which stated that “Russian intelligence obtained and maintained access to elements of multiple US state or local electoral boards.”

Senator King has warned that the U.S. must prepare for Russia to conduct similar activities in future elections. Earlier this year, he called on Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to allocate federal funding to help state and local governments purchase auditable election systems – in essence, to provide a paper ballot back-up of every vote cast.

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