Georgetown Law
Technology Review

More than thirty election-security bills have been introduced in Congress, but most have been stalled in the Senate and no major legislation has been enacted.1For an overview of the bills, see Maurice Turner, Making Sense of the Election Security Legislation Landscape, CTR. FOR DEMOCRACY & TECH. (June 19, 2019) https://cdt.org/blog/making-sense-of-the-election-security-legislation-landscape/ [https://perma.cc/9QAZ-6YGA]. The bills would require states to make greater use of paper ballots and paper trails, adopt effective audit procedures, and strengthen federal cybersecurity support for state and local election authorities. While almost all these bills would be useful, it is probably now too late for states to make significant changes in the election equipment they use for the 2020 elections.2Although Congress approved an additional $425 million late in 2019 for additional funding for states to upgrade voting equipment, it came “many days late and many dollars short according to experts, who say billions were needed starting at least two years ago.” Editorial Board, There’s a lot to like in Congress’s new election security measures. But there’s a big omission., WASH. POST (Dec. 25, 2019, 6:22 PM), https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-spending-bills-glaring-omissions-on- election-security/2019/12/25/24495180-25b4-11ea-ad73-2fd294520e97_story.html [https://perma.cc/D5ZJ-3NP2]. In addition, “states are generally reluctant to undertake major election equipment replacements within a year of major elections or primaries.” See, Lawrence Norden, How to Secure Elections for 2020 and Beyond, BRENNAN CTR. FOR JUST. (Oct. 23, 2019), https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/how-secure- elections-2020-and-beyond [https://perma.cc/4UYS-4WWZ].

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