The Election Infrastructure Initiative was launched in 2021 to advocate for $20 billion over 10 years in federal investments in critical election infrastructure. This funding represents a significant investment in our nation's election infrastructure and will help ensure free and fair elections now and into the future, while providing the 21st century experience that voters deserve. 

Why Federal Funding is Needed

Election administrators at the state and local levels work tirelessly to facilitate our democratic system of government. But our election administrators face incredible challenges; a greater array of security threats today than ever before, including threats of bodily harm to election workers, outdated infrastructure and equipment, and tensions in public trust in the electoral process. While the President’s FY 24 budget recommended an investment of $5 billion in HAVA Election Security Funds over the next decade to fully fund elections, appropriations have been variable since HAVA passed in 2002.  This has left elections offices with aging buildings that lack heat and electricity, like one jurisdiction in New Hampshire whose elections office is in a one-room schoolhouse. 

Recently, in the Ohio special election, held on August 8, 2023, many jurisdictions faced challenges. In Cuyahoga Falls, the elections office rolled out new equipment, and due to pinched training budgets, poll workers had trouble operating it. This meant that ballots could not be properly fed into scanners and the machines had to be swapped as a mitigating precaution. These challenges and more, highlight the inarguable need for significant and consistent federal investment in election infrastructure.

The Time to Invest in Election Security is Now

It is clear that, when faced with new challenges, local election officials are rising to the occasion and providing Americans with safe, secure, and impartial elections. In order to equip local election officials with the tools they need to continue to safeguard our elections, Congress, as authorized under Title I Section 101 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, should appropriate $400 million for Election Infrastructure in Fiscal Year 2025. 

These funds will allow election administrators to better prepare for the 2024 federal election and beyond. With these funds they’ll be able to make staffing plans, upgrade or replace voting machines to ensure best-practices, and improve in-house technology and cybersecurity preparedness plans. Reliable, consistent federal funding will allow local election officials to plan ahead for improved facilities, make accommodations for voters with disabilities, and employ better technology and quality staff to improve the speed and accuracy of the tabulation of results.

Federal Funding Supports Election Resilience and Security

The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) reported that states utilized federal funds to replace old voting equipment, secure voter registration systems, conduct risk-limiting audits, and invest in cybersecurity. State and local election administrators rely on these funds to pay the federal share of election administration costs, including; purchasing critical supplies such as paper and envelopes, and investing in physical infrastructure. Additionally, these funds pay for the more than 900,000 election workers employed across the country.

Recognizing the importance and vulnerability of our nation's election systems, the Department of Homeland Security has officially designated election infrastructure as critical infrastructure. DHS has warned that "cyber attacks on this country are becoming more sophisticated, and bad cyber actors – ranging from nation states, cyber criminals and hacktivists – are becoming more sophisticated and dangerous.” Without increased support, our systems are left more vulnerable to these attacks.

Cost Analysis for Administering Elections

With increased threats and aging election infrastructure across the country, the scale of investment required is significant. Experts estimate that meeting the full need for election infrastructure over the next decade will require Federal investments of at least $20 billion at the county, municipal and state levels.  A study by the MIT Election Lab determined that the cost to fully fund election administration this decade would cost at least $53 billion shared between county, state, and federal governments. For example, on an annual basis, the table below is a non-exhaustive list of estimated costs per year for all local jurisdictions as voter behavior shifted at the start of the pandemic. 

The Center for Secure and Modern Elections (CSME) and the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL)—in partnership with election officials and supportive organizations —have formed the Election Infrastructure Initiative to advocate for investments in critical election infrastructure of up to $20 billion over 10 years.

About Center for Tech and Civic Life

The Center for Tech and Civic Life is a nonpartisan nonprofit harnessing the promise of technology to modernize the American voting experience. We connect Americans with the information they need to become and remain civically engaged and ensure that our elections are more professional, inclusive, and secure. 

We do this by providing information the public needs to develop lifelong civic habits, and by connecting election officials with tools, training, and funding so that they can best serve their communities. 

CTCL is proud to be backed by, and support, Republican, Democratic, Independent, and nonpartisan election officials across the country.

About Center for Secure and Modern Elections

The Center for Secure and Modern Elections is dedicated to advancing pro-voter policies at the state level that modernize the voting process and ensure that every American, whether they are Republican, Democrat, or Independent, can have their voice heard.

Center for Secure and Modern Elections pursues policies and reforms that provide the United States with an election process that is more efficient, accurate and secure. We advocate for bipartisan proposals such as Automatic Voter Registration that saves valuable time for election officials, saves money for state governments, while ensuring that voters can participate in our great democracy.

We support bipartisan reforms at all levels of government and we provide support to lawmakers, advocates, and businesses who share our goal of a modern democracy where all voters, regardless of party, can have their voice heard.