Local Election Officials Raise Concern Over Federal Security Cuts Nationwide

Local election officials across the U.S. are increasingly concerned about the reduction of federal support for election security, with 60% expressing some level of worry, according to a survey by the Brennan Center for Justice. This apprehension follows President Donald Trump's recent actions, including halting election security work at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and firing 130 cybersecurity workers, which have diminished federal oversight and assistance. Experts note that the federal government’s ability to provide a broad overview and share critical information is difficult for individual states to replicate, potentially leaving elections more vulnerable. Meanwhile, Trump's administration has launched a campaign in several states to inspect voting equipment and collect voter data, a move that has drawn bipartisan criticism for potentially interfering with election integrity. Efforts by the Justice Department to obtain voter rolls from multiple states have also raised concerns among election officials about federal overreach. Overall, these developments highlight growing tensions between federal and state election officials over election security and oversight in the lead-up to the 2026 midterms.