What is Election Security? (Part 1)
Election security refers to the people, systems, and processes that protect the integrity of elections, from voter registration databases and voting equipment to ballot counting, certification, and public confidence in the results.
When we talk about election security, we generally mean:
Election systems: Protecting voting machines, ballot-counting systems, and voter registration databases from hacking, tampering, or physical damage.
Election administration: Maintaining the rules and procedures that ensure elections are administered consistently, ballots are counted accurately, and results are certified according to law.
Voter information: Helping people access accurate, trustworthy information about when, where, and how to vote while reducing the spread of false or misleading information.
Election workers: Ensuring poll workers and election officials can do their jobs without threats, harassment, or intimidation.
A secure election is one where all eligible voters can safely cast their ballots, all eligible ballots are counted, and the results accurately reflect the will of the electorate.
Why are we talking about this now?
On June 2, 2026, California held its primary election, and the state’s election system worked as designed. Mail ballots were sent to every registered voter, each subject to signature verification. Ballots postmarked by Election Day were counted if they arrived within seven days, and election officials completed certification on July 10 in accordance with state law. This process was reaffirmed by the United States Supreme Court on June 29 in Watson v. Republican National Committee et al., when it upheld states’ authority to count mail ballots postmarked by Election Day even if they arrive afterward.
Yet the weeks between June 2 and July 10, the certification period, also illustrated one of election security’s biggest challenges. Although California’s election was proceeding according to established law, the ongoing ballot count became the subject of widespread public criticism and unsupported claims that ballots were being counted illegally. The events demonstrated how routine election procedures can be misinterpreted or deliberately misrepresented, allowing false claims to spread and erode public confidence in legitimate election outcomes.
Why does this matter for democracy?
Unlike monarchies and dictatorships, where political power rests with a single ruler or small group, democracies derive their legitimacy from the will of the people. As the Founders envisioned in creating a representative government, elections are how the public chooses its leaders, holds them accountable, and transfers power peacefully. For that system to work, elections must be free, fair, and trusted. People must be able to trust that their votes are accurately counted and that, if something goes wrong, there are clear and reliable processes to address it.
One of the strengths of the American election system is also one of the things that can make it confusing. Rather than relying on a single national election system, states administer elections independently through thousands of local jurisdictions. This decentralized structure means there is no single point where an entire national election can be manipulated or disrupted, but it also means states use different approaches to achieve the same goal.
For example, Utah, like California, automatically sends mail ballots to active registered voters to expand opportunities for voters to cast a ballot, while Texas primarily relies on in-person voting and limits eligibility for voting by mail through more restrictive absentee voting requirements. Michigan and Wisconsin allow eligible voters to register on Election Day to reduce barriers to registration, while Florida and New York require voters to register before Election Day so their registration can be verified before they cast their ballot.
Despite these differences, every state relies on multiple safeguards to help ensure eligible ballots are counted accurately and election results can be trusted. Those safeguards include, but are not limited to, verifying voter eligibility, testing and certifying voting equipment, preserving paper records for recounts, and conducting post-election audits.
Together, these overlapping layers of security help protect the integrity of U.S. elections, no matter where you are in the country.
Why does this matter for Jewish communities?
Free, fair, secure, and trusted elections are the foundation of democracy. When confidence in elections erodes, it becomes harder for democratic institutions to function effectively and for elected leaders to govern with public trust. Over time, that can weaken the democratic principles that allow communities to thrive, including civil liberties, pluralism, accountability, and equal treatment under the law.
For Jewish communities, these principles are especially important. Strong democratic institutions have long provided the conditions in which Jewish communities can participate fully in civic life, practice their faith freely, and advocate for their interests. Protecting election security helps preserve the democratic system that makes those freedoms possible.
What can be done?
Learn →
Find out how ballots are processed in your state, including how long counting and certification take. Your state’s Secretary of State website or local County Election Office is likely the most reliable place to get the facts before and after Election Day.
Are you a partner in A More Perfect Union’s Jewish Partnership for Democracy? Access our Election Action Tracker to find your local election offices, upcoming public election board meetings, and logic and accuracy testing for voting equipment. (Not yet a partner? Learn whether your organization is eligible to join.)
Speak →
Share what you’ve learned with friends, family, and your community. Helping the people around you understand how elections actually work is one of the most effective ways to push back against false claims. When you hear allegations of fraud, check a credible source, and encourage others to do the same.
Act →
Contact your members of Congress and ask them to support measures that keep elections secure, accessible, and trustworthy. Consider signing up as a poll worker or election observer and see the process first hand. Communities run better elections when trusted members of those communities are part of the process.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll examine the current threats to election security.
A More Perfect Union mobilizes the American Jewish community to protect and strengthen democracy. We’re committed to inspiring more American Jews to champion democracy through thoughtful, nonpartisan reflections on the challenges and choices facing our nation today. Never miss an update, subscribe today.
