What is Election Security? (Part 2)
In Part 1, we explored how election security works: the safeguards, from signature verification to post-election audits, that help ensure every eligible vote is counted and every result can be trusted. We also looked at how routine, lawful procedures, like California's weeks-long ballot count, can be mistaken for evidence of fraud.
But safeguards only work if they're funded, defended, and respected. In Part 2, we turn to the threats testing those safeguards right now, and why recognizing them clearly, without exaggeration or partisan spin, matters for keeping our elections free and fair.
Why are we talking about this now?
Elections have always required strong safeguards. With the 2026 midterms approaching, several distinct threats are putting pressure on those safeguards.
The first: funding threats. Federal election security funding has long been inconsistent. In 2018, Congress appropriated $380 million to states and territories to upgrade voting systems and improve federal election administration; in 2020, that number rose to $425 million, but in 2022, Congress appropriated just $75 million.
Heading into the 2026 midterms, the gap between what election officials say they need and what Congress has granted has only grown more vast. In 2026, more than 20 current and former election officials called for at least $400 million to meet baseline election security and administration needs nationwide. Congress ultimately provided just $45 million in Election Security Grants for states, leaving a substantial gap. At the same time, the Trump administration has scaled back the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's (CISA) election security support, including intelligence briefings and technical assistance to states, while proposing to eliminate the Election Security Grants in its 2027 budget request altogether.
Second, mis-, dis- and malinformation continue to threaten public trust. Last month, we covered the false accusations surrounding California’s June primary. A different dynamic played out in Texas in March, when Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) lost the Democratic Senate primary to James Talarico. Changes to Dallas County polling locations caused confusion, and some voters were turned away, prompting Crockett to say voters had been disenfranchised and suggest Republicans could “cheat” to win. While the circumstances differed from California, both examples illustrate how contested or confusing election processes, and claims about them, can be used to undermine trust in the legitimacy of election outcomes.
Third, U.S. intelligence assessments continue to identify China, Russia, and Iran as capable of targeting election infrastructure or voter data. In July, the Trump Administration declassified documents emphasizing Chinese interference; reporting on those same documents found they detail more extensive Russian efforts to influence past elections in Trump's favor and Iranian efforts to undercut him, a reminder that foreign interference doesn't consistently favor either party.
Why does this matter for democracy?
Each threat attacks a different layer of the same system. Funding cuts weaken the infrastructure that keeps voting secure. Disinformation and foreign interference directly exploit public trust. And doubt-sowing and intimidation, whether aimed at voters, election workers, or the outcome itself, chip away at something essential: the willingness of losing candidates and their supporters to accept results and allow a peaceful transfer or continuation of power. That willingness is one of the essential ingredients that holds a healthy democracy together.
None of these threats require fraud to succeed. As one election researcher put it, the goal is often simply to create "just enough doubt" that overturning or ignoring legitimate results starts to feel inevitable, or even necessary. History shows this danger is real, regardless of which side is stoking the doubt, which is exactly why the standard has to apply equally, every time.
Why does this matter for Jewish communities?
Jewish communities have a long, hard-earned understanding of what happens when institutions built to protect fair process are hollowed out or delegitimized: those left most vulnerable are minority communities who depend on a system that treats everyone fairly and equally under the law, not on the goodwill of whoever holds the most power, for their protection. A democracy where election workers can be threatened with prosecution for following the law, where foreign governments can covertly shape outcomes, or where losing simply means claiming the other side cheated, is a democracy where the freedoms and protections Jewish communities, and all minority communities, have depended on for full civic participation grow weaker.
What can be done?
Learn →
Before November, familiarize yourself with how your state verifies voter rolls, secures voting equipment, and audits results. The Election Assistance Commission and your Secretary of State's office publish this information year-round, not just after Election Day.
Are you a partner in A More Perfect Union's Jewish Partnership for Democracy? Use our Election Action Tracker to monitor and attend local election board meetings and security briefings in your area, and share what you learn with your friends, family, and community.
Speak →
When you encounter claims that an election was "rigged" or "stolen," ask what evidence supports the claim and check it against a credible, nonpartisan source before repeating it. Encourage your community to apply the same scrutiny, regardless of which party benefits from the claim.
Act →
Contact your members of Congress – by phone, email, or at a town hall – and urge them to fully and consistently fund election administration, cybersecurity, voting equipment, and election workers.
Support your local election officials publicly – show up at a county election board meeting, write a letter to your local paper, or thank an official directly. A 2026 survey found that roughly a third of officials have experienced harassment connected to their work; visible community support helps offset that pressure and signals that these public servants are not alone.
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.
