Washington’s Election Security Under Threat: What You Need to Know

Election Security funds are at the front of mind for the Washington Secretary of State.

In a statement, Secretary Steve Hobbs condemns the Trump Administration's move to place members of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) on administrative leave. He says the move comes at a time when threats from cybercriminals and nations against state and local elections grow.

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"Election security is not a partisan issue," Hobbs said. "Both Democratic and Republican secretaries of state have raised conserns over these sudden federal changes. Every elected leader - from city councils to the presidency - depends on a fair, free, and secure election process."

This statement comes after an election where arsonists set a ballot collection box ablaze in Vancouver, Washington just a week before the presidential election. Another box went ablaze just south in Portland around the same time.

After that, Washington's GOP Chairman Jim Walsh told the Washington State Standard the state needs to get back to in-person voting, and the experiment with 100% mail-in voting is not secure.

Uncertainty Over Election Security Funding in Washington

There is a worry among political leaders the president's funding freezes could effect secure elections.

Currently in Washington, counties are able to petition the secretary of state for up to $80,000 to place new ballot drop box cameras.

Now there's a question of whether or not that funding, along with the funding of election-security and cybersecurity personnell safeguarding those elections, will stay.

Just days after the Trump Administration's announcement they would be cutting funding for federal programs, Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti issued a statement calling the blocking of Congressionally authorized funds disruptive.