Apparently, there are seven states that don’t take election security seriously. Incredible as it may seem, there are seven states that have not requested their allotment of election security funds from the federal government.
If you are a resident of one of these states, there is something you can do to fix this situation:
Alaska, California, Georgia, Maine, Nevada, Tennessee & Wyoming
(If you’re not in one of these states but are curious as to how much your state has requested in funds, you can find a great interactive map at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.)
As part of the omnibus spending bill Congress passed earlier this year, the federal government allocated $380M to the 2018 HAVA (Help America Vote Act) Election Security Fund to be used to improve election infrastructure. All the states have to do is request it. There is a deadline of July 16 to get funding this time around. States should secure these funds right away in order to make upgrades before the November midterms.
Since time is of the essence, I encourage you to contact your state representatives immediately. You can get their contact info here.
Here’s a script you can use, courtesy of Americans of Conscience Checklist:
Hi. I’m from [ZIP] and calling to express concern that [name] has not yet submitted a budget to apply for HAVA Election Security Funds. [State] has until July 16 to submit a budget, and I want [name] to make this a priority. Can you let me know what their plans are?
Securing elections, especially at a time when there are so many attacks to undermine our voting systems, is a crucial step all states should be taking to increase confidence in their citizens.
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Categories: Explainers
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