States must adopt federal election security measures or risk losing federal funding, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced Friday. The directive, part of a broader push to enhance election integrity, will make security enhancements mandatory for states seeking reimbursement for federal election costs.
Mullin stated that states wanting to receive grants and federal reimbursements for running federal elections will be required to implement specific security protocols. These requirements include ensuring the security of voting machines and conducting thorough reviews of voter rolls to remove ineligible individuals, such as non-citizens and deceased persons.
The administration's stance emphasizes a conditional approach to federal aid, linking financial support directly to compliance with federal election security standards. The announcement signals a significant federal effort to standardize and strengthen election security across all states.