Election Security: Protecting the Foundation of Democracy - Access Granted

States’ voter registration systems and voter access have undergone a host of changes over the past five years, thanks in large part to the Covid-19 pandemic. Many states expanded vote-by-mail options, stepped up automatic voter registration programs, or both. Cities took action, as well – Los Angeles, for instance, has overhauled its voting system infrastructure, using open source, the cloud, and cybersecurity partnerships to update and enhance the system.

While many improvements have a physical component – such as adding more ballot drop boxes – improving cybersecurity, using AI to identify anomalies to prevent election fraud, and providing technology solutions for voters with disabilities such as blindness, show that IT has a central role to play in improving voter access and streamlining voter registration.

Learning Objectives:

• Review the components of your voter registration system and the sources used to identify and register new voters
• Evaluate cybersecurity measures taken to protect voter databases and individuals’ privacy
• Identify steps in the process that could be streamlined or made more accessible through the use of IT