U.S. Government Prepares to Safeguard Midterm Elections Against Foreign Influence

Why it matters locally: While the headline is national, the efforts to safeguard midterm elections against foreign influence directly impact New Jersey's electoral process, including its 12 U.S. House of Representatives seats and numerous state and local races.

Washington — The United States government is implementing strategies to secure the nation's midterm elections scheduled for November 3. These elections will decide all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 seats in the U.S. Senate. Agencies are working to address potential external influence on the voting process. Defense Department officials confirm their role in supporting civilian agencies. This support focuses on protecting electoral infrastructure and information systems from cyber threats originating outside the country. Their work aims to bolster the resilience of election systems. Approximately 470 electoral contests will take place across the country. These include races for governor, state legislatures, and local offices, in addition to the federal legislative positions. Agencies involved in election security aim to ensure the accurate tabulation of votes and the protection of voter data. Government cybersecurity experts are collaborating with state and local election officials. This collaboration involves sharing threat intelligence and providing technical assistance. The objective is to identify and neutralize foreign efforts to disrupt elections or spread disinformation. This approach emphasizes a whole-of-government effort. Multiple federal departments and agencies contribute expertise and resources. Their collective work focuses on maintaining the security and integrity of the American electoral system against external threats.