and Administration with oversight over federal elections, and 37 of her colleagues have sent a letter urging President Biden to include significant funding for election grants in the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 federal budget. These resources would help state and local governments with the administration and security of federal elections, including to maintain and improve election infrastructure, keep pace with emerging technology such as artificial intelligence, and enhance cybersecurity to combat new threats.“With the 2024 elections now underway, state and local officials are already spending significant resources so that every eligible American can make their voices heard when they cast their ballots,” wrote the senators. “This funding is critical for hardworking officials to prepare and plan effectively for their ongoing responsibilities on the frontlines of our democracy.”
“These resources are also important to hire and train new election officials and poll workers, as well as to protect the security of election officials who are facing ongoing threats and harassment for simply doing their jobs,” the senators continued. “One survey of local election officials last year found that nearly one in three said they have been abused, harassed, or threatened and one in five know someone who left their job over safety concerns.”
In addition to Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Peter Welch (D-VT), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Angus King (I-ME), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).
As Chairwoman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee with oversight over federal elections, Klobuchar has long led efforts to improve election security and administration.
Last month, Klobuchar and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, successfully called on the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to take action to combat the spread of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated disinformation about elections, and last week the EAC voted unanimously to allow election officials to use federal election funds for this purpose.
In December 2023, Klobuchar and Rules Committee Ranking Member Deb Fischer (R-NE) called on the Department of Justice to prioritize its review of incidents involving anonymous letters – some containing fentanyl and other unidentified substances – that were reportedly sent to several election officials in six states, and to work with the United States Postal Service and state and local officials to guard against similar incidents.
In September 2023, Klobuchar and Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, Chris Coons (D-DE), Chair of the Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, and Susan Collins (R-ME), introduced the Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act, bipartisan legislation to ban the use of AI to generate materially deceptive content falsely depicting federal candidates to influence federal elections. This legislation has also been cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE).
In July 2023, Klobuchar reintroduced the Freedom to Vote Act, which would set basic national standards to make sure all Americans can cast their ballots in the way that works best for them, regardless of what zip code they live in, including by improving voting access, expanding early-in person voting and voting by mail, and modernizing election systems. All Senate Democrats cosponsored this legislation. The Freedom to Vote Act has received the full support of Senate Democrats for the Congress in a row.
In April 2023, Klobuchar and Senate Judiciary Chair Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) reintroduced comprehensive legislation to address the rise in threats targeting election workers. The Election Worker Protection Act would provide states with the resources to recruit and train election workers and ensure these workers’ safety, while also instituting federal safeguards to shield election workers from intimidation and threats.
In March 2023, Klobuchar and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-WA) reintroduced the Sustaining Our Democracy Act, which provides significant mandatory federal funding over the next decade to help state and local governments support election administration, including resources for training and recruiting nonpartisan poll workers and election officials and for increasing voting access in underserved communities.
In February 2023, Klobuchar and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Gary Peters (D-MI) led a letter with 22 of their colleagues that successfully called on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize funding for election security through DHS’ existing grant programs.
In February 2023, Klobuchar led 34 of her colleagues in a letter successfully urging President Biden to include significant funding for election security grants in the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 federal budget.
In June 2022, Klobuchar and former Senate Rules Committee Ranking Member Roy Blunt (R-MO) led successful efforts to call on the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to expand the use of federal Help America Vote Act funding to protect election workers and officials against threats. Klobuchar and Blunt had also requested an update from the EAC in April 2022 on its efforts to support state and local election officials with administering the 2022 midterm elections.
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Mr. President:
We write to urge you to prioritize funding to support our free and fair elections in your budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, including by providing the highest possible funding level for grants to be distributed to states by the Election Assistance Commission. With the 2024 elections now underway, state and local officials are already spending significant resources so that every eligible American can make their voices heard when they cast their ballots. This funding is critical for hardworking officials to prepare and plan effectively for their ongoing responsibilities on the frontlines of our democracy.
The continued successful administration of our elections requires a steady stream of resources to support this year-round work. This funding is needed to maintain and improve election infrastructure, keep pace with emerging technology like artificial intelligence, and enhance cybersecurity to combat new threats. Election security is integral to national security and it is critical that we invest meaningfully to ensure that they continue to run smoothly.
These resources are also important to hire and train new election officials and poll workers, as well as to protect the security of election officials who are facing ongoing threats and harassment for simply doing their jobs. One survey of local election officials last year found that nearly one in three said they have been abused, harassed, or threatened and one in five know someone who left their job over safety concerns. Last fall over a dozen letters were reportedly sent to election offices or government buildings in six states, some containing fentanyl and other unidentified substances, that not only threatened the health and safety of election officials but also caused some delays in ballot counting.
While we are also working to strengthen our democracy and are committed to advancing legislation to expand access to the ballot and improve the security of election officials and workers, we recognize that the critical work being done to administer our elections successfully is happening now, despite years of underinvestment. We urge you to include in your budget the funding that is needed to not only maintain the safe and secure administration of our elections, but also to address emerging threats and to invest in future elections.
Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.
Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar
