“Rejecting an investment in our elections is a failure,” says Issue One following House appropriations markup

In response to today’s House Appropriations Committee FY2025 markup, which allocated zero dollars in federal funding for our critical election infrastructure, Issue One’s Director of Election Protection Carah Ong Whaley issued the following statement:

“There are many challenges facing our elections and those who run them — from foreign maligned influence and threats to cybersecurity, to budgetary and safety concerns — and they need our support more than ever. The committee choosing to ‘reject’ an investment in our elections, especially during a presidential election year, is a failure that undermines the foundations of our republic. This can’t stand.

“Election officials are doing all they can to once again administer free, safe, and secure elections this year. Now it’s time for Congress to step up and ensure our frontline democracy workers have the resources they need to keep America’s election infrastructure strong for years to come.”

Last week, the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee (FSGG) voted to eliminate all federal funding for elections. Preceding that markup, members of Issue One’s bipartisan National Council on Election Integrity and Faces of Democracy submitted requests to congressional appropriators urging Congress to allocate at least $400 million in election security grant funds so state and local election officials have the resources they need to safeguard our elections against evolving cybersecurity threats, improve voter registration systems, replace paperless voting machines, purchase high-speed tabulators, implement post-election audits, install security and live-streaming cameras in ballot warehouses, and other essential improvements in election security and election administration.