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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Election officials can start by assessing jurisdiction-specific risks, then use federal checklists, training, exercises, and physical-security support to address the systems and facilities that matter most. This U.S.-focused guide links practical resources from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the FBI.
Start with a risk assessment
Election infrastructure includes more than voting equipment. It can encompass voter-registration information, electronic poll books, public-facing websites, email and business networks, polling places, offices, ballot-processing locations, storage areas, suppliers, staff, and volunteers. Begin by mapping the assets and operational deadlines that matter in your jurisdiction, then decide which risks need attention first.
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CISA and the EAC developed the Election Security Risk Profile Tool to help state and local officials understand the range of election risks, identify areas of greatest risk, and coordinate assessment and mitigation priorities with government partners. Use it as a starting point for prioritizing work, not as a certification of security.
Keep the assessment local: staffing, facility layout, system dependencies, election calendars, and state or local procedures affect which safeguards are feasible and urgent.
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Address the main cyber risks
CISA identifies phishing, ransomware, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks as risks to election-related systems. Potential targets include voter information systems such as electronic poll books and voter-registration databases, election websites, email, and networks used for election-office business. Disruption can confuse or delay voters, expose or block access to sensitive information, or interfere with systems during important operational periods.
- Phishing: Prepare staff to recognize suspicious messages and protect election-office email. Training can help workers understand how to spot and report attempts to gain access.
- Ransomware: Review protective controls and recovery plans for the systems and information needed to keep election operations functioning. Identify who makes decisions and how teams would coordinate if access were disrupted.
- DDoS and website availability: Plan how voters will get essential information if a public-facing website becomes unavailable, and clarify who handles communications and service coordination.
CISA’s Cybersecurity Toolkit and Resources to Protect Elections collects election-focused guidance. CISA cautions that the commercial services listed in the toolkit are not endorsements and that the agency does not attest to a service’s suitability or effectiveness for a particular use case. Assess any service against your jurisdiction’s needs rather than treating its inclusion as a recommendation.
Use the readiness checklist to examine your posture
The Election Infrastructure Cybersecurity Readiness and Resilience Checklist, marked as of September 6, 2024, is a question-based planning aid for election personnel and IT teams. It addresses networks and internet-facing applications supporting voter-registration information, election-night reporting, polling-place lookup, email, and other business operations. Use its questions to identify areas to examine and possible actions; completing it does not certify or guarantee that a jurisdiction is secure.
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Physical security and personnel safety belong in election resilience planning alongside cyber safeguards. CISA’s Physical Security Checklist for Polling Locations, released April 22, 2024, is designed for temporary election facilities and can be used by election workers and volunteers without prior security expertise. Its yes-or-no questions cover pre-planning and Election Day procedures to help identify threats and incidents. Adapt it to each facility’s needs and available resources.
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CISA Senior Advisor Cait Conley said in the agency’s April 22, 2024 announcement that “Protecting against physical threats to election locations like polling places where Americans cast their vote is one of the most significant responsibilities election officials bear.” The announcement also describes the checklist’s purpose.
The CISA and FBI Security Resources for the Election Infrastructure Subsector covers threats to personnel and guidance for physical assets, including election offices, ballot-processing locations, storage areas, and voting centers. CISA Protective Security Advisors can provide physical-security risk guidance and conduct assessments using the Security Assessment and First Entry (SAFE) tool. Contacting an advisor can be appropriate when a jurisdiction needs tailored facility guidance.
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The CISA and FBI summary directs election workers who receive threats to report them through law-enforcement channels. For an imminent threat to life, it says to call 911. Follow applicable local reporting procedures as well.
Prepare staff and partners before an incident
CISA’s Election Security Training page lists no-cost training for election infrastructure stakeholders. Topics include election security, phishing and ransomware awareness, insider-threat mitigation, operational security, communications planning, and non-confrontational techniques for election workers. Trainings can be customized and delivered virtually or in person; the page says they usually run 30 to 90 minutes. Check the current page for availability and arrangements.
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Training supports a broader preparedness plan: staff and partners should understand how to raise concerns, who coordinates a response, and how to communicate when routine systems or procedures are affected.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use a tabletop to clarify incident roles
CISA’s Elections Cyber Tabletop in a Box provides template objectives, a scenario, discussion questions, and cybersecurity references. Bring relevant partners together to walk through a plausible incident and discuss whether plans, responsibilities, and communications are clear. A tabletop is a discussion exercise—not a technical test or proof of readiness.
Include the whole election supply chain
Election supply-chain review should cover more than voting equipment. CISA’s Supply Chain Risks to Election Infrastructure Subsector Infographic groups dependencies into four categories:
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- Software: Programs and applications supporting election systems and related work.
- Services: External services that election operations or system providers depend on.
- Paper supplies: Physical materials needed to carry out election processes.
Apply these categories to jurisdictional purchasing and operational dependencies. The framework does not prescribe a particular vendor, product, or procurement requirement.
Choose resources by the job they do
| Resource | Primary focus | Format or support |
|---|---|---|
| Election Security Risk Profile Tool | Jurisdiction-wide election risk and priorities | Assessment tool developed by CISA with EAC |
| Cybersecurity Toolkit and Readiness and Resilience Checklist | Cyber risks, networks, applications, and planning | Online toolkit and question-based checklist |
| Physical Security Checklist for Polling Locations | Temporary polling-facility procedures | Self-guided checklist |
| Security Resources for the Election Infrastructure Subsector | Personnel threats and physical assets | Guidance that includes CISA Protective Security Advisor support |
| Election Security Training | Staff awareness, operational security, and communications | No-cost training, customizable and virtual or in person |
| Elections Cyber Tabletop in a Box | Incident roles, plans, and partner coordination | Scenario-based discussion materials |
| Supply Chain Risks Infographic | Hardware, software, services, and paper supplies | Infographic framework |
Several CISA resources describe no-cost support, but eligibility, availability, and local fit should be confirmed with the relevant agency. These materials are U.S. federal guidance; state, local, tribal, and territorial rules and procedures remain important to how they are used.
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