State and Local Election Security Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill creates a new federal grant program totaling $10 billion over three years to help states and local governments improve how they run federal elections, modernize voting equipment, and defend against cybersecurity threats.
• States must pass at least half of the grant money down to local election offices that actually run the polls in your community. This ensures that the funding reaches the front lines where ballots are counted and voting machines are maintained.
• The bill also sets aside $50 million per year for three years to fund the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which helps election offices across the country share information about cyber threats and coordinate defenses.
• Funding is distributed based on each state's voting-age population, with a guaranteed minimum so smaller states still receive meaningful support. States have five years to spend the money, with a possible three-year extension.
• The bill's sponsors argue the funding is needed because the administration has cut federal election security support, including firing staff and ending funding for the EI-ISAC cyber threat sharing center.