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Resources are available to help state, local, tribal, territorial, and campus (SLTTC) law enforcement better address the threats posed during elections to polling places and election workers. This document is not meant to serve as an exhaustive list of election security resources for law enforcement, but rather help provide our SLTTC law enforcement partners with the knowledge that may be relevant as they make decisions in securing the elections held in their communities. This document summarizes Department of Homeland Security (DHS) resources, as well as those available from the Department of Justice, and Committee for Safe and Secure Elections (CSSE). The non-DHS resources are not owned, distributed, or administered by DHS but rather are included for your situational awareness.
Resources:
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Risk Mitigation Guidance Documents
- Swatting Guidance for Election Workers and Law Enforcement: Developed in partnership with the FBI, this resource offers insights into swatting, its risks to election workers, and strategies for prevention and response.
- Physical Security of Voting Locations and Election Facilities: This general guide provides resources and actionable steps to connect, plan, train, and report that election officials should consider to improve their physical security posture and enhance resilience of election operations in their jurisdiction.
- Interagency Security Resource for the Election Sector: Developed in partnership with the FBI, this document offers a summary of resources available across the federal government to assist SLTT election officials and their private sector partners in responding to threats to personnel, and guidance on assessing and mitigating risks to their physical assets.
- CISA Insights: Mitigating the Impacts of Doxing on Critical Infrastructure: This product provides information, guidance, and resources to critical infrastructure owners and operators, security professionals, and the general public, that can help protect against the threat of Doxing.
- CISA Election Infrastructure Insider Threat Mitigation Guide: This resource offers election stakeholders guidance on understanding and mitigating the risk of insider threats to elections. This guide defines insider threats, highlights the risks relevant to elections, and offers guidance for establishing an insider threat mitigation program that includes both proactive and reactive measures against potential threats.
Trainings & Exercises
- Joint OSLLE & CISA Elections for Law Enforcement Tabletop Exercise: This is a tabletop exercise designed as a joint venture between OSLLE and CISA Elections Security and Resilience teams. It is designed to help guide law enforcement partners through an elections-based scenario to help them understand how to approach this threat landscape. If you are interested in this exercise, please reach out to the OSLLE@hq.dhs.gov.
- CISA Election Security Trainings Exercises Flyer: This flyer provides information on CISA's cyber and physical trainings and exercise services to enhance security and resilience of election infrastructure. The no-cost trainings typically run 30-90 minutes each and are available both in-person and virtually on topics such as election security best practices to build trust, ransomware, and phishing.
- CISA Active Shooter Preparedness: This is a link to the CISA Active Shooter Preparedness page, which contains several different resources that can help prevent and respond to an active shooter scenario. Contact Information: CISA Election Security and Resilience (ESR) mailbox: electionsecurity@cisa.dhs.gov.
DHS Intelligence & Analysis Products
These documents are available through the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). If you do not have access to HSIN please fill out the connected form “HSIN-Intel Request Form” and email it to HSIN.Intel.PMO@hq.dhs.gov
- ((U//FOUO) Fentanyl Letters Mailed to Election Officials Nationwide Highlight – Fentanyl laced letters were mailed to Election Officials in the fall of 2023. This resource details the events related to the investigation and follow that took place because of this threat.
- Federal Executive Branch Agencies Roles and Responsibilities in US Elections Factsheet – This product details the federal responsibilities in the elections process and the corresponding agency.
- (U//FOUO) Threat to High-Profile Officials and Secondary Targets Likely Increased as Online Messaging Promotes Targeting Private Residences: There has been an uptick in threats to high profile officials at their private residences as the threat landscape continues to evolve.
- (U//FOUO) Increased Extremist Activity Likely During Presidential Debate in Philadelphia, Threatening Public Safety, Property, & Event Operations
- (U//FOUO) Some Domestic Violent Extremists Are Calling and Preparing for Civil War, Raising Risk of Anti-Government-Motivated Violence
- (U//FOUO) Racially and Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremist Recruitment Activities in Virginia
- (U//FOUO) Recent Arrest of Lone Actor Planning NYC-based Attack Underscores Upcoming Significant Anniversaries, Holidays, and Mass Gathering Events Require Enhanced Vigilance by Law Enforcement
- (U//FOUO) Some Social Media Users Promoting Destruction of Ballot Drop Boxes, dated 10 September 2024
Department of Justice
- Preparing for a Safe Election Season: This podcast episode from the DOJ’s Community Oriented Policing Services podcast, What’s New in Blue, centers around Sheriff (Ret.) Paul Penzone of the Maricopa County (Arizona) Sheriff’s Office and Chief Chris Davis of the Green Bay (Wisconsin) Police Department. The two law enforcement leaders discuss lessons they have learned about preparing for a safe election season, particularly when faced with intelligence or evidence of threats to voters, election officials, or polling places.
Committee for Safe and Secure Elections
- Committee for Safe and Secure Elections Resources Home Page: A link to all CSSE’s resources that can be utilized by law enforcement.
- Five Steps to Safer Elections: CSSE’s Five Steps to Safer Elections provide information on how election administrators and law enforcement can work together to strengthen our elections.
- Policy Paper: Providing Safety and Security to Elections and Election Workers: This policy paper contains key recommendations for ensuring the safety and security of elections and election workers.
- De-Escalation Posters: Posters designed to help de-escalate tense situations that election officials might face, covering purposeful actions, body language, and verbal communications.
- Sheriff Paul Penzone on Strengthening Law Enforcement Partnerships for Election Security
- Contact Information: Home Page - Committee for Safe and Secure Elections (safeelections.org)