Readout of Election Threats Task Force Briefing with Election Officials and Workers on Grant-Funding for Physical Election Security Enhancements

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. convened a virtual discussion today with a bipartisan group of approximately 300 election officials and workers to brief them on available grant funding for physical security enhancements under federal programs and the potential applicability of state and local fiscal recovery funds under the American Rescue Plan.

Members of the election community heard directly from representatives from the State Administering Agencies responsible for administering federal grant funds that are available for increased physical election security in their respective states. Those states included Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, and Wisconsin. The election community also heard directly from representatives with the Department of Homeland Security’s Preparedness grants program, and from the Election Assistance Commission on the use of Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds. These federal and state representatives discussed points of contact, deadlines, and strategies for accessing various funding streams that can be used to enhance the physical security of the election community.

Finally, the election community received an update on the work of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force, including a briefing from the FBI on communication and coordination with FBI Election Crime Coordinators in the lead up to the November election.

Joining Assistant Attorney General Polite in the briefing today was Principal Deputy Chief John Keller of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, FBI Special Agent Lindsay Capodilupo, FBI’s National Program Coordinator for the Election Crime Coordinator Program, and Michelle M. Garcia, Deputy Director for Programs at the department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance.