Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2023

Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2023

This bill revises preservation and retention requirements for federal election records. It also revises criminal penalties related to election records and the voting process.

Under current law, election officials must, for a period of 22 months from the federal election, retain and preserve all election-related records and papers. This bill extends the requirement to electronic records and electronic equipment.

Next, the bill directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to issue minimum standards and best practices for retaining and preserving records (including electronic records), papers, and electronic equipment, including protocols for observing their preservation, security, and transfer by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a representative of each political party.

In addition, the bill revises the federal criminal offense related to election records or papers to include reckless disregard of election record requirements resulting in the theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of a record, paper, or electronic equipment.

Further, the bill allows DOJ to demand electronic records and electronic equipment be made available for inspection and generally prohibits DOJ from disclosing this information.

The bill allows DOJ and candidates for federal office to bring an action in a district court to compel compliance with election record requirements.

Finally, the bill extends criminal penalties related to voting interference to include intimidating, threatening, or coercing (or attempting to do so) an individual for processing or scanning ballots, tabulating, canvassing, or certifying voting results.

Bill 118 hr 3130, also known as the Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2023, aims to safeguard the integrity of the election process in the United States. The bill addresses concerns about foreign interference in elections and seeks to prevent any outside influence on the outcome of elections.

The key provisions of the bill include measures to enhance cybersecurity protections for election infrastructure, such as voting machines and voter registration databases. It also establishes guidelines for federal agencies to coordinate with state and local officials to ensure the security of election systems.

Additionally, the bill requires the Director of National Intelligence to conduct regular assessments of foreign threats to election security and report findings to Congress. This information will help lawmakers and election officials better understand and respond to potential threats. Overall, the Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act of 2023 is designed to strengthen the security of the election process and protect the democratic principles upon which the United States is founded. By implementing these measures, lawmakers hope to ensure that elections are free, fair, and secure for all American citizens.