FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18th, 2019
Contact: David Carl (505) 288-2465
Albuquerque, NM — Today, in expressing his “significant concern regarding the persistent
threats to our election systems,” Attorney General Hector Balderas joined a total 22 attorneys
general from around the country to urge Congress to take action to protect the integrity of
America’s elections.
In a letter addressed to key U.S. Senators, Attorney General Balderas and the other attorneys
general ask Congress to provide additional election security grants to states and localities,
support the establishment of cybersecurity and audit standards for election systems, and pass
bipartisan election-security legislation.
“Make no mistake; our elections were attacked by Russian operatives in 2016, and they will be
attacked again,” said Attorney General Hector Balderas. “Congress has a responsibility to take
substantive steps to protect the integrity of our elections. The fate of our democracy is at stake.”
The attorneys general note warnings that “our election systems have been a target for foreign
adversaries and that those same adversaries are currently working to undermine the upcoming
elections.” Their letter follows confirmed reports that Russia successfully breached election
systems in Florida, installed malware on a voting-systems software company used by North
Carolina, and targeted the election systems of all 50 states in 2016.
Joining Attorney General Balderas in the letter are the attorneys general of California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont,
Virginia, and Washington. Today’s letter follows up on a similar letter that attorneys general
from 21 states sent to Congress in July 2018.
