Election Security Assistance Act

HR 4462, the Election Security Assistance Act, requires the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to submit annual reports to Congress and state election officials on foreign threats to U.S. elections, including cybersecurity risks. It establishes a voluntary process for testing voting systems for cybersecurity vulnerabilities through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Election Assistance Commission, with labeling for systems that pass testing. The bill also mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security notify state and local election officials within 96 hours of confirming a credible election cybersecurity incident affecting voter systems. These provisions directly affect state election agencies, local election officials, and federal entities like DHS, but do not alter existing voting equipment certification or administration. The law focuses on information sharing and testing, not on changing voting procedures or outcomes.