The Importance of Funding Election Infrastructure
This webinar will be held via Zoom. If you have issues registering or accessing the webinar platform, please email nacomeetings@naco.org.
Election infrastructure is the backbone of our democracy, ensuring that every eligible vote is cast, counted, and reported securely and accurately. In recent years, however, election systems across the country have faced unprecedented challenges—ranging from cybersecurity threats to funding shortages—making it more critical than ever to invest in our election infrastructure. This webinar will bring together election experts to discuss the current state of election infrastructure and how adequate funding can strengthen election integrity, support local election officials, and protect voter confidence.
Speakers
Jackie Wu
Rick Piepho
Keara Mendez
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Introducing the NACo AI Leadership Academy, a NACo EDGE Webinar
Monday, October 7, 2024 | 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET
NACo has a new online Leadership course offering! This fully online and facilitated program provides the comprehensive detail that leaders need to navigate the changes of government work relative to available technologies and human needs of our society.
If you are like most government leaders today, you are looking for the best way to understand the power of AI, mitigate the risk of AI, and navigate the complexity of cascading change occurring because of AI. Join your peers in this webinar to learn (and share) best practices in AI and digital transformation. Our AI Leadership Coaches, NACo CIO Rita Reynolds and PDA CEO Dr. Tim Rahschulte, will share details on the new NACo Artificial Intelligence (AI) Leadership Academy.
This webinar is brought to you by NACo EDGE, establishing people, purchasing, and performance cost-saving solutions that can be applied to counties nationwide. EDGE is owned by NACo, advised by county leaders and 100% focused on solutions for U.S. Counties. Learn more about NACo EDGE here.
For more information check out the event page!
Featured Resource
County Tech Xchange
The NACo County Tech Xchange is an online portal designed to connect county CIOs, IT Directors, CISOs, and other county IT leadership. This portal provides valuable resources in a central location that counties can use to improve their overall technology infrastructure.
Related News
DHS Announces new Funding for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program
On September 23, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new funding round for the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP). The SLGCP provides $1 billion over four years to state, local, and tribal governments to implement cybersecurity plans and build resilience against emerging threats as a part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
This year’s allocation is $279.9 million, notably less than the fiscal year 23 (FY23) allocation of $375 million. Applications for funds must be submitted by December 2, 2024. Eligible entities for this program are state governments, and the program structure design allows for local governments to receive 80% of the funding via either pass-through funding or in-kind services. Counties should be advised that eligible entities may request counties to contribute to the non-federal cost-share element of a state’s application, which for this grant year is 30% for a single-entity applicant or 20% for a multi-entity applicant.
Slight changes have come to the SLCGP for FY2024, including broadening the criteria for applications. In FY22 and FY23, state and local governments were limited to specific objectives of the program, where now applications can focus on any of these four objectives:
Develop and establish appropriate governance structures, including developing, implementing, or revising cybersecurity plans, to improve capabilities to respond to cybersecurity incidents and ensure continuity of operations
Understand their current cybersecurity posture and areas for improvement based on continuous testing, evaluation, and structured assessments
Implement security protections commensurate with risk
Ensure organization personnel are appropriately trained in cybersecurity, commensurate with responsibility
The SLCGP requires that 25 percent of state allocations must benefit rural areas. Local and state governments have 48 months to complete projects and expend allocated funds. The BIL provided funding for four years, with FY 25 being the last year of the program.
NACo encourages counties to coordinate with statewide cyber planning committees to prepare a proposal for the program. NACo will continue to monitor the program and update counties with any developments.
What counties should know about the Congressional Observer Program ahead of the November 2024 election
The Election Observer Program seeks to increase election integrity and transparency by deploying congressional staff to monitor election procedures.
Congress again looks to consider the SAVE Act: What this bill could mean for counties
While the CR ultimately failed to receive a vote, the SAVE Act is priority legislation for U.S. House Republican leadership and there could be other attempts to enact this legislation this Congress.