Bipartisan Statement: Congress Should Finally Fund Election Administrators as Part of Jobs Bill

Election officials are essential infrastructure for our democracy

Denver, April 14, 2021 - The offices of Secretaries of State Kim Wyman (R-WA) and Jena Griswold (D-CO) have released the following statement as Congress pursues a new jobs and infrastructure bill to recover from the COVID-19 economic downturn.

“In 2016 when elections and voting systems were designated as part of our nation’s critical infrastructure, the federal government affirmed the importance of conducting secure and accurate elections for our democracy. Now, Congress has an opportunity to further bolster defenses for our electoral processes by ensuring election administrators are funded as part of its new jobs bill,” said Secretary Wyman. “The success of the 2020 election, in spite of a pandemic, is further evidence election officials are essential to preserving fair, free, and safe elections.”

“A decision from Congress to include funding for election officials would be a giant step forward and create certainty as election administrators plan for their next elections, making it easier for them to deliver a professional, inclusive, secure and accessible voting process for all of their voters,” said Secretary Griswold. “Now is the time to ensure that elections officials have the funding they need to be successful.”