Why U.S. Election Security May Lag Behind Adversary Tactics

Public reporting has not shown that a foreign government is preparing an operation capable of changing the November vote, though Russian-linked influence efforts and fabricated videos have been observed. The article argues that artificial intelligence is reducing the cost and expertise needed for sophisticated influence campaigns, widening the pool of potential foreign actors. It warns that U.S. defenses may not adapt quickly enough to future threats, including possible attacks on election infrastructure.

After 2016, Russian-linked actors were found to have taken and publicized political material, run hidden influence efforts, and probed state election systems. A bipartisan Senate review later said no votes were altered and no machines were manipulated, while describing the activity as part of a broader effort to weaken confidence in voting.

A 2018 executive order created a post-election foreign-interference review; its first assessment, after the midterms, cited Russian, Chinese, and Iranian influence but no infrastructure compromise that blocked voting, changed counts, or disrupted tallying. Lawmakers in 2019 added pre-election reporting duties, and in 2021 the intelligence community said Russia used covert operations to shape perceptions of the 2020 race.