DHS to states: Follow our voting rules or lose out on election security money

"The Trump administration has indicated it may withhold tens of millions of dollars in election security funding if states don't comply with its voting policy goals. The money comes from a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant program, and voting officials say new requirements from the administration will make the money inaccessible for most of the country. NPR is the first news outlet to report on the changes."

"About $28 million or 3% of the overall Homeland Security Grant Program is devoted to election security and now at risk, though some officials and experts worry that the new requirements could also endanger hundreds of millions of dollars in other grants for law enforcement. Voting officials say the amount of money at risk won't make or break the country's election security."

""Despite the rhetoric, there's been [a] serious cutback to election security support that is being offered to the states," said Larry Norden, an elections expert at the Brennan Center for Justice, which is broadly critical of President Trump's policies. "And this is going to be one more cut for a lot of states because most states are not going to allow the president to decide [how their elections work].""

The Trump administration may withhold tens of millions in election security funding tied to DHS grant programs if states do not comply with new federal voting requirements. About $28 million, roughly 3% of the Homeland Security Grant Program, is devoted to election security and is now at risk, and officials warn new requirements could imperil hundreds of millions more in law enforcement grants. FEMA administers the grants and designates priority areas; election security became a priority three years ago. Trump directed DHS to adjust the election-security portion of the grants under his March 25 executive order on voting. Some experts view the funding threat as another cut to state support.

Read at www.npr.org