CHICAGO — Twenty-one attorneys general have joined in urging Congress to ramp up U.S. cyber security ahead of the 2018 midterm elections to protect against further cyberattacks and more infiltration by Russian hackers, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
"The 2016 elections were subjected to an unprecedented cyberattack, and Illinois was a specific target," Madigan said in a statement. "Voters in Illinois and across America need to know that we are doing everything possible to protect our upcoming elections."
The attorneys general sent a letter to congressional leaders that addresses a three-step process they would like to see lawmakers take to secure the upcoming elections. The steps include prioritizing election security legislation, increasing funding for the Election Assistance Commission so states can upgrade their election technology and supporting cyber security standards for voting systems to prevent foreign attacks.
The coalition includes Madigan and the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington.