President Donald Trump said earlier this year that he's interested in "nationalizing" elections.
He told a C-Span reporter, "If you think about it, a state is an agent for the federal government in elections."
The president and Congress have some responsibility for regulating federal elections. Congress can pass laws governing civil rights in elections. But the US Constitution grants states power to oversee "time, place, and manner."
Since last year, the federal government has cut millions of dollars in funding for state-level election security.
Delaware receives less money
Delaware's own election commissioner Anthony J. Albence told the Joint Finance committee in February that Delaware's historically received about $1 million to support election security from the federal government. This year, the state received $250,000.
"That should be, I believe, all the funding we receive this year," Albence said to the JFC.
The state doesn't receive a specific directive on what do do with that money. And Albence said it should be enough the cover cyber security needs.
"The challenge will be, we may have to work with the budget office to reallocate some funds, perhaps to cover if we have any unanticipated costs," Albence said.
Meyer signs Executive Order #19
Cut to: Governor Matt Meyer on April 22, standing outside the statehouse building where Albence made his presentation a couple months ago.
Meyer signed an executive order to create an advisory Task Force on election security this week.
"After hearing calls from the federal government to take over state elections, I was reminded of a fundamental American truth," Meyer said. "If citizens cannot trust the integrity of our elections, they will lose faith in democracy itself."
The task force created by Meyer’s Executive Order has 20 members, including the Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary, the Lieutenant Gov., and state and federal security officials.
The order calls on the task force to look for possible "vulnerabilities and emerging risks" to elections in Delaware and develop policy recommendations.
Meyer said the Taskforce will mitigate against interference and intimidation, "federal and otherwise."
One of the taskforce's responsibilities is to create a report and submit it three months before the general election. The order also says Taskforce members should meet "at least quarterly."
