Securing the Vote: A Longitudinal Assessment of U.S. Election Cybersecurity, 2012–2024

Chul Hyun Park, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of Public Policy
UMBC

Coauthors and collaborators:
Jeongmin Oh, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, University of Cincinnati), Matthew Reeds, (UMBC)

12 noon–1pm
Friday, May 8, 2026
Remotely via WebEx: https://umbc.webex.com/meet/sherman

Recording of Talk

Abstract:

Securing election integrity is fundamental to democratic governance and a core responsibility of election administration. Public policy establishes the institutional environment in which electoral systems operate and shapes public trust in electoral outcomes. As digital technologies have become increasingly embedded in voter registration, ballot transmission, vote tabulation, and post-election verification, cybersecurity has emerged as a critical dimension of election governance. Yet systematic knowledge remains limited on how U.S. state and local policies, practices, and technologies have adapted to evolving cybersecurity challenges. This study addresses that gap by analyzing the adoption and evolution of cybersecurity-related election policies, practices, and technologies across state and local jurisdictions from 2012 to 2024. The findings show how governments have responded to emerging digital threats, highlight patterns and divergences in policy adoption, and identify persistent governance gaps. The study offers practical insights for strengthening electoral governance and demonstrates how cybersecurity policy can enhance election integrity and safeguard democratic institutions.

About the Speaker:

Chul Hyun Park is an associate professor in the School of Public Policy at UMBC, where he also serves as Director of the InnoTech Policy Lab. He is a faculty affiliate of the UMBC Cybersecurity Institute. His research focuses on the policy dimensions of digital governance, with particular emphasis on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence governance, and post-quantum cryptography.
Host:

Alan T. Sherman, sherman@umbc.edu

Support for this event was provided in part by the National Science Foundation under SFS grant DGE-1753681.

The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab meets biweekly Fridays 12-1pm. All meetings are open to the public.

Upcoming CDL meetings:

CDL talks will resume in fall 2026.
To participate in our summer protocol analysis workshop, contact Dr. Enis Golaszewski (golaszewski@umbc.edu).
We are hosting SSR 2026 December 13-15, 2026, in Baltimore (https://ssresearch26.umbc.edu/).