The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab presents
Securing the Vote: A Longitudinal Assessment of U.S. Election Cybersecurity, 2012–2024
Prof. Chul Hyun Park, UMBC School of Public Policy
Coauthors and collaborators: Jeongmin Oh, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, U. of Cincinnati), Matthew Reeds, (UMBC)
12:00–1 pm ET, Friday, May 8, 2026 via WebEx
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.
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: Dr. Alan T. Sherman. Support for this event was provided in part by NSF under SFS grants DGE-1753681 and 2438185. The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab meets biweekly Fridays 12-1pm. All meetings are open to the public.