DHS and CISA release 2026 Election Infrastructure Security Plan: Securing the Next 250

# What the plan is and why it matters

Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the 2026 Election Infrastructure Security Plan, titled "Securing the Next 250." The plan compiles services and guidance for protecting the systems, processes, facilities, and people that support U.S. elections. CISA emphasizes that these services are voluntary and provided at no cost to state and local election officials.

The agency links the security of election infrastructure to broader national security priorities and urges ongoing coordination among state, local, and federal partners. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is quoted saying the plan will be implemented in full and framing election security as national security.

# What CISA offers

CISA lists specific, operational services election officials can use:

• Threat information sharing to help jurisdictions anticipate and respond to risks.
• Vulnerability scanning to identify technical weaknesses in systems and networks.
• Technical expertise and risk assessments to prioritize mitigations.
• Training and exercises that simulate incidents and test response plans.
• Physical security support for facilities and personnel protections.

These resources cover information and communications technology (voter registration databases, voting machines, systems used to manage and report results) as well as physical assets (storage facilities, polling locations, centralized tabulation sites).

# Scope of threats addressed

# Historical and organizational context

CISA notes election infrastructure was designated a critical infrastructure subsector in 2017. Since that designation, the agency says it has expanded support to election officials through both cybersecurity and physical-security services. The 2026 plan consolidates these supports into a single operational framework describing available offerings and how jurisdictions can access them.

# Practical implications for election officials

The plan emphasizes voluntary uptake: jurisdictions retain control over whether to use CISA services. Officials who sign up can receive threat intelligence, scanning results, assessment findings, and training without charge. The package is meant to reduce barriers to basic cybersecurity hygiene and resilience planning, and to foster coordination among election administrators, IT practitioners, and federal partners.

# Timing and public messaging

CISA released the plan in late September 2026, ahead of the November midterm elections. The agency framed the release as part of an implementation effort to ensure services are available and coordination lines are active as jurisdictions prepare and conduct elections.

# Where to find the full plan

CISA published the full report on its website. The plan is presented as a practical, action-oriented resource for election stakeholders who want to use federal services to bolster defenses and test response procedures prior to and during election operations.