American Digital Election Infrastructure: Policy, Risks, Options

<p>Why is US digital election infrastructure (DEI) in a vulnerable state and what are the possible options to better secure it? To answer these questions systematically, federal policy and current DEI are analyzed through a risk management lens, including both elite and democratic models of risk management. This analysis suggests that DEI is at risk because federal policy currently enables states to use Direct-Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines without a paper trail and allows states to manage their own risk environment with respect to digital voter registration databases (VRDs). This in turn produces significant variance in outcomes in levels of cyber security and priority of VRD governance. These factors combine to present serious vulnerabilities that could be exploited in a targeted attack during a Presidential election to disastrous consequence. As a result, policy options and potential technical improvements to DEI should be explored.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Master

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Political Science

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Himes, Tyson S

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Alan DiGaetano

• Other Political Science
• election policy
• election infrastructure
• risk management

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3198

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-4297