Benjamin Hovland, chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), has emphasized the critical need to support state and local election officials who are facing unprecedented threats. In an interview with the Center for American Progress (CAP) published today, Hovland highlighted the growing challenges these officials encounter.
“The challenges we are facing are unlike anything I have seen in this country during my lifetime,” Hovland stated. He noted that election officials are being asked to take on increasing responsibilities and become experts in new areas while combating significant threats. “Local election officials continue to do amazing work and deserve so much credit for that, but we cannot keep asking them to do more without providing additional support.”
Hovland discussed various traditional and modern challenges faced by local officials, including misinformation, disinformation, physical threats, harassment, cybersecurity threats, and inconsistent funding. He pointed out that artificial intelligence (AI) presents a new set of concerns where current threats outweigh potential benefits.
“Of particular concern is the ability to use AI to further amplify mis- and disinformation and to lower the barrier to producing more convincing inaccurate content about elections,” he said. Hovland also stressed Congress's essential role in protecting voting rights and investing resources in democratic infrastructure.
Michael Sozan, a senior fellow at CAP who conducted the interview, echoed these sentiments: “America’s democracy continues to be tested in unprecedented and dangerous ways.” He called on Congress to prioritize legislation setting nationwide standards for voting rights and preventing partisan election subversion while addressing how AI can be properly harnessed in elections.
The full Q&A titled “Democracy at a Crossroads: A Q&A About Free and Fair Elections with EAC Chairman Benjamin Hovland” by Michael Sozan is available for further reading.
For more information or expert commentary, contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].
