JOHNSTON – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and the state's election security team gathered on Tuesday, May 26, at the State Emergency Operation Center, to highlight the layers of security protecting Iowa's elections and reinforce voter confidence heading into an important election year.
The state, which has received numerous national awards and recognitions for election administration from the National Association of Secretaries of State and the Election Assistance Commission, maintains a robust, layered approach to election integrity that depends on support from election partners at the local, state, and federal levels.
“Election security is a team sport. From cyber protections, threat monitoring, and physical security measures to the election workers who are at the frontlines of election security, Iowans can continue to have confidence that their votes will be counted securely and accurately,” said Secretary Pate. “As we are in the midst of another important election year, I encourage Iowans to make a plan to vote – participating in the election process is one of our most fundamental rights as Americans.”
Secretary Pate and Iowa’s election security team meet on a regular basis to prepare for the upcoming election. This team includes the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Management, Division of Information Technology, the Iowa National Guard, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Iowa’s 99 county auditors and thousands of local election officials and poll workers.
Members of Iowa’s election security team also attended the press conference, reinforcing election security and highlighting their important role in election integrity:
“The FBI continues to engage in extensive preparations to secure the election. As always, we are working closely with our federal, state, and local partners across Iowa and Nebraska to ensure seamless integration with every entity that has shared responsibility for election security,” said Special Agent in Charge Gene Kowel. The FBI stands ready to respond to a host of potential scenarios related to election fraud, voter suppression, foreign malign influence, malicious cyber activity against election infrastructure, and threats to election workers. We are committed to protecting the American public’s right to a fair and safe election.”
"Our department works closely with partners across the state so every Iowan can trust in a fair and accessible voting process," said John Benson, Director of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "We want all Iowans to feel confident and safe when casting their ballots."
“In support of this year's election, the Department of Management, Division of Information Technology will be monitoring cyberthreats. The State of Iowa Security Operations Center will provide 24-hour-a-day cyberthreat monitoring and heightened support during this year’s elections,” said Shane Dwyer, State of Iowa Chief Information Security Officer.
“The Iowa National Guard is proud to continue its partnership with the Iowa Secretary of State's Office to ensure the integrity of the 2026 midterm elections. The Joint Task Force - Cyber stands ready to leverage its expertise to safeguard the electoral process. This collaboration, established in 2017, underscores an enduring commitment to defend the cyber domain of Iowa's elections on behalf of our state and community,” said Captain Benjamin Aslesen, 168 Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Iowa National Guard.
Iowa’s Primary Elections are Tuesday, June 2. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information on finding your polling place or voting early by absentee ballot, visit voterready.iowa.gov.
Photos from the press conference are available for your use below.
