Big changes to the agency charged with securing elections lead to midterm worries

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Since it was created in 2018, the federal government's cybersecurity agency warn state and local election officials about potential threats from foreign governments, showed officials how to protect polling places from attacks and gamed out how to respond to the unexpected, such as an Election Day or sudden

The agency was largely absent from that space for elections this month in several states, a potential preview for the 2026 midterms. of the Trump administration, staffing reductions and budget cuts have many election officials concerned about how engaged the will be next year, when control of Congress will be at stake in those elections.