The federal agency responsible for protecting U.S. election infrastructure has published its security blueprint for the 2026 midterms, outlining the threats facing voting systems and the free assistance available to the state and local officials who actually run elections. The plan arrives as roughly 13 pages of guidance, but it lands in the middle of a much larger argument about foreign meddling, ballot integrity, and the security of the machines Americans vote on.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued the document Thursday, ahead of the midterms scheduled for Nov. 3. CISA was created in 2018 under the Department of Homeland Security and has spent years warning states about foreign threats, and this plan is the most formal statement yet of how the agency intends to help local election offices harden their systems before voters head to the polls.

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From The Epoch Times:

The new plan warns of software flaws, voter registration database hacks, insider threats, and physical risks like bomb threats that hit some polling places in 2024.

“Many longstanding election practices such as handling ballots in bipartisan teams of two, allowing observers to be present during ballot counting, and maintaining chain-of-custody procedures—were specifically designed to reduce the likelihood and impact of insider threats,” the plan reads.

“Use paper ballots that can be easily reviewed to ensure transparency, auditability, and resilience against software failures or manipulation,” the report reads.

The plan was ordered in July by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who had originally said it would be published by mid-August. In its framing, the agency argues that election security is not a partisan concern but a matter of national security, a point officials have repeated as they try to keep the issue above political combat. The document lists no-cost cybersecurity and physical security services CISA offers to election officials, and DHS says it has consistently backed that support.

Notably, the plan does not name specific 2026 threats from Russia, Iran, or China, a restraint that stands in contrast to other messages coming from the administration. Mullin said in a letter released Aug. 27 that components of many voting machines used in the United States are manufactured in China, warning that parts made by foreign adversaries introduce serious security risks. He argued that tampering during manufacturing could create a point of entry for hackers and even allow synchronized attacks across multiple machines and jurisdictions, a concern that reaches the supply chain long before any machine is assembled or deployed.

That warning builds on a claim the administration has pushed for months. In July, the heads of four U.S. intelligence and national security agencies backed key elements of President Donald Trump’s assertion that China interfered in American elections by targeting voter registration data. A fact sheet from the White House Government Transparency Task Force stated that China and its proxies bought, stole, or hacked voter data belonging to as many as 220 million Americans, including information that was not publicly available. The task force also argued that foreign actions can amount to election interference without changing any actual result, pointing to declassified intelligence community documents that define targeting voter registration infrastructure or data as interference in itself.

The practical advice in the CISA plan leans heavily on long-established safeguards rather than new technology. Bipartisan teams handling ballots, observers present during counting, chain-of-custody procedures, and paper ballots that can be audited are all presented as the core defenses against insider threats and software manipulation. The stated goal is that Americans can trust the systems they vote on and know that physical safety measures will be in place at their polling locations.

Scripture calls God’s people to honesty and integrity in every transaction, and it warns that a false balance is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 11:1). Elections are a public trust, and whether a ballot is counted accurately is a matter of justice, not partisan advantage. The convergence of cyber vulnerabilities, foreign attempts to harvest voter data, and overseas manufacturing in the voting supply chain should concern every American regardless of party. At the same time, Christians should resist the temptation to treat every election as a contest to be won by any means, remembering that our ultimate confidence rests in a King whose kingdom cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28). Pray for election officials and poll workers who will serve long hours under scrutiny, for wisdom for those guarding the systems, and for a peaceful, honest midterm in which every lawful vote is counted and every fraud is exposed.

How are you praying about this issue? Share your prayers and scriptures in the comments below.

(Excerpt from The Epoch Times. Photo Credit: studioroman via Canva Teams).