Tampa Republic

Reps. Bryan Steil and Laurel Lee have expressed their concerns regarding a breach of the voter database that occurred on October 5, 2023. The breach included the sale of sensitive voter identification information and a copy of the voter registration roll. The D.C. Board of Elections was unaware of the full extent of the breach until two weeks later and waited 2.5 months to notify affected registrants.

The seriousness of this hack is that it opens up the possibility of malicious actors replacing voters' information with false data. This could lead to the improper removal of voters from the rolls, the addition of ineligible individuals or false names, or the manipulation of a voter's ballot return status. These actions could potentially prevent certain voters from casting their ballots, enable others to cast multiple ballots, or even allow ineligible people or false names to cast votes.

In response to this breach, Reps. Steil and Lee have sent a letter to the D.C. Board of Elections, demanding answers to several key questions. They want to know what steps the Board has taken to investigate the cause of the breach and whether a review of their information technology infrastructure was conducted after the D.C. Health Exchange breach. They also seek information on how and when the Board notified affected voters, and what actions are being taken to determine if the stolen information was purchased on the dark web.

Additionally, Reps. Steil and Lee inquire about any reviews conducted on the Board's information technology infrastructure following the breach, and what new policies, procedures, and technological improvements will be implemented to prevent such incidents from happening again. They are also interested in knowing the Board's strategy to restore voters' confidence in elections held within the District of Columbia.

Furthermore, Reps. Steil and Lee ask whether the Board has confirmed that there were no changes made to voter information in its database, and if not, what steps will be taken to investigate this matter. They also question the delay in notifying affected voters and the public, given that the hack occurred on October 5, 2023, and individuals affected were identified by DataNet Systems on November 20, 2023. The Board and DataNet Systems waited until December 22, 2023, to notify those affected.

This breach of the voter database raises serious concerns about the security and integrity of the electoral process. Reps. Steil and Lee are committed to ensuring that the D.C. Board of Elections takes the necessary steps to address these issues and prevent future breaches. The letter sent by the representatives serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding voter information and maintaining public trust in the democratic process.

Read the full letter here.