Thread by @ericgeller

13 states and DC are using federal election security money to hire full-time employees who will handle security upgrades, comms, & training.

But many states face a tough question: Will the jobs survive when the $$ runs out?

My new story with @timstarks: subscriber.politicopro.com/cybersecurity/…

@timstarks We reached out to all 13 states and D.C. to ask what they’d do when the federal dollars disappeared.

Four said they’d ask their legislatures to keep funding the jobs. Two said it would depend on continued need.

Three others were confident they could get more money & keep going.

The effects of losing federal money for these jobs will vary, b/c the extent of hiring varies between states.

NY and WA, for example, are hiring 9 and 5 cyber personnel, respectively, to staff new SOCs.

“We will do everything in our power to make it work,” NY told us.

Some states are using the federal money to create jobs that will prove their value to state lawmakers, hopefully ensuring continued funding.

Idaho is doing that with a cyber policy analyst and communications coordinator.

Edgardo Cortés, who was VA’s top election official until last year, said this was a common step in offices that wanted more money but couldn’t get it until their legislatures reconvened.

"Hopefully these new positions will also help states identify additional resource needs."

Some states’ new jobs are especially dependent on federal money.

NM is hiring an election security program manager. Without fed $, “we can plan for short term goals but not long term goals,” NM’s deputy secretary of state told us.

Our new story is just one example of how the federal government’s $380 million funding infusion will have uneven effects on election security nationwide, by patching some holes but creating uncertainty in other areas.

subscriber.politicopro.com/cybersecurity/…