Election Infrastructure Incident Response Communication Guide

When incidents disrupt election operations or security, timely and clear communication is vital to sustaining public trust in the election process. Severe weather, cyber incidents, equipment issues, or disinformation campaigns can quickly challenge the flow of accurate information, leaving voters uncertain. Election officials, as trusted sources, play a crucial role in updating the public on what has happened, the impacts on operations, and the steps taken to resolve these issues.

To aid officials in this task, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) developed a guide to help election offices build a comprehensive incident response playbook, complete with customizable templates for transparent, effective communication.