# FBI and CISA Warn of Election Cyber Threats

Ahead of the November 2026 U.S. midterm elections, the FBI and CISA warned that AI-enhanced phishing texts and emails could target election officials, candidates, and political organizations. CISA’s September 24 election-security plan describes services including penetration testing and vulnerability scans, but reports also describe reduced agency staffing and support to states, including more than 1,000 employees laid off or pushed out and a proposed $700 million cut to its FY2027 budget. A reported DHS request for CISA to secretly acquire and test a voting machine was not carried out. The signals identify no solicitation, award, contract value, or procurement contact, so this is market and capacity context rather than a confirmed federal opportunity.

- State and local election authorities may face greater need for election-system assessments, threat monitoring, incident response, and contingency planning as federal support is reduced.
- Contractors offering penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, or election cybersecurity support can compare their capabilities with services described in CISA’s plan; the signals do not establish a funded requirement or procurement route.
- Procurement teams should distinguish the unexecuted voting-machine request from an authorized solicitation or award. The reporting says the proposal was dropped and no testing operation was carried out.

**Jurisdictions:** federal, sled
**Industries:** Information Technology, Public Safety
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 20, 2026

### Government Entities
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

### Sources
- [FBI Warns of AI-Based Fraud Threats Ahead of US Elections](https://voi.id/en/technology/598845) - VOI.ID
- [How the Trump Administration Politicized the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — ProPublica](https://www.propublica.org/article/cisa-election-security-donald-trump) - ProPublica
- [States face foreign threats — and a fractured federal partnership — ahead of midterms - POLITICO](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/19/states-election-threats-trump-administration-01125583) - Politico