Our election systems are safe and our democracy is strong: Ex-Homeland Security secretaries
Our foreign adversaries, and even some in positions of power here, want Americans to doubt our institutions. We have faith in them. You should, too.
Michael Chertoff, Jeh Johnson, Janet Napolitano and Tom Ridge Opinion contributors
Originally posted on USA Today.
American democracy is based on the premise that we the people create a government that operates only by the consent of the governed — exercised through voting — and that we are a nation of laws that form institutions through which every American is guaranteed freedoms and representation. These fundamental pillars have ensured that the United States of America is the oldest functioning democracy in the world. And even in the most challenging of times, our country has endured; this year must be no different.
That does not mean we have always been perfect. But as a nation, we strive to learn from our mistakes and they force us to change, grow and improve. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the agency we each led under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama respectively, arose out of a failure of the government to effectively share information with itself.
DHS protects our homeland from new and emerging threats, including those against our national infrastructure such as our water systems, cyber networks, aviation security and, yes, our elections themselves. The department also plays an important role in ensuring the continuity of government and its ongoing operations in times of crisis and in times of tranquility.
Counter interference by voting
There has been much recent debate about the durability of our election systems, whether they have the integrity to be counted on and whether voting by mail is safe, reliable and free from fraud. The intelligence community has made it clear that certain adversaries intend to interfere in the 2020 election and that they, along with others, are likely to run information operations and misdirection campaigns.
Of this, we have no doubt. But we also have no doubt that our country’s election machinery, processes and safeguards work, including voting absentee and by mail. The most effective way to counter interference and to make your voice heard is by voting.
The flag of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Eric Gay/AP
In this country, we count every single vote whether it was rendered on Election Day and counted imminently or delivered by mail and counted several days following Election Day. There will be strains this year with the COVID-19 pandemic, as there were during the Civil War, the 1918 influenza and other events that overburdened our nation. Throughout our history, however, a vote timely delivered is a vote counted in America.
New group will build trust in elections
Our foreign adversaries want Americans to lose faith in our institutions themselves — to become disenfranchised, angry and divided. Even some in positions of power in this country want you to lose faith in the systems of American democracy. But as both Republican and Democratic former secretaries of Homeland Security, we want the public to maintain justifiable trust in our institutions, because the underlying foundation of our voting systems remains strong and secure.
We are co-chairing a new, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization called Citizens for a Strong Democracy to educate voters on exactly this topic. With continued doubt being cast on our electoral institutions, we were moved by duty to stand up and reinforce clear messages about the current and historic safety of our system and the process following an election, either in the case of a victory by the incumbent or one by the challenger.
Because of our experience as former secretaries of Homeland Security, we know that seeds of doubt will continue to be sown during the remaining weeks of this election season and after it, at home and abroad. It is our duty to stand up in a bipartisan fashion to reinforce to the American people that the security of our electoral system will remain, and that the strength of our democracy will endure.
Michael Chertoff was secretary of Homeland Security from 2005-09 in the George W. Bush administration. Jeh Johnson was secretary of Homeland Security from 2013-17 in the Barack Obama administration. Janet Napolitano was secretary of Homeland Security from 2009-13 in the Obama administration. Tom Ridge was the first secretary of Homeland Security, 2003-05, in the Bush administration. Citizens for a Strong Democracy (@citizensstrong), which is not funded by campaigns or candidates of any party, plans advertising campaigns and media appearances to reinforce confidence in U.S. election and voting systems.