Secure our data, secure our elections

The primary duty of any government is to protect its citizens. Yet Olympia's current leaders aren't meeting that basic standard, by failing to secure our data systems and enforce our laws.

Intelligence reports recently declassified by the federal government show Chinese cyber-actors have targeted and stolen the voter-registration data of up to 220 million Americans. Although national-security experts say this theft has not altered actual votes, the threat is still very real. Foreign adversaries are actively studying our infrastructure, mapping our electorate and hunting for weak spots in the system. That's unacceptable.

For years, many of us have raised the alarm about vulnerabilities in state-agency databases. Our concerns have been met with deflections.

However, a massive multimillion-dollar claim and class-action lawsuit were recently filed against the state Department of Licensing. The filings allege that from 2018 until early 2025, a gaping security loophole existed in the public-facing License eXpress system. This lets identity thieves use a "No Logon" feature to easily change citizens' addresses. They could then order replacement driver's licenses in bulk for delivery to a single location.

It's shocking to learn DOL was reportedly warned by the Washington State Patrol about this suspicious activity yet delayed fixing the loophole for years.

This is no minor bureaucratic blunder. The state's VoteWA database draws heavily from licensing data. A compromise in the licensing system is a direct threat to voter rolls. We have heard disturbing stories from affected residents who not only had their identities stolen but also found their voter addresses were altered without their knowledge.

When state agencies refuse to close these digital back doors, they leave the keys to our constitutional republic under the doormat for bad actors to find.

We saw this play out just this month with news that a major software error accidentally registered 6,600 non-citizens to vote in New Jersey, with 400 non-citizens actually casting votes. This highlights clearly how administrative vulnerabilities in state systems can be targeted or exploited by bad actors.

Without rigorous oversight and real-time data verification between state and federal agencies, these technical blind spots leave election infrastructure exposed to deliberate manipulation, fraudulent registrations and targeted voter roll tampering. Securing elections against malicious threats requires identifying and closing system flaws before they can be leveraged to undermine public trust.

Some states are actively working with federal authorities to secure their systems. Others, like Washington, are pushing back. Partisan games are keeping our state from fully cooperating with federal agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. This must change.

But the need for federal cooperation does not end with cybersecurity. It extends directly to the rule of law and defense of our borders. For years, the majority party in Olympia has championed sanctuary policies like the Courts Open to All Act and the Keep Washington Working Act. These actively stop local and state law-enforcement officers from communicating and working with their federal counterparts.

It is impossible to protect the integrity of our elections without being honest about who is legally eligible to vote. To restore trust and security, Washington must take immediate, meaningful steps to work hand in hand with our federal partners.

Those include mandating clear data-sharing between the secretary of state, DOL and federal databases to verify citizenship status. It also means state legislators must stop resisting common-sense measures like the proposed federal SAVE America Act. Instead, let's proactively strengthen proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration. Finally, repeal the sanctuary laws that handcuff our police officers. Let them work with federal immigration enforcement agencies to enforce the law.

Securing the state's data and defending our laws should not be partisan issues – not when they are about protecting the voice and safety of every legal resident in Washington. It is time for Olympia to put political agendas aside, stop fighting the federal government and start fulfilling its constitutional duty to the people.

- State Sen. Jim McCune, R-Graham, represents Washington's 2nd Legislative District