When analyzing the definition and current examples of critical infrastructure, election infrastructure SHOULD NOT be considered a U.S. critical infrastructure subsector.

The protection of the United States’ critical infrastructure is
vital to quality of life expectation for every American. The
disruption of the nation’s critical infrastructure would have
devastating impacts due to high level of connectedness at all
levels of society. However, when most citizens provide
examples of critical infrastructures, physical structures such
as roadways, bridges, pipelines, dams, power plants and
water systems are commonly listed. While these physical structures are obviously worthy of protection, other systems (physical and/or virtual) may need increased attention/consideration.

The following position paper will require students to think critically about the relationship between the U.S. election infrastructure and its designation as a U.S. critical infrastructure. For purposes of this assignment, “election infrastructure,” will mean storage facilities, polling places, and centralized vote tabulations locations used to support the election process, and information and communications technology to include voter registration databases, voting machines, and other systems to manage the election process and report and display results on behalf of state and local governments. The 2016 election highlighted several challenges with the U.S. election infrastructure, but the question remains, “should it (election infrastructure) be identified as critical, especially when comparing it to critical infrastructure that was listed previously in this document or discussed in class, the textbook or the student’s other readings/knowledge.

Students should provide a plan of action that supports ONE OF TWO positions (do not “straddle the fence”, choose a position and defend it!!):

  1. A)  When analyzing the definition and current examples of critical infrastructure, election infrastructure SHOULD NOT be considered a U.S. critical infrastructure subsector.

OR

  1. B)  When analyzing the definition and current examples of critical infrastructure, election infrastructure SHOULD be considered a U.S. critical infrastructure subsector.