Anthony M. Bucco, a Senator from New Jersey, said that the recent cyberattack on the state’s election commission meeting represents a direct assault on democracy and must be strongly condemned. The statement was made on X.
“I strongly condemn the unacceptable & deeply troubling cyberattack that disrupted today’s public meeting of the New Jersey ELEC,” said M Bucco, District 25. “This kind of malicious interference is not only an attack on a government body—it’s an attack on the democratic process itself.”
A February 2024 cyberattack on the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission disrupted public access to campaign finance records and triggered an official investigation. According to NJ.com, this incident highlights broader concerns as other states like Illinois and Georgia have faced similar incidents. The attack has prompted renewed calls for better election cybersecurity and stronger digital protections for government agencies.
According to a 2024 report by the Center for Internet Security, U.S. government bodies and election commissions faced 162 cyberattacks in 2023, with phishing and ransomware identified as the top threats. State agencies were most frequently targeted.
A review by the National Association of Secretaries of State in 2024 found that at least 31 states reported election-related cybersecurity incidents over the past five years. This has led to increased spending on incident response and expanded cyber safeguards, although readiness gaps remain.
Ballotpedia reports that Anthony M. Bucco is a Republican State Senator for New Jersey’s 25th District. He serves on the Budget and Appropriations and Judiciary Committees, focusing on public safety, digital security, and government accountability.
The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission is described on its official site as an independent state agency overseeing campaign finance and ethics laws. It has recently prioritized digital security upgrades in response to increased cyber threats.
