Trending Now - Election Security Official Advocates for Voting Machine Ban

WHO:

David Harvilicz, assistant secretary for cyber, infrastructure, risk and resilience policy at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

James Penrose, co-founder of Tranquility AI and former intelligence officer

Danielle Lang, vice president for voting rights and the rule of law at the Campaign Legal Center

Heather Honey, deputy assistant secretary of election integrity at DHS

Cleta Mitchell, leader of the Election Integrity Network

Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence

Samantha Anderson, data specialist reporting to Harvilicz

WHAT:

Harvilicz has called for a ban on voting machines, stating they are “eminently vulnerable to exploitation.”

In a March 2026 post, Harvilicz wrote, “DHS needs to ban voting machines for all federal elections. The time is now.”

DHS has been involved in data-gathering efforts aimed at scouring voter rolls for noncitizens, leading to hundreds of citizens being incorrectly flagged.

Tranquility AI, co-founded by Harvilicz and Penrose, has developed an artificial intelligence tool for law enforcement.

WHERE:

DHS, Washington, D.C.

Fulton County, Georgia, where the FBI seized 2020 voting records

Puerto Rico, where voting machines used in 2020 were taken into custody

WHEN:

Harvilicz was appointed to his DHS position around July 2025.

The donation of $100,000 to Trump’s inaugural fund was made prior to Harvilicz's appointment.

Harvilicz purchased a $3.3 million home in 2020.

The Palisades Fire that destroyed Harvilicz's home occurred around the beginning of Trump’s second term.

WHY:

Harvilicz has questioned the validity of Democratic electoral victories and has pushed for Republicans to overhaul electoral systems to their advantage.

Concerns have been raised about the impact of Harvilicz's and Honey's roles on public confidence in election security.

HOW:

Harvilicz and his team have transformed their functions to become more hands-on in election security.

Tranquility AI's tools are used by law enforcement agencies to process data and assemble cases.

(UPDATED March 15, 2026 01:24 UTC)

In a significant move, David Harvilicz, the assistant secretary for cyber at the Department of Homeland Security, has called for a ban on voting machines, citing their vulnerability to exploitation and urging immediate action for federal elections. His comments come amid ongoing data-gathering efforts by DHS that have mistakenly flagged hundreds of citizens as noncitizens, raising concerns about public confidence in election security. Meanwhile, Tranquility AI, co-founded by Harvilicz and James Penrose, is developing artificial intelligence tools for law enforcement, further highlighting the intersection of technology and electoral integrity.