Documents and officials indicate U.S. agencies knew of China’s access to voter registration data in 2020 but did not fully brief lawmakers
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. intelligence agencies were aware as early as 2020 that Chinese operatives had accessed voter registration data across multiple American states, but that information was not fully disclosed to lawmakers or the public, according to Just the News citing documents and officials with direct knowledge.
The United States had previously expressed outrage when the United Kingdom revealed that its voter databases had been breached by China, but internal U.S. intelligence reporting suggests a similar breach had already occurred domestically.
A heavily redacted April 2020 National Intelligence Council assessment, later declassified, stated that Chinese intelligence officials analyzed voter registration data from multiple U.S. states to conduct public opinion analysis tied to the 2020 election.
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Despite that finding, officials said the intelligence community did not fully brief Congress or the public on the scope of the activity, including how the data was obtained or how it may have been used.
The issue has gained renewed attention as lawmakers consider election security legislation, with officials indicating that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe are working to declassify additional materials related to China’s activities.
Some lawmakers have indicated they were unaware of the intelligence. Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said in an interview that he had not been informed about Chinese access to voter registration data.
Current and former officials said multiple intelligence reports from 2020 documented the breach. One former National Intelligence Council officer, Christopher Porter, said efforts to elevate the findings were blocked within the intelligence community.
“We knew by April 2020 that Chinese intelligence had voter registration data from multiple states,” Porter said, adding that attempts to inform senior officials and Congress were halted.
Voter registration data does not include actual ballots but contains personal identifying information such as driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security data. Officials noted that such information could be used to conduct influence operations or impersonation efforts.
Intelligence agencies have publicly acknowledged that other foreign actors, including Russia and Iran, accessed similar data in 2020. However, China’s activities were not disclosed at the time.
Within the intelligence community, officials said there was disagreement over how China intended to use the data. The official assessment concluded that China positioned itself to influence elections but did not take overt action, while some analysts argued there was evidence of more direct involvement.
Additional intelligence reviewed by officials points to broader Chinese-linked cyber and influence campaigns during the 2020 election cycle, including coordinated online activity and cyber intrusions targeting political organizations and campaign personnel.
Separate FBI intelligence raised concerns in 2020 about a potential scheme involving fraudulent identification documents linked to mail-in voting, though that report was later recalled and remained unverified.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported seizing thousands of counterfeit driver’s licenses in shipments arriving from China and Hong Kong during the same period, though officials did not directly connect those seizures to election activity.
The Justice Department has since brought charges against individuals tied to Chinese state-linked cyber groups, alleging long-running campaigns targeting U.S. political figures, agencies, and organizations.
As additional intelligence is reviewed for possible declassification, the extent of China’s access to voter data and the federal government’s response remains a subject of ongoing scrutiny in Washington.
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