Panel backs bipartisan congressional action for securing election data systems

Congressional staff on Thursday heard from a panel -- including a former high-ranking Justice Department official and a state county clerk responsible for election-data rolls -- that called for swift, bipartisan action on legislation offering new requirements and funding for states to upgrade and secure the nation's election system from foreign and other malicious hacks.

The move could have implications for industry by setting security requirements on the technologies and products sold to state election officials, and underscores a growing...