2025 Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes Designated a National Special Security Event

WASHINGTON - The 2025 Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes in Washington, DC on Jan. 6, 2025, has been designated a National Special Security Event by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

This marks the first time a National Special Security Event designation has been granted for a Certification of Electoral Votes and follows a request made by the DC Mayor to designate this event a National Special Security Event. Various reports including from the House Select January 6 Committeeand the Government Accountability Office also called for the DHS Secretary to consider a National Special Security Event designation for future Certification of Electoral Votes.

"National Special Security Events are events of the highest national significance," said Eric Ranaghan, the Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service's Dignitary Protective Division. "The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners are committed to developing and implementing a comprehensive and integrated security plan to ensure the safety and security of this event and its participants."

The formal planning process is underway with the formation of an Executive Steering Committee. The Executive Steering Committee is made up of senior representatives from federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety partners and will begin convening in the coming weeks.

In addition to the 2025 Counting and Certification of Electoral Votes on Jan. 6, the 2025 Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20 was previously designated a National Special Security Event and planning has been ongoing for several months.

This designation allows for significant resources from the federal government, as well as from state and local partners, to be utilized in a comprehensive security plan. When an event is designated a National Special Security Event, the U.S. Secret Service assumes its mandated role as the lead agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.