The secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told the country's top election leaders this week it is collaborating with the Department of Justice to investigate the torrent of intimidation and threats hurled against election administrators, as those leaders work at full sprint to secure the midterms and protect this year's vote.Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas addressed the second day of the annual winter conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State as local and state election officials remain worried about violent threats against them that largely began after Donald Trump refused to acknowledge the results of the 2020 general election. The former president's own law enforcement officials declared the presidential race secure and free of widespread fraud."It is absolutely unacceptable," Sec. Mayorkas said, "that election officials are increasingly encountering harassment and threatening behavior.""We work very closely with the Department of Justice's election threats task force," he said.Threats lead to security changes After Mayorkas spoke, Colorado's chief election official, Jena Griswold, told her fellow secretaries of state that "last week, I received 22 death threats." (LISTEN TO THREATENING VOICEMAILS IN THE VIDEO ABOVE) In Milwaukee, the top election administrator, Claire Woodall-Vogg, shared with Hearst Television in November audio of the voicemail threats left for her, including one man who vowed, "we're gonna hang you."Three months later, the threats have lessened, she said in an interview, but acknowledged she and her team had "completely transformed our office to have more security."2022 challenges: misinformation, 'insider threat'In a series of interviews with more than 20 secretaries of state and top state election leaders from coast to coast, the leaders from both parties warned the National Investigative Unit of misinformation – both from foreign and domestic sources – and the possibility of an "insider threat." Local election administrators in at least three states are currently under investigation, accused of providing unauthorized access to election infrastructure to third parties.HEAR FROM THE FOLLOWING TOP ELECTION OFFICIALS: Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill Alaska Lt. Gov. Kevin Meyer Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold Connecticut Secretary of State Denise Merrill Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab Maine Secretary of State Shenna BellowsMassachusetts Secretary of State William Francis GalvinMilwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-VoggMinnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse OliverOklahoma Election Board Secretary Paul ZiriaxOregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner Wisconsin Election Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe Wyoming Secretary of State Ed BuchananMark Albert is the chief national investigative correspondent for the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit, based in Washington D.C. April Chunko contributed to this report.WATCH THE HEARST TELEVISION NATIONAL INVESTIGATIVE UNITONGOING SERIES ON ELECTION SECURITY:Part 1: Gaps in PreparednessPart 2: White House ResponsePart 3: Voting VulnerabilitiesSan Francisco Chronicle (print) versionDIGITAL EXTRA: Kid HackersPart 4: Cyber CombatPart 5: Election Security Summit (Day 1; Day 2)Part 6: Troll HuntersSPECIAL: Election Security 30-minute SpecialPart 7: Paper BallotsPart 8: Lack of FundsPart 9: Operation Blackout Part 10: Digital DisinformationPart 11: Voting App HackPart 12: Deleting the DeceptionPart 13: Spotting the SpinPart 14: 2020 Election SummitPart 15: Election ExposurePart 16: Election Exposure CheckupPart 17: Return to SenderPart 18: Inside the Intelligence (Part 1; Part 2)Part 19: Grading the Election (Part 1; Part 2; Part 3)Part 20: Under ReviewPart 21: Securing the Midterms Know of an election security story you’d like us to investigate? Have a confidential tip or inside information? Send information and documents to the National Investigative Unit at investigate@hearst.com.