Why State and Local Governments Need CIAM in 2026: Identity Is the New Digital Infrastructure

For state and local governments, 2026 represents a critical turning point. More services are moving online, residents expect simple and consistent access across departments, and identity-based attacks have become the dominant security threat. At the same time, privacy obligations, consent requirements, and accessibility expectations are increasing-while most agencies still rely on fragmented logins and department-specific identity systems that were never designed to work together.

This webinar examines why Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) is now essential digital infrastructure for state, municipal, and U.S. local governments. We’ll explore how the convergence of cybersecurity risk, service expansion, and resident experience expectations makes CIAM unavoidable in 2026. Attendees will learn why a unified, resident-centric identity is required to securely connect services across agencies, enforce privacy and consent, and deliver the seamless digital experience residents now expect-without increasing operational complexity. 2026 marks a critical juncture at which governments must redefine their approach to delivering the services their constituents demand.

What We will Discuss

• Why 2026 is a breaking point for legacy identity approaches in state and local government
• How CIAM enables a single, trusted resident identity across departments and services
• Why privacy, consent, accessibility, and identity assurance are now foundational requirements
• How modern CIAM reduces cyber risk while improving resident adoption and satisfaction
• What state and local government leaders must prioritize now to avoid identity becoming a barrier to digital service delivery