May 7, 2015
I. In Focus This Week
Meet the new elections commissioners
U.S. EAC has quorum for first time in several years
Late in 2014, the U.S. Congress finally — and unanimously — approved the appointment of three new commissioners to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
The commission had been without a quorum for four years with new appointments getting hung up on things the way most things on Capitol Hill get hung up — partisanship.
And even with a quorum finally in place, some on Capitol Hill aren’t all that happy.
Mississippi Rep. Gregg Harper has introduced legislation to eliminate the EAC. H.R. 195 calls for the termination of the commission and assigns remaining duties to the Office of Personnel Management and the Federal Elections Commission. The legislation has been referred to the House Administration Committee.
Despite the legislative cloud, the new members of the commission quickly got to work following their January swearing in and have held several public meetings and roundtables, began a national search for a new executive director and have visited and spoken with elections officials nationwide.
Although it’s a busy time for the new commission, each commissioner took a bit of time out their schedules to respond to some questions form electionlineWeekly about their thoughts on the state of elections in the United States.
Christy McCormick, chairwoman
Prior to serving on the EAC McCormick was a senior trial attorney for the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. During her tenure at DOJ she investigated numerous elections-related cases and was detailed to Iraq for a year to help with their elections.
Before joining DOJ she clerked for the Court of Appeals of Virginia and was an assistant attorney general and assistant to the solicitor general in the Virginia Attorney General’s office. She received her BA from the University of Buffalo and JD from George Mason University.
Her term ends December 12.
Why did you want to serve on the EAC—especially since some on the Hill think it isn’t necessary anymore?
I was very honored that Senator McConnell placed his trust in me when he sent my name to the president to be nominated as a commissioner on the EAC. I had heard rumors that some Members of Congress wanted to shut down the Commission, but had not followed the controversy closely.
As an attorney at the Department of Justice (DOJ), I worked on matters brought against some of the states for the purpose of improving their responses to the EAC’s Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), which resulted in agreements by those States to provide the data, and ultimately also prodded other states to respond to the survey with more accurate and more reliable election data.
At the DOJ, we often utilized the EAC’s data in our investigations regarding violations of the Federal voting statutes, so we wanted that data collection to continue and to be as valid as possible.
I believe that the work of the EAC is essential to advancing democracy and better elections in the U.S., so when I was asked to serve as a commissioner, I readily accepted the challenge. I was and am excited that I can contribute to continuing the important work of the Commission and hopefully to improve its value to election officials, voters, and those with an interest in promoting excellence in our elections.
What’s been the most interesting/surprising thing that you have encountered since being sworn-in?
The most surprising thing has been the energy that our confirmation and appointment to the Commission have brought to the election community. With the EAC in limbo since 2010, there were questions about who could provide the Commission’s services if it was shut down, and a vacuum was created over concerns about who would provide the voluntary voting systems standards, who could test and certify voting systems, who would be able to collect data, research critical issues and who could sponsor the clearinghouse function and disseminate guidelines and best practices to the local election administrators.
With the Commission fully back in business, state and local officials and administrators are bolstered by the federal government’s commitment to providing needed services to them, and they are extremely supportive of the Commission and the valuable assistance it provides. I am very encouraged by the positive attitudes we have encountered throughout the election community and by the willingness of all the stakeholders to improve and advance our elections.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing elections officials in the U.S. today?
The biggest challenge is making legislators and voters understand what it takes to carry out elections. I believe that most people think that one or two days a year, voting machines are pulled out of storage and set up in a room somewhere, people vote, the results are announced, and the machines are wheeled back into storage until the next election. In fact, elections require a huge effort on a daily basis, from registering voters, processing registrations and keeping lists up to date, qualifying candidates, sorting through and validating petitions, updating procedures, designing, proofing and printing sometimes hundreds of different ballots, often translating materials in other languages, providing and processing absentee ballots, maintaining websites and updating information for candidates and voters, locating appropriate polling sites (with enough electrical outlets to run the equipment), purchasing, maintaining, servicing, testing, troubleshooting and warehousing the vast amount of equipment required (laptops, scanners, tabulators, voting machines, tablets, electronic poll books and more), updating software, testing the equipment for logistics and accuracy, trucking equipment to and from polling places and securely storing it, tracking and mailing ballots to overseas voters, maintaining accurate records, adjudicating provisional and other ballots, compiling and certifying results, conducting audits and recounts, maintaining a call center, recruiting and training poll workers, IT professionals, data technicians, and numerous other elections employees and volunteers – the work truly is endless.
Unfortunately, the funding to accomplish it is not. Legislators – and voters – rarely even think about the resources necessary to running elections, unless something goes wrong, which in the election world is relatively rare. There is zero tolerance for error in elections, so election officials are constantly challenged with maintaining perfection on tighter than tight and shrinking budgets. Legislators and voters should know that election officials are constantly looking for ways to improve their work, meet immoveable deadlines, and provide the safest, most secure and reliable voting experience possible. It is a huge task and our election officials and administrators are terribly underappreciated.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time on the EAC?
The EAC has to become a more customer-focused service agency, responsive to the wants and needs of those who run the elections. It must not and should not be seen as another Federal agency issuing mandates on the States, but as a place that election administrators can get the information and data they need to better do their jobs. The EAC’s main functions, such as testing and certification of systems, or provision of practical help and guidance, must be streamlined, and our response time quicker and at the speed of elections.
We need to get our arms around the huge amount of data we have and continue to collect, and that our stakeholders are looking for, to link to data that other partner agencies and organizations have, and provide it all in a way that is relevant and easily searchable. We need to improve our work on making voting more accessible, usable, independent and private for those with disabilities, which is a growing segment of our voting public. The EAC needs to take the lead on coordinating the resources available to our many stakeholders, including officials, administrators, academics, and voters, and become the one-stop shop for everything elections.
Where do you see U.S. elections in 10 years?
In 2025, I expect we will have seen great advancements in the technology used in elections. I don’t know if we will yet have the security in place necessary for voting on the Internet or on our phones, but I think we will have made strides in that direction. Our equipment will be more reliable and more accessible. We will likely see more options in the convenience and method of casting ballots in ways that are more in sync with the way we live our daily lives.
I hope we will see better turnout, the ability of all eligible voters to participate, increased trust and confidence of the electorate in our voting systems and outcomes, and a greater appreciation for our privilege to vote. I know that we will continue to have election officials and administrators that will continuously strive to serve the public and their voters in the best possible ways, and my hope is that the EAC will still be providing excellent assistance to those who carry out our elections and who are providing the foundation to our participation in our governance and our Republic.
Thomas Hicks, vice chair
Hicks served as senior elections counsel and minority elections counsel on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration for 11 years before joining the EAC.
Before that he was a senior lobbyist and policy analyst for Common Cause and served in the Clinton Administration as a special assistant and legislative assistant in the Office of Congressional Relations for the Office of Personnel Management. Hicks has is BA from Clark University and a JD from the Catholic University of America.
His term ends December 12, 2017.
Why did you want to serve on the EAC—especially since some on the Hill think it isn’t necessary anymore?
I have always enjoyed working with state and local election officials, civil rights organizations and all other stakeholders to improve the voting process. So when asked to serve, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. And I am grateful to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi for submitting my name to the President to serve on the commission as well as members of the Committee on House Administration for supporting my nomination, including current ranking member Bob Brady and past ranking members Steny Hoyer and John Larson.
My interest in elections started as a child when my mother brought my brother and me into the voting booth and pulled the lever. She gently reminded us that when she was growing up in southern Georgia, it was a lot harder for minorities to vote than on that day when she voted for President Jimmy Carter. I was able to share this story with President Carter a few years ago. The ability to help facilitate access to our voting system – the cornerstone of our participatory system of government – for all eligible Americans continues to be a strong motivating factor in my career. Elections are the backbone of freedom in America. They empower our citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.
I had the honor to work on the legislation that eventually became the Help America Vote Act. I also had the opportunity to work for the House of Representatives giving advice to members during the initial implementation of HAVA. Working on the hill, I came to realize that there are many voices and opinions. Some have called for the elimination of the agency. Others have stated that it needs to be reformed. I and my fellow commissioners have accomplished a great deal at the EAC in just the first few months of being sworn in and we have much more work to do before the 2016 election.
I believe in the Election Assistance Commission. I believe in the primary mission of the agency – ensuring all eligible Americans have the information needed to register to vote, cast a ballot and have that balloted counted. Whether those Americans are voting in New Hampshire, California, Georgia or on battlefields overseas, they should have the same confidence that their ballots are being counted.
What’s been the most interesting/surprising thing that you have encountered since being sworn-in?
As I’ve traveled across America, I have listened and heard the same response from state and local election officials, advocates, and other stakeholders. They are glad we are here they and expect us to act quickly to support and assist election officials to meet the challenges heading into the 2016 elections
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing elections officials in the U.S. today?
Election officials are constantly being asked to make more and more sacrifices while implementing new rules to ensure that the election process moves smoothly. Basically doing more with less with the constant fear of being the poster child for errors that might occur with elections. This is a challenge that must be accomplished with smaller budgets and without the option of failure. Elections don’t allow for do overs. Above all else, we must always uphold the public’s trust and ensure confidence in the process.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time on the EAC?
I have communicated with Americans in every state about their voting experiences. I have worked with state and local election officials across America to address critical election concerns, I have had unique opportunities to work and speak with Americans overseas concerning the obstacles they face in registering to vote and casting their ballots. I believe that, regardless of partisan ideology or political affiliation, we all want the same thing—fair, accurate elections, where we are confident of the outcome and all eligible Americans (domestic and overseas) are able to participate in our process, the best in the world. I hope to use this knowledge and experience in my role as an EAC Commissioner to continue working to achieve this goal.
Where do you see U.S. elections in 10 years?
Americans are using new technology to register to vote online, our men and women serving overseas are using technology for ballot delivery and having their delivered ballots tracked (not the same as having their votes tracked) so they know that they were received by the election jurisdiction.
To know the future is to look at the past. 15 years ago punch cards were the perceived problem in elections. But the real issue was voting machines. The machines were replaced. We at the EAC are looking at ways to not just replace hardware but also components and software and make it easier for Americans to cast their ballots, while ensuring that accuracy is maintained. There are many ways to get from Massachusetts to California, car, train, airplane, etc. The point is there are many different ways to make the journey but at the end of the day you know where you want to go.
Matthew V. Masterson, commissioner
Masterson is another familiar face around the EAC offices although most recently he served several roles the office of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted including interim chief of staff, deputy chief of staff and chief information officer as well as deputy director of elections.
Before that Masterson worked for the EAC from 2006 to 2011 in a variety of roles including deputy director for the EAC’s Voting System Testing and Certification Program. Masterson has a BS and BA from Miami University in Ohio and a JD from The University Dayton.
His term ends December 12, 2017.
Why did you want to serve on the EAC—especially since some on the Hill think it isn’t necessary anymore?
This simple answer is because I was honored and humbled by Speaker Boehner asking me to serve and wanted to fulfill that request. However, there is even more to it than that for me. I worked at the EAC for more than five years as a staffer. In my time there, I loved the work I did and the opportunities I got to work with and learn from some of the best election officials across the country. When Secretary Husted gave me the opportunity to return home to Ohio to help run a presidential election in one of the most important states in the nation, it was too good to be true (and something I will always be grateful to him for offering to me) . When I got to Ohio and began my work, two things became clear to me: 1) I would have been so much better at my job at the EAC had I worked in Ohio first; and 2) elections are what I truly love to do. So when I was contacted by the speaker’s office about serving on the EAC, I felt like I had unfinished work to complete and I was finally prepared to do it.
What’s been the most interesting/surprising thing that you have encountered since being sworn-in?
I have been surprised and thrilled by the level of support we have received from election officials, and with that support comes clear expectations of what needs to be done. I hear two things consistently at every conference I attend: 1) we are thrilled the EAC has commissioners; and 2) we need your help and we need it quickly. It is clear we don’t have any time to waste, particularly with providing support to local election officials with their aging voting equipment and improving our clearinghouse.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing elections officials in the U.S. today?
It’s the obvious answer but it’s true… resources. Not just money, but also IT resources, having enough poll workers, enough polling places, etc. Election officials are doing much more with significantly less than they were even six to 10 years ago. That’s what makes the EAC’s resources and information so critical; they are free and readily available. Something as simple as posting RFPs that jurisdictions have used to purchase new voting technology can be invaluable to a local election official who is beginning the purchasing process (free plug: which the EAC offers http://www.eac.gov/testing_and_certification/voting_system_rfp_repository.aspx ) Now it’s incumbent on us to get the word out to those election officials who are looking for the information.
What do you hope to accomplish during your time on the EAC?
I hope to work with my fellow commissioners to fulfill the potential that the EAC has to serve election officials and, through them, the voters of America. Specifically this means getting the next set of voting system requirements done quickly so the innovative technology that voters and election officials crave can get to the market. This means taking the massive amount of data that the EAC has in the election day survey and making it useful and tangible for election officials to use to find efficiencies and cost savings across their operation. This means making the EAC website a one-stop shop for all things election administration so election officials and voters can easily find the information they need.
Where do you see U.S. elections in 10 years?
In some ways, I see U.S. elections in a similar place as now. States and locals are doing amazing things to serve their voters and that will not change. The two areas of greatest change will come with increased use of technology and greater reliance on data to drive decision-making for election officials. Not surprisingly, these two will work hand in hand. Whether it’s online voter registration, cleaner registration rolls, greater access for voters with disabilities, the use of vote centers or better services for military and overseas voters, these decisions will be driven by data and served by greater access to technology. Voters expect voting to resemble their everyday lives and election officials will continue to look to find ways to make that happen. It’s incumbent on the EAC to listen and learn from those election officials and provide the services and information they need to accomplish this mission.
II. Election News This Week
- Cochise County, Arizona is also considering changes to its elections system including new voting equipment and a move to vote centers. Staff from the elections office and three other county departments researched a variety of ways to improve turnout and efficiency and presented the vote center idea to the board of supervisors.
- While vote-by-mail may be gaining in popularity nationwide, cities in Davis County, Utah are decided split on the system. According to the Standard Examiner of the 15 cities in Davis, seven have opted to contract with the county to run a vote-by-mail system for the Aug. 11 primary and Nov. 3 general elections. Seven cities are contracting with the county for a traditional polling place-based system and the city of Syracuse remains undecided.
- E-pollbooks in the news: Several stories this week about the use of electronic pollbooks including a story from Alabama about Montgomery becoming the first place in the state to use e-polbooks during upcoming municipal elections. In Indiana, Porter County, which had fought to be able to use newly leased pollbooks for the primary this week ran into some troubles with the new devices on election day. Opinion remains mixed on the new devices. In Ohio it was smooth sailing for the roll out of e-pollbooks in towns in Mahoning County. And although this one should be filed in legal updates, VOTEC Corporation has filed suit against the DuPage County, Illinois election commission saying that the county’s RFP process for new e-pollbooks lacked transparency and clearly favored one company over another.
- Beginning with the June 2 primary, schools in Moorestown, New Jersey will no longer be used as polling places. Instead the polling places will be in two churches an the Burlington County Agriculture Center. According to the Courier Post, Moorestown joins a growing list of New Jersey localities moving polling places out of schools for security reasons.
- The Lebanon, Pennsylvania chapter of the League of Women Voters is calling it quits after 51 years. According to the Lebanon Daily News, the League could not find someone willing to serve as president of the organization so the only option was to disband. The final task for the group was compiling a voter’s guide for the May 19 election.
- Personnel News: Janet L. Olin,Assistant Supervisor of Elections, Leon County, Florida will be retiring after 34 years of public service. Christopher Moore has been promoted to Assistant Supervisor. Charles R. Craynon has been appointed to the Shelby County, Ohio board of elections. Cherie Poucher is retiring as the director of the Wake County, North Carolina board of elections after 24 years on the job. Rhonda Iacona is the new assistant director of the Scotland County, North Carolina board of elections. Jill M. Davis has been named the new administrator of elections for Cumberland County, Tennessee. Marion, Massachusetts Voter Registrar Andrea Keene and Assistant Registrar Linda Schuessler are both stepping down as of June 30. Keene has been registrar for 21 years and Schuessler has been her assistant for 13 years. Former Flagler County, Florida Supervisor of Elections Kimberle Weeks has been charged with seven counts of interception of oral communications and five counts of disclosure of oral communications for secretly recording conversations of a judge, county commissioner and others. She is free on $12,000 bail. Wayne Culbertson, chief registrar and chairman of the Chandler County, Georgia board of elections is retiring effective May 29. Richmond, Virginia General Registrar J. Kirk Showalter has been reappointed to another four-year term. Congratulations to 93-year-old Gladys Betty Key who has been inducted into the Moundsville, West Virginia Voter Hall of Fame for voting in every election she was eligible to cast a ballot in since 1940.
III. Legislative Updates
Federal Legislation: Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Jon Tester (D-Montana) have co-sponsored legislation that would require every state to offer same-day voter registration.
Alaska: The Fairbanks Borough Assembly is considering a proposal that would move Fairbanks North Star Borough elections from the polling place to the comfort of a voter’s own home. An ordinance has been introduced that would make borough elections all vote-by-mail. The Assembly members who introduced the ordinance hope that vote-by-mail will increase turnout in local elections. If approved, the new system would be in place for 2016.
California: The Los Angeles County board of supervisors has voted to support legislation that would move California to a system of automatic voter registration.
Colorado: Under legislation currently being considered, Colorado would create a presidential primary in 2016 and it would cost about $1.7M to hold the primary, but there is no money in the legislation.
District of Columbia: Ward Six Councilmember Charles Allen has introduced two pieces of election reform legislation for the District. One would follow Oregon’s lead of implementing automatic voter registration and the other would allow the city to explore a system of electronic signature gathering for initiatives, similar to what is now being used in Denver.
Florida: Secretary of State Ken Detzner told CBS Miami that he has not advised Gov. Rick Scott on whether or not he should sign online voter registration into law or not. Detzner did say that if the legislation is signed, his office would work to get it implemented. “We will give it 110 percent of our effort to make sure that it’s implemented properly and safeguarded against any security risks,” Detzner said.
Kansas: Legislation that would give Secretary of State Kris Kobach the power to prosecute election fraud cases is headed to the House floor for a vote after being approved by a committee.
Maine: Following approval by one vote in the Senate, voter ID legislation has been rejected by an 82-66 party line vote in the House.
New Hampshire: The full Senate has approved Senate bill 179 that requires voters to reside in the state for 30 days before becoming eligible to vote. The measure was approved along party lines and is now being considered by a House committee.
Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia city council has cast an initial vote against a budget request for $22M to replace the city’s aging voting equipment. Council President Darrell Clarke cited concerns about the large sum when the city was facing many other budgetary challenges.
Rhode Island: They will be eating cake and cookies and other treats at the polls in Rhode Island after the Legislature approve a bill to allow parent organizations to hold bake sales at schools that serve as polling places.
Texas: Despite the support of election administrators and county commissions statewide, online voter registration legislation has run into trouble following testimony before the House Elections Committee. The bill remains pending in the committee and its sponsor Celia Israel has characterized it as dead.
IV. Legal Updates
California: The city of Palmdale has voted to settle a voting rights lawsuit. Under the settlement, the city will align its balloting to coincide with state and federal elections, beginning in November 2016, elect officials by four geographic districts and pay $4.5 million in attorneys fees.
Georgia: Without comment, the Fulton County commissioners approved a consent order that says the county committed 30 violations of state election law in 2008 and 2012, including improperly rejecting ballots. The county will pay a $150,000 civil penalty and $30,000 to cover the cost of the investigation.
Missouri: Former Kinloch Mayor Darren Small, who lost an election on April 7 has filed a court petition contesting the election. Small lost the election by 45 votes and is seeking a new election citing examples that non-Kinloch residents were allowed to vote.
New Mexico: The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal of a judge’s order that required Sandoval County to use more polling places and voting machines in the 2014 election. The court said the case is now moot because the election is over.
South Dakota: A federal judge is allowing a voting rights lawsuit against Jackson County to proceed. In September 2014 Plaintiff Thomas Poor Bear, vice president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe filed suit against the county alleging that the county’s refusal to open a satellite voter registration office on the Pine Ridge reservation discriminated against American Indians. The county had filed a motion to dismiss, but U.S. District Judge Karen Schreir said the case should move forward.
Tennessee: A judge in Grainger County has let stand a challenge to the November 4 mayoral election in Bean Station that Ben Waller lost by only 45 votes. Waller claims that if all the qualified voters had been given paper ballots he would have won the election.
V. Tech Thursday
Michigan-based Konnech, Inc. has re-launched its ABVote with accessibility capabilities for blind and vision-impaired voters. The iOS mobile app that is free to any voter and election administrators is now completely compatible with VoiceOver or Alex, Speak Selection, Speak Screen, Braille screen input and Grayscale. According to the company to their knowledge this is the first app in existence that provides accessibility capabilities.
VI. Opinions This Week
National Opinions: Voting Rights Act | Turnout
Arizona: Cochise County
California: Automatic voter registration, II
Connecticut: Registrars
Delaware: Election day registration
Florida: Online voting registration, II
Maine: Ranked choice voting
Maryland: Ex-felon voting rights, II | Dorchester County
Minnesota: Ex-felon voting rights, II, III
New York: Voting laws
North Carolina: Voting maps
Pennsylvania: Voter ID
Texas: Voter ID, II, III | Online voter registration
Utah: Online voting
VII. Available Funding
Grants for new ERIC members
For states considering membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), The Pew Charitable Trusts offers the opportunity to apply for financial assistance to facilitate their participation.
Pew is offering limited financial assistance to states to help defray the expense, such as bulk mail service provider charges and postage, of the initial outreach to eligible but unregistered citizens by mail. Pew aims to maximize the effect of this funding by assisting multiple states.
Applications must be received by 5 p.m. EDT on May 31.
U.S. Election Assistance Commission Grants
EAC Grants Management Division is responsible for distributing, monitoring, providing technical assistance to states and grantees on the use of funds, and reporting on requirements payments and discretionary grants to improve administration of elections for federal office. The office also negotiates indirect cost rates with grantees and resolves audit findings on the use of HAVA funds.
VIII. Upcoming Events
Please email upcoming events — conferences, symposiums, seminars, webinars, etc. to mmoretti@electionline.org.
Future of Voting Conference — The Future of Voting interactive presentation and workshop event has been designed to engage local and state election officials and legislators in a discussion about verifiable Internet voting. The event is part of a 4-city tour by the technical and project managers of the End-to-End Verifiable Internet Voting: Specification and Feasibility Study (E2E VIV Project). The project was funded by a grant from the Democracy Fund in support of a research-based approach to the unanswered question of whether remote absentee voting can be conducted securely online. Specifically, it was designed to examine a form of remote voting that enables a so-called “end-to-end verifiability” (E2E) property. This technology is of particular interest in the continued aim toward improved overseas, military and disabled voter solutions. When/Where: Washington, D.C. May 28; Seattle, Washington May 29; Portland, Oregon June 1; Santa Fe, New Mexico June 3. For additional information and questions, please contact Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat, (202) 470 2480.
Policy & Elections Technology: A Legislative Perspective— NCSL is hosting a national meeting to bring together legislators, legislative staff, election officials, voting technology and computer security experts, legal experts, advocates, federal agency staff and other interested parties to discuss the future of elections technology. Sessions will cover voting technology 101; a report on NCSL’s Elections Technology Project; recommendations from the Presidential Commission on Election Administration; the impact of legislation on voting system design; alternative voting methods and implications for technology; testing and certifying voting systems; the use of technology for post-election audits, recounts and resolving disputes; and what is pushing change in the way ballots are cast. Where: Santa Fe, New Mexico When: June 3 – 5. Contact: Katy Owens Hubler, katy.owens.hubler@ncsl.org, 303-856-1656. For more information and to register, click here.
Maryland Association of Election Officials Annual Conference— The Maryland Association of Election Officials will hold its annual conference and meeting in Ocean City this year. The agenda is filled with presentations from the State Board on the new elections system, MAEO’s annual membership meeting and lots of opportunities to mingle and network. When: June 9-12. Where: Ocean City, Maryland. For more information and to register, click here.
NASED Summer Meeting— The National Association of State Election Directors will hold it’s 2015 summer meeting in Cleveland, Ohio this year. Registration will open soon. Where: Cleveland, Ohio. When: June 23-25. For more information and to register, click here.
IACREOT Annual Conference — The International Association of Clerks, Recorders, Elections Officials and Treasurers will hold its annual conference in Vail, Colorado this year in June and July. Planning is still in the early stages, but be sure to mark your calendar. Where: Vail, Colorado. When: June 27-July 2. For more information and to register, click here.
NASS 2015 Summer Conference — The National Association of Secretaries of State Annual Summer Conference is set for July this year. Planning is still in the early stages, but be sure to mark your calendar. Where: Portland, Maine. When: July 9-12. For more information and to register, click here.
NACo Annual Conference and Exposition— The 80th Annual Conference and Exposition of the National Association of Counties will be in Mecklenburg County (Charlotte), North Carolina. Registration opens February 9th. Where: Charlotte, North Carolina. When: July 10-13. For more information and to register, click here.
NCSL Legislative Summit 2015 — The National Conference of State Legislators will hold their 2015 Legislative Summit in August. Planning is still in the early stages, but be sure to mark your calendar. Where: Seattle. When: August 3-6. For more information when it becomes available and to register, click here.
Election Center 31st Annual Conference— The Election Center hold its 31st Annual Conference in Houston in August. Planning is still in the early stages, but be sure to mark your calendars now. Where: Houston, Texas. When: August 18-22. For more information and to register, click here.
NACRC Annual Conference— The Annual Conference of the National Association of County Recorders, Election Officials and Clerks is set for Houston in August. Planning is still in the early stages, but be sure to mark your calendar. Where: Houston, Texas. When: August 21-25. For more information and to register, click here.
IX. Job Postings This Week
electionlineWeekly publishes election administration job postings each week as a free service to our readers. To have your job listed in the newsletter, please send a copy of the job description, including a web link to mmoretti@electionline.org. Job postings must be received by 5pm on Wednesday in order to appear in the Thursday newsletter. Listings will run for three weeks or till the deadline listed in the posting.
Summer Internships, Democracy Fund, Washington, D.C. — Democracy Fund is seeking bright, enthusiastic interns to work with us this summer. Interns will gain first-hand knowledge on how creative philanthropy can work to improve our democracy. Interns may be responsible for a variety of tasks, including: Producing original research on issues related to elections, local journalism, campaign finance, Congressional reform, and media policy; participating in grantee meetings, policy briefings, Congressional hearings, and other events; supporting research and diligence about new grantee candidates; compiling press clips, writing blog posts, and creating content for the Democracy Fund’s social media account; helping to organize internal and external events; completing and presenting a self-directed project aligned with the goals of the Democracy Fund; working to support the administrative needs of the team with editing, scheduling support, photocopying or other relevant administrative tasks and functions; and assist in preparation and copying, packing, and mailing meeting materials. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
X. Marketplace
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