In Focus This Week
Election 2018 Preview: Secretary of state races
State’s top election official on the ballot in 25 states
By M. Mindy Moretti
electionline.org
Voters in 24 states will decide who they want to oversee their elections for the next four years. In addition, governor’s races in other states will dictate who overseas elections in those states.
We’ll say good-bye to the top elections officials in eight states — Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota — because their chief election official is either term limited, lost in a primary or chose not to seek re-election. We’ll have exit interviews with as many of them as we can in the weeks to come.
Here is a quick look at the secretary of state (and one lieutenant governor) races on the ballot this year.
And just a reminder, for electionline’s purposes, we are only focusing on secretary of state races where the secretary of state is also the chief elections official.
Alabama: In Alabama, incumbent Secretary of State John Merrill will face Democrat Heather Milam. Merrill, first elected in 2014, previously served as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and was a member of the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education.Milam has a background in local media and facilitates entrepreneurial training.
Arizona: State Sen. Katie Hobbs (D) will face businessman Steve Gaynor (R) who defeated incumbent Michele Reagan in the primary. Before becoming a state representative and then senator, Hobbs spent 25 years as a social worker. Gaynor runs numerous businesses including printing companies that have printed election materials.
Arkansas: Incumbent Secretary of State Mark Martin is term limited. Those seeking to replace him are Democrat Susan Inman, Republican John Thurston and Libertarian Christopher Olson. Inman previously served as the Pulaski County election director and that state’s director of elections under former Secretary Sharon Priest. Thurston is currently serving his second term as the commissioner of state lands. Olson is a mental health paraprofessional.
California: Incumbent Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D) is facing Republican Mark Meuser. Meuser is an attorney and small business owner. Padilla was first elected in 2014 and previously served on the Los Angeles City Council and in the California Senate.
Colorado: Incumbent Secretary of State Wayne Williams (R) is facing Democrat Jena Griswold, Amanda Campbell with the American Constitution Party and Blake Huber with the Approval Voting Party. Williams was first elected in 2014 and before that served as the El Paso County clerk. Griswold is an attorney who previously served as a voter protection attorney and was director of the governor’s Washington, DC office.
Connecticut: Incumbent Denise Merrill is facing three challengers, Republican Susan Chapman, Green Party Candidate Mike DeRosa and Libertarian Heather Gwynn. Merrill was first elected in 2010 and then re-elected in 2014. Prior to that she served as a state representative from 1995 to 2011. Chapman has served as a first selectman as well as on the planning commission. DeRosa is the founder of the nonpartisan VOTER (Voter Opportunity Through Election Reform).
Georgia: Current Secretary of State Brian Kemp is running for governor. Seeking to replace him are Democrat John Barrow, Republican Brad Raffensperger and Libertarian Smythe Duval. Barrow has served on the Athens-Clarke County commission, as a member of the U.S. Congress and currently is teach classes at the University of Georgia. Raffensperger is the CEO and owner of a specialty contracting and engineering design firm. Duval is a registered nurse and works in the medical IT field.
Idaho: Incumbent Secretary of State Lawerence Denney (R) is facing Democrat Jill Humble. Denney was first elected in 2014 and prior to that served many years in the state Legislature including three terms as Speaker of the House. Humble has worked for the nursing department at Boise State University and the Idaho Professional Technical Department. She also taught mental health nursing at the College of Western Idaho.
Indiana: Incumbent Secretary of State Connie Lawson (R) if facing Democrat Jim Harper and Libertarian Mark Rutherford. There are also two write-in candidates, George Wolfe of the Green Party and Jeremy Heath of the Pirate Party. Before becoming secretary of state, Lawson served in the state Senate for 16 years and chaired the Senate Elections Committee. She also served as Hendricks County Clerk. Harper is an attorney who worked as a public defender in New Orleans and practices law at a private firm. Rutherford is an attorney working in business law.
Iowa: Incumbent Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) is facing Democrat Deirdre DeJear and Libertarian Jules Ofenbakh. Before being elected in 2014, Pate was a state senator, Mayor of Cedar Rapids and president of the Iowa League of Cities. DeJear is a business owner focusing on small business development. Ofenbakh is an attorney practicing in business law.
Kansas: Current Secretary of State Kris Kobach is running for governor. Seeking to replace him are Democrat Brian McClendon and Republican Scott Schwab. McClendon is the co-founder of Keyhole the startup that became Google Earth. Schwab has served on the House of Representatives since 2002.
Louisiana: Incumbent Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin—appointed after former Secretay of State Tom Schedler was forced to step down, will face eight challengers including: Fellow Republicans Heather Cloud, A.G. Crowe, Rick Edmonds, and Thomas Kennedy III, Democrats Gwen Collins-Greenup and Renee Fontenot Free and Independent Matthew Moreau.
Massachusetts: Incumbent William Galvin (D) will face Republican Anthony Amore and Juan Sanchez of the Green-Rainbow Party. Galvin is currently one of the longest serving state election official and was first elected in 1994. Amore is currently the director of security and chief investigator at a museum.
Michigan: Incumbent Ruth Johnson (R) is term-limited. Seeking to replace her are Democrat Jocelyn Benson, Republican Mary Treder Lang, Libertarian Gregory Scott Stemple and Robert Gale for the U.S. Taxpayers Party. Benson has a background in election law and administration and has written a book about the role of secretaries of state. Treder Lang has a background in sales and management.
Minnesota: Incumbent Secretary of State Steve Simon (D) will face Republican John Howe and William Denney for the Independence Party. Simon was first elected in 2014 and prior to that served in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Howe previously served as a correctional officer, was a business owner and has served on the state senate since 2010. Denney is a compliance officer at a manufacturing company.
Nebraska: Incumbent Secretary of State John Gale, who has been in office since being appointed in 2018 has decided not to seek re-election. Seeking to replace him are Democrat Spencer Danner and Republican Bob Evnen. Most recently, Danner has served as the director of human rights and relations for the city of Omaha. He also owns an emergency response management consulting firm. Evnen is an attorney focusing on business law. He served on the State Board of Education for eight years.
Nevada: Incumbent Barbara K. Cegavske will face Democratic challenger Nelson Araujo. Cegavske was first elected in 2014 and prior to that she served in both the State Assembly and Senate. Araujo is currently serving in the State Assembly and prior to that he worked in the financial industry and in the office of Sen. Harry Reid.
New Mexico: Incumbent Maggie Toulouse Oliver (D) will face Republican challenger Gavin Clarkson and Libertarian Ginger Grider. Toulouse Oliver was Bernalillo County clerk from 2007 to 2016 before being sworn in as secretary of state. She is seeking her first full term as secretary. Clarkson most recently served in the U.S. Department of the Interior as deputy assistant secretary of policy and economic development.
North Dakota: Incumbent Al Jaeger (Independent) will face Democrat Joshua A. Boschee and Independent Michael Coachman. After failing to win his party’s nomination and the candidate that was ultimately nominated was forced to quit the race, Jaeger has been elected seven times to the secretary of state’s office. Boschee is a realtor and was elected to the ND House of Representatives in 2012. Coachman is a retired Air Force veteran.
Ohio: Incumbent Jon Husted (R) is term-limited. Seeking to replace him are Republican Frank LaRose, Democrat Kathleen Clyde and Libertarian Dustin Nanna. LaRose was a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and served on the Ohio Senate. Clyde serves in the Ohio Senate and prior to that was the deputy legal counsel for the Ohio speaker of the house. Nanna works as a personal care professional.
Rhode Island: Incumbent Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea (D) will face Republican Pat Cortellessa. Gorbea was the first Hispanic elected statewide in New England. She was first elected in 2014. Cortellessa is a chief security officer.
South Dakota: Incumbent Secretary of State Shantel Krebs (R) is not seeking re-election. Hoping to replace her are Democrat Alexandra Frederick and Republican Steve Barnett. Frederick has a background as a GIS/GPS specialist and is currently working on her family’s ranch. Barnett is currently the state auditor
Vermont: Incumbent Secretary of State Jim Condos (D) will face challengers H. Brooke Paige (R) and Mary Alice Hebert of the Liberty Union Party. Condos is seeking his third term as secretary of state. Prior to that he served on the South Burlington city council for 18 years and was a state senator for eight years. Paige has a background in sales and marketing.
Wyoming: Incumbent Edward Buchanan (R) is facing challengers James Bryd (D) and Kit Carson (L). Buchanan, who was appointed after previous Secretary of State Ed Murray was forced to step, is seeking his first full term as secretary. Buchanan is an Air Force veteran and served in the Wyoming House of Representatives. Byrd has served in the Wyoming House of Representatives since 2009. Carson is a retired businessman.
Federal-State Updates
The Department of Homeland Security is pushing additional Election Day cybersecurity resources to states with tight electoral races according to Undersecretary Chris Krebs. According to Nextgov, the tightness of an electoral contest will just be one criteria Homeland Security uses as it decides where to embed federal cyber technicians on Election Day and it will not be a “controlling factor,” said Krebs.
Election News This Week
Early Voting: Early voting is underway throughout much of the country. Turnout has been quite large in some places with records being broken in several Texas jurisdictions. Besides lines and wait times, there have been some other issues as well. In Hays County, Texas, old equipment led to connection issues which caused lines to form. From long lines to problems with ballots, early voting has been bumpy from day one in Shelby County, Tennessee. In Garland County, Arkansas, Democratic candidate for secretary of state Susan Inman was left off the ballot. About 222 had voted before the problem was discovered and voting was shut down until the problem could be resolved. In Brunswick County, North Carolina, about 150 ballots had to be tossed out after it was discovered poll workers had provided voters with the wrong ballot. The BOE is working to notify the affected voters. Also in North Carolina, county elections directors are telling voters to double check their ballots after some voters in Guilford County reported having a candidate other than the one chose getting marked on electronic voting machines. The Suffolk County, New York board of elections has had to stop allowing walk-in voters to cast their absentee ballots at the office. Officials initially said there are too many mail ballots to process to deal with walk-ins, but have since changed their mind and will now allow walk-ins. Lines formed in several Indiana counties including Johnson County. In Bartow County, Georgia, several voters were reporting problems with old electronic voting machines “flipping” their votes. In Brevard County, Florida, one early voting site had to be relocated due to red tide, which made workers setting up the polling place feel ill.
See something, say something. It wasn’t until a voter notified an official that they had received the wrong ballot that elections officials in Hot Springs, Arkansas realized that some voters had been assigned to the wrong precinct for about seven years. No one currently on the election commission was on it when the precincts were assigned so no one knows for sure how the mistake happened. Commission Chairman Gene Haley told the Sentinel Record the ballot activation card affected voters are issued subsequent to check-in will be spoiled. Poll workers will then manually enter the adjacent precinct part and generate a new card with the correct slate of races. “We’re checking them in so they get credit for voting,” he said. “We’re spoiling that ballot and reissuing them ballot style (No.7).”
For years, Dodge City — yes, that Dodge City — Kansas had one polling place for about 13,000 voters. This year, due to road construction, Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox relocated the polling place outside of town and about a mile from the nearest bus stop. Cox did not return messages seeking comment from the Kansas City Star. Kansas Elections Director Bryan Caskey told the paper that Cox had no choice but to move the polling site due to the road construction, adding she did the best she could to find a suitable location. She also contacted every voter and sent out advance voting applications in English and Spanish, he said. In a town that is about 60 percent Hispanic, the new voting location raised alarm bells with local activists. Over the weekend though, Voto Latino announced a partnership with Lyft that will help get voters to the new polling place.
We’ll take one of each please! In coordination with Juneau artist Pat Race, the Alaska Division of Elections has a new series of animal-themed “I Voted” stickers. The stickers, which feature a beaver, caribou, Dungeness crab, eagle, Alaska king crab, moose raven or walrus will only be available to those who cast a ballot during early voting. “Voter engagement is a critical component to our elections process and we are excited to present Alaskans with more fun opportunities to share with their communities that they’ve participated on Election Day,” State Elections Director Josie Bahnke told KTVA. Race’s artwork can also be found on the covers of the Election Pamphlets being mailed to Alaska homes this month.
In more “I Voted” sticker news, when a Utah voter recently lamented on Twitter that he didn’t get an “I Voted” sticker with his mail-in ballot, Lt. Governor Spencer Cox knew just what to do. He broke out his crafting box and got to work, creating a “sticker” for the voter and allegedly sending it off to him. When another voter complained about not getting a sticker, Cox instead responded thusly: “…if we mail stickers with every ballot, a person who doesn’t vote might wear a sticker. That would lead to chaos and anarchy and the end of our Republic. We can’t let that happen! As soon as the legislature makes sticker-fraud a capital offense, we will mail them.”
U.S. Vote Foundation (US Vote) and Hook Studios launched The Big Deal 2018 Midterm Mobilization viral marketing campaign today with an intent to give a last minute push to younger voters to get out the vote. Similar to the wildly popular “Ice Bucket” challenge, The Big Deal 2018 relies on a challenge and reward “deal” to motivate young voters to follow through and cast their ballots on Election Day.
Personnel News: Michael J. McCormick has been appointed as the Democratic Elections Commissioner for Allegany County, New York. Sandi Rasmussen is the new Galesburg, Tennessee Election Commission assistant executive director. Thomas Marvin Williamsen has been sworn in as a new member of the Watauga County, North Carolina board of elections.
In Memoriam: Charlotte Staples Riddick, the first general registrar of Charlottesville, Virginia has died. She was 94. In 1971, the Virginia Constitution was revised to create the Office of the General Registrar for locality. Riddick because the first person appointed to the job. “Charlotte Riddick was a devoted voter registrar, and she was well regarded in Charlottesville and around the state,” University of Virginia Professor Larry Sabato told The Daily Progress. “She knew she had a vital role in our democratic system, and she faithfully fulfilled that role for many years. We should all be grateful for her service.” Riddick retired from the general registrar post in 1994. Current Charlottesville Registrar Rosanna Bencoach said that Riddick’s legacy is still felt in the office today. “The family recently asked us to look up some records on Charlotte’s tenure,” Bencoach explained. “At her first Electoral Board meeting after her appointment, she reported that the state was beginning the computerization of the voter registration records, but she was using the data processing office in City Hall instead of sending our records to Richmond for entry. From everything I’ve heard, that was typical of her professionalism and take-charge attitude.”
Adam Jackson, deputy election commissioner of the Montgomery County, New York Board of Elections died on October 6. He was 34. Jackson, along with his wife, three sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law, was one of 20 people killed in limo accident. Jackson had been with the county board of elections for about a year. Montgomery County Democratic Election Commissioner Terry Bieniek said the small staff at the elections office have been struggling, not only with Jackson’s death, but also to pick up where he left off in the preparation for the 2016 midterms elections.
Legislative Updates
New Mexico: Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver recently presented her office’s legislative priorities for 2019 to the Legislature’s Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee. “In the coming session, I’ll be advocating for legislation that increases voter participation, creates more transparency in our state’s campaign finance system, and fully funds my Office in the next fiscal year,” Toulouse Oliver said according to the Los Alamos Daily Post. “New Mexico is already a leader in how we make voting convenient, accessible, and secure, but there is always room to grow and I look forward to working with the Legislature in the coming months to build upon our success.”
Pennsylvania: Rep. Mary Jo Daley (D-Montgomery County and Rep. Christopher Rabb (D-Philadelphia) have introduced legislation that would ban the possession of firearms at polling places. House Bill 2711 would make it a third-degree misdemeanor to possess a firearm at any polling place and a first degree misdemeanor to possess a firearm at a polling place with the intent to commit a crime or use a firearm at a polling place in the commission of a crime.
Tennessee: The Memphis City Council has voted to fund a public information campaign to explain several ballot measures, including one on instant runoff voting, that many voters and others have complained are worded poorly.
Legal Updates
Georgia: Civil rights groups have filed an emergency motion asking the court to intervene so that citizens inaccurately labeled as non-citizens be allowed to vote if they show proof-of-citizenship at the polls. About 3,600 voter registrations are on hold because their citizenship has not been verified.
Also in Georgia, U.S. District Court Judge Leigh Martin May heard arguments this week on two different lawsuits filed against the secretary of state’s office and the Gwinnett County Board of Registrations and Elections over the county’s review of absentee ballots. On Wednesday she announced that she will be filing an injunction barring officials from tossing certain absentees.
Illinois: A Collinsville resident has filed suit seeking an injunction requiring the Madison County clerk to make election night vote counting open to all election judges and poll watchers. According to the Madison Record, the suit specifically asks that election judges and poll watchers not be excluded from the counting process and votes not be counted “behind closed doors.” It also asks that the Clerk refrain from moving ballots to “unknown locations without full disclosure” and from counting ballots before polls close, or other times, without full disclosure.
Mississippi: Pike County supervisors are suing Entergy for more than a half-million dollars as the result of a short circuit that led to a power outage at election headquarters and the destruction of voting machines on the night of the 2016 primaries.
Missouri: The Missouri Supreme Court issued a one-sentence order late Friday afternoon in Jefferson City, overruling the state’s emergency motion for a stay. The denial means a Cole County judge’s decision to strike down several key provisions of the state’s voter ID law will remain in place through the November election. Cole County Judge Richard Callahan clarified his ruling earlier this week that it applies to all election administrators.
New Hampshire: Hillsborough County Superior Court Judge Kenneth Brown has blocked the state from implementing SB3, a law that requires voters to prove they live where they’re trying to vote. According to New Hampshire Public Radio, Brown’s ruling drew heavily on testimony from experts about the burdens SB3 could place on individual voters and on New Hampshire’s voting system as a whole. The state’s attorney general has asked for a clarification on the judge’s ruling.
Texas: Modesta Vela, 60 of Roma has been arrested on voter fraud charges just two weeks after being arrested on other voter fraud charges. According to the district attorney, the four new charges are for tampering with a government record, in this case, voter registration applications. Earlier in October, Vela had been charged with illegal voting.
Also in Texas, Five students at Prairie View A&M have filed suit against Waller County claiming that their voting rights are being suppressed. According to the News Journal, students at the Historically Black College accused the county of violating the federal Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution by not providing any early voting location on campus or in the city of Prairie View during the first week of early voting. The suit says the county’s decision “imposes a substantial and unwarranted burden” on student voters and denies them “an equal opportunity to vote” compared to the county’s non-black voters.
Virginia: Hopewell Circuit Judge William Edward Tomko, III has ordered Hopewell electoral board members David Silvestro and Herbert Townes — both Democrats — be temporarily suspended from office until a jury trial can be held to determine if they should be permanently removed for failing to properly perform their duties.
Tech Thursday
Social Media: Facebook recently gave members a media an inside look at its “election war room”. The social media giant says that it has hired thousands of new moderators, invested in artificial intelligence and brought in new rules on advertising in order to combat a misinformation campaign during the midterms. Not only politically, but the site is also looking out for false or misleading stories about lines at polling places and other voting-related issues.
In other Facebook news, the social media site announced this week that it will be reminding voters of early voting hours and deadlines in the states that have early voting.
Social Media: Snap, the company that runs the popular social media site Snapchat, announced this week that it helped more than 400,000 users register to vote during a two-week period.
California: Secretary of State Alex Padilla recently launched the Restore Your Vote tool, an online tool that will help let residents with criminal convictions know what their voting rights are. At the website, people are asked to answer whether they are a U.S. citizen and resident of California, whether they are 18 or older on Election Day, whether they are currently in prison or on parole for a felony, and whether they have been found mentally incompetent to vote by a court. Based on the answers, users are told whether they can register to vote. Those who are eligible will be provided a link to online voter registration.
Oklahoma: The State Elections Board has launched a new online tool on its website called Make A Plan to Vote. Voters who click on the “Make a Plan to Vote” link on the election board’s homepage can access a fillable PDF which will help them choose whether to vote by mail, during early voting or at their polling place on Election Day. Voters can access maps to their polling place, sample ballots and other resources as well.
Opinions This Week
National Opinions: Election security, II, III | Democracy gap | Voting systems | Blockchain | Voter confidence | Voter suppression, II, III | Voting rights, II, III, IV, V | Turnout | Paper ballots | Voter fraud | Election laws | High school voter registration | Ballot measures
Alabama: Secretary of state race, II
Arizona: Secretary of state race
California: Motor voter
Colorado: Secretary of state race, II, III | Pitkin County
Connecticut: Automatic voter registration
Florida: Ex-felon voting rights | Collier County
Georgia: Pending voters | Secretary of state | Exact match | Voting rights, II | Voter suppression | Voter purge
Illinois: Rock Island County
Iowa: Voter ID
Kansas: Secretary of state race | Voter suppression
Kentucky: Election laws
Louisiana: Secretary of state race, II
Massachusetts: Secretary of state race
Michigan: Secretary of state race
Minnesota: Polling places
Missouri: Voter ID
Nevada: Automatic voter registration
New Hampshire: Secretary of state’s office | SB3 ruling, II
New Jersey: Election security
New Mexico: Secretary of state’s office
New York: Turnout | Paper ballots | Internet voting
North Carolina: State board of elections | Voter ID, II
North Dakota: Voter ID, II | Native American voting rights
Ohio: Voter purges | Secretary of state race
Pennsylvania: Accessibility | Early voting
U.S. Virgin Islands: Voting rights
Texas: Guns at polling places, II
Utah: Vote by mail
Vermont: Election system
Virginia: Election tricks
Wisconsin: Voter suppression
Clearie Awards Deadline Extended
EAC Extends Deadline for Third Annual Competition for Best Practices in Election Administration
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) has extended the deadline for submissions for its third annual “Clearie” awards, a national competition for best practices in election administration, until Friday, November 30, 2018. This year, the Commission will present awards in the categories of best practices related to voting accessibility, outstanding innovations in elections, and recruiting, training and retaining election workers. All entries must be received no later than Friday, November 30, 2018.
This year, the Clearie awards are dedicated the life and legacy of Wendy Noren and R. Brian Lewis. Wendy Noren served as Boone County Clerk for over three decades and was a member of the EAC’s Board of Advisors before passing away in July 2018 following a long battle with cancer. R. Brian Lewis served as Counsel to the office of the Senate Majority Leader before his passing and was an early and steadfast proponent of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and election officials. Both were luminaries in the field of election administration who will long be remembered for their work and friendship.
“Election officials are known for their commitment to the values expressed in the EAC Clearie awards: excellence, innovation, maintaining accuracy and integrity in the election process and ensuring all eligible citizens can cast a ballot,” said EAC Chairman Thomas Hicks. “The Clearies are a testament to their work and dedication and highlight best practices other election administrators can emulate.”
This year’s entries will be judged using the following criteria:
- Efficacy
- Innovation
- Sustainability
- Outreach efforts
- Cost-effectiveness
- Replicability
All submissions should be sent to the EAC via an email to clearinghouse@eac.gov. Nominators should use the following subject lines based on entry category: Election Worker Competition, Accessibility Competition or Outstanding Innovations Competition.
All entries must include a brief summary of the election program nominated and attach relevant documents, images and links that can be used to assess the entry. Submissions should also include contact information for the person submitting the program for consideration. Each entry must be submitted in a separate email.
For more information about this year’s competition, please contact Patrick Leahy at pleahy@eac.gov.
Upcoming Events
Council of State Governments Annual Conference — The Council of State Government will hold its 2018 National Conference in the Northern Kentucky, Greater Cincinnati area in December. Keynote speakers are J.D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy and Story Musgrave who started life in the Marines and finished is public service at NASA where he spent more than 1,200 hours in space. The conference will include a 2.5 hour session on election cybersecurity communications mapping. Where: Cincinnati, Ohio. When: December 6-8.
Election Audit Summit—The Election Audit Summit will provide a space for participants from across the scientific, policy and legal worlds to discuss new developments in the field of post-election auditing, and engage in the ongoing conversation on the current status and future directions of the election audits in the United States. Where: Cambridge, Massachusetts. When: December 7-8.
International Association of Government Officials — IGO’s 2019 mid-winter conference will be held in Irvine, California, January 6-11, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
Joint Election Officials Liaison Conference (JEOLC) —The Election Center’s Joint Election Officials Liaison Conference (JEOLC) will be held in Arlington, Virginia, January 10-11, 2019. Watch this space for more details and agendas.
National Association of State Election Directors — The NASED Winter Conference will be held in Washington DC, February 1-4, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
National Association of Secretaries of State — The NASS Winter Conference will be held in Washington, DC, February 1-4, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
Election Center Special Workshop — The Election Center will hold a special workshop that will include: Course 7 (Facilitating Voter Participation); Course 8 (Implementation of New Programs); and Renewal Course 31 (Election Storytelling ). Where: Birmingham, Alabama. When: February 25-26.
Election Center Special Workshop —The Election Center will hold a special workshop that will include: Course 9 (Enfranchisement, Enhancement, Enforcement ); Course 10 (Constitution, Courts & Cases to 1965); and Renewal Course 14 (Crisis Management). Where: Virginia Beach. When: April 24-28.
International Association of Government Officials — IGO’s 2019 Annual Conference will be held in Houston, Texas, July 11-17. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
National Association of Counties — NACo’s 2019 Annual Conference will be held in Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada July 11-15, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
National Association of State Election Directors — The NASED Summer Conference will be held in Austin, Texas, July 14-16, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
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.
Assistant Inspector General for Audit, U.S. Election Assistance Commission —The Assistant Inspector General for Audit (AIGA) directs or conducts performance audits, evaluations, inspections and reviews of EAC programs, functions, and operations. The incumbent maintains personal contact with key senior officials within and outside of EAC, such as management and officials of CIGIE, OMB, GAO, other Federal and state agencies, contractors and educational or research groups. Participates with the IG in developing the annual audit plan; determining the scope of each audit; developing and adjusting audit guides when necessary to meet special or unusual circumstances; and participating in entrance and exit conferences with auditees (city, county, state, and/or EAC officials). The AIGA supervises the work of subordinates, if any, and monitors the work of contractors. Salary: $119,5897-$141328. Deadline: November 30. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Certification Manager (Denver, CO) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a Certification Manager to join our team in Denver, CO! This position is a cross -functional leader playing a key role in managing certification efforts for Dominion Voting products. In this role, you will act as a representative of the company with State and Federal certification officials, test labs, and other key internal and external stakeholders throughout the certification process. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Certification Project Manager, Hart InterCivic — The Certification Project Manager manages state and federal certification projects of our Hardware and Software products, under the direction of the Certification Program Manager. The Certification Project Manager must be able to exercise sound judgment and interact with regulatory authorities in a professional manner, particularly in high-pressure situations. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Customer Relations Manager (Phoenix, AZ) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a Customer Relations Manager to join our team in Phoenix, AZ! This position will be responsible for effectively and proactively managing the day-to-day relationship, administration and technical/product support of one or more assigned customer accounts. Additionally, the CRM will serve as project manager for specialized projects such as pre- and postelection day support, new product implementations, and/or product upgrades/updates. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Director of Government Affairs, Hart InterCivic — The Hart InterCivic Director of Government Affairs oversees all aspects of support services for Hart’s government relations activities for state and federal government entities. These include: identifying and engaging critical stakeholders at the federal, state, and county level, researching and providing consistent and proactive communication of company’s regulatory strategy, partnering with key internal cross-functional departments, participating in industry forums ensuring active engagement where most critical, and developing monitoring/measurement tools to provide visibility and transparency. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Program Manager, CIS— the Elections Program Manager is assigned to the Elections Infrastructure ISAC (EI-ISAC) at the Center for Internet Security. Reporting to the Director of the EI-ISAC, the Elections Program Manager will partner with other cybersecurity team members to promote the CIS mission and help support our growth. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a subject matter expert on and represent the EI-ISAC in public forums regarding election infrastructure issues. The Elections Program Manager will work with the EI-ISAC Director to build relationships in the elections community and identify tools, products, and initiatives that meet the security needs of election officials. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Field Sales Director, Hart InterCivic — the Field Sales Director works primarily on the road and from a home office when he/she is not on business travel. The Field Sales Director is responsible for creating news sales with prospects and existing clients in a defined region. Today, this role is a single contributor and does not directly manage people. This position will report to the VP of Sales. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Full Stack Architect / Senior Software Engineer, Clear Ballot— Clear Ballot is looking for an accomplished, Boston MA based Architect/Senior Software Engineer who wants to bring their technical and leadership skills to bear on a hugely consequential problem: Bringing transparency to democratic elections. The successful candidate will implement new products and features under tight deadlines. You will be using primarily Python and MySQL that interface with front-end web applications implemented in JavaScript and HTML5. The ideal candidate should have strong technical and leadership skills and a good working knowledge of the latest concepts in security, performance, and resilience. You will be working with a small team of highly skilled individuals to build and enhance a platform that is changing the elections industry. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Full Stack Software Developer, Clear Ballot — The successful candidate will build and enhance enterprise-level, highly available applications using primarily Python and MySQL that interface with frontend web applications implemented in JavaScript and HTML5. The ideal candidate should have strong technical skills and a good working knowledge of the latest concepts in performance, security and resilience. One of the hallmarks of our system is its emphasis on new visualization techniques made possible by sophisticated data structures that enable high-performance in a multi-user environment. You will be working with a small team of highly skilled individuals to build and enhance a platform that is changing the elections industry. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
General Counsel, Campaign Legal Center— CLC’s General Counsel provides advice and guidance regarding legal issues involving the organization’s work and operations. This includes advising on best ethics practices, legal compliance with applicable laws and advising on risk management. CLC’s General Counsel will also serve as a senior litigator in the Voting Rights & Redistricting programs which engage in litigation around the country, both to ensure the constitutional implementation of existing laws and to defend new reforms against legal challenges. CLC also participates in trial and appellate cases through friend-of-the-court briefs, engages in educational efforts (such as know-your-rights trainings) and provides legislative drafting assistance to legislatures and organizations seeking to improve election law. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Inside Sales Representative, Runbeck — to support our desired growth and market expansion, we continue to hire outstanding talent in multiple departments. We are looking for highly motivated, dedicated and talented individuals who will be able to contribute significantly to the success of the company while receiving great opportunities for professional growth and financial benefits. Responsibilities include: Contact potential or existing customers to inform them about a product or service; ability to present solution and its value to a prospect over the phone; answer questions about products or the company; ask questions to understand customer requirements and close sales; enter and update customer information in the database; keep records of calls and sale and note useful information in the CRM; process orders in an accurate manner; and go the “extra mile” to meet sales quota and facilitate future sales. Application: In order to apply, please send a resume to Tammy White: twhite@runbeck.net.
Program Manager, Overseas Voting Initiative, Council of State Governments — the Program Manager of CSG’s Overseas Voting Initiative, funded through a cooperative agreement with the US Dept. of Defense (DOD) Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), provides day-to-day management and oversight of the Initiative, including research and policy analysis of electronic absentee voting systems for military voters, and development and dissemination of educational policy programming and deliverables to state leaders in support of the cooperative agreement. The Program Manager works within CSG’s Center of Innovation and in cooperation with CSG’s policy and executive management teams as well as regional offices, affiliates and members to support, monitor and improve state elections processes for military and overseas voters. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Project Manager (Austin, TX) – Hart InterCivic — Hart InterCivic is looking for a project manager to work with our Professional Services Team. The project manager oversees the deployment of voting systems and training to both existing and new Hart customers. The ideal candidate has experience in the elections industry, is PMP certified, and is motivated to achieve success for our customers with initiative. Travel up to 80 percent. Reports to the Manager of Professional Services. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Regional Sales Manager, Clear Ballot— The Regional Sales Manager (RSM) position will represent Clear Ballot in a designated territory to engage prospective customers, educate them on the value of partnering with Clear Ballot, and close New Business. This position is a Hunter. The RSM will be responsible for managing and growing their assigned territory and meeting quarterly and annual sales goals. Previous sales experience in high growth organizations is a plus. RSM’s will be responsible for understanding the Clear Ballot portfolio and effectively communicating the value we bring to the market. Measures of success include: high levels of sales activity, regular and consistent reporting and communication of progress, progress toward quarterly and annual quota attainment, and overcoming obstacles to get the job done. We currently have open positions in Florida and Boston. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Sales Engineer, Clear Ballot — Our Sales and Marketing team is looking for a seasoned, hardworking and energetic Sales Engineer with proven experience and a passion for selling technology solutions. This role is responsible for being the primary technical resource for our sales force while also actively driving and managing the technology evaluation stage of the sales process. You will be required to have an in-depth technical knowledge of Clear Ballot’s Clear Vote suite and demonstrating the product capabilities to prospective customers. The ideal candidate must also be able to identify and provide reliable solutions for all technical issues to assure complete customer satisfaction. Measures of success include new customer acquisition rates, renewal rates, upselling, cross-selling, customer satisfaction and contribution to overall sales team and new customer success Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Senior Level Software Developer, BPro — We are a well-established small business that has been developing requirements and producing software for the needs of state governments since 1985 and continue to maintain and upgrade many of those systems. We have offices in Pierre, South Dakota, Fargo, North Dakota, Minnesota & Virginia. We’re currently looking for an energetic and intelligent .Net Developer to join our growing team. Our ideal candidate is one who loves to learn, enjoys working as a team, and who can multitask and meet deadlines. Skills required: .NET, VB, VBA, ASP, SQL, HTML, and JavaScript. A four-year college degree is the minimum educational requirement. All applicants must have excellent written and verbal communications skills. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Senior Researcher, Public Policy Evaluation Research, Fors Marsh Group — FMG is hiring for a researcher on the Public Policy Evaluation team which serves to address public concerns and promote the quality of the community. This is done through a) articulating the public’s needs, b) conducting rigorous evaluation to assess how these needs are being met, and c) working with our clients to improve these programs and policies. This job is best suited for an individual who enjoys research, has experience leading research team, possesses excellent attention to detail, continuously strives to learn and develop, and prefers working in a cooperative environment. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Senior Software Developer, Runbeck— Runbeck Election Services is looking for full stack enthusiasts who are comfortable tackling end-to-end and enjoy building products that solve big problems and delight customers. We’re a collaborative team who knows how to get things done (Lone Rangers need not apply). We believe that small teams focused on shipping software move the fastest and make the most impact. The ideal candidate for this position has extensive back end skills (C#, MVC, ASP.Net, SQL Server) paired with solid web and desktop skills (IIS, JavaScript, HTML 5, CSS, jQuery, WPF, Win Forms). Must have a solid grasp of our basic toolset (Jira, Visual Studio). Willing to learn new plug-ins and IDE enhancements in order to boost your productivity and are excited to introduce us to new tooling experiences that have worked for you in the past. You bring discipline and care about implementation practices. You are familiar with Agile/Scrum processes, practice common design patterns, embrace clean coding principles, and employ many other techniques in an effort to bring a high level of software craftsmanship to your finished product. Application: In order to apply, please send a resume to Tammy White: twhite@runbeck.net.
Software Product Specialist II (Phoenix, AZ) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a Software Product Specialist II to join our team in Phoenix, AZ! This position will be responsible for delivering a wide variety of technical and non-technical customer support services related to the implementation, operation, repair, maintenance and upgrades of Dominion Voting Systems technology products. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Systems Engineer, Clear Ballot — We are looking for a talented Systems Engineer who has both a technical and services/support background which enables them to quickly assess customer needs and offer value to Clear Ballot’s customers. The Systems Engineer will gain a deep understanding of how Clear Ballot’s products operate and their optimal configuration to build a streamlined installation process of the Clear Vote election system. The ideal candidate for this position can prioritize mission critical tasks and coordinate the implementation and expansion of our systems. They will be able to work directly with customers, display innovation, think conceptually and act tactically to build consensus around system installation and enhancement and meet deadlines. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Marketplace
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Voting Booths
Each aluminum briefcase contains the following: aluminum legs, privacy shield, writing base, light assembly. All units are in great shape dimensions are 22”x 18”x 3“. MFG: ESL. Election supplies Limited, Napa California. Quantity: 400 Price per unit is $50. Contact Greg Larson 408.569.1004