In Focus This Week
Reflections on the Election Audit Summit
Foundational concepts of auditing and elections were pushed, stretched, and tested
By Clair De Soi, communications manager
MIT Election Data & Science Lab
Last week, over a hundred engineers, social scientists, legal scholars, election officials, and others invested in improving U.S. elections braved Boston’s dropping temperatures to participate in the Election Audit Summit. A project of the Caltech-MIT Voting Technology Project, the summit was supported by MIT’s Election Data & Science Lab.
The two-day conference was designed to explore the intersections of the scientific, policy, and legal issues related to post-election auditing. As concerns over the integrity of the computer systems that manage elections in the United States increased following the 2016 election, the conference organizers began to develop ideas for a forum that would allow the scientific and election administration communities to collaborate and advance the ways we identify and prevent attempts to subvert the effective administration of elections.
What resulted from their efforts was not just a meeting of the minds to discuss technical innovations and methods in election audits. It was also a lively conversation of how we can, collectively, put those ideas into practice—the essential steps to setting audits up for success, and in doing so, secure both an election’s integrity and voters’ confidence in it. If you weren’t able to attend, recordings of every session are available online—but if you don’t have a day and a half to spend with them, we’ve also summarized a few of the major themes and takeaways for you here.
There were, of course, important discussions of the scientific side of things. “Elections are being run under more exacting tolerances,” said Charles Stewart III, a professor at MIT and one of the conference organizers, in the opening panel, underlining the need for election policies, equipment, and even the people involved to strive for new levels of technical precision and clarity. Presentations covered Bayesian and k-cut sampling methods, risk-limiting audit (RLA) strategies, the possibilities and challenges of end-to-end verifiability, and more. In parallel, participants discussed suggestions for how to explain complicated techniques to voters and policymakers in ways that are easy to grasp.
Foundational concepts of auditing and elections were pushed, stretched, and tested by participants over coffee in the hallways and during panels. How—and which—stakeholders should be involved at which stages of an election audit? Where and when should data be accessible, and to whom? What steps can we take to improve and normalize audits, build voter confidence in election processes, or deter malicious interference? Who might be a useful resource as we do so, beyond the usual #electiongeek suspects?
An important theme that emerged in nearly every panel was the absolute impossibility of effective innovation without connecting it directly to the mundane realities and complexities of election systems as a whole. “An audit is no better than the paper trail it uses,” offered Philip Stark of the University of California at Berkeley on the first morning; Whitney Quesenbery of the Center for Civic Design took that and ran with it, challenging attendees to consider “democracy as a design problem,” and to think more critically about the tangled implications of a decision as seemingly simple as the formatting of a single paragraph of ballot text.
Throughout the summit, we were lucky to have insights and expertise from folks around the country who have been in the weeds of audit implementation for years. A panel of Coloradan experts drew from their experiences to illustrate the necessity of a safe learning environment and layered trainings for election workers. To implement an RLA effectively, they emphasized, they had to “go slow to go fast,” planning ahead to provide enough time and space for workers to ask questions, make mistakes, and build their confidence. Stories from New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, California, and Michigan—where a pilot RLA had wrapped up just a few days before the summit convened—also offered important lessons on successful audit research and implementation.
None of the panelists or participants pretended that audits offered a panacea. “There are no silver bullets in elections,” commented Matthew Masterson (of the Department of Homeland Security), in a closing discussion; a truth that perhaps no one understands better than those who work inside those elections. That said, we’ve gathered some of the best advice offered at the summit to offer to you here:
- Make laws vague; make rules specific. Instead of codifying (one might say calcifying) all of your audit policies and procedures up front, give them the space to evolve. Allow yourself the capacity to improve and adapt as you gain knowledge.
- Have empathy. To improve elections, academics must build relationships with election officials that are based on trust. Understand the needs of voters and stakeholders first, and provide recommendations that are actionable and digestible for election administrators.
- Complex systems fail in complex, nonlinear ways. No one likes to dwell on failure, but Ben Adida of VotingWorks put on his Silicon Valley hat and called for the election community to do just that. Success gives us one set of lessons learned; what can the failures teach us?
- Common. Data. Format. This could be an entire post on its own, but standards for a common data format came up repeatedly as an important element in ensuring that all states can conduct the most effective RLAs going forward.
- Collaboration is key. As co-organizer Jennifer Morrell of Democracy Fund put it, collaboration is essential to solving many of the complex problems facing election officials today, including audits. Ultimately, this is a hinge on which the rest of these takeaways depend.
So, where to from here? Beyond a few days of conversations, where does this Election Audit Summit put us?
Well, for one thing, we hope that it provided fertile ground for new collaborations (see what we did there?) on post-election audits. Strong auditing procedures, conducted with transparency, can play a critical role in ensuring that voters have high confidence in the election process and integrity of the results. There’s a growing community of experts in academia, public service, and grassroots circles alike that are developing more scientifically rigorous approaches to auditing elections—the summit was just a taste. We hope you’ll stay tuned to what they’re doing (see, for example, our expanding and not at all exhaustive list of suggested resources), or dip a toe into a new collaboration yourself.
Election News This Week
North Carolina 9th District Update: While the investigation into what happened in North Carolina’s U.S. House District 9 race continues, state and local authorities are preparing for the very real possibility that the election will be done over. Both chambers of the state Legislature have approved a bill that would require another primary to be held in the 9th District if a new election is mandated. One affected county, Mecklenburg, anticipates that a new election will cost around $500,000. Also this week, Jens Lutz, the vice chairman of the Bladen County board of elections resigned. According to WBTV, Lutz was one of the first to sound the alarm about absentee ballots in the race.
A scan by the U.S. Postal Service found that 29 of 33 uncounted ballots in the Iowa House 55 race were placed in the mail before the deadline passed and the losing candidate—who lost by only nine votes—wants them counted. Democrat Kayla Koether filed legal action to have the ballots counted. According to The Courier, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Winneshiek County Auditor Ben Steines have filed a motion to dismiss Koether’s petition to county the 29 ballots. The petition argues that the court does not have jurisdiction over the matter.
What once was lost, now is found. Recently the owners of a Huntsville, Alabama wine store discovered a box in the basement filled unopened election envelopes dating to 1984. While they appeared to be sealed absentee ballots from 1984, Madison County Probate Judge Frank Barger said all of the envelopes had canvassing statements inside. WHNT said Barger, alongside sheriffs deputies, picked up the box of the materials. He said they will turn them over to the local Democratic party.
Personnel News: Texas Secretary of State Ronaldo Pablos is stepping down effective December 15. Maria Valadez has been appointed interim registrar of voters in Lake County, California. Interim Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin (R) has been elected to his first full term as secretary. Congratulations to Carol P. Heard, chief elections official with the Decatur County, Georgia board of elections and voter registration who has been designated as a Certified Elections/Registration Administrator. Carol Fosmo is retiring as the Elko County, Nevada clerk. Congratulations to Monmouth County, New Jersey Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon for receiving the 2018 Person of the Year Award from the Monmouth County Fraternal Order of Police, Superior Officer’s Lodge #30. Cherokee County, South Carolina Registration and Elections Director Suzanne Turner is stepping down. Michelle Hunter Jaeger, who was recently elected to serve as the Pike County, Missouri clerk has informed the county commission that she will not accept the position. The Glynn County, Georgia Board of Elections voted to terminate Elections and Registration Supervisor Monica Couch, effectively immediately. Washington County, Colorado Clerk Garland Wahl is retiring. Garth Fell has announced that he will seek the Snohomish County auditor’s seat. Current Auditor Carolyn Weikel is term-limited. Luke Burton is resigning as the Darke County, Ohio elections director.
In Memoriam: O.C. Pleasant, former chairman of the Shelby County, Tennessee election commission died over the weekend. He was 75. Pleasant was the longest serving member of the Shelby County election commission and served form the mid-1970s to 2009. For 24 of those years, he was chairman of the election commission. According to the Daily Memphian, after leaving the Election Commission in 2009, Pleasant remained involved in election issues through the Memphis Branch NAACP.
Saline County, Illinois County Clerk Roger Craig, who was installed in office just two weeks ago has died. He was 57. According to the Southern Illinoisan, Craig ran against incumbent Kim Buchanan in the Republican Primary Election in March. At the time, he cited the battle between Buchanan and the county board as his reason for entering the race. Craig previously served as trustee for the Harrisburg Township.
Rosanell Eaton, lead plaintiff in a North Carolina voting rights lawsuit that reached the U.S. Supreme Court died on December 8. She was 97. According to The New York Times, Eaton, an obscure civil rights pioneer in her younger years, became a cause célèbre after President Barack Obama cited her courage in his response to a 2015 article in The New York Times Magazine about growing efforts to dismantle the protections of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Eaton was a lifelong devotee of voting rights. She registered to vote for the first time in 1942 at the age of 21 after facing down three white men who tried to stop her from entering the Franklin County, North Carolina courthouse.
Legislative Updates
Kansas: Sedgwick County officials will plan to lobby their legislative delegation to introduce a bill that will allow the county to move to vote centers.
Maryland: The Town of Chevy Chase Council voted unanimously to extend voting rights to non-citizens in local elections. Those now eligible to vote must have green cards, be in the country for diplomatic purposes or those working toward U.S. citizenship. “One of the reasons I think we were sympathetic was that we heard from non-citizens who have been residents in town for a long time and are eager to participate in democracy,” Mayor Barney Rush told Bethesda Magazine. “We care about having an inclusive community where people who wish to participate in our civic activities are able to do so, and this is one way people can contribute.”
Michigan: The Senate has approved legislation that would gut a recently-approved voter initiative. The approved bills would cut off voter registration at 14 days ahead of election and allow a resident to opt out of automatic voter registration and would force voters to show more identification and prove citizenship before voting.
Also in Michigan, the House Elections Committee has approved a bill that will legalize ballot selfies. “The First Amendment right to free speech is primarily for political speech,” sponsoring Rep. Steven Johnson, R-Wayland told The Detroit News. “In today’s day and age, social media is often how people support their candidates and their causes.”
North Carolina: A bill shaping the make-up of the North Carolina State Board of Elections is on its way Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk. Under the bill the board would move back to five members, with all of them appointed by the governor. The board will also be split back into two parts, with an ethics commission taking on the role of ethics enforcement.
Tennessee: Senate Minority Chairman Raumesh Akbari is planning to sponsor legislation automatically restoring the right to vote for people with low-level felony convictions.
Virginia: Delegate Charniele Herring is planning on introducing legislation to allow for no-excuse absentee voting. “It’s already happening in 38 other states and it’s time for us to get rid of our old ways of doing things,” Herring told WAVY.
Legal Updates
Kansas: The ACLU has filed a motion opposing the dismissal of its voting rights case against Ford County Clerk Deborah Cox. “We aren’t asking for the moon,” said ACLU of Kansas legal director Lauren Bonds. “Our plaintiffs need, deserve and are legally entitled to an accessible polling place, in town. That’s more than reasonable.” Cox was sued after she moved the one Dodge City polling location outside of town about a mile from the nearest bus stop.
Massachusetts: Chief U.S. District Judge Patti Saris has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the winner-take-all system the commonwealth uses to assign its Electoral College presidential votes. The judge rejected the challenge that it violates the principle of “one person, one vote.”
Mississippi: Canton Alderwoman Vickie McNeil has been charged with four counts of voter fraud in the 2017 Canton municipal election. Courtney Rainey, Donnell Robinson, Jennifer Robinson, Desmand King and Sherman Matlock have also been charged with various voter fraud-related charges. Kin is the deputy clerk for Canton.
Tech Thursday
South Carolina: The state Election Commission has released a request for proposals for a new statewide voting system. According to Chris Whitmire, the commission is asking for proposals for two different types of systems: ballot marking devices and hand-marked optical scan systems. “Just about everybody who has a stake in an election has expressed support for replacing the current voting system with a system that has paper,” Whitmire told The Post and Courier. The commission is hoping the Legislature will provide $60 million for the new system and they would like to have it in place by 2020.
Opinions This Week
National Opinions: Efforts to end democracy, II, III, IV | Election security | Election fraud, II | Voter fraud, II | Election night
Arizona: Ballot signatures
Arkansas: Secretary of state
California: Every vote counts | Ballot harvesting
Florida: Ex-felon voting rights, II, III, IV, V, VI | Election reform | Electoral dysfunction
Iowa: Ex-felon voting rights, II | Voting system
Maine: Ranked choice voting, II |
Massachusetts: Ranked choice voting
Louisiana: Secretary of state, II
Nevada: Election integrity | Election consolidation
New Hampshire: Secretary of state
New Jersey: Vote by mail
New York: Voter suppression | New York City BOE, II
North Carolina: Election fraud, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII | State board of elections | Voter ID, II
Ohio: Licking County | Board of elections
Oklahoma: Poll workers
Oregon: Voting system
Pennsylvania: Voting machine costs, II, III
South Carolina: Ballot initiatives
Tennessee: Instant runoff voting
Washington: Ranked choice voting
EAVS Update
Launch of the 2018 EAVS and New Resources
David Kuennen, senior research program specialist
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
With the midterm elections now behind us, the EAC has begun implementing the 2018 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS)(opens in new tab).
The EAVS is the agency’s biennial survey that collects the most comprehensive nationwide data on election administration from nearly 6,500 local election jurisdictions across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
Pollsters and journalists are already off to the races writing the first draft of history on the 2018 midterms. The EAVS allows us to tell the official election administration side of the story. From record turnout levels to shifts in voting methods, and changes in voting technology, we should have some really interesting things to say about how the 2018 elections were run and the changing landscape of U.S. elections.
This week, we are excited to launch the data collection period for the 2018 EAVS and share the data collection templates with respondents. Along with the new templates, the EAC and its implementing partner, Fors Marsh Group, are taking a number of steps to make the survey easier to complete, strengthen data quality and completeness, and improve accessibility of the data.
Some of these efforts include new resources.
Webinar: Overview of the 2018 EAVS(opens in new tab) – Moderated by EAC Vice Chair Christy McCormick, webinar panelists discuss a number of topics helpful for respondents, including what’s new for the 2018 survey, the EAVS data collection timeline, resources available to respondents, and helpful hints for completing the survey.
A series of six “bootcamp” videos, which provide detailed section-by-section and question-by-question guidance for completing the survey. These include:
Section A(opens in new tab), related to voter registration data;
Section B(opens in new tab), related to military and overseas voting data;
Section C(opens in new tab), related to domestic civilian by-mail voting data;
Section D(opens in new tab), related to polling place and poll worker data;
Section E(opens in new tab), related to provisional ballot data; and
Section F(opens in new tab), related to voter participation and election technology data.
While these resources primarily seek to help respondents complete the 2018 EAVS, we also hope that they can provide to other interested stakeholders insights into the data collected by the survey and the process we use to collect it.
EAVS respondents can find the data collection templates, instructions, and additional resources on the 2018 EAVS Portal(opens in new tab).
Look for more information about the 2018 EAVS in the New Year, as we plan to provide additional updates on the EAVS and related news!
FVAP Updates
New voter registration/ballot request and back-up ballot forms on Federal Register now
The current draft Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) forms are available for review and comment on the Federal Register until January 22 at regulations.gov.
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) requires that the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) prescribe two standard federal forms. Both forms require review and public comment every three years. The FPCA (SF-76), can be used to register to vote, request an absentee ballot and update contact information, while the FWAB (SF-186) serves as a backup ballot if the voter doesn’t receive a requested ballot in time.
FVAP leveraged feedback from voters and election officials to update the forms to clarify their use and requirements.
The revised forms simplify instructions for voters and include:
- Clarification of National Guard classification for use of the form.
- Alterations to the list of states requiring additional information.
- Clarification of registration and ballot request instructions.
Form usability is an essential part of the redesign process. To help ensure the form is easy and intuitive from a voter’s perspective, please download and complete it as if you were registering to vote, requesting an absentee ballot or voting the FWAB. Provide usability comments via the links below.
To view the FPCA Federal Register Notice:
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOD-2018-OS-0092-0001
To view the Draft FPCA Form:
https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=DOD-2018-OS-0092
To view the FWAB Federal Register Notice:
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOD-2018-OS-0091-0001
To view the Draft FWAB Form:
https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=DOD-2018-OS-0091
To submit comments and suggestions online: Comments and usability feedback should be submitted on the Federal eRulemarking Portal using the links above or https://www.regulations.gov by January 22, 2019.
Submit comments and usability feedback by mail at the address below by January 19, 2019:
Department of Defense
Office of the Chief Management Officer
Directorate for Oversight and Compliance
4800 Mark Center Drive, Mailbox #24 Suite 08D09
Alexandria, VA 22350-1700
Please do not send comments directly to FVAP.
Upcoming Events
International Association of Government Officials — IGO’s 2019 mid-winter conference “Educate-Elevate-Energize-Engage” theme underscores the critical importance of IGO’s ongoing commitment to its members. The opening Keynote Speaker will be Frank Kitchen and his “I LIVE FRESH!” The Five Step Recipe for Being a Difference Maker and Life Changer presentation as well as a joint workshop, “IT’S OK TO PLAY” Gaming Your Way to a Positive Culture. We will once again offer CPL educational courses, division specific education, joint education sessions, committee meetings, team building activities and business partner workshops. Where: Irvine, California. When: January 6-10, 2019
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.
A Practical Guide to Risk-Limiting Audits — With the spotlight on election security, election administrators need tools to provide voters with confidence in all stages of our electoral system. Join election officials, cybersecurity experts, policy makers, and others for a practical overview of cutting-edge post-election audits, which provide statistical confidence in election outcomes. As election officials across the country continue to look for opportunities to make their systems and procedures more secure before the 2020 election, what should election officials know about risk-limiting audits? What are they? What tools are necessary? How do they work in states with different voting systems? How much do they cost? We’ll tackle these topics and more. Sponsored by Microsoft, Brennan Center For Justice, Common Cause, National Election Defense Coalition, and Verified Voting. Where: Washington, DC. When: January 31.
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.
Administrative Assistant, Center for Election Innovation & Research— the Administrative Assistant will work full-time and play a critical role in managing the day-to-day effectiveness of CEIR, including our program operations, finance, and human resources functions. This person will collaborate in developing and implementing systems that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our work, supporting our ability to grow and expand our impact. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and detail-oriented individual who wants to make a substantial impact while gaining a broad set of experiences relevant to nonprofit leadership. The Administrative Assistant will work in the Washington, DC Metro Area, usually in CEIR’s office, although sometimes working from home may be possible. 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.
Chief Departmental Operations, San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Voter Services Division — The County of San Diego, Registrar of Voters (ROV) invites résumés from qualified candidates for Chief, Departmental Operations to fill a vacancy in the Voter Services Division. The Chief, Departmental Operations is an unclassified management classification reporting directly to executive management and oversees a major functional area or several small programs including creating program policy and supervision of staff. This position provides leadership and oversight over the functions and activities of the Department’s Voter Services Division. The primary responsibilities are to direct the processing of voter registration affidavits; maintenance of voter registration records; verification of State and local petitions (i.e. initiative, referendum, recall and nomination); organization of call center functions; management of mail ballot program and mail ballot voter records, including preparation, mailing, verification, and processing of mail ballots; coordination with external organizations including United States Postal Service and ballot printing and mailing contractor; ensuring State and federal reporting requirements are completed; and coordination of San Diego County Employee Retirement Association Board Member Elections. The Chief, Department Operations provides leadership, supervision, and management of staff responsible for voter service activities. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Deputy Director, Center for Election Innovation & Research — the Deputy Director will report to the Executive Director and have a broad range of responsibilities designed to support CEIR’s mission. In this position, the Deputy Director will play an integral role in the development and execution of CEIR’s programming, strategic communications, and continued growth as an organization. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated individual who wants to make a substantial, positive, nonpartisan impact on elections and American democracy. The Deputy Director’s primary workplace will be CEIR’s Washington, DC office. The Deputy Director also must be available for business travel as needed. CEIR believes that working alongside and understanding the diverse mix of people who are affected by elections and American democracy is key to achieving our mission. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse, non-discriminatory work environment. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Specialist-Ballot Processing, Pierce County, Washington— the Auditor’s Office is currently recruiting for an Elections Specialist position that is assigned to the Ballot Processing area. This position is located at the Pierce County Elections Center in Tacoma, WA. The typical work schedule is Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. An employee in this class is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating the activities of an assigned election area. This is a working specialist position. Work involves planning, distributing, assigning work to accommodate work fluctuations and changes; monitoring work compiled; taking corrective action to maintain acceptable quality standards; and training election workers assigned to work in their particular areas. Specialists perform day-to-day assignments specific to their assigned area. Employees are expected to perform work in all election areas as assigned including customer service and voter registration. Salary: $29.51-$37.33/hour. 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.
IT Security Administrator (Denver) – Dominion Voting is looking for an IT Security Administrator to join our IT team in Denver, Colorado! We are looking for a security minded individual who can perform both day-to-day technical management and maintenance of IT security programs, and who can also strategically assess and enhance the overall IT security enterprise-wide. 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 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 (Toronto) – Dominion Voting is searching for an experienced and passionate Senior Software Developer to join our team in Toronto! These positions will be responsible for providing high-level technical expertise in design development, coding, testing and debugging new software or significant enhancements to existing software for our customers. You will work on a variety of our product lines and you may act as team leader on less complex projects and assists in training/mentoring less experienced software development staff. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Software Developer III (Toronto) – Dominion Voting is searching for an experienced and passionate Software Developer III to join our team in Toronto! These positions will be responsible for providing high-level technical expertise in design development, coding, testing and debugging new software or significant enhancements to existing software for our customers. You will work on a variety of our product lines and you may act as team leader on less complex projects and assists in training/mentoring less experienced software development staff. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
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.
Staff Editor, Brennan Center for Justice— the Brennan Center seeks an experienced and confident Staff Editor to play a key role in our growing editorial team. The Staff Editor will work closely with the Director of Editorial Strategy in shaping the Brennan Center’s revamped online content strategy, ensuring that we respond quickly to news developments and helping to position us as a leading voice on the issues of democracy and the Constitution that are currently at the center of the national conversation. 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