In Focus This Week
2019 elections legislation in review
With many Legislatures now done, what happened in 2019
By M. Mindy Moretti
Electionline.org
Although there’s no catchy Alice Cooper song to mark the season, many state Legislatures have finished or are finishing up their work for 2019.
It was a busy year for election legislation with thousands of bills being filed. Bills covered everything from ex-felon voting rights to voter ID to same day registration to what to wear the polls and whether or not you can bring a weapon with you, not matter what you’re wearing.
While some state Legislatures are still in session and there are others that don’t adjourn, we thought now would be a good time to take a look at some of the elections legislation that was on the table this year. This is just a snapshot of what was happening in the states this year. It’s always good to bookmark the State Elections Legislation Database brought you by our good friends at the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Voter Registration
The TN Legislature put limitations on 3rd-party voter reg groups.
Automatic voter registration. Election day registration. Same day registration. Limits on third-party voter registration groups. There were countless bills regarding some aspect of voter registration this year. After Republican lawmakers threatened a filibuster, a bill that would have allowed automatic voter registration in Connecticut failed at the end of the session. A bill in Kansas for same day registration never got past the committee level. Maine is poised to become the 18th state to allow automatic voter registration. The Nevada Legislature has approved same day registration. In New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed Senate Bill 672 into law that allows for election day registration. The New York Senate is currently considering automatic voter registration. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is working with legislative Republicans and Democrats on automatic voter registration. A bill in South Carolina that would have extended the voter registration deadline initially passed the House before ultimately failing. The voter registration-related bill that probably generated the most headlines this year was in Tennessee where the governor has now signed a bill into law that will criminalize elements of the third-party voter registration process. The Utah Legislature has designated February 14 at Women’s Voter Registration Day. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam vetoed a bill that would have required people assisting others to sign up to vote to provide their own information on the paper registration forms.
Vote At Home
Hawaii will move to a vote by mail system in 2020.
Paid postage, all vote-by-mail elections, uniform bar code usage and signature cures were just some of the vote at home legislation that was considered this year. The California Assembly has approved a bill that will cover the cost of return postage for all mail ballots. District of Columbia Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward One) has introduced a bill that will send a mail ballot to every voter in DC and, at press time, would keep Election Day precinct-based polling places. Following issues with signatures in the 2018 election, the Florida Legislature has approved a bill that will allow vote at home voters to cure their signatures if a problem is discovered at the supervisor of elections office. Beginning in 2020, Hawaii will become a vote-by-mail state. In Iowa, all counties are required to pay for and use the same barcode system so mail ballots are treated equally statewide. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has signed a bill that requires election officials to notify voters before their mail-in ballots are thrown out because of signature problems. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are currently considering a bill that would allow voters in the commonwealth to cast their ballot by mail. Lawmakers in Oregon are considering postage-paid vote at home ballots. Following in the footsteps of King County, the Washington Legislature has approved a bill that will provide postage-paid return envelopes to voters. In Wyoming, a bill that was supported by the county clerks and would have allowed counties to choose to vote-by-mail failed.
Ranked Choice Voting
The MD Assembly denied Montgomery County’s push for ranked choice.
Following Maine’s successful deployment of ranked choice voting in 2018, a number of state Legislatures considered bills that would mirror Maine’s, but none of those bills really gained much traction. The states include Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming. Although Maine successfully used ranked choice in 2018, efforts to expand the voting system to more elections did not have enough support to move forward. In Maryland, one bill that would allowed the city of Baltimore to use ranked choice voting was pulled and another bill that would have allowed Montgomery County to use the system failed in the General Assembly. It should be noted that while RCV didn’t have a successful year at the state level, a number of local jurisdictions considered moving to a ranked system.
Ex-Felon Voting Rights
The Iowa Legislature failed to enfranchise ex-felons this year.
It was a big year for voting rights for those formerly incarcerated and even for those awaiting trial. Arkansas will now allow restore the voting rights to formerly incarcerated children after they finish their sentence and parole. In the District of Columbia, where the city council remains in session, Robert White (I-At-Large) has introduced a bill that would allow District residents serving time in federal prisons to cast a ballot. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill into law that would require ex-felons to pay all fines and fees before their rights may be restored. In Illinois, SB2090, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, would allow anyone who is being held, but not yet convicted, to cast a ballot. It would also allow a county with a population of more than 3 million to set up a temporary polling place in a county jail. Despite support from the governor and overwhelming support from the public, a bill in Iowa that would have lifted the permanent ban on voting rights for ex-felons failed. Lawmakers in Kentucky are still considering a bill that would lift the permanent ban on voting rights for ex-felons. Efforts in Louisiana to change the voting rights for parolees and probationers went nowhere this year. At least 18 bills were filed in Mississippi that would have reformed felony voting rights restoration and none of them advanced. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed AB431 into law. The new law restores voting rights to ex-felons upon release from prison, not at the end of their sentence. An amendment that would have automatically restored the voting rights of those released from incarceration in Virginia failed along party lines. In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation into law that streamlines the process and notification requirements to felons of their voting rights and the restoration of those rights.
Voter ID
The NC Legislature made it easier for students to vote this year.
There was a time when the voter ID subhead was jam-packed with news, but not really this year. In Louisiana, a bill has been approved that will allow military IDs to serve as a form of ID to vote. In Maine, a move to require photo ID to vote never made it out of committee. North Carolina’s General Assembly approved legislation that would make it easier for student IDs also serve as voter IDs. The Pennsylvania Legislature, which remains in session, is considering a bill that require an ID vote, although it is not a strict photo ID bill. A bill that would have allowed Virginia residents to use out-of-state college IDs in order to vote failed again.
Election Security Updates
The National Governors Association announced last week the six states that will participate in the organization’s latest cybersecurity policy academy.
Officials from Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Nevada and Virginia will spend the next six months studying election security to come up with plans and practices to protect the integrity of their voting systems ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
The 2019 academy will focus more closely on issues related to election security, from building protections around voter registration databases to developing better communications between agencies. Participants will include governors’ office staffers, election directors and statewide cabinet agencies, the NGA said.
After being accused of being a one-man roadblock to election security legislation, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) said this week that the Senate will have an election security briefing.
“We intend to have a briefing on election security,” McConnell told reporters during a weekly press conference according to The Hill, all the while not responding to questions about whether the upper chamber will take up any election security legislation.
Reps. Jim Himes, D-Connecticut, and John Ratcliffe, R-Texas introduced new legislation that would establish election interference as a Federal crime. The bipartisan bill, dubbed the Defending the Integrity of Voting Systems Act, would make it a Federal crime to hack a voting system used in a Federal election.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) have written a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding answers from the agency on its response to Russia’s attempts to have VR Systems during the 2016 presidential election. According to The Hill, the senators questioned the FBI on whether it had investigated those machines for attempted hacking, and also how the FBI is ensuring that local and state election officials “feel comfortable reporting potential cybersecurity incidents” to authorities. The senators have given Wray until July 12 to respond.
2019 Election Updates
Maine: A lack of power didn’t stop Eliot Town Clerk Wendy Rawski from tabulating ballots following this week’s election. Using emergency lights from the fire department and a few camping lantern, Rawski was able to tabulate the ballots after they were cast on Tuesday.
New Jersey: The Union County board of elections discovered three uncounted provisional ballots while organizing polling place supply bags. Two of the ballots should have been counted and one was from a voter who was not registered. The ballots were added to the tally which did not alter the results.
Pennsylvania: It didn’t make national headlines, but as we point out, there are tied elections every voting cycle and this year has been no different. There were four tied races in Mercer County which were all decided this week by drawing numbered ping pong balls from a bag. Whoever chose the #1 ping pong ball was the winner. “It’s kind of weird, but you have to determine it somehow so I guess it’s the way it is,” candidate Mark Skidmore told WYTV.
Virginia: Voters headed the polls in the commonwealth this week and while the biggest story was low voter turnout, there were a handful of isolated issues. In Roanoke, voters had to cast provisional ballots for about two hours when issues with laptop computers prevent poll workers from checking in voters. The problem was discovered just before 6 a.m. when the polls opened and a fix was deployed to all precincts by 9:30 a.m. Redistricting approved by a panel of federal judges earlier this year caused some issues for voters in Yorktown who showed up at the wrong polling places or simply couldn’t figure out where to vote after reviewing new maps. “It’s not a happy election,” Judy Ruston, chief election officer for one polling place in Hampton City told the Virginia Pilot. Ruston said many would-be voters left confused and frustrated. Chesterfield County, which split five precincts experienced issues as well.
Election News This Week
In November 2018, the Camp Fire destroyed several communities in Butte County, California including the town of Paradise. According to the Enterprise Record, the fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history with 85 lives lost, 19,000 structures destroyed and 14,000 families displaced. Since the fire, Butte County Clerk-Recorder, Registrar of Voters Candace Grubb and her staff have worked tirelessly to keep track of residents not only for voter registration purposes, but also vital records. Now with 19,000 displaced voters, Grubb is seeking to opt into the California Voter’s Choice Act which will allow the county to move to vote centers and mail ballots in time for the March 2020 primary. The county will have 13 vote centers and every voter will receive a mail ballot with a return-postage paid envelope.
Lessons learned. A lot of counties are going to have old voting equipment to get rid of in the coming months so consider this a cautionary tale. Licking County, Ohio offered its old AccuVote-TSx machines on GovDeals.com and the Columbus Dispatch bought a lot of them and gave them to area high schools to see what their engineering students could do with them. According the paper, while the actual elections software was removed before the sale, the units were otherwise functional. Students were easily able to access administrator functions without access cards and they had access to an internal activity log. That being said, as engineering teacher Greg King pointed out, “To tamper with a statewide election, it would take a lot of resources and a pretty sophisticated organization or somebody on the inside.” Following inquiries from The Dispatch, Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office issued an advisory to county election officials reminding them of disposal requirements. “Under no circumstances should a voting machine be sold to someone who’s not an authorized user,” said LaRose.
Mythbusters for Elections? Republican Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is hiring four staff members to investigate voter fraud in The Copper State. “Consider us the `MythBusters’ of election fraud claims and rumors,” Ryan Anderson, a spokesman for Brnovich told KTAR. “If there is fraud, let’s investigate it, let’s prosecute it and work to eradicate it,” Anderson said. “If there’s not fraud, then let’s give the public the confidence they deserve in their elections.” While voter advocacy groups thing the money — $530,00 — would be better spent elsewhere, Democratic election officials, including Secretary of State Katie Hobbs see it as a chance to boost confidence in elections. “If this unit will help maintain the integrity of Arizona’s elections and election systems, then I am all for it,” Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes said in a statement.
Mybusters for Elections, Part II. This week, Paco County, Florida Supervisor of Elections Brian Corely sent a letter voters — which he also shared on social media — urging his voters to be aware of possible cybersecurity threats ahead of next year’s election and how misinformation can easily spread on social media. He urged voters to be vigilant to misinformation and to think twice and even contact his office before sharing something questionable on social media. “There were an untold number of Americans who unknowingly helped perpetuate some of the half-truths and outright lies by retweeting something or sharing something they saw on social media. We just want to have the policy if you see something, say something,” Corely said.
Who dunnit? According to Wicked Local, on May 13, Maynard on May 13, Town Clerk Michelle Sokolowski discovered that a basket by the clerk’s window, where she routinely places paperwork was missing. The paperwork included voter registration cards that had been submitted to the town clerk’s office to be logged into their computer database and the paperwork filed. The police were called and video reviewed and the police have concluded that the missing paperwork was the result of a clerical or custodian error and not a criminal act.
Congratulations to Brevard County, Florida Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott and her team for raising more than $3,000 for Project HUNGER. The money will go toward the Feed & Read summer program for children. “As a mother, I am very passionate about helping children in need,” Scott told the Viera Voice. “We are honored this money will make a difference in the lives of children in our community.”
Personnel News: Eneida Tavares is the new interim head of the Boston Elections Department. She replaces Dion Irish who is moving to the city’s inspectional services department. Former Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams has been named a “Leader of Democracy” by the League of Women Voters of Colorado. Diane Olmer is resigning as the Platte County, Nebraska election commissioner after 23 years on the job. Former Daviess County Clerk David “Oz” Osborne has resigned from the Kentucky board of elections after only one meeting. Bill Luther has been appointed to the Arkansas state election commission.
In Memoriam: Raniero “Renny” Travisano who served one term as Middlesex County, New Jersey clerk has died. He was 82.
Legislative Updates
Maine: By a 19-14 party-line vote, the Senate has a approved a bill that would make Maine the 18th state to institute automatic voter registration. The bill, which is backed by Secretary of state Matt Dunlap would automatically register residents doing business with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Also in Maine, the House has vote against a bill (85-61) that would have allowed municipalities to prohibit guns from polling places. The bill would have allowed towns, counties and school boards to adopt their own policies with regard to banning “the carrying of dangerous weapons” at polling places. The Senate also rejected the bill.
New Hampshire: The Senate has approved HB 106 which would essentially repeal HB1264 that was approved last year. The new bill eliminates the requirement that eligible voters register their cars and obtain a New Hampshire’s driver’s license in order to register to vote.
New York: Under legislation currently being considered, the presidential preference primary would be held on April 28.
Oregon: The House has approved Senate Bill 670 that would prevent elections officials from putting their name on voters’ pamphlets, ballot return envelopes or any other printed materials included with the ballot during the elections in which they are a candidate. The bill goes back to the Senate for the approval of an amendment.
The Oregon Voting Rights Act (House Bill 3310) was approved by the Senate 28-0. The bill puts Oregon in line with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by ensuring there is a local and community-driven process to ensure protected classes have equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
Legal Updates
California: The ACLU is suing the Fresno County clerk for removing a Unitarian church as a polling place in response to a complaint about their Black Lives Matter banner. The lawsuit says county clerk Brandi Orth asked church leadership to remove the banner and when they refused, she moved the polling place to a different church.
Michigan: Genesee County Circuit Judge Joseph J. Farah has signed a temporary restraining order preventing the city clerk’s office from printing the August primary ballots until Farah can determine if the candidates filed proper paperwork.
New Hampshire: Todd Krysiak, 36 of Alton has been charged with voting twice in the 2016 election. According to state prosecutors Krysiak voted in his hometown as well as in Leominster, Massachusetts.
According to the Valley News, Dee Milliken is under investigation by the state’s attorney general for voter fraud after she helped her son, who has cerebral palsy and a seizure condition, cast his ballot in 2018. “I’m still in shock. All weekend, that’s what I’ve been thinking about,” Milliken told the paper. “Do you have to have a certain IQ to vote? What about if you have a stroke or Alzheimer’s?”
New Mexico: Eight district attorneys from across New Mexico are asking the New Mexico Supreme Court to strike down a provision of House Bill 407 which calls for aligning elections for district attorneys to the gubernatorial election cycle. A writ of mandamus was filed June 8 against Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse-Oliver. “We appreciate the Secretary of State’s Office working with us to try to find a solution to the problem created by HB 407 outside of litigation,” DA John Sugg told the Alamogodo Daily News. “After reviewing the relevant case law, we have concluded that a petition for writ of mandamus is the appropriate legal mechanism to address the unconstitutional provision of HB 407.”
North Carolina: Terrell Graham, 31, of Goldsboro, and David Williams, 55, also of Goldsboro, have been charged with corruptly taking the oath prescribed to voters. Keymonti Winn-Hocutt, 19, of New Bern is charged with corruptly taking the oath prescribed to voters and double voting.
Virginia: Cameron Sasnett, former head of Fairfax County’s elections division who was fired in 2018 is suing the county’s electoral board for $750,000. According to WTOP, the lawsuit alleges that the electoral board intentionally violated Virginia law by wrongfully firing Sasnett over disagreements about state election law and elections policies. Additionally, Sasnett,drug distribution charges filed against Cameron Sasnett last year were dropped by prosecutors last week, apparently due to his cooperation with a broader investigation.
Tech Thursday
Tech Companies: Voatz, a mobile-focused voting and citizen engagement platform, has raised $7 million in Series A funding led by Medici Ventures and Techstars with participation from Urban Innovation Fund and Oakhouse Partners. The company plans to leverage the funds to enhance the accessibility and usability of its technology, and to grow its security footprint as it launches new pilot programs with states, cities and select international jurisdictions.
Vendors: According to TechCrunch, ES&S has said that it will no longer sell paperless voting machines. ES&S chief executive Tom Burt confirmed the news in an op-ed in Roll Call where he also called on Congress to approve legislation mandating a stronger election machine testing program.
Illinois: The State Board of Elections has launched a redesigned website that optimizes site access for cellphones and tablets.
New York: The New York State Board of Elections has approved three vendors to provide e-poll books to counties to help implement early voting at vote centers. The companies are KNOWiNK, Robis, and Tenex.
South Carolina: The state Election Commission announced this week a $51 million deal with ES&S provide the state with voting machines that will include a paper ballot. The deal includes more than 13,000 new voting machines to be used statewide. “There can be no question as to the accuracy of the election,” John Wells, chairman of the state Election Commission said according The Post and Courier. However not everyone was happy with the choice including the League of Women Voters. “We think it was a mistake,” Christe McCoy-Lawrence, co-president of the SCLWV told the paper. “Putting a computer between the voter and his ballot is not necessary.”
Opinions This Week
National Opinions: Election security, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII | Paper ballots | Voter suppression, II | Voter access | Vote at home
Alabama: Turnout
Florida: Bilingual election materials | Election security
Maine: Ranked choice voting
New Hampshire: Turnout | Election legislation, II
New York: Automatic voter registration | Ranked choice voting, II
Pennsylvania: Election reform
Virginia: Election security
Texas: Suffrage | Secretary of state, II | List maintenance, II, III
Washington: Election costs
Upcoming Events
Common Data Formats for Election Systems Webinar — We’ve been talking about common data formats for years, but what are they really? We will discuss the history of their development, benefits and potential use cases. We’ll also provide resources for implementation and how to get started. When: June 21, 12:30 EDT. Where: Online
U.S. Election Assistance Election Data Summit — The U.S. Election Assistance Commission invites you to attend the 2019 Election Data Summit. The event coincides with the release of the 2018 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS) and will feature expert speakers examining how to use data to help America vote. The day’s keynote speakers and panel discussions will include a look at data within the newly released biennial EAVS survey, as well as broader panel conversations covering issues such as how data can be used to address election security, improve voter registration, modernize election management systems, and enact best practices for serving voters covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting (UOCAVA) Act. Attendees are strongly encouraged to register in advance and arrive on time in order to guarantee entry. The EAC will accommodate as many registrants as possible, but due to strict room occupancy limits, preregistration may not necessarily guarantee entry if the room is at capacity. This event will also be livestreamed at www.eac.gov. When: June 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: Russel Senate Office Building; Room 301
National Association of Secretaries Of State — The National Association of Secretaries of State will hold their annual summer conference in late June, early July in New Mexico. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registrations. When: June 30-July 3. Where: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
International Association of Government Officials — “Educate-Elevate-Energize-Engage” is the theme of this year’s annual conference. The conference will include numerous education sessions and workshops as well as a visit to the NASA Houston Space Center. Where: Houston. When: July 11-17.
National Association of Counties — NACo’s 2019 Annual Conference will be held in Clark County (Las Vegas). Although the schedule and keynote speakers are still being hammered out there will be two symposiums on disaster management including an interactive roundtable. When: July 12-15. Where: Las Vegas.
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.
National Conference of State Legislatures: NCSL’s Legislative Summit will feature numerous elections-related sessions include several about redistricting, voter registration, infrastructure and the Census. And if that wasn’t enough, Dolly Parton will be one of the featured keynote speakers. When: August 5-8. Where: Nashville.
Election Center 35th Annual National Conference: This year’s Conference attendees will be inspired and energized as we head into the final stretch of the 2019 Election year. We will share substantive elections issues including crucial critical infrastructure information, new election initiatives and tons of practical and meaningful election administration tools and resources including the newest innovations and ideas to help election officials as the 2020 presidential year quickly approaches. When: Aug. 17-24. Where: Orlando.
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.
Bilingual Resources and Marketing Specialist, Gwinnett County, Georgia — Gwinnett County Voter Registration and Elections is responsible for planning and organizing all election voter-related activities and assist Gwinnett’s cities and special districts with election preparations. The division is comprised of staff that are proud to be part of a team that works together to assure that every vote counts. This position will be responsible for marketing and outreach for our Elections Division. The incumbent will create marketing material, work with community partners/organizations and conduct outreach related to Gwinnett County’s Election Division and the Bilingual Election Law (Sec. 203 of the Voting Rights Act). The incumbent must be proficient in oral, written and reading comprehension of the Spanish language. The primary responsibility for this position will be to educate and inform various community organizations, registered and prospective voters about election processes in both English and Spanish. The incumbent will also be required to set up and take down tables, display boards and various marketing materials for public events. Salary: $42,1620 $48,486. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Communications Coordinator/Assistant, Boulder County, Colorado— assist Communications Specialist with various duties for the Clerk & Recorder office. The bulk of this time will focus on the work of the Elections Division; however, individual will assist in some tasks and communication campaigns that cover Motor Vehicle and Recording divisions. Description of Work: This is an hourly, non-benefited position funded now through early December 2020. Ideal candidate can work between 18-30 / hours week. Hours/days are flexible to work around school or other existing work schedule. Occasional weekend or evening support may be needed.The ideal candidate will have strong communications skills, familiarity with WordPress or similar website editing platforms, have a positive attitude, be able to take initiative, and be relatively outgoing. Great position for anyone interested in elections who is a junior, senior, recent graduate or graduate student in communications, marketing, journalism, political science, or related field. This is an hourly. non-benefited position and is expected to end in December 2020. Work hours are flexible and will average 18 to 30 per week. The position works out of Boulder. Salary: $18-$20/hour. Deadline: June 24. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Customer Support Consultant, Hart InterCivic— The Customer Support Consultant is responsible for providing application and hardware support to Hart InterCivic customers via telephone and email for all Hart InterCivic products. The Support Consultant is also responsible for monitoring all requests to ensure efficient, effective resolution. The successful CSC will work directly with customers and other staff members. The position is responsible for responding to customer contacts, dealing with issues in a professional manner, providing technical direction to customers in a manner they can understand and being a customer advocate. The CSC must have outstanding written and verbal communication skills. 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.
Election Clerk 2, Pierce County, Washington – This position primarily involves data entry and processing of voter registration transactions, with moderate to heavy customer service interactions (phone and in-person) for 4-5 weeks prior to an election. Maintain voter registration/elections database. Key and update voter registration information from paper forms, Department of Licensing and on-line submittals. Register new voters, updates voter addresses and researches voter registration records. Provide customer service information at the front counter and over the telephone. Understand content, intent, and applicability of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) as they apply to election activities. Coordinate, perform, and complete multiple duties and assignments concurrently and in a timely manner. Process records using the state voter registration database. Issue ballots to voters. Respond to customers using the PC Elections email account. Assist on special projects. Research voters’ records to ensure proper counting of ballots. Assist Election Specialists as assigned. Provide information for candidates regarding candidate filing. Perform essential voter registration functions of an Election Clerk 1. Communicate effectively verbally and in writing to audiences of various social, cultural, ethnic, educational and economic backgrounds Other duties as assigned. Salary: $24.41 – $30.55 Hourly. Deadline: June 16. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Election Coordinator, Solano County, California— The Elections Coordinator is a supervisor who is charged with successfully overseeing a specific election function – this could be either Voter Registration, Vote by Mail, Candidate Services, or Poll Places/Poll Workers. Each of the four Coordinators within our office are rotated every four years for cross-training and expanding job knowledge. Additional duties involve participating in developing, updating and implementing office procedures to comply with Federal and State laws; training staff and potentially poll workers; working with community stakeholders in achieving our mission; or coordinating the work of contractors that assist with our operation. The Ideal candidates will have experience in conducting elections and supervising employees. Skills in Microsoft Office applications including Access and Excel; Geographic information systems such as ArcMap; or experience with web design and adobe software packages are beneficial. Salary: $33.41 – $40.61 hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Lead Specialist, Douglas County, Colorado— The Elections Lead Specialist assists in the supervision and coordination of elections operations, staff, and election judges including voter services, mail ballot processing and the conduct of elections. The objective of this position is to perform a variety of functions and diverse support roles on a routine basis. Mail Ballot Processing responsibilities are prioritized over other duties during election cycles, which may increase or decrease dramatically depending on the Elections cycle. In the absence of the Operations Manager, assumes responsibility for front-line functions associated with elections operations. This is a highly visible position requiring exceptional leadership, organizational, and communication skills. Salary: $3,550-$4,438 monthly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Specialist, Anoka County, Minnesota — Transparent and accurate elections that allow for the genuine expression of the will of the voters are the bedrock of our democracy. The Anoka County Office of Elections and Voter Registration works closely with local jurisdictions to administer elections with integrity, ensuring all eligible voters can register to vote and cast their ballot through an efficient and credible process. The Elections Specialist who joins the Anoka County Elections team will play a critical role supporting the planning, preparation and execution of core election functions, including voter registration, absentee voting and election day activities. The ideal candidate will be familiar with and comfortable using technology. This team player will demonstrate flexibility and an ability to adjust priorities on short notice. The Elections Specialist will have a strong sense of quality customer service and must engage voters, candidates and other stakeholders in a nonpartisan and respectful manner. This full-time, benefit-eligible position is located at the Anoka County Government Center. Salary: $19.10 – $19.67 Hourly. Deadline: June 24. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Election Specialist I, Douglas County, Colorado — This position is focused on routine customer service and general office/clerical support including data entry, communications, and processing mail. This is a support role capable of performing a variety of tasks, with problem solving abilities, managing multiple competing responsibilities and prioritizing to maintain a continuous flow of election office operations. This is a visible and crucial position requiring exceptional computer, customer service, and communication skills. This is a benefited part-time position and benefits are pro-rated to 30 hours per week. This is an open until filled posting, review of applications and interviews will begin immediately and continue until suitable candidates are selected. Salary: $16.40-$20.50/hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Election Specialist II, Douglas County, Colorado— The Election Specialist II is responsible for routine support services related to temporary employees, training, Voter Service and Polling Centers, mail ballot processing, voter registration, and customer service. This position contributes to the department’s achievement of delivering efficient, transparent, fair and accurate elections as well as performs other projects as assigned. This position requires technical work in a lead role capable of performing a variety of complex tasks, with solving problem abilities, managing multiple competing tasks and prioritizing to maintain a continuous flow of operations and temporary support. This is a visible and crucial position requiring previous elections experience, and exceptional computer, customer service, and communication skills. Please note this position is posted as open until filled, review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a suitable candidate is selected. Salary: $3,214 – $4,017 Monthly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Executive Director, State Democracy Project— The inaugural Executive Director will provide the strategic and forward-thinking leadership needed to take our vision and make it a reality. With an eye to deepening relationships and taking bold action, the ED will ensure that the SDP works in genuine ongoing partnership with the dozens of national and state organizations that actively participate in the project. The ED will also organize and utilize the talent, resources, and relationships critical for near-term wins on structural democracy reforms.This position will report to the Board of Directors, which is comprised of coalition partner representatives. It will be the ED’s responsibility to manage all that comes with establishing a startup based on a coalitional model. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
IT Support Specialist, Collier County, Florida— The IT Support Specialist works closely with IT staff to provide technical support and assistance to all staff located within the Supervisor of Elections office. This person will work with a wide variety of elections industry specific technologies to include hardware, software, programming, printers, and applications. In addition, this person will be providing support and assistance for non-election industry networking technology to include workstations, servers, printers, etc. The primary areas of responsibility for the IT Department include Network and associated Infrastructure, Hardware and Software Support, Database Administration, Daily Backup and Recovery, Disaster Recovery, Voting Equipment and Related Technologies to include Ballot Design and Tabulation, a variety of Programs, and Geographic Information Systems. The IT Support Specialist’s duties include hardware support including but not limited to, file servers (virtual and physical), storage (SAN and NAS), workstations (desktops and laptops), switches, printers, and scanners (image and barcode). Support also includes all election related equipment. Software support includes software applications for both election and non-election related software products. Applications include but are not limited to a variety of Microsoft applications (Windows 7 & 10, SQL, Access, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Projects, Visio, Word), Adobe products (Acrobat, Reader) Photo Shop, as well as industry specific voter registration software. Other responsibilities include a variety of administrative tasks such as reports and logs. Accuracy and attention to detail is crucial. Salary: $45,000 – $60,000 annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Program Officer: Elections and Political Processes — The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) seeks a Program Officer to join its Election and Political Processes Team and work with NDI’s regional teams, country teams, local partners, and international partners to advance electoral integrity, promote accountability and encourage citizen engagement in electoral processes. The Program Officer will work with other members of the Election and Political Processes Team to support: country-level programs, which involve citizen election monitoring (including parallel vote tabulations (PVTs)); international election observation efforts; international workshops, academies and conferences; and global initiatives, including, for example, the Open Election Data Initiative (OEDI). This position is based in Washington, DC and will require periodic travel. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Project Manager, Hart InterCivic— Project Managers at Hart InterCivic are highly motivated “self-starters” who are enthusiastic about providing exceptional customer service. Working with other members of the Professional Services and Operations teams, the Project Manager directs activity, solves problems, and develops lasting and strong relationships with our customers. Hart InterCivic’s unique and industry known culture of innovation, transparency, and customer-centric focus creates an environment where team members will continually grow and be challenged to develop their careers. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Policy & Data Research Analyst, New York City Campaign Finance Board— The New York City Campaign Finance Board seeks a Policy & Data Research Analyst to perform original research to help inform the agency’s policy and program choices on campaign finance and voting. This position will report to the Deputy Director of Public Affairs. Responsibilities: Under the direction of the Deputy Director of Public Affairs, design and perform analysis of campaign finance records, elections and voter participation data; Research policy and legislative issues related to campaign finance, voter participation, and election administration in New York City and New York State; Assist in preparing reports and policy briefs on campaign finance and election performance; and work with Public Affairs staff to create policy recommendations to improve the public matching funds program, voter participation, and election administration. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Product Manager, Hart InterCivic — as Product Manager, you will join a team that is charged with product planning, design, and execution throughout the lifecycle of Hart’s products, in support of the company’s overall strategy and goals. This includes: gathering, validating, and prioritizing internal and external customer needs; documenting and communicating product and technical requirements; gathering market and competitive intelligence; supporting the certification, sales, and marketing teams. The Product Manager must possess a unique blend of business and technical savvy – with experience in elections technology or other government-oriented products preferred. To succeed in this role, the ideal candidate must spend time in the market to understand its unique attributes; demonstrate competence with specialized hardware and software; and find innovative solutions for the broader market. The Product Manager plays a key role in helping others to understand the product positioning, key benefits, and target customer, as well as providing advanced subject matter expertise in using the company’s products. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Red Team Independent Contractor, Galois— Galois seeks an experienced Red Team Lead with red teaming and/or CTF experience of purported secure systems that include custom hardware to play a pivotal role in fulfilling our mission to make trustworthy critical systems. The role will be responsible for the strategic and tactical direction of a small team dedicated to red team activities. The team is responsible for developing threat simulation services, threat research, structured attack development, vulnerability research and exploit development/testing, scripting and controlled exploitation of hardware and software vulnerabilities. The scope of the position also requires understanding a complex cyber-physical system architecture to develop a precise threat model, red teaming framing, and win conditions for both the DEF CON exercises. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Research Scientist, MIT Election Data and Science Lab— MEDSL seeks a research scientist to oversee the data science workflow of the lab’s election-related data collection, processing, and dissemination efforts. MEDSL aims to improve the democratic experience for all U.S. voters by applying scientific principles to how elections are studied and administered. Responsibilities include assisting the director with designing and implementing research projects; gathering and analyzing data, designing research protocols, and documenting results; managing data science and quality control for the 2018 release of the Elections Performance Index (EPI); acquiring data from government sources and designing protocols to update indicators not provided by government sources; assisting with redistricting data collection/dissemination efforts; working with web designers to update EPI website and creating original content for MEDSL website; onboarding and monitoring the work of students/research support associates; tracking scholarship in the field of election science; and performing other data science/administrative/reporting duties as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Software Sales Specialist, VOTEC— VOTEC’s Sales Specialist is responsible for creating news sales with prospects and existing clients in targeted areas in the US. We are looking for an election professional comfortable using insight and consultative selling techniques to create interest that offers unique solutions on their operations, which link back to VOTEC’s solutions. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Technical Bid Specialist, Scytl — The Technical Bid Specialist is an essential member of the sales team, supporting business development initiatives as well as providing support to the Marketing department. Based in our Tampa Florida, offices, the Technical Bid Specialist is in charge of managing the coordination, completion and handover of tender proposals for our clients and prospects. This is a key position with a great deal of involvement in the sales process and a decisive influence in the achievement of each deal. To be able to perform this task, the Technical Bid Specialist needs to possess a solid technical background, outstanding writing capabilities and proven experience in pre-sales or consulting endeavors, always facing the client and having to put together complex IT proposals or projects. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
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