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Clearie Awards

EAC Opens Submission Period in Fourth Annual Clearie Awards
Celebrating Best Practices in Election Administration

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is seeking submissions for its fourth annual national Clearinghouse Awards. Dubbed the “Clearies” for short, the awards provide election offices an opportunity to share their innovative efforts and celebrate successes. The Clearies play an important role in furthering the EAC’s responsibilities under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). Under that Act, the EAC serves as a clearinghouse for election administration information.

The Commission will present awards in the categories of outstanding innovations in elections, improving voting accessibility for voters with disabilities, and recruiting, training and retaining election workers. It will also award a special award in 2019 recognizing the most original and creative “I Voted” sticker submitted for consideration. Entries from all sizes of jurisdictions, both large and small, are encouraged to submit their work. All entries must be received by Monday, November 25, 2019. The 2018 winners of the Clearie awards can be found here.

“The EAC Clearie Awards celebrate the innovative and creative approaches that election officials use each day in their work to serve voters,” said EAC Chairwoman Christy McCormick. “These awards are a testament to their work and dedication and highlight best practices that other election administrators can emulate.”

This year’s entries will be judged using the following criteria:

• Innovation
• Sustainability
• Outreach efforts
• Cost-effectiveness
• Replicability
• Creating positive Results

Election officials utilize innovative and resourceful initiatives on Election Day. We want to hear about these outstanding best practices in EAC’s 2019 competition. By incorporating Election Day into the submission deadline, we are able to capture activities implemented throughout the 2018 and 2019 elections.

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, Outstanding Innovations Competition, or Sticker Competition.

All entries must include a summary of the election program nominated. Entrants may 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.

Election Security Updates

Speaking at an Intelligence and National Security Summit Jeanette Manfra, assistant director for cybersecurity, said voting machine and election systems vendors have given the Homeland Security Department access to engineering details and operations so the U.S. can identify potential vulnerabilities hackers might exploit heading into the 2020 election. Makers of voting machines and election systems are cooperating voluntarily, representing a breakthrough for the government, Manfra said.

“I think we’ve made a lot of progress with the vendors of those systems,” Manfra said. “We know what makes up the systems and how it actually works.”

Congress is now back in session after their summer recess and according  The Hill, Democrats in both chambers plan prioritize election security this fall.  In a letter to colleagues, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) wrote that the House may take up additional legislation to strengthen election security” in the next work period.

In a separate letter, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) also announced his plans to prioritize election security legislation according to The Hill.

“The American people have also called for greater action to secure our elections,” Schumer wrote. “Leader McConnell has blocked efforts by Senate Democrats to pass common sense election security legislation. We must continue our push to protect our elections at the federal, state, and local levels, especially in the upcoming Senate appropriations process.”

2019 Election News

North Carolina: Voters went to the polls in two special elections on Tuesday and while early voting was hampered by Hurricane Dorian, voting on election day seemed to go smoothly minus a few small issues. In Perquimans County, voters in precinct had to vote in a new polling place because a chief judge “back out” of the job. Voters at the Mint Hill precinct in Mecklenburg County were given an additional 25 minutes to vote because the polling place was briefly evacuated around 5 p.m. due to the smell of gas. In Union County, a request was made to keep the polls at one location open until 9:15 citing “government-caused voter confusion” over the relocation of a the precinct in advance of the election. The state board of elections denied the request. And as often the case in special elections, some voters not eligible to vote in the special election showed up at the polls attempting to vote and were none-too-happy when they learned they were ineligible. “Know before you go,” Kristin Mavromatis, spokeswoman for the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections told the Charlotte Observer. “There is some onus on the voter (for knowing their district).” Vote-by-mail in the 9th District special election was down by two-thirds from 2018.

Election News This Week

The Shelby County, Tennessee election commission recently named their new building after James Meredith, the first African-American admitted to the University of Mississippi and an advocate for voting rights. He participated in a walk from Memphis to Jackson, Miss. encouraging voter registration. “This is the most important occasion and day in my life,” Meredith told the crowd of supporters, family members and friends at the building dedication. “most of my fight against Mississippi started in Memphis, Tennessee.” The building will be used as a voting site beginning with the October municipal election.

This week, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate launched a new initiative to encourage young people to vote. Every school in the state that registers at least 90 percent of their eligible students to vote will receive the Carrie Chapman Catt Award. Chapman Catt, an Iowan, was a leader in the suffrage movement. “I am pleased with the implementation of the Carrie Chapman Catt Award to encourage 17- and 18-year-olds to vote. Carrie would have loved that,” said Dianne Bystrom, former director of the Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University. “Also, with the record numbers of women running for and getting elected to public office and it is important for students to learn about the women’s suffrage movement and their participation in politics.” Bystrom worked with the Secretary of State’s Office to add a women’s suffrage section to the Elections 101 curriculum Secretary Pate offers to schools and civic groups.

Vote Center News: The Texas secretary of state’s office has given the go-head for Tarrant County and Bexar County to join the vote center pilot program. This now means that the five largest Texas counties—by population—are all using vote centers. That’s approximately 6.6 million registered voters accounting for about 42 percent of the registered population in the state.

Sasquatch are people too! Well, not really, but in honor of the WNC Bigfoot Festival, the McDowell County, North Carolina Board of Elections had a little fun by “registering” Bigfoot to vote. “Even Bigfoot is exercising his right,” Deputy Director Jane Dale Propst told The McDowell News. Propst did point that Bigfoot would absolutely have to show an ID to vote come Election Day.

Personnel News: Kristine Miles is the new Bastrop County, Texas elections administrator. Sarah Kneuss is stepping down as the Tuscarawas County, Ohio board of election deputy director. Wilton Keith Shooter and Marion Thompson have joined the Robeson County, North Carolina board of elections. And finally, congratulations to Johnson County, Missouri Election Supervisor Helen “Kay” Reser for receiving the 2019 Rosemary Pitt Award during the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities Conference. The award is presented to an individual or group of individuals who have made significant contributions to elections or to the electoral process.

Research and Report Summaries

The Leadership Conference Education Fund released a report on polling place closures this week. The report, Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote, examines recent closures in jurisdictions formerly covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, identifying 1,173 fewer polling places in use during the 2018 midterms when compared to 2014. The report discusses various justifications provided by jurisdictions for such closures, including the shift to vote centers, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and school safety.

The Rhode Island Risk-Limiting Audit Working Group released a report on risk-limiting audits (RLA) in the state last month. The report, Pilot Implementation Study of Risk-Limiting Audit Methods in the State of Rhode Island, provides an overview of RLA methods and examines pilot planning, implementation, and results in the state. As a result of the January 2019 RLA pilot activities in three municipalities, the working group recommends that Rhode Island: implement a ballot-level comparison RLA, establish objective criteria for which races will be audited; conduct a centralized audit; consult local election officials; conduct a practice audit; use Arlo audit software; appoint an ongoing expert advisory council; initiate rulemaking; develop schedule with milestones; and endorse vendor recommendations.

(Research and Report Summaries are written by David Kuennen.)

Legislative Updates

California: The Senate is considering Assembly Bill 1701 that would “…provide that a voter or any other person may not be prohibited from using an electronic device, including a smartphone, tablet, or other handheld device, at a polling place provided that the use of the device does not result in a violation of other provisions of law.”

The Assembly has approved a bill that would restore the voting rights to more than 48,000 Californians who are currently on parole or probation. If approved by the Senate, the measure would go before voters in 2020. The Senate has until the end of this week to act.

The Legislature has approved a bill that if signed by the governor, would allow for election day registration. If signed it would take effect in 2020.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has signed AB 17 and AB 299 into law. AB 17, also known as the “Voter Protection Act,” addresses voter intimidation and protects free and fair elections by prohibiting an employer from requiring that an employee bring their vote by mail ballot to work. AB 299 will ensure that election information is up-to-date by requiring county election officials to update the Secretary of State with the most recent vote by mail information.

Massachusetts: A bill under consideration would require all state forms to that require someone to note their gender to choose X as opposed just male or female. This would include voter registration forms.

New Hampshire: Gov. Chris Sununu have vetoed a bill that would have allowed for no-excuse absentee voting. According to New Hampshire Public Radio the governor said the change would have gone against New Hampshire’s tradition of in-person voter participation and would have created logistical challenges for election workers.

South Dakota: The Legislature’s Interim Rules Committee has clarified several state election rules including changes to the state voter registration form. Now, the forms will include a disclaimer that should a registrant leave their political affiliation unanswered, they will automatically be registered as their previous party, or as independent or unaffiliated if they were not previously registered to vote.

Legal Updates

Florida: Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is asking a federal judge for a delay in a lawsuit seeking to restore former felons’ voting rights. Lawyers for the state asked for the lawsuit to be delayed until the state’s Supreme Court weighs in on Amendment 4. “A stay, like a dismissal, would promote judicial economy and federal-state comity,” the state wrote. “If the Florida Supreme Court agrees that the phrase ‘all terms of sentence‘ encompasses financial obligations imposed as part of the sentence, this might well alter the course of the pending federal proceeding, or at the least, require plaintiffs to amend their complaints.”

New Hampshire: The names of about 200 voters have been referred to the New Hampshire attorney general’s office for investigation after they either cast ballots or registered without providing photo identification in 2018, according to Fosters Daily.

Tennessee: Calling Tennessee’s controversial new voter registration law a “punitive regulatory scheme,” Judge Aleta Trauger issued a ruling Monday that denies the state’s motion to dismiss two lawsuits filed by several civil rights and voter registration organizations, which came promptly after Gov. Bill Lee signed the bill into law. 

Texas: This week, an appeals court weighed whether or not to overturn the conviction Tarrant County resident Crystal Mason who was sentenced to five years in prison for voting in the 2016 presidential election even though she was still on probation. On Tuesday, a three-judge panel heard the three-prong oral arguments: (1) Mason did not vote in the 2016 election because her provisional ballot was never counted. (2) The prosecution failed to prove that Mason knew she was ineligible to vote. (3) The conditions of her release from federal prison did not amount to “supervision” under Texas law, meaning Mason would have been eligible to vote. 

Wisconsin: Brandon Baker, 20, of Milwaukee has been sentenced to serve four years’ probation and seven months jail time, with time served, after he plead carrying a concealed weapon and drug charges. On Election Day 2018 Baker had threatened to “air out” a Milwaukee polling place.

Tech Thursday

Illinois: The Chicago board of elections is sending out voter cards to more than 1.5 million registered voters that are notifying voters about their polling location, but also asking them for their emails. Each post card includes a unique code that voters can use to submit their email address to the board. The board currently has about 300,000 voters’ emails.

Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Wolf announced this week that residents will now be able to apply for absentee ballots online instead of mailing in a written request. Although this move will not alter the deadline for submission, it will help speed up the process of getting the ballots to voters more quickly.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: 2020 | Voting access | Election security, II, III, IV, V, VI | Fair elections

California: Los Angeles County election security

Connecticut: Ranked choice voting

Florida: Election legislation

Indiana: Turnout

Mississippi: Voting equipment

Montana: Turnout

New Jersey: Vote-by-mail

New York: Primaries

Ohio: List maintenance

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia voting equipment | Absentee ballot rules

Tennessee: Voter registration

Texas: Paper ballots

Washington: Election integrity

Upcoming Events

Global Elections Technology Summit— Join us for this biennial gathering to preserve election integrity and leverage cutting-edge technology to improve election systems around the world. Speakers and attendees include elected officials, election administrators, policy makers, technologists, security professionals and other stakeholders committed to securing and advancing democracy include Denise Merrill, Mac Warner and Kim Wyman. Where: San Francisco. When: Sept. 23-25.

First Nations Voting Rights Conference — Across the United States, Native nations are taking action to guarantee access to fair voting and elections. At First Nations Voting Rights Conference, we’ll compare strategies for equal representation, preparation for the 2020 census, redistricting, and rural addressing projects to ensure that every vote on Native Nations across the US is counted. Where: Salt Lake City, Utah. When: Sept. 25-27.

NCSL Redistricting Seminar — It’s almost time to redraw districts—and it’s definitely time to plan for it. When it comes to redistricting, the learning curve is steep. Let the National Conference of State Legislatures help you and your team prepare for this complex, once-a-decade task. Where: Columbus, Ohio. When: October 24-27.

IGO 2020 Mid-Winter Conference — The International Association of Government Officials will hold its 2020 Mid-Winter Conference in Isle of Palms, South Carolina in January of 2020. Check back here for more details as they become available.  Where: Isle of Palms, South Carolina. When: Jan. 20-24.

NASED Winter 2020 — Twice a year, the National Association of State Election Directors members gather to discuss the latest developments in election administration.  Members of the public are welcome to attend at the non-member registration rate. Check back here for more information about the Winter 2020 Conference. Where: Washington, DC. When: January 30-February 2.

NASS Winter 2020 — The National Association of Secretaries of State will hold their Winter 2020 conference at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C.’s West End. Check back here for more information about the Winter 2020 conference when it becomes available. Where: Washington, D.C. When: January 30-February 2.

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.

Chief Information Security Officer, North Carolina State Board of Elections— This position serves as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the agency and reports directly to the State Board’s IT Infrastructure Manager. Position is designed to support agency functions in the areas of Security Incident Management and Response, Security Threat and Vulnerability Management, Risk Management, Security Administration; Security Education and Training; Security Publications; special security projects and investigations. This position serves as a manager overseeing cyber security projects and incident response efforts. The position manages compliance with statewide information security standards, such as National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and requires a strong understanding of risk assessment, risk mitigation and risk management. The work will involve sophisticated problem-solving relying on internal agency resources and external partnerships to enhance the security posture of elections administration in our state. The position will develop and implement SBE’s information security program and advise SBE leadership on all aspects related to cyber security, assess voting systems security, and evaluate threats with the support of internal and external assets. The CISO will identify and implement security enhancements at the network, system, and application levels. The position will cultivate external partnerships, including within DHS, FBI National Guard, NC Department of Information Technology, and the NC Department of Public Safety. SBE is custodian of sensitive data on all registered voters and handles complex datasets from other government agencies. Salary: $90,734- $147,226. Deadline: September 16. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Civic Design Researcher, Center for Civic Design — Do you have a special mix of government experience with so much skill at qualitative user research and usability testing that you appear to do it effortlessly?  Love mashing up qualitative research methods to answer a Big Question? Have experience managing delicate stakeholder relationships? Ever had to face a steep learning curve to get the work done? Tell us about it. The right person cares deeply about plain language, usability, and accessibility—and is excited about solving wicked problems to make it easier for voters to vote the way they intend. 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.

Data & Analytics Director, Voto Latino — Voto Latino seeks a Data & Analytics Director to build a program to track, support, and optimize our rapidly growing online and offline outreach to young and diverse voters. We know that Latinx voters are poised to be the largest minority voting bloc in 2020, with more than 800,000 Latinx citizens become eligible to vote each year. Voto Latino, building on a track record of organizational successes since 2004, is ready to take on this challenge, with the guidance and support of a great Data & Analytics Director. This position will work across teams — field, political, digital, communications — and act as the central data resource and key strategist for all of Voto Latino’s campaigns and programs. This position will be responsible for building and implementing sophisticated targeting programs nationally for both our growing online and on-the-ground efforts. There will be a strong focus on key states for civic and electoral engagement, working with data vendors, visualizing data and analytics, learning from historic and contemporary data, and managing Voto Latino’s voter outreach data. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Specialist, City of Richmond, Virginia— We are looking for a self-starter with attention to detail and the ability to work in a team environment.  The position is a part-time permanent position with seasonally variable hours based on the election cycle which includes elections every November, the possibility of primaries every June,  and during March of presidential election years. Special elections may be called at other times. Flexibility in scheduling is important. The position performs technical work in the set up, maintenance and repair of voting equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, electronic poll books (EPBs), voter lookup devices, ballot scanners, accessible on-demand ballot marking and/or printing devices, and associated devices.  The individual is responsible for preparing and testing voting equipment for primaries, general elections and special elections, and repairs or replaces damaged or malfunctioning parts. They maintain election supplies and pack them for delivery to the precincts for Election Day. Work includes delivering voting equipment and election supplies to the polling places, explaining, demonstrating, training election officials on voting equipment operation, and receiving voting equipment and election supplies after election. Some interaction with the public to explain voting equipment can be expected.  Work is performed under the supervision of the General Registrar and Electoral Board per Code of Virginia. Salary: $18.00 to $27.00 per hour. Benefits: Benefits include vacation, sick leave and health insurance. Deadline: September 22, 2019. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Global Election Technology and Cybersecurity Advisor, IFES — IFES seeks a Global Election Technology and Cybersecurity Advisor to counter evolving threats to democratic processes stemming from changes in election technology and cyber vulnerabilities. This individual will work closely with frontline defenders and elections experts around the world to help democratic institutions flourish in the face of rising anti-democratic trends. IFES’ Election Technology and Cybersecurity Advisor understands the unique and varying dimensions of cybersecurity in the elections context, and has demonstrated expertise and innovation in analyzing threats and proposing and implementing solutions to mitigate or manage those threats. He or she is an expert in election technologies and cybersecurity. As such, he or she understands the institutions and processes involved in elections, has demonstrated an ability to partner closely with relevant actors globally, and is oriented toward countering current challenges as well as anticipating future threats. At the same time, he or she understands the critical importance of transparency and verifiability in the elections context and how to advance these principles without compromising security. He or she understands the cross-cutting nature of election technology and model’s collaboration with electoral advisors in other technical fields such as legal/regulatory reform, inclusive political processes, and strategic communications. He or she maintains strategic relationships with a range of actors, such as governments, donors, EMBs, judiciaries, INGOs, foundations, technology vendors and other technology actors. He or she is actively tracking next generation challenges such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing – and the challenges they might pose for the electoral process. The Global Election Technology and Cybersecurity Advisor will report to the Senior Director (Applied Research, Learning and Strategy) in the Center for Applied Research and Learning. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Global New Media and Disinformation Advisor, IFES — IFES’ New Media and Disinformation Advisor is an expert in new media and the challenges stemming from disinformation in political and electoral contexts. As such, he or she has a deep understanding of how new media is being used in the context of elections around the world, with a commitment to confronting existing challenges as well as anticipating tomorrow’s threats. This individual is well-versed in the dynamics of major social media platforms, understands challenges and developments in the regulation of these platforms, and closely follows the emergence of the next generation of challenges in this space. He or she is also versed in the technological shifts underpinning this issue set, including data-mining and privacy, artificial intelligence, deep fakes and quantum computing that will enable a forward-looking perspective on emerging threats to electoral processes stemming from technological changes. He or she understands the cross-cutting nature of new media challenges and models collaboration with regional experts and electoral advisors in other technical fields such a legal/regulatory reform, cybersecurity, inclusion, and public outreach. He or she maintains strategic relationships with a range of actors working or thinking in this space, such as governments, technology and new media companies, donors, election administrators, judiciaries, INGOs, academics and foundations. The Global New Media and Disinformation Advisor will report to the Senior Director (Applied Research, Learning and Strategy) in the Center for Applied Research and Learning. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Program Director, National Voter Registration Day — We are seeking a Program Director to organize and rally key national partners around one of the most prominent and important civic holidays in the nation – National Voter Registration Day – held on the fourth Tuesday of every September. In 2020, we aim to break past years’ records and register over one million voters with the help of over 50 major national partners and 4,500 field partners. To do this we require a creative and entrepreneurial Program Director with sincere people skills and a passion for civic engagement and democracy. Salary: $68,000 and $76,000. 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.

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.

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.

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