electionline Weekly

Election News This Week

Acceptance: An analysis by The Associated Press found that the rate of rejected ballots was actually lower in November than during last year’s primaries in several politically pivotal states despite an increase in the number of absentee ballots cast. According to the AP analysis, election officials and voting experts attribute the declines to extensive voter education campaigns; work by volunteers to help find voters and fix ballot issues; and myriad efforts to make absentee voting easier, including new ways for people to track their ballots. Concerns about U.S. Postal Service delays also played a role, motivating voters to return ballots early or take advantage of a fleet of drop boxes that were deployed for the election. Ohio’s rejection rate declined from 1.35% in the primary to just 0.42% in November. “All of those things that we did helped to reduce the error rate,” said Secretary of State Frank LaRose. “And that’s a really big success story — that we had massive absentee voting and a tiny number of errors.” For its analysis, the AP sought 2020 ballot data from swing states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In nine, it found the mailed ballot rejection rate declined. Pennsylvania said data was not yet available, and Arizona noted its numbers were preliminary. Of the states, Colorado sends mail ballots to all registered voters and about 75% of Arizona voters are on a permanent early voting list and automatically receive ballots in the mail.

Rights Restored: This week Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said that he has restored the voting rights of 69,000 people convicted of felonies under a policy change that speeds up the process, no longer requiring former prisoners to go through lengthy probations before qualifying to seek restoration. This year, Virginia’s General Assembly gave preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that would automatically restore voting rights for felons as soon as they complete their incarceration. That measure would have to be approved by the legislature again next year and then put to the voters in a referendum before going into effect. In the meantime, Northam said he was taking a cue from that proposal and changing the timing of his process, reviewing rights as soon as someone is freed. “Probationary periods can last for years,” Northam said in prepared remarks as he announced the change at a Richmond nonprofit. “But that’s also time in which a person is living in the community, rebuilding their lives. They should be able to exercise those civil rights, even if they are still under supervision.”

History for Sale: An official printing of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson has sold for $85,332, according to Boston-based auction firm. The legislation was designed to secure the right to vote for racial minorities throughout the country, especially in southern states, during the nation’s tumultuous civil rights era. The 10-page document is signed “Lyndon B. Johnson, August 6, 1965” and is an official printing of the law, according to auctioneers RR Auction. The document also bears the signatures of then Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey and Speaker of the House John McCormack — fellow Democrats. McCormack was born in Boston and served in the Massachusetts Legislature earlier in his career. A representative of the auction house said the document was purchased by Kenneth Rendell, a historical document dealer based in the suburbs of Boston, who had been waiting decades for the signed copy to reach the marketplace Rendell said in a press release that a New York Republican member of Congress at the time had the GOP print a second copy of the bill, which he carried into the signing ceremony inside his suit jacket and slipped it in front of Johnson, who signed it after he signed the copy that went to the National Archives.

Ranked Choice Comes to the Big Apple: Election workers in New York City began manually tabulating ranked choice ballots in a Queens City Council district special election this week. This is the first time that ranked choice has come into play in a city election since being approved by voters. On Tuesday, election workers finished their first day of tallying the 7,400 ballots, sorting the first-choice votes by candidate into plastic bins labeled with their names. “I’ve been here all day watching,” Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York executive director, said at the ballot-counting site in Queens. “It’s very well thought-out, it’s very organized and very orderly. And it’s absolutely clear what they’re doing and how to understand the process.” Although this race is being manually tabulated, it is expected that software will be in place by the June mayoral primary. While the city BOE hopes to have software in place by June, it is still unknown is how the Board of Elections will present ranked-choice ballot counts to the public — especially in the scenario in which one candidate gets 50% of votes right away, without a ranked-choice tally. Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal (D-Queens) last week introduced a bill that would mandate the Board of Elections disclose complete ranking tabulations regardless of outcome — even if a candidate won more than 50% of the vote. Rosenthal said in a release that it is “vital to maintaining the trust and transparency of ranked choice voting that the full data be released to the public.”

Personnel News: Holli Sullivan has been appointed as Indiana’s new secretary of state.  Alex Wan is the Fulton County, Georgia board of registration and elections chairman. Ada County, Idaho Clerk Phil McGrane has filed paperwork to run for secretary of state. Josh Jaffe has been hired by the Franklin County, Ohio board of election to help transition to a new voter registration system. Edrea Mientkiewicz has been appointed deputy elections director by the Trumbull County, Ohio Board of Elections. Shelly Ash will be the  new Hunt County, Texas elections coordinator.

In Memoriam: Morris County, New Jersey Deputy Clerk John Wojaszek has died. He was 71. Wojaszek was hired as deputy clerk in 2014 following a long career in education and as mayor of Rockaway Township. According to County Clerk Ann Grossi, Wojaszek worked up until about a month before his death, despite declining health. “We owe him a great deal of gratitude for his many years of service overseeing elections and ensuring Morris County residents were well taken care of,” the Morris County Democratic Committee said in a statement. In his role as deputy clerk, Grossi said, she relied on Wojtaszek’s experience to make sure elections ran smoothly. “I used to call him my work husband, and then we would fight like brothers and sisters, but we never got mad,” she said.  He carried his passion for elections into the classroom. “He would bring the voting machines into school and do a mock election so the students would learn how to vote,” Grossi said. “He was politically brilliant and he was kind. He could handle anything that came his way. I feel such a great sense of loss. I’ve known John for 20 years, and he was always there for people.”

Research and Report Summaries

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released the unclassified version of the National Intelligence Council’s classified intelligence community assessment on foreign influence and interference in the 2020 elections earlier this week. The report, Foreign Threats to the 2020 U.S. Federal Elections, outlines the intelligence community’s findings on foreign interference or influence activities conducted by Russia, Iran, China, and other actors. Among its key judgements, the assessment states that “we have no indications that any foreign actors attempted to alter any technical aspect of the voting process in the 2020 U.S. elections, including voter registration, casting ballots, vote tabulation, or reporting results.” Although some “successful compromises of state and local government networks prior to Election Day” were identified, the assessment concludes these intrusions were not directed at the election. The assessment further concludes that Russia, Iran, and others “spread false or inflated claims about alleged compromises of voting systems to try to undermine public confidence in election processes and results.”

The Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security released an unclassified summary of their classified joint report on the impact of foreign activities on election infrastructure used in the 2020 elections earlier this week. The report, Foreign Interference Targeting Election Infrastructure or Political Organization, Campaign, or Candidate Infrastructure Related to the 2020 US Federal Election, outlines the departments’ findings regarding the impact of foreign interference activities conducted by Russia, Iran, China, and other actors on the security and integrity of election infrastructure. Among its key findings, the report states that “we […] have no evidence that any foreign government-affiliated actor prevented voting, changed votes, or disrupted the ability to tally votes or to transmit election results in a timely manner; altered any technical aspect of the voting process; or otherwise compromised the integrity of voter registration information of any ballots cast during 2020 federal elections.”

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Department of Justice, and Department of Homeland Security released an unclassified summary of their joint comprehensive threat assessment on domestic violent extremism earlier this week. The report, Domestic Violent Extremism Poses Heightened Threat in 2021, assesses that “domestic violent extremists (DVEs) who are motivated by a range of ideologies and galvanized by recent political and societal events in the U.S. pose an elevated threat to the Homeland in 2021.” The report finds that “newer sociopolitical developments—such as narratives of fraud in the recent general election, the emboldening impact of the violent breach of the US Capitol, conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and conspiracy theories promoting violence—will almost certainly spur some DVEs to try to engage in violence this year,” including violence targeting government facilities and personnel.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General release an audit report on election mail in 2020 earlier this month. The report, Service Performance of Election and Political Mail During the November 2020 General Election, evaluates service performance of election and political mail during the 2020 elections and 2021 senate run-offs in Georgia. The report finds that the Postal Service prioritized processing of election mail during the 2020 general election, improving timeliness over the 2018 mid-terms despite significantly increased volumes of election mail, but fell slightly below its goals for timeliness.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of the Inspector General released the closing memorandum from its investigation into an allegation of voter fraud in Pennsylvania last month. The report summarizes the office’s investigation of a postal service employee’s allegations that mail ballots were being illegally backdated and its findings that claims were unsubstantiated and unsupported by evidence.

The Congressional Research Service released a brief on H.R. 1 last month. The report, H.R. 1: Overview and Related CRS Products, includes a brief summary of the bill’s main provisions related to election administration, voter registration, and election security.

 

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation: HR1, now known as S1 has been introduced into the Senate. The legislation, which faces an uphill battle in the Senate includes provisions that aim to make it easier to register and vote, prevent gerrymandering, improve election cybersecurity and reform campaign finance, among other initiatives. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said “everything is on the table” to pass the For the People Act. “We will see if our Republican friends join us. If they don’t join us, our caucus will come together and decide the appropriate action to take,” Schumer said. “Failure is not an option.” The bill would need a minimum of 10 Republicans votes to defeat a filibuster and move to a final vote on passage. President Joseph R. Biden (D) said that he supports the legislation as well as revising the Senate filibuster, although he does not support the elimination of the filibuster.  “This issue is bigger than the filibuster,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia)in his first major floor speech. “No Senate rule should overrule the integrity of our democracy.” “We must find a way to pass voting rights, whether we get rid of the filibuster or not,” said Warnock, who has held onto his role as senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, where civil rights icon the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was pastor in the 1960s. The House passed its version of the For the People Act, H.R.1, on March 3 with all but one Democrat voting in favor of and all Republicans voting against the legislation. The Senate Rules Committee is set to hold a hearing on the bill March 24.

Alabama: The Constitution, Campaigns and Elections committee approved legislation from Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, that would allow county absentee election managers to open additional places for people to cast absentee ballots. Shortly after, the committee approved a bill from Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, to shorten the time to mail absentee voter applications from five days before an election to 10 days.  Both bills passed on voice votes and head to the House for further consideration.  Garrett’s bill would allow counties to designate places besides courthouses where individuals could turn in their absentee ballots. The absentee election manager would have to be present at the locations for the votes to be cast. Garrett said during the committee debate over the bill that people living in suburban Jefferson County had to travel. Baker’s legislation would change state law on absentee ballot applications. Alabama law requires all absentee ballot applications to be delivered five days before an election. Baker’s bill would require mailed applications to be delivered 10 days before an election. Absentee ballot applications could still be delivered in person up to five days before an election.

California: The Legislature is considering whether to make it more difficult for local election officials to reject ballots because a voter’s signature doesn’t exactly match what’s on file. Voters who cast ballots by mail must now sign their ballot. Election officials then compare that signature to the one in the voter’s registration file. Election officials can disqualify ballots if the signatures don’t match. The secretary of state’s office issued temporary rules for the November election presuming a voter’s signature was legitimate, making an exact match unnecessary. To reject a ballot, election officials had to believe “beyond a reasonable doubt” that signatures didn’t match. Those rules are set to expire in July. A bill before the California Legislature would make them permanent. Of the more than 17.7 million ballots Californians cast in the November general election, 49,816 ballots were rejected because a signature did not match. More than 86% of all ballots cast in that election were vote by mail. “This gives confidence to all Californians that their votes are counted,” said State Sen. Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park), the bill’s author

Colorado: The House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee voted 6-3 to move forward a  proposal  forward to the Appropriations Committee that  would lower the threshold at which counties are required to provide sample ballots in multiple languages. Under the Voting Rights Act, that threshold sits at over 10,000 voting age citizens or over than 5% of the total voting-age population in a county who speak a common language and do not speak English “very well” as defined by the American Community Survey. The bill would lower those standards to 2,000 voting-age citizens or 2.5% of the total voting-age population in a county. That would broaden the number of counties required to provide multilingual ballots from four – Denver, Conejos, Costilla and Saguache – to 22. The bill would also require the secretary of state’s office to set up a multilingual ballot hotline to provide access to translators by the November 2022 election. The bill won support from a number of advocacy groups and county clerks, including the top election officials in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe and Jefferson counties. Adams County Clerk Josh Zygielbaum explained while his county was already moving to institute multilingual ballots, others might not because of costs. “Once this bill goes into effect, hopefully it goes into effect, those costs will actually be reimbursable through the secretary of state’s office, thereby making it easier for counties to actually afford from a cost perspective,” he said.

The House Finance Committee voted to approve a proposal from Rep. Chris Kennedy, D-Lakewood, seeking to increase access to ranked-choice voting at the local level. The bill also features Rep. Jeni Arndt, D-Fort Collins, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, and Sen. Faith Winter, D-Westminster, as sponsors. Cities are already allowed to use ranked-choice voting, but only three actually do. That’s because locals often rely on their county clerks to administer elections, and county clerks are required under state law to administer standard first-past-the-post elections. Kennedy’s bill would allow cities who opt into instant runoff elections to continue to have their county clerks administer their elections. The proposal last month cleared the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee, which Kennedy chairs, before winning the approval of the Finance Committee on Thursday. It now heads to the Appropriations Committee.

Delaware: State Sen. Kyle Evans Gay (D-Talleyville) has introduced a bill that would create an automatic voter registration system through the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). It would let all driver’s license or  identification card applications serve as voter registration applications when the applicant shows proof of U.S. citizenship. People registered through the automatic system the bill would establish could opt out or affiliate with a political party through a follow-up mailer. They could also affiliate at a polling place during the next primary election after their registration.  If passed, the bill would take effect two years after being signed by the Governor or five days after the state Election Commissioner certifies that the systems needed to implement it are functional, whichever comes first.  The bill has been assigned to the Senate Elections & Government Affairs Committee. “Really this legislation is meant to set our system up for success today and success in the future,” Gay said. “In my mind, if we’re missing one potential voter, if we can improve the system and bring that person into the system and give them the ability to vote and participate, then we are doing something right.

Florida: Under legislation now under consideration by Florida lawmakers, county elections supervisors would be able to withhold information about the ever-present possibility of systems being hacked and voter records being altered. Voting rights groups, government watchdogs and members of Florida’s congressional delegation have pushed for greater transparency in disclosing those security breaches, but a measure by Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, would go the opposite direction.  “We’ve seen in past elections a real invasion from outside sources to try to intimidate and change certain information,” Broxson said Tuesday in introducing the bill (SB 1704). “It happened in my county.” In its first committee hearing, the bill was cleared without debate or objection. It has two more committees before it reaches the Senate floor. Because the bill expands an existing public records exemption, it will need a two-thirds vote for final passage. The measure has the full backing of the statewide Florida Supervisors of Elections association, which has made it a legislative priority.

Georgia: Georgia Republicans have introduced yet another omnibus bill that would drastically change the state’s voting laws, this time transforming a two-page proposal about absentee applications into a 93-page omnibus released an hour before a committee meeting. As it passed the Senate, SB 202 would prohibit third-party groups from mailing multiple absentee applications to Georgians that have already requested, received or returned a mail-in ballot. Violators would face a fine. But Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) introduced a substitute that adds 50 other sections to the bill, including banning people from giving food and water to voters waiting in line, limiting early voting days for larger counties, and adding ID requirements to absentee ballots. According to Georgia Public Broadcasting, in Wednesday’s Special Committee on Election Integrity, Fleming walked through several additions to the bill but left some out. The first section reads that the General Assembly “finds and declares” a number of things about the 2020 election cycle and proclaims that “the changes made in this legislation in 2021 are designed to address the lack of elector confidence in the election system on all sides of the political spectrum, to reduce the burden on election officials, and to streamline the process of conducting elections in Georgia by promoting uniformity in voting.” The most controversial language in the bill would standardize early voting days and hours, forcing most counties to be open longer and add a weekend day of early voting, while preventing larger, more Democratic-leaning counties from having a full slate of weekend voting. Some of the eliminated days include the highest proportion of Black voters during early voting, and county officials large and small have expressed concerns with the changes.

Illinois: The Illinois House Ethics and Elections Committee advanced a bill Monday that would expand ballot drop boxes and curbside voting throughout the state. House Bill 1871 would make changes similar to those passed ahead of the 2020 presidential election during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was introduced last month by Democratic Rep. Katie Stuart of Edwardsville. Under HB 1871, Illinois may use federal funds distributed to states for election administration through the 2002 Help America Vote Act to create and maintain secure collection sites for mail ballots. If enacted, the legislation would allow for voters with temporary or permanent disabilities to engage in curbside voting on election day or on early voting days. A curb-side voting program must have at least two election judges, with at least one from the Democratic Party and one from the Republican party, present at each vehicle where curbside voting is taking place and the ballots must be filled out without interference from the election judges. The bill would also expand mail voting by mandating that all election authorities accept any mail ballot, even if it is returned with no postage or not enough postage. Election officials would also have the option to legally maintain postage-free collection sites where voters can return their mail ballots. The law would postmark ballots received after business hours as having arrived the next day, except for ballots dropped off after hours on election day, which will be treated as having arrived on election day.

Iowa: Iowa residents with felony convictions whose sentences have been discharged may regain voting rights automatically if a bill introduced March 11 becomes law. If passed, HF 818ensures voting rights would be reinstated once a person convicted of a felony has completed sentencing, parole and probation and paid any owed monetary damages prior to his or her sentence is discharged. Individuals convicted of child endangerment that resulted in the death of a minor or election misconduct in the first degree would need to receive a pardon from the governor. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order Aug. 5, 2020, that restored the rights of citizenship, except for firearms, to all convicted of a felony – except for “homicide and related crimes” under chapter 707 – who had discharged their sentences by that date. Anyone seeking a pardon or to have firearm rights restored has to send an application to the Iowa Board of Parole. The bill, however, would provide a permanent policy fix.

Senate File 531, approved by the Senate 30-17 has also been moved forward by a House State Government subcommittee. The bill would give the secretary of state more flexibility when conducting elections during an emergency. Currently, any changes the secretary of state wants to make have to be approved by the Legislative Council. The 2020 election made lawmakers aware “there are all sorts of noncontroversial, but important, changes that can be made that we shouldn’t necessarily need the Legislative Council to convene to approve every single one,” Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, said. The council would be able to address changes it believes were improper, he added. “It makes sense to give the SOS some flexibility while maintaining some oversight,” Kaufmann said.

Kentucky: By a 33-3 vote, the Senate has approved a measure that would give Kentucky voters three days of no-excuse, early in-person voting — including a Saturday — before Election Day. But it backed off from the temporary, pandemic-related accommodations made last year that allowed widespread mail-in absentee balloting. The bill also seeks to strengthen election security protections. The legislation would relax pre-pandemic voting law to make it easier to vote. It would allow counties to establish vote centers, where any voter in the county could vote regardless of precinct. It would maintain an online portal for Kentuckians to request a mail-in ballot but keep existing restrictions on who can vote by mail. On the election security side, the bill would result in the statewide transition toward universal paper ballots to guarantee a paper audit trail. It enhances the ability of state election officials to remove nonresident voters from voter rolls. It expressly prohibits and penalizes ballot harvesting, the practice of collecting ballots from likely supporters and returning them to election offices. The bill was returned to the House however it didn’t come up for a potential final vote before the House adjourned shortly before midnight. That means supporters will have to wait until lawmakers reconvene for a two-day wrap-up session in late March to take up the measure. If it clears the legislature, it would be sent to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear.

Maine: The Maine Legislature’s Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs held a work session today on several bills regarding voting. One would allow the legislature to create a process for early voting that municipalities could adopt if they choose to do so. Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn answered questions regarding the process. She says Mainers would vote in the same manner they do on election day, but ballots wouldn’t be counted until election day. Flynn says early voting can be more efficient than absentee voting, but many Maine towns may not be able to handle early in-person voting. “It’s as convenient for the voter, and as long as you have the right security measures, it’s as secure for the voter as early in-person absentee voting, but it’s a heck of a lot more efficient for the town, and I would say less costly to administer,” said Flynn. The committee voted eight to four to recommend the bill pass.

Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Senate unanimously voted to extend mail-in voting through June 30 after adding an amendment meant to offer accommodations for voters with disabilities. The bill extends the mail-in voting option to the general public due to COVID-19 past March 31. It also lets cities and towns with a municipal caucus before June 30 to postpone the caucus up to Aug. 1. Local officials could also vote to eliminate a municipal caucus that’s happening before July 30 and rely on nomination papers to nominate candidates, according to the bill. The proposal is meant to give lawmakers more time to debate permanent election reforms, including whether the expanded mail-in voting option should stay or whether the state should offer same-day voter registration. The mail-in voting bill now goes back to the House to vote on final passage. The Senate vote, 40-0, came after discussions about potential barriers affecting voters with disabilities. The Disability Law Center raised the issue in testimony submitted to the Senate Ways & Means Committee before the Senate took up the bill. The amendment requires local election officials, when notified or requested, to make accommodations for voters with disabilities “every way possible, to every extent possible,” said Senate Ways & Means Committee Chairman Michael Rodrigues. Gov. Charlie Baker has signed the bill into law.

A new bill co-sponsored by state Sen. Susan Moran (D-Falmouth) would cover the upfront costs for cities and towns to provide for early and mail-in voting on a permanent basis. The bill, numbered SD.1378 in the Senate and HD.449 in the House, would see the state preemptively cover costs, including salaries for overtime work and hiring additional staff. State Sen. Rebecca Rausch (D-Needham) and Rep. Steven Ultrino (D-Malden) have filed the bill in each chamber, respectively. Currently, cities and towns can ask the state to be reimbursed for election costs, but still have to foot the bill upfront, Rausch said.

Michigan: The Senate  approved a resolution urging Congress and President Joe Biden to oppose a federal election reform bill, H.R. 1. The federal bill would affect how Americans register to vote, how ballots are cast and how states conduct elections. Advocates say it will improve voter access to people of color and prevent gerrymandering. Opponents say it would federalize election administration. State Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, sponsored Senate Resolution 25 which says H.R. 1 would “enshrine into law many misguided election policies.” “H.R. 1 would impede the maintenance of accurate voter registration lists and the enforcement of sensible voter identification standards,” she said.  Johnson, a former Michigan secretary of state, said she fears H.R. 1 could prevent the removal of voters who have moved or died from voter rolls. She called H.R. 1 “an unnecessary and reckless federal overreach.” Michigan Senate Minority Leader Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, said H.R. 1 is not “misguided” but “sensible,” voicing support for measures such as modernizing systems to better track absentee ballots, enabling notifications when polling places change and ensuring that those who have completed criminal sentences are able to vote. Shirkey supported Johnson’s resolution, saying “Michigan not Washington should determine Michigan’s election laws.”  He said the H.R. 1 gives the federal government authority not only over the election process but election results as well, calling it a “federal opportunistic power grab.”

While vaccine selfies are all the rage right now, a bipartisan group of state representatives introduced House Bill 4510 that would update Michigan law regarding ballot photography including ballot selfies. It would specifically state that Michigan voters are allowed to take photos, including selfies, of their completed in-person or absentee ballots. The new bill would specifically allow selfies with your ballot, whether in the voting booth or at home with an absentee ballot. You would not be able to display that photo within 100 feet of the polling place.

Montana: Under Senate Bill 196, which was narrowly approved by the Senate, voting precincts with less than 400 in-person voters — as opposed to 400 registered voters — to open at noon instead of 7 a.m. It would also add a requirement that precincts notify voters of the changed hours.  Elections officials at the hearing said the goal of the bill is to keep more polling places open by making them easier to staff and manage. Regina Plettenberg spoke on behalf of the Montana Association of Clerk and Recorders, Election Administrators. She said allowing polling places to change their hours would help them keep polling places staffed with volunteers, who she said wouldn’t want to sit waiting for people who already voted by mail.  The only opponent at the hearing was Patrick Yawakie, who represented the Blackfeet Tribe. He said allowing polling places more leeway in their hours could keep people in those precincts from voting, especially people who have to work on Election Day.  “We can’t assume how the voter’s daily life is,” Yawakie said. “We can only make it easier for them to vote.”

Montana college students would still be able to use their school IDs when registering to vote and casting ballots, as part of a major revision to a controversial elections bill passed by a House committee this week. The amendment to Senate Bill 169 effectively removed one of the most contentious elements of the legislation, while also expanding acceptable forms of identification for voters to register and cast ballots. The changes, introduced in the House State Administration Committee Wednesday by Rep. Geraldine Custer, R-Forsyth, allow voters to register with photo ID issued by a Montana college or university, while also adding concealed carry permits to the list of acceptable ID. The bill already allows for registration with a Montana ID or driver’s license, tribal photo ID, military ID, driver’s license number or the last four digits of a social security number. Failing those forms of ID, the bill would still require voters to come up with some other form of photo ID (like a Costco membership card), and pair it with official documentation showing their current address, such as a utility bill or bank statement. Those changes also apply to voting, meaning voters would have to provide the same ID or information to cast ballots in person. Custer’s amendment also allows voters to cast provisional ballots if they don’t have sufficient identification at the polling place, as long as they fill out a form stating they have “a reasonable impediment to meeting the identification requirements,” including transportation, work schedule, a disability or lost or stolen ID.

Nevada: Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, D-Las Vegas, and Majority Floor Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson, D-Reno, introduced a mammoth elections bill that would make permanent emergency voting provisions passed last year to send mail-in ballots to every active voter in the state. Assembly Bill 321 would let voters opt out of receiving the mail ballots. It would also establish signature verification procedures and require county clerks and elections staff to take an annual forensic signature verification class. The secretary of state would also have to compare the statewide voter registration list with death records at least once a month. The return window for mail ballots would also shrink from 5 p.m. on the seventh day after the election to 5 p.m. on the fourth day after the election.

New Jersey: The Assembly Labor Committee on Monday advanced a bill that would allow minors aged 16 and older to work the polls on election day. The bill would allow those between the ages of 16 and 18 to act as poll workers between 5:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on the day of an election. It does not include provisions to allow minors to work at early voting stations that would be set up by a bill expected to see a final Senate vote on March 25. It cleared the Senate Labor Committee in a unanimous vote in October. “Becoming involved in the electoral process at a younger age would increase civic engagement and instill the importance of statewide and federal elections,” Assembly sponsors Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood) and Raj Mukherji (D-Jersey City) said in a joint statement. “It has been clear that more people are participating in elections and we want to continue to grow political interest in our younger generations.”

New Mexico: House Bill 231, which is still up for consideration with the bill deadline looming, would amend the election code to provide protections for Native American voters by specifying that a polling place located on an Indian nation, tribal or pueblo land cannot be eliminated or consolidated with other polling locations without the written agreement of the Indian nation, tribe or pueblo.  The bill also requires at least one polling location within an Indian nation, tribe, or pueblo to operate in the event that registered voters are unable to leave the Indian nation, tribe, or pueblo due to public health concerns.

 

New York: New York City Council Member Ben Kallos, a Manhattan Democrat, is introducing legislation to create a temporary poll-site task force that would examine measures to improve access to poll sites and to make them more efficient. The task force would be charged with studying the functioning of poll sites in the 2020 elections, the cost of running them, and the possible effects on the health of voters, and would recommend locations and the number of sites for future elections.  The citywide task force proposed in Kallos’ bill would be required to meet at least once a month and solicit testimony from experts and community members about future poll sites. It would have to submit a report to the mayor and City Council within nine months of the bill being passed into law. The report would be made public on the Board of Elections website ten days after submission. Among the requirements for the report would be a list of poll sites from the 2020 general election where voters waited more than 30 minutes to cast their ballots, the reasons for waiting, and the cost of making sites temporarily or permanently compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  It would also be required to include a list of poll sites that were considered for use in 2020 and which ones were accepted or rejected by the Board of Elections. The list would determine which buildings made their facilities available for use by the Board and which did not, and whether the city took any steps to revoke tax benefits.

North Dakota: Under House Bill 1373, introduced by Rep. Jim Kasper (R-Fargo), early voting would be reduced from 15 days to nine business days prior to an election. The bill passed resoundingly in the House in February, by a vote of 78-13 and will get a hearing before the Senate Government and Veterans Affairs Committee later this week.

Senate Bill 2142, introduced by Sen. Kristin Roers (R-Fargo) would allow county auditors and election workers to process absentee ballots up to three business days prior to Election Day. Roers said the bill would help ease pressure of counting and verifying votes on Election Day when a large number of absentee ballots are received.

House Bill 1447, introduced by Rep. Claire Cory (R-Grand Forks), would allow university students to vote in elections with their student ID card. The bill was amended in committee to have the schools give students a document to prove residency, and to have the bill apply only to North Dakota residents. The bill passed the House on a vote of 87-7. It has not yet had a Senate committee hearing,

Oklahoma: A bill that would expand in-person early voting by a day for presidential elections has cleared the state House. House Bill 2663 would expand in-person early voting from three days to four immediately preceding any presidential election. Under the measure, Oklahomans would be able to vote Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday instead of just Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Locations and the number of places for early voting vary from county to county in Oklahoma Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, said voters in his precinct reported waiting longer than three hours to cast a ballot on Election Day, so he wants to make it easier for voters to access the polls. Echols said he wishes he could expand early voting access for every election, but during most there are rarely wait times. And, if he can find a way to fund it, Echols said he’d also like to expand early voting during presidential years to include Tuesdays too. A legislative budget analysis estimates that adding a day of in-person absentee balloting every four years would cost the State Election Board about $40,000 per presidential election. County election boards would also experience varying degrees of cost increases, the analysis found.

The Senate has approved a resolution formally objecting to HR1. “But Title II, which is entitled Election Integrity, actually talks about doing away with this body’s ability to redistrict and moves it to an independent commission. It’s nothing but a power grab,” said. Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat. Conservative groups and Republican lawmakers have deemed the bill a federal takeover of elections. State Sen. George Young (D-Oklahoma City), who is Black, has a different view. “I appreciate the federal government coming into states and doing some things, because without them, people who look like me would not have the right and the benefit to do what others take for granted, and that is to vote,” Young said. Oklahoma’s Senate Resolution 9 passed by voice vote.

Texas: Senate Bill 7 proposes several new regulations for Texas elections, including the voter registration process, voting by mail, and “election security” items relating to polling place locations and facilities, voting hours and ballot auditing.

SB 208 would prohibit officials from sending out early voting ballot applications.

SB 1110 would require local judges to appoint a three-member panel of retired judges to serve as emergency election reviewers 60 days before an election. Candidates or political party chairs could then request a review of alleged election law violations by the panel within 45 days of an election.

SB 1111 would require voters to produce certain evidence of their residence at the address where they are registered to vote if requested by the voter registrar.

SB 1112 would bar elections officials from waiving signature verification requirements for early voting ballots.

SB 1113 would allow the secretary of state to withhold some funding if a voter registrar does not complete their duties related to voter registration cancellation in a timely manner.

SB 1114 would require voters to present proof of citizenship if their citizenship status was previously questioned though the jury selection process or in vehicle registration records.

SB 1115 would limit early voting hours.

SB 1116 would require counties and school districts to post election results online in a timely and accessible manner.

SB 1234 would require all voting systems to be subject to audits with paper records.

SB 1387 would require all Texas voting systems to be manufactured and produced by a company headquartered in the U.S.

SB 1508 would create an election integrity division within the Texas Attorney General’s Office.

SB 1509 would require photo identification to be submitted with early mail voting applications.

Senate Joint Resolution 51 would present a constitutional amendment barring officials from sending out unsolicited absentee ballot applications to Texas voters in this November’s election.

House Bill 1724 would expand the responsibilities and permissions of election watchers.

HB 1725 would ban in-person delivery of mail ballots.

HB 1979  would require mail ballots to be marked with unique codes for electronic identification.

HB 2263 would prevent voters or election officials from “curing,” or fixing, ballots that initially do not meet requirements for acceptance by the registrar and would require that those ballots be rejected.

HB 2264 would set a voting standard of four-fifths of a county elections commission to appoint, suspend or terminate an administrator.

HB 2265 would limit early voting hours.

HB 2266 would change some rules relating to the appointment of election judges, clerks and signature verification committee members.

HB 3105 covers a variety of topics related to social media platforms. The legislation includes provisions that would block such platforms from applying algorithms to limit the exposure of content relating to political candidates leading up to an election.

Utah: Gov. Spencer Cox has signed House Bill 70 into law. Under the new law, that state will be required to track mail ballots that are sent via the USPS or dropped in a drop box. Voters will be able to sign up to receive the information via text or email. The lieutenant governor’s office, that oversees elections in Utah, will set up the system and maintain a website to confirm the status of each ballot. Cox also signed HR11 which was a concurrent resolution honoring the state’s clerks and election workers for a job well done in the 2020 election.

 

Vermont: Bill S15 formalizes the voting process the state followed in the 2020 general election by requiring town and city clerks to mail ballots to all active registered voters. It would then be up to voters to choose whether to return the ballots by mail, deliver them by hand, or vote in person on Election Day. The bill makes other changes used in the 2020 general election permanent. It allows for outdoor or drive-up polling places, gives towns and school districts the option of conducting voting by mail, and allows clerks to process absentee ballots up to a month before Election Day. It also proposes an allowance for voters to correct “defective” ballots that could not be counted because the voting process was not followed correctly. Primary elections are not covered by the bill. S15 has passed a second reading voice vote by 27-3 and was set for a formal vote at press time.

Wyoming: A bill that would call for runoff elections for primaries in which no candidate got a majority of the votes passed a Senate Committee on Thursday and is now headed to the Wyoming Senate. Senate File 145 would apply to the five statewide elected offices–governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and state superintendent. It would also apply to legislative races and the state’s federal offices, U.S. Senator and U.S. House. But it would not apply to local races, such as county commission or city council. The original bill would have taken effect next year for the 2022 elections. Under the bill, Wyoming primary elections would be moved from August to May, and if any runoffs are needed, they would then be held in August. That would conceivably give clerks across the state less than two months to get ready for the primary election after the results of re-districting are known. In response to those concerns, the bill was amended so that it would not take effect until 2023.

Legal Updates

Arizona: Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah has ordered the Arizona Republican Party — and its lawyers — to pay the state thousands of dollars in legal fees calling its lawsuit challenging 2020 election procedures “groundless” and “disingenuous.” Hannah contended the GOP’s team acted in “bad faith” when it questioned the process for auditing voting machines and tried to delay certification of election results last November.  Instead of living up to the “privileged position in the electoral process” afforded to it by state law, Hannah said, the party sought to undermine Arizonans’ confidence in election results. “The public has a right to expect the Arizona Republican Party to conduct itself respectfully,” he wrote. “It has failed to do so in this case.” The party and its attorneys must pay the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office $18,238, according to the order. That’s just a fraction of the nearly $152,000 the agency said it spent defending itself against a barrage of election fraud lawsuits

California: It’s not a taco truck on every corner but Judge Danny Chou has ruled in favor of East Palo Alto Councilman Antonio Lopez in a lawsuit that alleged he improperly gave away tacos to voters during the November election. Losing council candidate Webster Lincoln is suing Lopez, claiming that Lopez illegally electioneered by hiring a food truck and placing it within 100 feet of a polling place to get votes. Lopez beat Webster Lincoln by 69 votes. n a tentative ruling posted on the San Mateo County Superior Court’s website Chou ruled in favor of Lopez writing that the law only prohibits the “offering of consideration for voting for a particular candidate or ballot measure; it does not prohibit the offering of consideration just for voting.” The judge found that Lopez was not enticing anyone to vote for him, but was garnering goodwill from the community by arranging for the taco truck to be parked at St. Francis of Assisi Church, which was a polling place, on Election Day. Lopez paid about $4,000 for the truck to park at the church from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. where the workers handed out free tacos to anyone who asked for one, even children. Chou notes in his ruling that neither Lopez nor any of the taco truck employees associated the truck with Lopez.

Georgia: Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero may unseal absentee ballots in Fulton County so a government watchdog can investigate allegations of voting fraud in the November election. A lawsuit filed in Fulton County Superior Court contends that fraudulent ballots were cast and other irregularities occurred as workers counted ballots at State Farm Arena on election night. Those allegations were investigated and dismissed by the secretary of state’s office. Amero, who is overseeing the case, said he’s inclined to order the ballots to be unsealed and reviewed by experts hired by Garland Favorito, a voting-integrity advocate. At a hearing Monday, Amero sought a detailed plan for maintaining the secrecy and security of the ballots, which — by state law — are under seal in the Fulton County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

The Hall County Board of elections has sued the county over who supervises the county’s elections director. According to the Gainesville Times, after publicly airing frustrations over the supervision and performance review of elections director Lori Wurtz at various board meetings over the past month, the elections board filed a lawsuit against the Hall County government and County Administrator Jock Connell on March 16. According to the 67-page civil action document, the elections board states that the Hall County Board of Commissioners had no legal authority in enacting home rule by amending state legislation in 2018. That amendment created the elections director position and established supervisory control of the position under the county administrator. The board believes that the oversight given to Connell through the amendment — which includes the day-to-day supervision, disciplinary action and termination of the elections director — should be a power held under the umbrella of the elections board.

Michigan: Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson last year said local clerks should start with a presumption of validity when verifying signatures on absentee ballot applications, but a court ruling says that rule wasn’t properly established. A Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that clerks no longer need to follow those instructions for determining whether to send an absentee ballot to applicants. According to the March 9 opinion and order issued by Judge Christopher M. Murray, Benson issued instructions that constituted “rules” without following the process for creating a formal rule under state and federal law. Murray wrote that “the guidance issued by the Secretary of State on October 6, 2020, with respect to signature-matching standards was issued in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act.” The Michigan Republican Party and Allegan County Clerk Robert Genetski, who jointly filed their complaint prior to the Nov. 3 election, claimed the signature standards allowed for “invalid” ballots to be counted. Murray noted in his opinion that Genetski, however, never claimed the “guidance caused him to accept a signature that he believed was invalid.” Benson’s guidelines focused on signature verification of absentee ballot applications and their return envelopes, which were to be compared against each other as well as against signatures in qualified voter files.

Ohio: The Stark County Board of Elections voted unanimously to initiate a lawsuit against the county commissioners to compel them to fund the purchase of Dominion voting machines. The board met twice in executive session before announcing its decision. After the first executive session, which lasted about 20 minutes, board members said they would not consider the commissioners’ apparent suggestion that they consider an updated price quote by Dominion’s competitor, Election Systems and Software. According to the Canton Repository, Commissioner Bill Smith had invited ES&S to submit a new quote, which ended up being about $143,000 less than Dominion’s over a 10-year period, according to resolution language released by the commissioners last week. “I think it’s unfair to consider ES&S. We have no inclination to revisit the decision and recommendation that we made previously,” said Samuel Ferruccio, chairman of the Stark County Board of Elections and chairman of the Stark County Democratic Party. “When presented to our board, Dominion Voting Systems’ bid was lower than ES&S. The commissioners took it upon themselves to contact the company (ES&S) our board did not select and accepted a revised bid. That decision was ill advised and detrimental to the integrity of the process.” Board member William Cline, a Republican, agreed, saying “it was manifestly unfair to other bidders to allow a losing bidder to come in and take another bite at the apple. I think at best, unfair, and arguably not ethical either to solicit the bid or to make.”

Lorain County Democrats are taking Secretary of State Frank LaRose before the Ohio Supreme Court to try and force him to appoint their chosen candidate, Sharon Sweda, to the county Board of Elections. Party Chairman Anthony Giardini confirmed his party will proceed with a mandamus action to try and force LaRose to appoint Sweda, a former Democratic county commissioner, to the seat vacated by the resignation of former board member Tom Smith. The legal action should stop the clock and any further action by LaRose until the Ohio Supreme Court reaches a decision, Giardini said. After Sweda’s appointment was rejected March 3, Democrats had up until Friday to name a replacement candidate or else LaRose said he would choose for them. A mandamus action is filed to force an official to do their legally mandated duties. This action will go before the Ohio Supreme Court and could take three to six months to be resolved.

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Middle District Chief Justice Christopher Conner has dismissed a lawsuit from political watchdog group Judicial Watch over alleged “dirty voter rolls” in three Pennsylvania counties. Judicial Watch Inc. sued the commonwealth and election boards in Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties last April over what the conservative group described as suspiciously high voter registration rates. A moving goal post, an “implausible theory” and several other issues were cited as reasons for Conner’s case dismissal. The lawsuit alleged the three counties were not properly removing ineligible voters from registration lists in accordance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Judicial Watch’s lawsuit relied mostly on the federal Election Assistance Commission’s 2018 Election Administration and Voting Survey, made up of responses from over 6,000 state, county and local jurisdictions collected every two years.

Vermont: Attorney Benjamin Luna has filed suit against the city of Burlington for three ballot measures approved on Town Meeting Day including the adoption of ranked choice voting. “Plaintiff alleges all three of these categories contributed to substantial, unconstitutional, election irregularities that arose from the extraordinarily confusing and misleading presentation of ballot information by the Defendant City in the lead up to the election,” the lawsuit states. The election documents were confusing and violated the state’s election law, Luna alleged. “Articles 2, 4, and 5 included language too long to fit on the ballot, and as a result the text of these measures were left off the Defendant’s warning,” Luna wrote in the lawsuit. Among the requests, Luna asked the court to: Find that Burlington published a misleading Town Meeting Day warning. Find that Burlington “published information that was impermissibly confusing, causing disenfranchisement of voter access to information.” And void results from items 2, 4 and 5.

Wisconsin: Jeré Fabick, a prominent Republican donor, is asking the state Supreme Court to stop municipal clerks from using ballot drop boxes and fixing absentee ballot envelopes that lack full witness addresses in the April election for state schools superintendent. In a lawsuit filed this week directly with the high court, Fabick also asked the justices to limit who can return absentee ballots to clerks on behalf of voters. The lawsuit seeks to address issues that became flashpoints in the November presidential election, when absentee voting hit a record. The new lawsuit seeks to get the court to take up the issues by focusing on the upcoming election, rather than one that has already occurred. Running in the April 6 election for state schools superintendent are Deborah Kerr and Jill Underly. Fabick filed his lawsuit directly with the Supreme Court rather than starting with a circuit court, where most cases begin. The justices have discretion on whether to take the case and could reject it without considering the merits.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: HR1, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX | Voting reform | Voting rights, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX | Voter suppression, II | Election legislation, II, III | U.S. Supreme Court | Voting wars | Turnout | Election interference | Jim Crow

Alabama: Absentee voting | Ex-felon voting rights

Alaska: Election legislation

Arizona: HR1; Election legislation

California: Sonoma County

Connecticut: Absentee voting

Florida: Election legislation, II, III, IV | Voter suppression

Georgia: Election legislation, II | Voting process

Illinois: Voting accessibility

Indiana: Absentee voting

Iowa: Voter suppression, II | Election legislation

Kentucky: Election legislation

Massachusetts: Confidence in voting | Election commission

Mississippi: Election reform

New Hampshire: Election legislation

New York: Ranked choice voting | Ex-felon voting rights, II | Noncitizen voting rights

North Carolina: Election administration

Pennsylvania: Absentee voting | HR1

South Carolina: Election legislation

Tennessee: Safe and secure voting

Texas: Election legislation, II, III, IV | Voter suppression | Voter fraud

Utah: Ranked choice voting

Virginia: Election integrity

Upcoming Events

Voting rights and wrongs: Democracy legislation in the Senate: The For the People Act of 2021, or H.R. 1, passed the House of Representatives on March 3, 2021. It is before the Senate as S. 1. The bill covers some of the most foundational aspects of American democracy: voting rights, campaign finance, and ethics rules. S. 1 has remained in the news daily because it would counter many of the 253 proposed and rapidly moving state bills in 43 jurisdictions to tighten restrictions on voting. In addition, Senate filibuster rules, which currently require 60 votes to pass most legislation, appear to pose an obstacle to the bill’s passage. Some have suggested that consideration of S. 1 may provide an occasion for relaxing those restrictions in whole or in part. On March 24, Governance Studies at Brookings will host U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and experts on democracy and Senate procedure as part of a two-panel webinar to discuss S. 1, how it relates to the wave of state legislation around the country, and its likely encounter with the filibuster. Senators Klobuchar and Merkley will discuss the bill’s provisions and how it would affect voting-related state legislation. The second panel will address those issues in the context of Senate procedure and the various proposals for reconsidering the filibuster. When: March 24, 4pm Eastern. Where: Online.

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 Specialist II (Elections Specialist), King County, Washington— The Department of Elections – is searching for energetic and resourceful professionals who like to “get stuff done”. The Administrative Specialist II positions in the Election Services Division combine an exciting, fast-paced environment with the opportunity to cultivate talents and apply a variety of skills. The ideal candidate will have a desire to help ensure the democratic process through public service. They will thrive in an innovative environment and will not hesitate to roll up both sleeves, work hard, have fun, and get the job done. King County Elections (KCE) manages voter registrations and elections for more than 1.3 million voters in King County, the largest vote-by-mail county in the United States. KCE’s mission is to conduct fair, open and accurate elections. As a leader in providing inclusive elections, KCE is focused on three key priorities – (1) actively identifying and working to remove barriers to voting at both the individual and community level, (2) strengthening relationships with community and governmental partners, and (3) creating a culture of professional growth and development, openness and inclusion. Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/elections.aspx . Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process. Work Schedule: This position is subject to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. The workweek is typically 35 hours per week, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. We require the flexibility to work additional hours during peak periods of the Election cycle that may occur outside of typical business hours. Materials Required to Apply: A completed online King County employment application at www.kingcounty.gov/jobs and a Resume and Cover Letter is required with your submission. The cover letter should describe how your skills and experience meet or exceed the requirements of the job. Salary: $22.57-$28.75/hr. Deadline: March 23. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Assistant IT Chief, Dallas County, Texas— Manages, oversees and performs technical and administrative work of information technology for the Elections Office. Provides technology vision and leadership in the development and implementation of the elections technology program while assisting the Elections Administrator in strategic, tactical and elections related compliance. Oversees the design, implementation and evaluation of systems to support end users in productive use of computer hardware and software; collaborates with the County’s Information Security Officer, IT operations, IT applications to ensure best-in-class recording and elections security, infrastructure and client services. Directs and oversees IT projects and systems to ensure security, quality control and efficiency; facilitates the development of each project to meet customer needs. Plans and implements enterprise information systems to support elections operations. Manages and directs IT personnel to establish workload priorities; coordinates projects and reporting of activities while maintaining workflow estimates. Facilitates communication between staff, management, vendors, and other technology resources within the organization and with outside stakeholders. Provides project management oversight for key initiatives and division-level responsibilities. Manages the division budget expenditures and related administrative tasks. Plans, directs, and monitors the development, installation and maintenance of computer programs and associated computer operations necessary to achieve functional departmental systems. Develops the design specifications of computer systems, programs and operating systems, with the following core competencies: Security Analysis, Design, Business Process Improvement, Data, Modeling, Development, Planning, Implementation, Test Script Development, Monitoring/Controls, Troubleshooting/Problem Solving, Documentation and Service Motivation. Collaborates with the Information Security Officer, IT Operations, IT Applications and PMO to ensure best-in-class procedures and security standards for the security of all elections information and established IT programs. Directs and/or assists in the resolution of highly complex or unusual business problems that cross various IT disciplines and agency boundaries. Develops and establishes department standards and procedures, including application development, quality assurance, incident management, documentation and project management. Evaluates, plans, reviews, and recommends long-range enhancements for computer hardware, software and data communications equipment. Performs other duties as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Bilingual Coordinator/Clerk, York County, Pennsylvania— Assist in the voter registration and election process. Coordinates all bilingual activities of the Election/Voter Registration Office. Assemble and pack supplies for local election boards. Answer telephone. Assist in the voter registration and election process including scanning signatures. Assist at the front counter. File as required. Assist Spanish-speaking voters, candidates and other members of the public through interpretation and service. Coordinate all bilingual activities of the Election/Voter Registration Office. Speak before various community groups concerning the election/voter registration process. Other reasonable duties as assigned by Supervisor. Salary: $11.50/hr. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

CEO, Verified Voting — Verified Voting is seeking its next CEO for its 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities. In the course of completing its strategic plan, Validating 2020, Verified Voting has significantly expanded its team and programmatic capacity to address the urgent need for greater accuracy, security, and verifiability in elections. The organization is now looking for a dynamic and experienced executive to lead the Board and staff through its next strategic planning, implementation and evaluation process as it continues to fulfill its mission. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will manage a team of seventeen. Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Organizational Strategy and Vision; Fundraising and Resource Development; Financial Management and Operations; Outreach and Communication; Human Resources / Staff Management; and Board Relations. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Certification Program Manager, Hart InterCivic— The Certification Program Manager performs high level management of multiple state and federal certification activities. The Certification Program Manager assists with developing the state certification roadmap in conjunction with internal stakeholders, communicates the roadmap to other departments, and provides direction for Certification Project Managers for individual certification campaigns. Additionally, the Certification Program Manager is responsible for ensuring that equipment inventory is appropriately utilized and tracked. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Chief Information Officer, Maine Secretary of State’s Office — The Secretary of State is seeking candidates for Deputy Secretary of State Chief Information Officer.  The Deputy provides central leadership and vision in the use of modern information technology, streamlining operations by developing technological systems that will advance the overall mission of the Department of the Secretary of State including the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions and the Maine State Archives.  The key focus of this position will include civic tech efforts to leverage technology to improve accessibility and usability of the Department’s services to the public. This includes modernization of Bureau of Motor Vehicles systems, automatic voter registration, online voter registration and working with the Maine State Archives to procure a new records management and digital archiving solutions. This position acts as the principal information technology liaison and technical advisor to the Secretary of State.  The Chief Information Officer oversees a professional team of twenty IT professionals in the Office of Information Services. Deadline: March 23. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy Director, Lake County, Ohio— The Lake County Board of Elections (Painesville, Ohio) is accepting applications for the position of Deputy Director of the Board of Elections. Situated in Northeast Ohio along Lake Erie, Lake County boasts a strong local economy with diverse dining, entertainment and housing options. Lake County ranks 12th in the State of Ohio in voter registration population with approximately 163,000 registered voters, 56 polling locations and 163 precincts. The Board plans to implement a new voting system in 2021, which is one of the many exciting projects the new Deputy Director will assist with upon appointment. The Board’s 7 full-time employees and numerous seasonal employees offer decades of combined election experience and are committed to administering free and fair elections. The successful applicant will be affiliated with the Republican Party and will reside and register to vote in Lake County within 30 days of being appointed. Additional minimum qualifications include the following: a high school diploma or have attained the equivalency of a high school diploma (GED). College level education is desired. Baseline understanding of the rules, processes, procedures, and equipment used in local election administration, including: Operating voting machines and other automated office equipment; managing a successful and efficient database; using, understanding and applying election law terminology; understanding the basics of Ohio’s “sunshine laws” governing open meetings and public records; and, receiving and implementing assignments and instructions from board members and the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office. Managerial requirements, as demonstrated by previous work experience, include the following: Effective written and interpersonal communication abilities; strong organizational skills and attention to detail; familiarity with relevant state and federal human resources policies and practices; familiarity with the handling of budgets and public appropriation of funds; ability to perform duties as assigned by the law, the board of elections, and/or the Secretary of State; ability to convey or exchange information, including giving and managing assignments or direction to board personnel; ability to adapt and to perform in a professional manner under stressful or emergency situations; ability to comprehend a variety of informational documents; and, ability to conduct self at all times in a professional and courteous manner. Ideal candidates will have previous employment at a Board of Elections or similar elections office and experience with programming elections using hardware and software provided by Election Systems and Software (ES&S) as well as Triad Government Services voter registration software. Starting salary is negotiable and recruitment is open until the position is filled. The successful applicant must consent to and pass a statewide criminal background check. Qualified applicants must send cover letter and resume to Lake@Ohiosos.gov or mail hardcopy of the same to: Attention: Board Members; Lake County Board of Elections; 105 Main St. Ste. 107, Painesville, OH 44077

Deputy Elections Administrator, Dallas County, Texas— Assists with the direction and oversight of absentee mail voting, early voting, and election day voting for 1.1 million registered voters; ensures the voter registration rolls are accurate and complete; and assists in the oversight of the campaign finance files for candidates and office holders. Coordinates with the County IT Department in managing the department’s purchased software solutions and developing internal software solutions; coordinates employee usage of software. Negotiates, drafts, finalizes and manages comprehensive election contracts with the Elections Administrator; ensures compliance of contracts for thirty (30) contracted elections per year; and presents briefings and orders for Commissioners Court, the Election Board and the Citizen Election Advisory Committee. Assists the Elections Administrator in managing the budget, monitoring purchases and developing strategic, operational, and budgetary plans. Manages daily activities of staff; reviews and approves delegated personnel functions with the Elections Administrator regarding hiring, evaluating, disciplining, training and terminating of early voting election judges and staff, the utilization of equipment, and the reporting of counted ballots and election results; provides direction and guidance to supervisory staff on personnel issues. Monitors, reviews and analyzes statutes, regulations, and election legislation to determine impact on election operations and to ensure compliance. Performs all functions of the Elections Administrator in his or her absence. Interacts with judiciary, department heads, elected officials, other County staff and the general public to resolve problems, provide information and communicate ideas. Performs other duties as assigned. Salary Range: $8,077-$10,081/month. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Elections, Denver, Colorado — Do you have a passion for democracy and working in elections administration? If so, we want to hear from you! The City and County of Denver has an exciting opportunity for an appointed Director of Elections to serve in the Office of the Clerk & Recorder Paul D. López. Join our team of dedicated public servants in supporting residents while upholding public trust and integrity in our elections process. The Denver Office of the Clerk and Recorder serves Denver residents through two primary divisions: Elections and Recording/Public Trustee. By making more than 11 million records available online and providing electronic recording, the Office of the Clerk and Recorder allows people to do business more efficiently 24 hours a day. It is responsible for managing technology to collect, preserve and disseminate records that reflect and verify ownership, transfer, encumbrance, and foreclosure rights of all real property in the City and County of Denver. It issues and records marriage and domestic partnership licenses; administers records for elections and lobbyist information, has executive authorization to formally execute all contractual agreements with the City, and has executive and legislative authorization to formally implement and publish all policies, ordinances and appointments in the City and County of Denver. The Elections Division within the Office of the Clerk and Recorder provides comprehensive elections services for the City and County of Denver, including voter records, voter services, ballot operations, technical and logistical support, and election administration. The Denver Elections Division is a national leader and vanguard of elections administration, with a reputation for innovative and voter-centric service. Salary Range: $99,649 – $159,438. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections and Voter Registration Manager, Snohomish County, Washington— The Snohomish County Auditor’s Office is seeking an experienced, collaborative professional to lead a dedicated team as the Elections and Voter Registration Manager.    The mission of the Elections and Voter Registration Divisions is to conduct fair, accountable elections and encourage people to understand and participate in the voting process. The successful candidate will manage a staff of ten, oversee a budget ranging from $4 to $7 million (depending on the election cycle), and will be a member of the Auditor’s Office leadership team. The successful candidate must have a deep commitment to ensure accessible, nonpartisan, secure, transparent elections. Salary: $86,276-$121,913. Deadline: March 31. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Director, Oregon Secretary  of State’s Office— Are you ready to put your experience in election administration, management, and practical skills to work leading an election division in a state that prides itself on its innovative election policy? Would you like to be part of a new, principled, equity-driven administration that is committed to empowering the public through election education, access, policy, and outreach? The State of Oregon is looking for you. This is an extremely visible, high profile position that serves at the pleasure of the elected Secretary of State. This position reports to the Deputy Secretary of State and serves as a member of the Agency’s executive management team. As the Elections Director for the State of Oregon you will: Ensure all election-related processes run smoothly and fairly, including initiative petitions, campaign finance, complaint response; Support election officials, legislators, members of the public, the media, and others with your election expertise; Ensure agency compliance with all relevant state and federal mandates; Support and encourage counties, candidates, campaigns, and voters to comply with election laws and procedures; Protect all election systems from outside interference; oversee development of programs to proactively combat misinformation campaigns and mitigate with accurate resources via multiple channels; Procure new Oregon Central Voter Registration System; Write policies, recommendations, strategic plans, and draft legislation; Manage a yearly budget of approximately $10 million and lead a team of approximately 40 people; Connect with employees to establish relationships to promote a strong division culture; Identify, needed skill sets to ensure employees are engaged and receive the necessary support, coaching, development, and training for continuous success; and Maintain and improve the culture of voting in Oregon. Salary: $8,842 – $15,240 Per month – Full Time.  Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Information Technology Director, Leon County, Florida: This is an executive level position on the management team at the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office (SOE). Our IT Director is a highly innovative position that requires managing and protecting technology for the SOE, supervising technical staff, creating and maintaining documentation, budgeting for technology needs, and a devotion to protecting voting integrity. The IT Director supports the SOE’s mission and maintains operational continuity. They work closely with Leon County’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) Department and are expected to be available to respond to all technical issues and external threats. This role will often require technical support hours outside the traditional business schedule in order to monitor and assure the functionality and security of computer and network systems. Salary: $80,443-$132,731. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Program Manager, Maryland State Board of Elections — The Director of the Election Reform and Management Division manages and supports the State’s implementation of the Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and other federal election laws, develops and implements efforts to improve election administration, and oversees the duties assigned to the Division. The position also manages the State’s mail-in and provisional voting programs conducted by the local boards of elections and the agency’s voter education and outreach efforts. The Division oversees an audit program of the local boards of elections and statewide training and education programs for election officials. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Regional Service Technician, Hart InterCivic— A Regional Service Technician responds to all customer requests ranging from training requests, to phone support requests, to onsite repair of voting equipment requests. This individual is one of the local customer’s support routes. The position requires residency in Harris County, Texas. The Regional Service Technician handles all Return Material Authorization (RMA) requests for external customers for all Hart InterCivic Verity products within his/her region and provides on-site customer support and troubleshooting on an as-needed basis. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Registrar of Voters, San Diego County, California— The Registrar of Voters is an executive management position that leads the Department and provides eligible citizens of San Diego County with widespread and ongoing opportunities to register and vote in fair and accurate elections for all federal, state and local offices and measures; and provides access to the information needed to utilize the initiative, referendum, and recall petition processes. Qualified candidates will possess a bachelor’s degree and five years of management level experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the classification. The ideal candidate for this position will have executive level decision-making skills in the area of election administration, as well as organizational and political acumen in order to advise and provide direction for ROV programs and services. Candidates familiar with election administration principles, campaign finance, election technologies, voting procedures, and federal and state election laws, are preferred. This recruitment will remain open until the position is filled. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for consideration. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Election Subject Matter Expert (SME), U.S. Election Assistance Commission— The Senior Election Subject Matter Expert (SME) is responsible to create EAC clearinghouse material to assist Election Officials, Voters, and other stakeholders with best practices, white papers, tools, data, training materials, instructions, and any other information that would be helpful to election administrators to assist with the Administration of elections. The incumbent will provide expert guidance regarding election administration that touches all facets of the agency to serve EAC stakeholders. The agency is filling multiple positions with this vacancy. Preparing and implementing programs and resources for election officials and voters. Major Duties: Updating and maintaining current Clearinghouse resources for election officials. Creating professional presentations, brochures, and training materials on all facets of election administration. Creating professional infographics using election-related data. Researching, collecting, and analyzing election data and presenting findings in reports, best practices, and white papers. Writing election related blogs and other publications regarding election administration. Making recommendations for reorganizing the EAC website to better serve its stakeholders regarding its Clearinghouse function. Researching and analyzing trends and identifying solution for election related challenges. Working closely with the senior advisor for programs and program directors to produce timelines for execution of work product and the expeditious issuance of reports, guidance to states, best practices and other documents, including factoring in timelines to accommodate review and comment of various draft documents. Recommends actions to alleviate conflicts within the timeline. Assists with work quality related to all agency Clearinghouse functions. Recommending action to ensure coordination and integration of program activities of each division including meetings and activities of EAC advisory boards. Serving as a team member on ad hoc teams convened to provide quick responses to special projects and studies which may cut across organizational lines, disciplines, and functions. Team participation is vital to effectively accomplish unit assignments. Successful participation in both routine and special assignments requires flexibility, effective interactive skills, and willingness to cooperate to enhance team accomplishments. Ensuring documents meet EAC standards and improve the agency Clearinghouse function. Identify areas that require improvement, establish working groups to assist with gaps. Provide feedback on election-related work quality including editing and guidance to staff to improve overall quality of work. Serving as the Project Manager for outsourced election work product as needed. Working with external stakeholders as needed. Reviewing Grant funding trends and preparing an analysis on trends of how the funds are being spent on innovative ways to assist stakeholders with ideas. Performing other related duties as assigned. Salary: $87,198 to $144,128. Deadline: June 3. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Election Subject Matter Expert (SME), Accessibility, U.S. Election Assistance Commission— The incumbent of this position serves as the Senior Election Subject Matter Expert (SME) Accessibility of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) which was established under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. HAVA was enacted to establish a program to provide funds to States to replace punch card voting systems, to establish the Election Assistance Commission to assist States with the administration of Federal elections, to otherwise provide assistance with the administration of certain Federal election laws and programs, and to establish voluntary voting system guidelines and guidance for States and units of local government with responsibility for the administration of Federal elections. EAC serves as a National clearinghouse and resource for information with respect to the administration of Federal elections. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), specifically requires states to make polling places accessible “in a manner that provides the same opportunity to people with disabilities for access and participation” as is provided to non-disabled voters. This includes accessible parking and paths of travel. Each polling place is also required to have at least one direct recording electronic voting system or voting system equipped for individuals with disabilities. HAVA also requires equal access for people with disabilities to registration by mail and a computerized statewide database, eliminating the need to re-register when people move (or re-register as a person with a disability) amongst other provisions. The incumbent is responsible to create EAC Accessibility related Clearinghouse material to assist election officials, voters, and other stakeholders with best practices, white papers, tools, data, training materials, instructions, and any other information that would be helpful to election administrators to assist with the administration of elections. The incumbent will provide expert guidance on accessibility related to election administration that touches all facets of the agency to serve EAC stakeholders. Salary: $87,198 to $144,128. Deadline: June 3. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Testing and Certification Program Director, U.S. Election Assistance Commission — The Testing and Certification Program Director develops EAC policy, quality management system, and standard operating procedures for the Voting System Testing and Certification (VST&C) Program and Division. Works with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), regarding laboratory accreditation for laboratories seeking accreditation to test voting systems under the EAC program. Under HAVA, NVLAP does the initial laboratory assessment and makes recommendation to the EAC, through the Director of NIST on the accreditation of candidate laboratories. Manages Division personnel (i.e., current FTE, technical reviewers and new hires). Establishes, implements, and evaluates budget, working jointly with the EAC’s leadership and Executive Director to establish priorities for the VST&C Division. Manages voting system testing and certification efforts, including supervising contract staff, technical reviewers, and consultants. Oversees testing of voting systems developed by registered manufacturers to determine whether the systems provide required basic functionality, accessibility, and security capabilities. Serves as EAC lead/co-lead on critical infrastructure issues. Develops blogs, white papers and other informational material for stakeholders on election technology and cybersecurity. Serves as EAC lead for development efforts on Voluntary Voting System Guidelines and development of requirements for testing at the laboratories. Serves as the lead auditor on voting system test laboratory audits. Leads the Election Official IT Training Program. Represents the EAC and VST&C Program at stakeholder meetings and conferences. Performs other duties as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Voter Services Manager, Denver Clerk/Recorder— This position will lead the Voter Services team within Elections Division. The Voter Services Manager also: Manages 4 FTEs that provide customer service and data entry; Serves as the County Administrator for SCORE (Statewide Colorado Registration and Election database); Oversees the election judge trainers, edits and approves training for: Supervisor Judges, Registration Judges and Support Judges and succession planning; Provides recommendations for staffing needed to perform voter registration functions and answer the phones and emails during various phases of the election cycle; Acts as a subject matter expert in elections by continuously reviewing Colorado election laws to accurately inform and instruct the general public and internal staff; Prepares, processes and/or provides written reports and other documents as necessary or requested, in accordance with legal precedents or other specialized/technical procedures; Implements policies, programs, operating procedures for the voter services department; Contributes to the development of performance goals, documents performance, provides performance feedback, and provides information to inform the formal performance evaluation; Fosters an atmosphere of innovation in order to challenge the organization to think creatively, especially as it relates to positive citizen and customer experience opportunities; Coaches, mentors, and challenges staff; Champions continuous improvement, including devising new strategies and new opportunities; Leads staff development initiatives that include training, development; Performs other duties as assigned or requested. Salary: $81,572 – $130,515. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

 

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Thermal Tape: Width is 2.25″ and the amount of tape/roll is 285′. Core inner diameter is 0.5″. There are 33 full cases and 24 rolls/case. Previously used in conjunction with the TSX voting machines. Seller: Richland County, Ohio Board of Elections.