electionline Weekly

December Schedule Changes & Site Maintenance

Schedule Changes
During the month of December, on Fridays and the week between Christmas and New Year, the Daily News will post by 10am each day. The Daily News will not post on December 24 and 31, which are federal holidays. Electionline Weekly will continue to publish as normal each Thursday.

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2022 EAVS Public Comment Period

2022 EAVS Public Comment Period
Comments due by Jan. 28

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announces an information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. The EAC intends to submit this proposed information collection (2022 Election Administration and Voting Survey, or EAVS) to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget for approval. The 2022 EAVS asks election officials questions concerning voting and election administration, including the following topics: Voter registration; overseas and military voting; voting by mail; early in-person voting; polling operations; provisional voting; voter participation; election technology; election policy; and other related issues.

Comments: Public comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments on the proposed information collection should be submitted electronically via https://www.regulations.gov (docket ID: EAC-2021-0002). Written comments on the proposed information collection can also be sent to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20001, Attn: EAVS.

Election News This Week

Going it on their own: According to Vobtebeat, the Potter County, Texas Republican Party plans to conduct its own election during the primary on March 1, independent of the county election administration. People voting in Republican races on Election Day will cast hand-marked ballots that will be hand counted, which the party believes to be more secure. Experts say the move will introduce a higher risk of fraud, confuse voters, and likely result in legal challenges. “This introduces a lot of potential mistakes and it also introduces opportunities for fraud,” Christina Adkins, the legal director of the Texas Secretary of State’s elections division told Votebeat. “The candidates on this ballot really need to think about whether this is how they want their election run.” Chris Davis, the election administrator in Williamson County and vice president of the Texas Association of Elections Administrators, learned of the plan from an email forwarded by the local party chair. “This will end badly,” Davis said, predicting extreme voter confusion. He said his county party has no desire to move in that direction and he is unaware of any county making a similar decision.

Voting on Voting: Greenland, New Hampshire will become the first town in the Granite State to vote on an effort to get cities and towns to ban the use of vote counting machines. Greenland will hold a special town election Dec. 18 on the citizen petition filed by Douglas Wilson and 51 registered voters calling on the town to revert back to the hand counting of all paper ballot votes. The petition in Greenland required only 50 signatures to call the special vote because the town’s population is less than 10,000 (it’s 4,067, according to 2020 Census). Similar attempts to ban the voting machines are under way in Hampton and Kensington. There is also a statewide bill to do away with voting machines filed by state Rep. Mark Alliegro, R-Campton. Proponents of the measure say it’s a way to restore “integrity” in future elections. Those who oppose this change to the way election results are counted have called it a ruse to undermine voter confidence in the election system by solving a problem that doesn’t exist. “Over 800,000 votes were cast in New Hampshire last November,” Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said in a prepared statement provided to Seacoastonline. “There were 16 recounts, and all verified the winners. New Hampshire’s election process continues to be a model for the rest of the country.”

Sticker News: Congratulations to Battle High School freshman Hailey Mendez Roca for being selected the winner of the Boone County, Missouri “I Voted” sticker design contest. “I really didn’t expect to win,” she said. “I knew I wanted to represent the voters of Boone County,” said Hailey, who got into graphic design from drawing on her iPad at Lange Middle School. “That’s where the hands reaching up — like, to say ‘I voted’ — came from.” Her design features six hands of different skin tones on a red-striped background with a blue-star border, representing the American flag. Hailey said that it was important to represent diversity of the population in the sticker design to inspire a more diverse voter turnout, as well as future designers. Hailey was one of five finalists selected from over 75 submissions, and her design will be featured at county polling places for 2022-2023 elections, according to the Boone County Clerk’s website. The county clerk’s office opened voting to the public to choose the winner from the finalists. More than 2,000 votes came in.

Sticker News II: The Collier County, Florida supervisor of elections office recently announced the winning artists of the county’s Art for Democracy contest. A call for entries took place between October 1 and November 12, 2021 and students were challenged to create a piece of artwork that expressed the meaning of democracy. This year, the Supervisor of Elections office received the highest level of participation with over 300 art submissions. Among the submitted works of art, 12 winning entries were selected to appear in 2022 election materials including the new “I Voted” sticker for the 2022 Election Cycle which was designed by Oscar Andablo of East Naples Middle School.

Need a last-minute gift?: If you’re looking for a last minute gift we’ve found a unique one for you. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has recently unveiled two limited-edition John Lewis bobbleheads standing on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The first bobblehead features the 1965 version of Lewis wearing a white shirt, tie, beige trench coat and backpack. The second bobblehead features an older version of the late Congressman wearing a blue suit. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum will be donating 10% from every bobblehead sold to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Established in 1991, the NCRM is regarded as one of the nation’s premier heritage and cultural museums. It is located at the former Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, was assassinated on April 4th, 1968.

Personnel News: Pierce County, Washington Auditor Julie Anderson will run for secretary of state as a nonpartisan. Audrey Rowlatt announced that she will not seek re-election as the Carson City, Nevada clerk/recorder. Michael Susek has been named the new director of elections for Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Danielle M. Kuntz has been appointed chair of the Jackson County, Georgia board of elections. Billy Wooten has been appointed the new supervisor of elections for Chatham County, Georgia.

Legislative Updates

Anchorage, Alaska: The Anchorage city council is considering a proposal that will make several changes to the city’s elections. Among the changes is a registration period for election observers. Candidates for office and political organizations are allowed one poll watcher and one observer at polling locations and up to four observers at a return location — in Anchorage’s case, the election center. Under the proposed changes, people wanting to register to be election observers would need to turn in a form between 62 and 32 days before a regular election, and between 37 and 22 days before a special election. Previously, there was no pre-registration. Other updates in the ordinance include changes to observer requirements and clarifying changes to the code’s language.  The Assembly will take in-person public testimony on the ordinance at two meetings this month.

Riverside County, California: The Board of Supervisor voted unanimously to adopt the Voter’s Choice Act which will move the county from a neighborhood-based polling place county to a vote center system. Riverside becomes the 16th county to adopt the Voter’s Choice Act. The county expects to save $7 million on election costs.

Florida: Representative Anna V. Eskamani (Orlando) and Senator Annette Taddeo (Miami-Dade) filed House Bill 903 (HB 903) and Senate Bill 1228 (SB 1228), respectively, in an effort to implement online voter registration programs in public high schools across the state. HB903 and SB1228 would require all Florida public high schools to host bipartisan voter registration presentations, giving eligible students the option to register or pre-register to vote. These presentations, designed by the Division of Elections, would give students the resources to register to vote online. Students could not be forced or persuaded to register to vote or register with a certain party, and teachers would not be involved in the presentation in any capacity. “Our youths are the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow. By providing accessible voter registration in Florida’s public schools we are facilitating a space where these students can contribute to the democratic process of this great nation.”, said Taddeo in a press release. “Many people in our state don’t know that if you turn 18 years old by election time, you can pre-register at the age of 17 years old and these presentations can help inform on just that.”

Georgia: Sen. Butch Miller (R) has introduced legislation that would eliminate absentee ballot drop boxes. In a press release, sent by the Senate Press Office, Miller, who is facing an opponent endorsed by former President Donald Trump, called the banning of drop boxes the “next step in our fight to restore Georgians’ faith in our election systems.” “Drop boxes were introduced as an emergency measure during the pandemic, but many counties did not follow the security guidelines in place, such as the requirement for camera surveillance on every drop box,” Miller said in the release. “Moving forward, we can return to a pre-pandemic normal of voting in person. Removing drop boxes will help rebuild the trust that has been lost..” Georgia’s new voting law allows the drop boxes with tight restrictions: They must be located inside early voting sites, available only during in-person voting hours, and shut down when early voting ends the Friday before an election. Miller’s proposal, Senate Bill 325, would remove the use of election drop boxes completely. An analysis of election data from the secretary of state’s office by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Georgia Public Broadcasting found that ballot drop boxes saw heavy usage in mostly Democratic metro Atlanta counties during their rollout last year, far more than in rural Republican areas of Georgia.

Michigan: House Democrats have introduced a package of legislative bills that would allow for ranked choice voting in municipal elections.  The legislative package includes: House Bill 5646 to amend the Home Rule City Act to allow cities to authorize the use of ranked-choice voting for local elections; House Bill 5644 to amend the Michigan Election Law by outlining the rules for how a ranked-choice election is conducted; and House Bill 5645 to amend the Michigan Election Law to establish the procedures that local clerks must follow when implementing a ranked-choice election.

New Hampshire: The Granite State’s next legislative session is just weeks away. Here is a look at eight election bills headed to the State House concerning voter fraud, absentee voting, age requirements and more. HB 1153: Prohibits a municipal clerk from mailing an absentee ballot to any person until that person has submitted an absentee ballot application and the clerk has approved their application. HB 1157: Prohibits electronic ballot counting devices from being connected or having access to the internet. This bill is also sponsored by Rep. Torosian. HB 1166: Requires any undeclared voter who wishes to vote in a primary election to declare party affiliation at least 120 days before the primary. The legislation also mandates that a candidate be a member of the party for which they seek a nomination for at least six months before a primary. This bill is sponsored by Rep. David Love, a Derry Republican. HB 1203: Repeals residency and registration changes that were made in two previous bills that were passed in 2017. One bill required all voters living in the state to follow residency laws, such as the requirement to register a car in New Hampshire. The other bill added stricter requirements for voters who register within 30 days of an election but do not present a photo ID or other documentation. For those voters, the law required them to fill out a new set of forms and present the documentation to their local elected officials. HB 1213: Establishes the State Primary Election Day as a legal holiday, and provides that any state office, city, town, school district, and community college or university supported by the state shall not be open for any state holidays. Currently, General Election Day is a holiday, but public schools and public employees do not get the day off. HB 1442: Requires that election and voter information be available in multiple languages. This bill is sponsored by Rep. Manny Espitia, a Nashua Democrat. CACR 15: This constitutional amendment allows 17 year-olds to vote in primary elections, as long as they turn 18 by the time of the general election. CACR 16: This constitutional amendment requires the Attorney General to prosecute “any case of election fraud where there is clear and convincing evidence of such.” This amendment is sponsored by Rep. Max Abramson, a Seabrook Libertarian.

New York City: As expected, the New York City council voted to enfranchise nearly a million noncitizens to vote in local elections. The legislation was approved 33-14 with 2 abstentions. Immigrants with permanent residency or legal work authorizations will be able to vote in local elections moving forward. The legislation, sponsored by Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, has been years in the works. “It is no secret that today, inside this chamber, the New York City Council is making history,” Rodriguez told City & State. Despite the bill having several dozen co-sponsors, a spirited debate on the legislation broke out at Thursday’s stated meeting. Council Member Mark Gjonaj, one of the more conservative Democratic members of the council, moved to send the bill back to the Committee on Governmental Operations, in order to consider possible amendments to it, including extending the mandatory residency requirement for noncitizen voters prior to the election date to more than 30 days. Several members spoke in favor of moving it back to committee, including Republican Minority Leader Joe Borelli and Democrats Kalman Yeger and Robert Holden.

North Carolina: Gov. Roy Cooper (D) has vetoed legislation that would have prohibited local boards of elections from accepting private grant funding to help administer elections.  GOP bill sponsors said outside donations to government agencies create the impression of undue influence in elections. They point out that some nationwide grant distributors received large donations from Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the company formerly known as Facebook, and his wife. But Cooper said in a statement that nonprofit and nonpartisan grants provided masks, pens and other protective equipment “so voters stayed safe during the pandemic.” “The legislature should start properly funding elections boards to ensure accessible, safe, and secure elections every time, which would end the need for grants,” he added. The bill now returns to the General Assembly, which after Friday won’t reconvene to Raleigh until Dec. 30, when veto override attempts are possible. But it’s unlikely GOP bill authors would be successful. The bill was approved along party lines, and Republican majorities are not veto-proof.

Pennsylvania: Legislation to ban private funding of Pennsylvania elections has passed the state House and now moves to the Senate for consideration. House Bill 2044, sponsored by Rep. Eric Nelson, R-Westmoreland, would prohibit county and state elections officials from accepting private donations to administer elections. The move was inspired by millions of dollars in grants to local election offices provided by nonprofits controlled by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the last election cycle. “This bill addresses a major concern brought forth during the 2020 election, that the lure of private money has seeped into the election system,” Nelson said. “Email evidence has proven Pennsylvania’s highest election officials notified specific counties of grant opportunities weeks before other counties were made aware. Our state’s highest offices were vulnerable to perversion by deep pockets with private election contracts. It is just plain wrong, and this bill will stop it.” Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, argued on the House floor Tuesday the money pumped into elections in 2020 wasn’t partisan and did not generate fraud. He urged the chamber to reject the legislation and to instead invest more tax dollars into elections to eliminate the need for private funds.

Ohio: The House has voted to end most August special elections, a change that could make it more difficult for schools and other local governments to pass tax levies. House Bill 458 would only allow August special elections to fill vacant congressional seats, which happened twice earlier this year for Ohio’s 11th (Cleveland) and 15th congressional districts (suburban and rural Central Ohio.) That means Ohio largely would shift to only holding two elections a year: the primary, typically in March or May and the general election in November. The House voted 68-24 to approve the bill, with all of the “no” votes coming from Democrats, although some Democrats voted for the bill. The measure now heads to the Senate for consideration. One HB458 sponsor, State Rep. Thomas Hall, a Butler County Republican, previously has said that local governments “game the system” by seeking to approve tax increases during low-turnout special elections when most voters aren’t paying attention. Under the bill, local governments could place tax issues on the ballot during August special congressional elections, but only if the government’s borders are entirely within the congressional district. The bill also would allow local governments to seek tax issues in an August special election if they are designated by the state Auditor’s Office to be in a state of fiscal emergency.

Legal Updates

Arizona: Attorney General Mark Brnovich is asking a federal court to throw out a lawsuit challenging a new law that will kick some people off what has been the “permanent early voting list.” The new law, approved earlier this year, imposes only a “minimal” burden on voters, Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign, writing on Brnovich’s behalf, argues in new court filings. Ensign does not specifically address statistics presented by challengers that the change will have a disparate impact on minorities. Instead, he told U.S. District Court Judge Dominic Lanza that these claims are irrelevant, saying there is no proof that was the intent of the Republican-controlled legislature — even if that is what the numbers may show. Until now, anyone who has signed up for the permanent early voting list automatically gets a ballot in the mail ahead of all elections. Only when a person is removed from the list of registered voters does that end. The new law spells out that if someone does not return an early ballot in at least one of four prior elections — meaning a primary and a general election in two successive years — that person is dropped from what would no longer be called the permanent early voting list.

Florida: Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker will hear arguments on Jan. 7 in a lawsuit filed by University of Florida professors challenging a policy that gives the school discretion in blocking faculty members from testifying against the state in legal cases. Political science professors Sharon Austin, Michael McDonald and Daniel Smith filed the lawsuit after the university denied their requests to serve as plaintiffs’ witnesses in a challenge to a new state elections law (SB 90) that includes making it harder for Floridians to vote by mail. They said school administrators told them that going against the executive branch of the government was “adverse” to the university’s interests.  “The public controversy involving the three UF professors who were denied permission to act as paid expert witnesses in litigation against the state of Florida is now over. Indeed, that controversy was over even before this case began. UF approved the professors’ outside activity requests before they filed the lawsuit. They simply refuse to take yes for an answer,” the university’s lawyers wrote in a Dec. 1 motion to dismiss. According to court records, the university told the political science professors that “outside activities that may pose a conflict of interest to the executive branch of the state of Florida create a conflict” for the university. State universities rely on the Legislature for funding, and the governor has the ability to veto line items in the budget.

Georgia: U.S. District Judge J.P. Boulee ruled against motions to dismiss eight pending lawsuits against Georgia’s new voting law. Boulee’s orders allow the cases to move forward as they contest many provisions of the law, including stricter voter ID requirements, ballot drop boxes limitations, shorter absentee ballot request deadlines and a ban on handing out food and water to voters waiting in line. Boulee denied arguments from the state of Georgia that the cases should be thrown out because of legal issues including whether the plaintiffs had a right to sue, suffered an injury or stated a claim for relief. The merits of the cases will be determined after facts and evidence are presented in the case, Boulee wrote. The plaintiffs include several nonprofit organizations and the U.S. Department of Justice, which alleged that the law targeted Black voters by restricting absentee voting. Georgia’s Republican attorney general, Chris Carr, sought to dismiss the case in July, calling it “political posturing” filled with “innuendo and hyperbole.”  The cases will now continue to move through the court system as the parties gather evidence and make arguments in court.

Former U.S. Senator David Perdue has filed a lawsuit that recycles claims of fraud already disproven by investigators and rejected by the courts. In court filings, Perdue and a Georgia voter claim that thousands of “unlawfully marked” absentee ballots were counted in Fulton County’s presidential election, despite three separate counts of the results and no evidence of so-called “counterfeit” ballots included in the vote totals. The lawsuit repeats claims of “pristine” ballots observed by a Republican monitor that investigators could not corroborate, includes debunked claims about ballots counted at State Farm Arena on election night and demands an inspection of absentee by mail ballots, after a Henry County judge dismissed a similar suit in October. The legal challenge also wants the court to fire any employees that committed or knew about alleged fraud — something a judge would be unlikely to do — and to command Fulton to “certify the correct vote total to the Secretary of State,” which is impossible to do since the election is already certified. Other claims made in the suit rehash arguments that have been made and fact-checked for months, including most recently in a lawsuit filed by election conspiracist Garland Favorito that was dismissed in October.

Nevada: A voter represented has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a nascent ballot initiative aimed at transforming the state’s election system to open primaries with a ranked-choice general election. The suit claims the proposed initiative violates three state constitutional requirements: the single-subject rule, addition of a cost without a funding source, and a deficient “description of effect,” the 200-word summary that accompanies the signature form for the petition.  It states that the initiative’s replacement of traditional closed party primaries along with the switch to a ranked-choice general election would violate the requirement that voter-filed initiatives stick to a single subject. “Though sweeping in scope, each of these changes is a discrete, independent modification of present election law that neither depends upon the other for its operation nor even references it in its voluminous text,” the complaint states. The lawsuit also claims the proposed initiative violates requirements against ballot questions that require an appropriation or spending of money without some kind of included tax or funding source.

New York: John O. Jacoby Jr. has been awarded the victory in a close election for a Lewiston Town, New  York board seat, and the reason has everything to do with the letter between “John” and “Jacoby.” State Supreme Court Justice Frank A. Sedita III ordered the counting of ballots from 43 Lewiston voters who filled in the “O” in Jacoby’s name, instead of the oval for voting on their paper ballots. The computerized scanner that counts Niagara County votes missed those 43 votes because they are programmed to register marks in the oval. The scanner did count 21 ballots for Jacoby on which the voter filled in both the oval and the O. Acting Republican Election Commissioner Michael P. Carney sought to disallow those 21 votes because of the double marking, but Sedita refused. The result of the court ruling was to turn what seemed to be a 18-vote defeat for Jacoby into a 25-vote victory. “I’m pretty familiar with the election process, but this was a fluke,” said Jacoby, an incumbent board member who was county Democratic Party chairman for almost a year before stepping down this summer.

Texas: In an 8-1 decision, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals—the state’s highest court for criminal cases—struck down a law that allows the attorney general to unilaterally prosecute election cases. The court issued an opinion saying a provision of the law violates the separation of powers clause in the Texas Constitution, representing an intrusion by the executive branch into the judicial branch. The attorney general can only get involved in a case when asked to by a district or county attorney, the court said. In its opinion, the Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a lower-court ruling that said the election code provision “clearly and unambiguously gives the Attorney General power to prosecute criminal laws prescribed by election laws generally whether those laws are inside or outside the Code.” Rather, the Court of Criminal Appeals said, “the Attorney General can prosecute with the permission of the local prosecutor but cannot initiate prosecution unilaterally.”

Attorneys for the Crystal Mason filed briefs with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that points to a provision under the controversial election law Senate Bill 1 they believe will undo her conviction. Her lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union this week filed a brief with the Texas Court of Criminal of Appeals citing the state’s new election law that took effect earlier this month in asking for her conviction to be overturned. Tucked within SB 1 that was passed by the Texas Legislature in this year’s second special session is a section erasing criminal penalties for felons who attempt to vote without knowing that they were committing a crime. That portion of the law came about with Mason’s conviction in mind. “SB 1 is a repudiation of Ms. Mason’s conviction and five-year sentence of incarceration,” the brief states. Her case has been on appeal since she was convicted in 2018. It led Mason to spend 10 months in federal prison because her conviction amounted to a violation of her parole agreement with federal authorities. She is free while her case is on appeal. Her conviction was upheld in lower courts, but has been pending in Texas’ highest criminal appeals court since 2020.

A Harris County grand jury indicted a former Houston police captain for assault, after he was accused of running a man off the road and pointing a gun at his head in an attempt to prove a bogus voter fraud conspiracy. Mark Aguirre is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and could face up to 20 years in prison. Aguirre was arrested last December after prosecutors say he ran his SUV into the back of the truck of an air conditioning technician. Aguirre allegedly told police he believed the victim was behind a massive voter fraud scheme and that there were 750,000 fraudulent ballots in his truck.

Virginia: The Office of Attorney General Mark Herring has filed a brief seeking to throw out a lawsuit arguing the Commonwealth should conduct elections for the House of Delegates again, since the districts vary greatly in population. In June, Paul Goldman sued the Board of Elections saying the 2021 House of Delegates elections were going to be on out of date districts. Some districts have nearly twice as many people as others. Goldman says that violates the equal protection clause: that one person gets one vote. The case, before Federal District Court, is currently on appeal before The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Herring’s office appealed the case after the judge overseeing the district court case removed a number of defendants from the case, including Governor Ralph Northam, but kept members of the State Board of Elections in their official capacities.  The Attorney General’s office brief was in an appeal lawyers wrote the case should be argued in state rather than Federal Court in order to sue state officials. They also wrote Goldman was disguising his state law claims in federal court, but conceded the case “may raise important questions of Virginia law.” “Mine is based on the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment. They don’t seem to be able to comprehend that,” Goldman said. “There is also a very good state constitutional argument that you could make: I’m making the federal constitutional argument.”

Washington: Judge Cameron Mitchell ruled this week against the Washington Integrity Coalition United in its pursuit of having local auditors turn over ballots so that they could be examined and to stop using the voting system to count the ballots. The lawsuit, filed in Snohomish County, wanted to have a “forensic audit” of the ballots. Mitchell ruled this week that the nonprofit needed to have an attorney file the case. Instead the nonprofit’s director, Tamborine Borrelli, and two Franklin County men, Ethan Carlson and Fred Carpenter, signed the complaint. While individuals can represent themselves in court, nonprofits don’t have the same ability, said Callie A. Castillo, the attorney representing Franklin County. Mitchell also pointed out the two Franklin County men didn’t sue within the time frame required by state law. Even outside of the procedural elements, Mitchell said ballots are protected from public records requests. “Those are confidential and they’re not to be disclosed,” he said. “The court also denies the complaint on that basis.”

Wisconsin: U.S. District Judge James Peterson upheld the way Wisconsin’s decade-old voter ID law treats college students.  In 2019, the liberal group Common Cause Wisconsin filed a lawsuit arguing the law treats students unfairly because college IDs must have elements that other types of IDs don’t have to have. Specifically, the college IDs can be used for voting only if the IDs expire within two years of being issued and include a signature. IDs from five of the state’s institutions of higher learning don’t meet those criteria, according to the lawsuit. Peterson threw out the lawsuit, ruling that it was reasonable for the state to spell out what must be included on college IDs. “It would be rational for the legislature to conclude that making student IDs more uniform enhances their reliability, makes them more difficult to falsify, and makes it easier for poll workers to recognize a valid student ID,” Peterson wrote. Peterson, who was nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, has ruled against the voter ID law in the past.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Ralph Ramirez delayed until at least next month any action in a lawsuit that seeks to force the mayors of Madison and Green Bay to face jail or sit for depositions with the attorney hired by Republicans to investigate the 2020 election. Ramirez set the next hearing in the case after a Dane County judge hears arguments in a separate case filed by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul.  A ruling in that case would likely affect the lawsuit targeting the mayors, leading the judge on Friday to delay any action until after that Dec. 23 hearing. Attorneys for the mayors and Michael Gableman, the lead investigator, did not object to the delay.

Tech Thursday

Vendors: Hart InterCivic has expanded their solutions offering to now include a new voter registration and election management system (EMS) solution called NextVote. Julie Mathis, CEO, stated “We couldn’t be more excited about the expansion of our capabilities and what it means for our customers. Customers have told us they want to see Hart offer new products and services, beyond the core voting system. This way, they can benefit from our technology leadership and customer service excellence across more of their election operations and simplify their management of fewer vendors.” The Hart NextVote solution is centered around secure, modern, and flexible voter management/voter registration but also includes intuitive modules to make election processes more efficient, including election management, geographic information system (GIS), poll worker / polling place management, absentee ballot processing, petition management, and reporting management. Hart plans to solicit customer input to help prioritize the development of additional fully integrated modules to help election offices run more smoothly and efficiently. NextVote is designed to work across multiple voting system environments; it will integrate well with voting systems from Hart and from other vendors. NextVote is already being implemented by Hart in New York counties, and expansion to other states is already in motion. For more information or to schedule a demonstration, please contact Hart InterCivic at Sales@hartic.com.

Opinions This Week

National Opinion: Overturning elections | Election officials, II | Voting rights, II | Paper ballots | U.S. Supreme Court | Democracy | Election reform | The Big Lie | Federal election legislation, II, III

Alaska: Election security;

California: League of Women Voters | Special elections | San Luis Obispo County

Colorado: Mesa County | Voting rights

Georgia: Disinformation

Louisiana: Voting equipment

Massachusetts: Noncitizens

New Hampshire: Voting equipment

New Jersey: Early voting | Ranked choice voting

Ohio: Election legislation

Pennsylvania: Poll workers | Language accessibility

Tennessee: Hamilton County

Texas: Voter fraud | 2020 election review

Utah: Voter fraud | Ballot measure

Vermont: Voting system

Virginia: Ranked choice voting

Washington: Yakima County

Wisconsin: Election administration | Threats | Election officials | Voter data | 2020 election review

Upcoming Events

IGO Mid-Winter Conference: The International Association of Government Officials will hold its 2022 Mid-Winter Conference in-person in Indian Wells, California. Registration is currently available. Check back for more information on the agenda. When: January 20-25, 2022. Where: Indian Wells, California.

NASED Winter Conference: Watch this space for more information. When: January 27-30, 2022. Where: Washington, DC.

NASS Winter Conference: Watch this space for more information. When: January 27-30, 2022. Where: Washington, DC.

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.

Account Management Specialist, EI-ISAC— The EI-ISAC is looking for an ambitious teammate who is passionate about making a difference in the realm of cybersecurity for (SLTT) election offices. The ideal candidate will be comfortable building relationships with the election community to support and advance the mission of “confidence in a connected world.” What You’ll Do: Support the development and execution of the EI-ISAC strategy and mission; Assist election officials to determine security needs and how they integrate with election technology; Facilitate communications between election officials and IT professionals; Provide exceptional service to all members and be able to explain the concepts and services that can protect their technology via email, phone calls, and WebEx meetings/conferences; Ensure ongoing customer satisfaction and retention; Assist with the scheduling and running of member meetings and webinars; Responsible for the onboarding process of new members; Research, record, track, and report on member prospects and qualified leads to the team and management; Assist with data cleanup, reporting, and any ongoing projects; Update metrics for EI-ISAC reports and presentations; Represent the EI-ISAC in a professional and courteous manner; and Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Assistant Registrar of Voters, San Diego County, California— The Assistant Registrar of Voters is an executive management position reporting to the Registrar of Voters (Director). The Assistant Registrar assists the Registrar in managing the overall responsibilities and activities of the Department to include providing 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 provide access to the information needed to utilize the initiative, referendum, and recall petition processes. The ideal candidate for this position will have sound decision-making skills in 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 California election laws are preferred. Salary: $150,000- $160,000. Deadline: Jan. 7, 2022. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy Elections Administrator, Ohio Secretary of State’s Office— The Ohio Secretary of State is currently seeking candidates for a Deputy Elections Administrator. The duties of the position include but are not limited to: Under general direction of Elections Administrator; manages critical elections operations; reviews, tests, and ensures proper functionality of software applications; assists with defining goals & objectives for Election Division; assists with oversight & direction of all aspects of election administration, including but not limited to reporting by Boards of Elections (BOE) compliance with federal & state mandated programs & procedures; assists Elections Administrator in drafting and reviewing directives, advisories, memoranda & other instruction for use by BOE; supervises staff (e.g., sign off on requests for leave; performance evaluations; approve payroll; manage daily activities). Assists with directing & monitoring all activities of the Elections Division including work flow, release of information by phone or mail, election related research, designing programs to enhance operation of Elections Division; assists with scheduling & implementing responsibilities of each section (e.g., services provided by Election Division, policies & procedures); coordinates election matters with Elections Division legal staff; assists with review of reports, documents, & training materials submitted by BOE. Represents SOS with Boards of Elections in all 88 counties at elections- related conferences, committees, & various meetings pertaining to BOE activities; performs other duties & tasks as assigned. Salary: $76,336 negotiable based on experience. Deadline: December 28. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director, Filing, Disclosure and Compliance Division, Michigan Secretary of State’s Office— This position serves as the Director of the Bureau of Elections’ Filings, Disclosure and Compliance Division. The Division is responsible for administering the Campaign Finance Act, Lobbyist Registration Act, Casino Registration Act, portions of the Michigan Election Law, and Notary Public Act. This position is responsible for managing and overseeing multiple complex work units and other professional staff; core programs related to campaign finance and lobby registration reporting, disclosure and compliance; Office of the Great Seal, including intake of enrolled bills and assignment of Public Act numbers, filing of Executive Orders and Executive Directives, document authentication and certification; state-level candidate filings for office and statewide initiative, referendum and constitutional amendment petition filings; and Bureau responsibilities related to the Board of State Canvassers. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Administrator, Hood County, Texas— Provides customer assistance necessary in structuring, organizing and implementing the voter registration process and the county election process. Examples of Important Responsibilities and Duties—Important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: Perform voter registration duties and the duties of organizing and conducting elections for the county; Hire, supervise and train department employees and election workers; Custodian of election equipment and all election records; Effectively manage public relations for the Election Administrator office by providing election information, issuing press releases, conducting interviews and participating in interviews with the media; Prepare and present annual department budget for approval of the County Elections Commission; Make reports to and work closely with the County Election Commission as well as the County Commissioners Court; Provide the clerical assistance needed by the Commissioners Court in canvassing precinct election returns; Responsible for filing of petitions, determining their validity and any other matters preceding the ordering of the election; Be willing to work and possibly contract with other political subdivisions in the county for their election needs; Attend annual Texas Secretary of State Election Law Seminar and any other functions deemed necessary; Represent the county in an honest and professional manner; and Perform any and all other duties of an Election Administrator as set forth in the Texas Election Code. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Analyst-Candidate Filings, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office— The Election Services Division of the Office of the Arizona Secretary of State is seeking a dedicated employee to serve as an Elections Analyst. This position will assist in administering elections, provide customer service to voters and the regulated community, communicate with Arizona counties, and maintain compliance with state and federal election laws. The main focus of the Election Analyst will be managing the candidate desk. Job Duties: Lead the planning and administering of the candidate petition review process, to include working with vendors and third parties to prepare and execute review process for candidate petitions. Develop training materials and handbooks. Present information to stakeholders and interested parties regarding the candidate filing process. Follow court challenges at the close of the candidate filing process. Maintain the candidate information on the webpage. Act as the primary contact for candidates and campaigns about the candidate filing process; Assist ballot measure desk lead in administering petition review process for initiatives, referendum, and recalls. Assist in developing training materials and handbooks for ballot measures. Assist in processing of circulator registrations related to petition circulation and creation of training materials and handbooks for circulator registrations; Act as subject matter expert in financial disclosure laws and regulations. Draft training materials and handbooks to assist filers in achieving compliance with disclosure requirements. Communicate with officeholders and proxies, judicial officers, and court administrators to provide accurate and concise filing information and instructions. Work with court administrators to track and inform new appointees of filing obligations. Track financial disclosure filings and initiate enforcement proceedings as necessary; Provide customer service to voters, election officials, and the general public regarding elections and voter registration. Provide support and guidance to the regulated community and the general public in areas of Elections Division oversight, including ballot measures, petition circulators, lobbyists, campaign finance, financial disclosures, etc.; As required, serve in a general capacity to accomplish Elections Division goals and meet deadlines. Provide support to upline managers by occasionally coordinating employee teams or working with specialized staff to complete projects. Assist fellow staff during periods of heavy volume; Help maintain all election-related information presented on the Secretary of State website, while ensuring content quality and functionality. Provide timely and accurate updates to election-related pages; and other duties as assigned as related to the position. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Analyst-Public Records, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office— The Elections Division of the Office of the Arizona Secretary of State is seeking a dedicated employee to serve as an Election Analyst. Their main focus will be to fulfill public records requests submitted to the Elections Division. They will report to the Senior Elections Policy Manager. Job Duties: Responsible for receiving, reviewing, and fulfilling public records requests and litigation discovery requests. This process includes the following tasks: tracking requests; communicating with the requester on topics such as fulfillment guidelines, costs, and updates on progress; coordinate collection and organization of responsive records by working with IT, elections, and other staff members; and reviewing and preparing documents for delivery; Responsible for records retention and document storage. Ensure Elections Division stores minimum hard copy documents consistent with the retention schedule; ensures that electronic records are properly maintained. Maintains records retention schedule, Iron Mountain storage, and schedules proper records destruction; Conducts ballot measure Town Halls. Organizing these events includes: scheduling venues; scheduling interpreters as needed (sign language, Spanish); conducting publicity and outreach; ensuring pro and con groups are represented; preparing and delivering presentation; Produces statewide Publicity Pamphlet by working with the vendor on layout, printing and proofing; coordinate the development of the household mailing list; ensuring pamphlets printed for English, Spanish, large print, and ADA; and ensure electronic version of pamphlet is appropriately distributed; Assist with voter registration quarterly reports, list maintenance, and other projects as assigned; Assist with customer service via phones and emails to voters, election officials, and the general public regarding elections and voter registration; and Other duties as assigned as related to the position. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Director, Pima County, Arizona— The Director of Elections leads a department comprised of multiple complex and technical units responsible for the successful conduct of elections in Pima County with over 650,000 registered voters.  The role is primarily strategic, operations, and leadership-focused, requiring experience and expertise in the field of conducting elections, elections policy, leading and managing employees to success.  Under administrative direction of the County Administrator or designee, this position plans, organizes, supervises and manages the activities of the Pima County Elections Division in compliance with applicable laws, ordinances, rules and regulations. This classification is in the unclassified service and is exempt from the Pima County Merit System Rules. Salary: $125,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Division Supervisor, Lewis and Clark County, Montana— The Treasurer’s Office is recruiting for a Elections Division Supervisor to join their team! Under the general supervision of the Treasurer, Clerk and Recorder, this position supervises the daily activities of the Elections Division of the Clerk/Treasurer’s Office. Duties and Responsibilities: Prepares, supervises and conducts all aspects of elections, including but not limited to federal, state, county, city, school, and special purpose district elections; Monitors legislative processes and changes that would impact operations; Meets election deadlines; Prepares for the opening and closing of candidate filing, receives candidate filing forms; Publishes notices, closes registration, and supervises late registration and in-person absentee voting; Provides supervision and leadership for Elections Department staff; Conducts performance appraisals, approves timecards and participates in recruitment and termination processes; Works with employees to correct deficiencies, including implementing disciplinary decisions; Certifies, orders and proofs ballot layout; Prepares for and oversees the mailing of absentee and mail ballots. Performs receipts, reconciliations, chain of custody, and tabulation of voted absentee and mail ballots; Schedules, staffs, and supplies polling places; Conducts post-election audits and canvass activities for local elections; Maintains voter registration database to include the issuing and processing of voter registration and absentee applications, conducting voter list maintenance in accordance with state and federal law (National Voter Registration Act or NVRA mailings), and maintaining voter history files; Provides and/or coordinates staff training and cross-training; Responds to questions and requests from the public and press; Prepares and posts social media content and maintains website content; Selects and coordinates work with third party vendors; Communicates with local governing bodies on their elections; Assigns and reviews regular and special projects; and Performs other duties as assigned. Salary: Base Pay: $29.05 – $30.76 / Hour. Deadline: December 26. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Manager/Specialist, Wayne County, Ohio– The Wayne County Board of Elections is searching for a motivated, civic-minded individual to join our team of Election Officials in either an Election Operations Manager or Election Specialist role. Applicants must be 18 years of age, live in Wayne County (or willing to move to Wayne County within 30 days), and a registered voter. Successful candidate will possess excellent customer service skills, knowledge of Microsoft Programs (Word and Excel), attention to detail, and flexibility to work extended hours as necessary for election administration. Full time employment includes excellent benefit package. Application: All applicants must complete a Wayne County Employment Application. Please forward application documents (cover letter, application, resume’) to Election Position, Wayne County Board of Elections, 200 Vanover Street, Wooster, OH 44691 or via email at Wayne@OhioSoS.gov.

Elections Special Project and Training Coordinator, Ohio Secretary of State’s Office— The Ohio Secretary of State is currently seeking candidates for an Elections Special Project and Training Coordinator. The duties of the position include but are not limited to: Under direct supervision of Deputy Elections Administrator and Elections Administrator; assists in planning, implementing, providing support & administering special projects associated with Elections Division (e.g., Election Night Reporting (“ENR”) system, Election Official Mentorship program, Elections poll worker training programs, Safe at Home); plans, coordinates & executes conferences & trainings related to Elections Division (e.g., Summer Conference, New Election Official Training, Online Poll worker Training); assists in providing liaison services to county Board of Elections (BOE) & other constituents to resolve concerns & identify resolutions to issues. Assist with projects within the elections division (e.g., ballot language, petition processing); independently responds to complex &/or confidential issues & correspondence (e g., BOE; general public inquiries) involving state & federal laws & rules; serves as liaison between Elections Administrator, Elections Counsel & Elections staff in order to convey & implement decisions, policies & procedures of elections-related programs; coordinates & reviews various materials related to elections issues (e.g., preparation of briefing, back-up materials, training requirements); Provides technical assistance with online poll worker training (e.g. password reset). ; reviews office forms & referral projects. Other duties as assigned (e.g., assist data entry; scanning documents; retention of records & filing; organize office; sort mail); responds to general inquiries from the public & directs inquiries to other staff members when appropriate. Salary: $59,987 negotiable based on experience. Deadline: December 28. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Fellowship, Arizona Secretary of State’s Office— The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office Elections Fellowship Program offers recent graduates who are interested in public service the opportunity to spend up to 12 months working with the Elections Division in the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office. The Elections Division advances the Secretary of State’s mission of ensuring a fair and secure election process across Arizona. The 2021-2022 fellows will have the exciting opportunity to work with our office during a midterm election cycle. The main fellowship duties will include work that advances the Secretary of State’s responsibilities regarding voter registration and data tracking. This position will be a good fit for someone who is detail-oriented and interested in learning more about elections administration. Throughout their fellowship, fellows will participate in monthly check-in meetings with an Elections team lead to receive guidance and feedback. Job Duties: Assisting with proofing voter registration statistics, researching voter cancelations, assisting uniformed and overseas citizens with voter registration and casting a ballot, election night reporting, proofing the official canvas, and other administrative duties; Maintaining and organizing records to track statutory voter registration list maintenance and election reporting requirements; Conducting document review to support the Office’s public records responses; Researching and responding to public inquiries; and Other duties and responsibilities as related to the position. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Government Services Strategy Impact and Learning Associate, CTCL— Election officials want to administer elections where every eligible voter can easily and securely cast their vote. But moving from intention to real-world impact can be challenging, especially without evidence of what works and what doesn’t work. As the Strategy, Impact, & Learning Associate on CTCL’s Government Services team, you will help measure and maximize the impact of CTCL’s work supporting election officials. You will identify metrics, design evaluations, coordinate with partners, and collect and analyze data. You will contribute to a culture of learning at the heart of CTCL’s Gov Services team, which will expand outward to our partners that work directly with election offices, and expand further outward to every election office in the country. You will be filling a new position and will report to the Senior Strategy, Impact, and Learning Manager. If you care about democracy, if you believe in the importance of public service, and if you love to exceed expectations, this is the job for you. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Michigan Regional Services Manager, Hart InterCivic— Hart InterCivic is looking for a Michigan-based Regional Services Manager. A Hart Michigan Service Manager is a highly motivated “self-starter” who responds to all customer requests ranging from training requests, to phone support requests, to onsite repair of voting equipment requests, to delivery and acceptance of new devices. This individual is the customer’s first line of support. The position requires residency in the State of Michigan. The Service Manager handles all Return Material Authorization (RMA) requests for internal and external customers for all Hart InterCivic Verity products within his/her region and provides on-site customer support and troubleshooting as needed. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Policy and Compliance Administrator, Denver, Colorado— The Elections Division provides comprehensive, nationally-recognized, election services for the City and County of Denver. These services include voter records management, voter services, petition management, election administration, elections operations, and strategic communications and outreach. The Elections program goal is to conduct fair, accurate, accessible, secure, transparent, efficient and reliable elections. Do you have a passion for serving others? If so, we want to hear from you! The City and County of Denver has an exciting opportunity for a Policy and Compliance Administrator to serve in the Office of the Clerk & Recorder Paul D. López.In this position, you will work with both divisions to ensure the office’s compliance with federal and state law. As a home rule municipality, Denver is uniquely situated to be involved with both state law and its own charter and ordinances. Additionally, as the Policy and Compliance Administrator, you can expect to: Interpret Denver and Colorado law to advise the Denver Clerk and Recorder on compliance issues related to his duties and the functions of the office; Draft legislation and administrative rules at the direction of the Clerk and Recorder; Serve as the Clerk’s legislative liaison to the Colorado General Assembly; Conduct research for policy determinations as directed by the Clerk and Recorder; Meet with stakeholders and members of the community to achieve the Clerk’s policy goals; Conduct comparative research and keep track of court cases; Represent the Clerk on inter-agency and inter-governmental commissions, etc.; Build strategic relationships for the Clerk and Recorder’s Office with other governmental entities, including the Colorado County Clerks’ Association; Coordinate with the City Attorney’s office to determine the Clerk’s legal strategy for litigation; Perform other duties as assigned or requested; and Assignments for this position are diverse in nature and require determining practical solutions in a fast-paced environment. Salary: $83,348 – $137,524. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Registrar of Voters, Orange County, California— Located on the Southern California coast with a culturally diverse population of 3 million, the County of Orange (Orange County) offers a high quality of life and a nearly perfect climate year-round. Orange County features excellence in education, low crime rate, a wide variety of businesses, and unlimited recreational opportunities.  The County is seeking a dynamic leader with a strong elections experience, who is a visionary and a proven leader in communities, and involved at the highest levels of government at the federal, state, and local level in proven leadership positions. The ideal candidate will have high levels of integrity and be highly politically astute while maintaining absolute objectivity. A combination of education and experience that demonstrates the competency and ability to perform the duties of the position is qualifying. Typically, 10 years of progressively responsible experience in the election-related field and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, or a related field would be qualifying. A Master’s degree is highly desirable. Certification as a Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) is highly preferred. Salary: $125,153.60 – $237,348.80. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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