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Election News This Week

Threats to 2022: Federal authorities have identified no credible threats to U.S. election systems despite persistent efforts by foreign adversaries, including Russia, to amplify disinformation about voter fraud and election integrity, senior FBI officials said this week. A month before the anticipated midterm vote, the officials said they were closely monitoring potential threats to election workers in the U.S., after local officials reported a wave of harassment and abuse before and after the contentious 2020 presidential election. Since June 2021, the federal Elections Threat Task Force has reviewed more than 1,000 reports. About 11% of those met the threshold for federal investigation, so far resulting in four arrests. The bulk of the potentially criminal threats involved election workers in seven states – Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada and Wisconsin – where the vote was close and involved post-election challenges. FBI officials said there was no evidence that election systems had been targeted by a cyber campaign aimed at disrupting operations or manipulating results. A significant compromise of such decentralized local election systems in the country would be “very difficult,” the officials said. Authorities were tracking attempted efforts by Russia, China and Iran to wage their own attempts at sowing distrust and promoting conspiracy theories aimed at disrupting the vote.

Hurricane Ian Impact Update: During a press conference this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) stressed that citizens in hard-hit counties will be able to vote. “I want to keep it as normal as humanly possible,” DeSantis said Wednesday. “I think the more you depart, it just creates problems, but we do have precedent with Hurricane Michael.” In a statement, Lee County Supervisor of Elections Tommy Doyle said his office is working with local cities and the county government to assess damage and determine where temporary voting sites will be needed. “In the wake of Hurricane Ian, loss of or structural damage to our offices, early voting sites and Election Day polling locations is evident,” Doyle said. “For many voters, their regular polling location will not be available,” he continued. “We understand and will do our best to provide a safe polling location that is as convenient as possible under current conditions.” He also attempted to reassure voters that the election will be conducted under Florida law. “Election security is paramount,” Doyle said. “We want voters to be confident that we are working hard to ensure they can safely, securely and efficiently cast their ballots in the upcoming election.” Doyle is asking the governor to sign off on his plan.  He sent a letter requesting to open 12 county-wide voting centers, explaining anyone could vote at these sites. Normally the county would have 97 sites on Election Day, but he doesn’t have enough poll workers to pull that off.

Truth is Powerful and will Prevail: Rather than remove 14 absentee ballot drop boxes recently deemed illegal by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the city of Madison is covering them with what the mayor’s office calls democracy-themed art. In a statement Wednesday, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s office said that “in the face of the erosion of such fundamental democratic pillars such as truth, voting rights and the rule of law, this week the City of Madison will shroud the drop boxes in the artwork of internationally known artist Jenny Holzer, who lifts the voice of many in hopeful messages about enduring democracy.” Work on almost all of the drop boxes had been completed as of mid-week, Deputy Mayor Katie Crawley said. Rhodes-Conway said the state Supreme Court’s decision “is one in a long line of decisions that negatively impacts voters in Wisconsin. … The ability to vote easily, safely and securely is fundamental to our democratic process. Rather than removing these secure ballot drop boxes, we wanted to transform them to share the powerful words of Sojourner Truth and to convey our community’s belief in democracy, voting rights and the prevailing power of truth.”

New Elections Division: This week, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced a new “election integrity division,” which he says “consolidates many of the office’s current investigative functions, including campaign finance reporting, voting system certification, voter registration integrity, the investigation of election law violations, data retention and transparency and cybersecurity protocols.” The role of the division will be to “investigate and pursue attempts to obstruct, intimidate, or interfere with any elector in registering or voting,” according to the LaRose’s office. According to the Ohio Capital Journal, though all of these mechanisms are already in place, LaRose wants to address skepticism in elections, such as those who denied the integrity of the 2020 election. “Our elections are being scrutinized like never before, and any lack of absolute confidence in the accuracy and honesty of those elections weakens the very foundation of our democracy. It’s the duty of my office to earn and maintain that trust,” LaRose said in a statement announcing the new division.

Still Waiting on Parts: The town clerk’s vault in Barnstable, Massachusetts has yet to be fully repaired after the locking mechanism malfunctioned on the day of the September primary. With the general election coming up Nov. 8, items normally stored in the vault are being kept in other town vaults, including the vital records vault upstairs, said Town Clerk Ann Quirk. Stored items include boxes of old marked and unmarked ballots — which the state requires be retained for certain periods of time — and the 15 tabulation machines that accept ballots at the polling places. “Very crowded, very crowded,” Quirk said of the storage situation. “But we can get through, you know? We can get through this.” She said the locksmith who has been working on the vault is waiting for a part to arrive before the work can be completed. “It has something to do with the arm,” she said. “I would say it’s — I call it an arm. It’s the lever on the outside that connects to the lever on the inside.” To crack open the vault during the primary, the locksmith had to drill holes in the door to access an interior lever that is designed to free a person who gets locked inside the vault, she said.

‘Ma’am we are a baseball team’: If ever there was a story to encapsulate what state and local elections officials are dealing with this  year, it may be this one. This week, the Harrisburg Senators, a Double-A of the Washington Nationals got some attention on social media  after it retweeted someone who directed a tweet, in all caps and full of exclamation points, at the team’s account regarding the prevention of voter fraud. This isn’t the first time the team’s account has had to clarify that it’s for a baseball team and not any government official. Back in August it tweeted apparently trying to clear up any confusion by noting that it is, in fact, a baseball team playing in Harrisburg “which is great but also confusing for people trying to voice opinions on public matters.” “We can’t change laws, but we can sell you a ticket to a baseball game.”

Sticker News: Congratulations are in order for 10-year-old Polly Crutchfield who created the winning design for this year’s “I Voted” sticker in Buncombe County, North Carolina. “We rolled out a custom Buncombe County branded sticker for the primary election and so many people loved it,” says Election Services Director Corinne Duncan. “We’re so excited to feature the art from one of our future voters on the next sticker!” The Isaac Dickson Elementary School student says she was inspired to draw the design because “No matter who you are you should have all the rights you need.”

This and That:  An audit by the Kent County, Michigan clerk’s office concluded that an election worker’s alleged illegal action did not interfere with the results of the August 2022 primary election. The Atlantic County, New Jersey board of elections is still without a permanent home after June sewer leak.  In case anyone thought COVID-19 wouldn’t be a storyline in 2022, nearly two dozen Summit County, Ohio board of elections employees recently tested positive and are out of work until testing negative. Lycoming County, Pennsylvania will hand-count ballots from the 2020 Presidential election. The Rhode Island Board of Elections unanimously approved a new set of protocols for the testing of voting machines ahead of the Nov. 8 general election. Although Harris County, Texas Elections Administrator’s Office received thousands affidavits this summer challenging the eligibility of registered voters throughout the county none of the affidavits led to county elections officials removing any names from the voter rolls. Local registrars across Virginia are scrambling to process about 107,000 voter records dumped on them overnight by the state Department of Elections, where computer network failures had left applications in limbo for months. Washington state now gives everyone convicted of a felony the right to vote as soon as they leave prison. But some challenges remain for people who were once incarcerated when it comes to casting their ballots. A rise in hostility towards election and poll workers led Dane County, Wisconsin clerk staff to begin de-escalation and active shooter training for election onboarding in August 2022.

Personnel News: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon announced he selected Uinta County resident Karl Allred to serve as interim secretary of state. Tim Bobanic has been sworn in as the new Brevard County, Florida  supervisor of elections. Nicole Unzicker has been named the new director of the Butler County, Pennsylvania board of elections. Cherl Heary (R) and Katie Lacey (D), the Cayuga County, New York elections commissioners for 14 years announced their retirement following November’s election. Cara Gean is the new chairwoman of the Sebastian County, Arkansas election commission. Ben Horvath has stepped down from the St. Joseph County, Indiana election board.

In Memoriam: Former longtime Bonneville County, Idaho Clerk Ronald Longmore has died after a five-year battle with cancer. He was 75. Longmore was appointed as deputy clerk of Bonneville County in 1975 before becoming county clerk in 1979. He would win reelection 10 times before retiring. Those who knew Longmore described him as a compassionate man with both a love and a knack for public administration. Penny Manning, Bonneville County’s current clerk who replaced Longmore when he retired, said he had a deep understanding of election law and mentored her when she began working in the county’s election office in 2009. “He understood Idaho code better than anyone I ever met,” Manning said. Manning recalled that the first time she spoke to Longmore, she called him by the wrong name. He politely corrected her, an embarrassing but kind start to a mentorship Manning said prepared her to become county clerk years later. Bonneville County Commissioner Roger Christensen remembered meeting Longmore for the first time in 1996. They discussed the elections office, particularly in terms of technological upgrades to the process. “He was able to keep that whole operation going with old tech for a long time,” Christensen said.

Legislative Updates

Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska: Matanuska-Susitna Borough residents have made it clear by speaking during the public testimony portion of recent assembly meetings that they want election voting machines out of their precincts. An ordinance sponsored by Assemblymember Ron Bernier would do just that — requiring ballots to be counted by hand instead of run through voting machines. Ordinance 22-119 would require ballots to be counted by hand only and has passed by a vote of 6-1, with only Assembly Member Stephanie Nowers opposing. The assembly also passed a motion to have a special meeting on January 17, 2023, at 3 p.m. about elections. The legislation would amend Title 25 of the Mat-Su Borough Code. The ordinance comes after the assembly already passed a resolution directing the clerk to perform a hand recount of the upcoming Nov. 8 elections. Assemblymember Stephanie Nowers — who was in favor of the resolution — thinks the borough might be getting ahead of itself by introducing the new ordinance before the recount takes place. If passed, the new legislation would go into effect in 2023. Currently, the Mat-Su Borough leases 46 ImageCast Precinct voting machines each year, in addition to one central count system. According to the borough clerk, the current year-long lease of the machines ends June 30, 2023, and cost the borough $72,257.

California: Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation into law that will partially reform the state’s recall process. Assembly Bill 2584 and Senate Bill 1061 make several revisions to the Election Code, including increasing the number of signatures required to initiate a recall from 10 to a minimum of 30 in jurisdictions with fewer than 100,000 registered voters, and a minimum of 50 in areas with more voters. The bills also require that information on recall petitions undergo the same review as candidates’ statements and that each page of the petition includes the estimated cost of the special election. Recall elections must also be consolidated with regular elections if the recall qualifies for the ballot within 180 days of a regular election. “It is far too easy to initiate a recall in California, wasting taxpayer dollars and distracting local elected officials from being able to serve their communities,” said Assemblyman Marc Berman, author of AB 2584. “While recalls can be an important tool to hold elected officials accountable, AB 2584 will ensure that the process to initiate a recall is rigorous enough to demonstrate that it is a serious effort, rather than weaponizing the recall process for the sole purpose of impeding government from working. In addition, this bill will make sure that voters are provided accurate and truthful information, and that we don’t waste limited public resources.”

District of Columbia: The D.C. Council gave initial approval to a pair of bills that will reshape the city’s election system, largely by expanding how people vote and who can vote. The first bill, which received unanimous support from lawmakers, would make voting by mail a permanent feature of D.C. elections, as well as require that at least 55 ballot drop boxes be used for every election. It also means that D.C. must use citywide vote centers for in-person voting instead of the traditional neighborhood-based precinct and that D.C. Public Schools close on primary and general election days to facilitate voting at schools. A second bill that was approved by the council would allow non-citizens — including undocumented immigrants — to vote in local elections. Both election-related bills require second and final votes next month, after which they will be sent to Mayor Muriel Bowser for her signature or veto. They carry small price tags that will have to be paid for in next year’s budget.

Torrance County, New Mexico: County commissioners voted unanimously to submit a complaint with state and local prosecutors that seeks to remove County Clerk Yvonne Otero, a Republican, from her elected office. The commission said she botched the certification of the county’s 22 ballot-counting machines and cites separate allegations that Otero harassed employees of the clerk’s office on multiple occasions. Torrance County Commission Chairman Ryan Schwebach urged Otero to resign at a special meeting of the commission. Otero attended the meeting and declined to respond, citing the advice of legal counsel. The politically conservative county continues to grapple with simmering mistrust about voting systems. Torrance County’s all-Republican board of commissioners has responded to that anger and skepticism by assigning county staff to monitor preparations for the November general election and conduct a hand recount of primary election results. County Manager Janice Barela is at the forefront of that oversight effort. She attended the certification of voting machines last week and said pre-signed certificates struck her as “dishonest” because the county clerk was not in attendance. “That goes to the core of what her duties are,” Barela said Tuesday. “That’s the very first thing, is certifying the machines. … That means something. We need to have trust.”

New Jersey:  An Assembly panel unanimously approved a partial rollback of a law banning police officers from polling places, advancing a bill that would let authorities into public schools where voting takes place. Voting advocates, civil rights groups, and several formerly incarcerated people urged lawmakers to reject the bill, warning it would suppress voter turnout among New Jerseyans of color, especially those with criminal histories. In January, Gov. Phil Murphy signed the law barring on- and off-duty police officers from being within 100 feet of a polling station or ballot drop box absent an emergency, a bid to prevent voter intimidation. The bill included an exception allowing senior living facilities that double as polling places to request a police officer be stationed there if the facility reports a threat or other safety concern. The bill advanced Thursday would add a similar carveout for public schools, alarming opponents. Concerns over school safety and difficulties finding locations to house voting machines on Election Day have pushed lawmakers to consider tweaks. The bill to allow police at polling places in public schools was introduced in June, roughly a month after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The New Jersey Association of Election Officials and New Jersey School Boards Association both supported the legislation.

Lawmakers are looking to pass a new set of voting protections. The bill would give the state Division on Civil Rights oversight powers over elections that impinge the ability of people belonging to a protected class — defined here as members of a race, color, or language minority group — to influence an election or elect candidates of their choice. “I just think it’s really important for folks in general,” said Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Passaic), one of the bill’s prime Assembly sponsors. “Voting should be something that is a right for all.” Dubbed the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of New Jersey — after the congressman and civil rights activist who died in July 2020 — the measure would also grant state courts broad powers to tweak election rules and dates if they find existing rules violate its provisions. In such cases, the bill would grant courts the power to redraw voting districts, increase the size of a given governing body, move elections to coincide with higher turnout primaries and general elections, and demand additional polling locations and voting hours, among other things. It would also create preclearance rules at the state level that could require localities that breach the state Voting Rights Act to get approval from the Division on Civil Rights or a state court before changing any part of their electoral process.

Legal Updates

SCOTUS News: The Supreme Court rejected MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell’s bid to fend off a defamation lawsuit the voting machine company Dominion Voting Systems filed over his far-fetched claims about the 2020 presidential election. The justices’ decision not to hear the case means a federal judge’s ruling in August 2021 that allowed the lawsuit to move forward remains in place. Lindell had unsuccessfully asked U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols of Washington, D.C., to allow him to appeal two legal questions related to the landmark 1964 Supreme Court defamation ruling in New York Times v. Sullivan, which concluded that there must be evidence of “actual malice” for a public figure to pursue a defamation claim. Lindell argues that Dominion is a public figure because it performs a government function in elections and that therefore the “actual malice” standard applies. His lawyers argue that because Lindell genuinely believes in his claims, there was no “actual malice” and that therefore the lawsuit should be dismissed.

The Court heard oral arguments in Merrill v. Milligan, a redistricting case out of Alabama that could imperil further the Voting Rights Act. According to published reports, the court’s conservative majority seemed to be searching for a narrow way to uphold a congressional map drawn by Alabama lawmakers that a lower court had said diluted the power of Black voters, violating the Voting Rights Act. Based on their questioning, which was mostly subdued and limited, the court’s conservatives seemed likely to reject some of the state’s most aggressive arguments, which would impose profound new restrictions on how the 1965 act applies in redistricting cases. “If one just listened to the oral argument, one might think that these justices are up for grabs in this case,” Richard L. Hasen,s, told The New York Times. But he cautioned that questioning can be misleading and that the court may well rework the leading precedent to make it much harder to challenge voting maps. The court’s three liberal members pushed hard to curb potential damage to the law, which Justice Elena Kagan called “one of the great achievements of American democracy.”

Arizona: The Republican National Committee and Republican Party of Arizona filed two lawsuits against Maricopa County, claiming the county favored Democrat poll workers over Republicans ahead of the 2022 mid-term elections.  In September, the RNC sent a letter to Maricopa County accusing officials of violating Arizona law, which requires election officials to hire an “equal number” of poll workers from both parties. Only 712 Republican poll workers were hired as opposed to the 857 Democrats, according to the suit. The letter also claimed a “significant disparity between political parties in the central processing boards utilized at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center during the primary.” The RNC claimed only 10 Republican poll workers were allowed on the “receiving/inspection boards” versus 58 Democrats, which they said violated the state’s procedures manual that requires each central board to be “comprised of two members of different political parties.” The RNC also claimed  Republican poll workers were subjected to a far more rigorous regimen than their Democrat counterparts.

Arkansas: U.S. District Judge Kristine G. Baker has declared as unconstitutional six sections of Arkansas election law pertaining to “new political parties.” G. Baker sided with the Libertarian Party of Arkansas in its lawsuit against Secretary of State John Thurston. She enjoined Thurston from enforcing six sections of state law. Among other things, the changes implemented by the sections mentioned above effectively increased the signature requirement for getting a party candidate on the statewide ballot from 10,000 to 3% of the number of people who voted in the last election for governor, which would have been 26,746 based on the 2018 election. (The 10,000 signature option was eliminated.) The statutes also moved up deadlines, shortened the amount of time allowed for candidate petition drives, and required new political parties to qualify candidates through a convention. In her 83-page opinion and order, Baker wrote, “The Court concludes that, because of the combined effect of the early petition deadline, the 90-day petitioning period, the three percent petition requirement, the requirement that new party candidates declare before the major party candidates are selected, and that new parties select their candidates at a party convention and not at a primary or runoff election, the Court grants plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment.”

Connecticut: The state’s Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding New Haven Mayor Nancy Rossi as the victor of last November’s mayoral election, finding that mayoral challenger Barry Lee Cohen had failed to provide enough evidence that the results should be in doubt. The court said in its ruling that it agreed with Superior Court Judge Robin Wilson’s finding that city election officials failed to comply with certain statutory guidelines but found that Cohen had not proved by a preponderance of the evidence that the final results were not legitimate. Following the close election between Rossi and Cohen, a recanvass of Election Day upheld that the mayor won her third term by 32 votes. Although Cohen received more votes on Election Day machines, Rossi’s margin of victory on absentee ballots narrowly put her over the top. In his initial lawsuit and subsequent appeal, Cohen raised questions about the Election Day handling of some of those absentee ballots, which he said cast doubts on their legitimacy.

Citing alleged absentee ballot fraud in the recount vote, Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens has ordered a new Democratic primary for the state House’s 127th District. Stevens ruled that four voters had not signed applications for absentee ballots, as required by law, invalidating the final vote tally in the primary. “Because these four voters did not sign their applications for absentee ballots in accordance with (state law) they were not entitled to the absentee ballots they received, the ballots they cast should be rejected and not counted,” the judge wrote in a 14-page decision. In a hearing a short time later, the judge refused to immediately place a hold on his decision until it can be reviewed by the state Supreme Court.

Georgia: U.S. District Judge Steve Jones delivered a decisive ruling last week against allies of Democrat Stacey Abrams in their 4-year-old voting rights lawsuit, upholding Georgia election laws on all counts in the case Fair Fight Action filed days after the 2018 election. Jones’ judgment concludes the ambitious case against Georgia’s voter registration and absentee ballot practices after a trial in which voters testified about problems at the polls but few of them were unable to cast a ballot. “Although Georgia’s election system is not perfect, the challenged practices violate neither the Constitution nor the VRA (Voting Rights Act),” Jones wrote in a 288-page order. The decision followed what is believed to be the longest voting rights trial in the history of the Northern District of Georgia, lasting 21 days with testimony from over 50 witnesses, wrote Jones, a nominee of President Barack Obama. Jones ruled against Fair Fight on claims over Georgia’s “exact match” voter registration policy, absentee ballot cancellation practices and registration inaccuracies. “The court finds that the burden on voters is relatively low,” Jones wrote about the “exact match” rules. “Here, plaintiffs have not provided direct evidence of a voter who was unable to vote, experienced longer wait times, was confused about voter registration status.”

Maryland: Maryland’s second highest court ruled that state and local elections officials can begin counting mail-in ballots as soon as Saturday while the court considers a broader challenge to early ballot counting from Del. Dan Cox (R-Frederick), the GOP nominee for governor. In a brief order , three judges on the 15-member Maryland Court of Special Appeals denied Cox’s request for a stay order putting the counting on hold while he challenges a lower court ruling from last week that said the counting of mail-in ballots could begin before Election Day. The order, signed by Judges Douglas Nazarian, Kevin Arthur and Donald Beachley, gave no explanation for their decision. There is no timetable for Cox’s broader appeal to be heard.

Montana: Yellowstone County District Court Judge Michael Moses has struck down three laws regulating Montana elections, saying they “severely” burden the right to vote, especially for Native Americans, students, the elderly and voters with disabilities. In a 199-page order released Friday Moses struck down laws ending Election Day voter registration, creating tighter voter identification requirements and dramatically restricting third-party ballot collection. The three laws were among four originally challenged more than a year ago by nearly a dozen plaintiffs in three separate lawsuits. The three cases were eventually consolidated, and the groups challenging the laws faced off against the sole defendant, Republican Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, in a nine-day trial in August. They were passed by a Republican-majority Legislature along nearly party-line votes. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen along with many Republican lawmakers, have said Montana’s Constitution specifically gives the Legislature authority to determine how to hold elections in the state. Montana didn’t allow registration on Election Day until 2006, and they argued it’s up to lawmakers if they want to revert back to the previous system. Moses wrote, however, “that does not mean the Legislature has power to take away (Election Day registration) without that power being subject to judicial review and interpreted in conjunction with the fundamental rights guaranteed to Montanans in the Constitution.”

Nevada: Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson denied a group’s attempt to stop counties from hand counting ballots in the Nov. 8 election. Wilson ruled against the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada’s motion asking to prohibit the Nevada secretary of state’s office from authorizing counties to engage in hand counting. Nye County has decided to implement hand counting in its elections, and in response the Nevada secretary of state adopted regulations on Aug. 26 for how counties should conduct hand counting. The Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada challenged the move on Aug. 31 and filed a motion for preliminary injunction Sept. 1, arguing that Nevada’s laws preclude hand counting ballots, and that hand counting could disenfranchise voters. Wilson ruled that Nevada’s law does not prohibit the use of hand counting. Voting is permitted by a “mechanical voting system,” but it is optional, he wrote in his order. Wilson also wrote that the right to a uniform, statewide standard for counting votes does not require counties and cities to use only one method of counting votes, but rather it is a statewide standard for what qualifies as a vote. “Having some cities or counties use hand counting and others use mechanical voting systems does not violate voters’ right to a uniform, statewide standard for counting votes,” Wilson wrote.

The ACLU’s Nevada chapter filed a lawsuit against Nye County and its interim clerk to stop the implementation of the county’s new hand-counting process, which was spurred by false claims of election fraud. The process entails hand-counting all paper ballots alongside a machine tabulator. The lawsuit cites three main violations of the Nevada constitution, state or federal law in its claims. The county plans to start hand-counting its mail-in ballots two weeks before Election Day, a process that the ACLU said risks public release of early voting results. The verbal announcement of each ballot’s results from hand-count teams will result in the release of election results and information, which the ACLU alleges violates state statute. The group also says Nevada statute criminalizes the release of early voting information, potentially putting the hand-count tally team members at risk of a misdemeanor. The hand-count plan also uses “stringent signature verification,” which allows the clerk to require an ID card if a voter’s signature fails, which the ACLU said violates state statute. Normally, county clerks are required to contact the voter to ask them to confirm whether the signature used for the mail ballot belongs to the voter. Nye County’s in-person paper ballots mirror mail-in ballots.

The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation filed a lawsuit on Sept. 16 against Elko County, Nev., and several county officials alleging “grossly unequal voting opportunities” for the 2022 election. The suit claims Elko County is giving tribal members on the reservation an early voting window of just eight hours and no opportunities to register or vote in person on Election Day. Meanwhile, residents of the city of Elko and nearby towns have 108 hours during which they can vote early and 12 more on Election Day. Native American advocacy group Four Directions Native Vote is assisting the tribes with the lawsuit. Bret Healy, a consultant with the group, noted that Nevada’s constitution requires equal rights for all voters after the passage of Assembly Bill 345 in 2019. “Simply put, Elko County is trying to have a rigged election,” Healy said. Healy said the county is providing one polling location on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that will be open for four hours on two Fridays prior to the election. If a tribal member wants to vote outside of their allotted 8 hours, they’d have to travel roughly 200 miles round trip to the city of Elko. “That’s a $150 excursion,” said Healy, citing Internal Revenue Service mileage rates. “And if you don’t have reliable transportation, and if you don’t have lots of extra money, that’s an obstacle.”

New York:  Republican and Conservative Party leaders filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s laws governing who is eligible for an absentee ballot and how they’re processed, prompting concerns from voting rights advocates and election administrators that it could sow chaos just weeks ahead of the general election. The lawsuit, if successful in court, could have a dramatic effect on the November election. Along with challenging a 2022 law that expedites absentee ballot canvassing, the lawsuit seeks to throw out another recent law allowing people to vote absentee if they fear contracting a disease like COVID-19. That could have the effect of invalidating large numbers of absentee ballots that have already been requested and, in some cases, mailed back. The complaint was filed in state Supreme Court in Saratoga County on behalf of more than half a dozen plaintiffs including Nick Langworthy, chair of the state Republican Party and a congressional candidate for the 23rd District; Gerard Kassar, chair of the State Conservative Party; and two Republican elections commissioners. They are suing the state Board of Elections, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and the leaders of the state Legislature. The Republican-led plaintiffs are asking the court to declare unconstitutional a new law adopted last year to expedite absentee ballot canvassing, a process conducted by teams of bipartisan elections officials to determine if an absentee ballot envelope appears valid, invalid, or contains any curable defect, such as a missing voter signature. They also want the court to rule that the threat of COVID-19 is not a valid excuse to seek an absentee ballot.

North Carolina: Superior Court Judge Stephan Futrell has denied two motions filed by the North Carolina Republican Party in Wake County Superior that had asked the court to block the state board of elections from enforcing a declaratory ruling that prevented county election officials from comparing the signatures on absentee ballot request forms and return envelopes with the signatures included in voter registration records. “Under state law, absentee voter identity is confirmed via the confidential personal information provided by the voter in requesting a ballot, the voter’s attestation on the ballot envelope and the attestation of two witnesses or a notary that the voter voted the ballot,” Cox wrote in a directive obtained by The Associated Press. The board’s Democratic majority in July had rejected an initial signature matching proposal introduced by Republicans, citing concerns that it could create unequal voting access and allow partisan bias to contaminate the electoral process.

Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Judge Ellen Ceisler cleared the way for Pennsylvania counties to continue helping voters correct small mistakes on their submitted mail ballots, saying nothing in the law prohibits the practice. The decision was a loss, at least temporarily, for Republicans who have tried in recent years to stop local elections officials from offering voters the opportunity to fix errors like missing signatures that would otherwise cause their ballots to be thrown out. “Petitioners have not proven that there is a clear violation of the Election Code or the law interpreting the Election Code,” Ceisler wrote in her 58-page opinion. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee, which had asked the judge to bar the practice — known as “ballot curing” — before the November election. But barring all 67 counties from doing so, Ceisler wrote, “would clearly cause greater injury than refusing the injunction, precisely because it would seriously harm the public interest and orderly administration of the 2022 General Election, which is already well underway.” The RNC called Ceisler’s decision “flawed” and said it was weighing its options for appeal to the state Supreme Court.

Tennessee: The Tennessee Supreme Court has denied the referendum appeal for the Davidson County Election Commission for a second time. In July 2021, the State Supreme Court announced that it would not take up the commission’s Metro Charter referendum appeal. In that ruling, the Tennessee Supreme Court stated, “The Court concludes that this case does not warrant the extraordinary action of the exercise of the Court’s authority to assume jurisdiction. As a result, the motion to assume jurisdiction is DENIED.” The referendum was an effort by the group 4GoodGovernment to change the charter on a number of different topics, but primarily property taxes.

The Tennessee Supreme Court heard arguments in a voting rights case where plaintiffs allege the state illegally blocked a man from registering to vote over a previous felony conviction in Virginia, even though his voting rights had been restored there. Ernest Falls, who was granted clemency and had his voting rights restored for a prior conviction in Virginia, moved to Tennessee and tried to register to vote in Grainger County in 2020. Tennessee officials said Falls failed to prove he had paid all court costs and restitution required by the state of his conviction, a requirement the state puts on people seeking voter restoration following a Tennessee felony conviction. But Falls never owed court costs or restitution in his Virginia case, and the clemency grant fully restored his right to vote in Virginia. “A fundamental bedrock interest in this case is that a person who has the fundamental right to vote does not need his rights restored,” Falls’ attorney Bill Harbison argued before the Tennessee Supreme Court. Assistant Attorney General Alex Rieger on Wednesday argued court precedent allows Tennessee to enact certain requirements, such as proving any court costs have been fulfilled in another state, on anyone convicted of certain felonies, even if they’ve had their rights fully restored in another state.

Texas: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has ruled that Texas does not need to release details about a list of 11,737 registered voters whom the state has identified as potential noncitizens. The appellate court reversed a lower court’s ruling in August in which a district judge had found Texas was violating federal law by refusing to release the list. The appellate court found that the five civil rights groups suing the Texas secretary of state for the list did not have standing to sue. Circuit Judge Edith H. Jones wrote in the ruling that the groups have neither established injury to themselves from the state’s refusal to release the list nor sued on behalf of any voter included on the list who could be harmed. The coalition “offered no meaningful evidence regarding any downstream consequences from an alleged injury in law under the NVRA [National Voter Registration Act],” Jones wrote. “The lack of concrete harm here is reinforced because not a single Plaintiff is a Texas voter, much less a voter wrongfully identified as ineligible.”

The Texas Civil Rights Project filed a lawsuit seeking to keep Bexar County elections officials from closing roughly 40 Election Day polling locations. The move comes after activists and Democrats on the Commissioners Court requested Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen to maintain the number of locations to accommodate what they anticipate will be a high turnout election.  Commissioners approved Callanen’s initial list of 259, but asked her to come back with additional locations to get to 302, and added money into the county’s budget to fund them.  Callanen, meanwhile, says her office wouldn’t have the manpower to staff all of the locations. She contends they need to eliminate sites that see the least traffic.

Wisconsin: Local election clerks should be able to accept absentee ballots with partial witness addresses, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin argues in a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed against the Wisconsin Elections Commission in Dane County Circuit Court by liberal law firm Law Forward, follows a similar lawsuit filed arguing that absentee ballots with partial witness addresses should be accepted as long as clerks can discern the correct addresses. Both lawsuits follow a Waukesha County judge’s ruling in early September that election officials can’t fix or fill in missing address information on absentee ballot envelopes — a ruling that “threatens to unlawfully disenfranchise Wisconsin voters,” the latest lawsuit states. Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Aprahamian ruled against guidance issued in 2016 by the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission that had allowed clerks to fix errors on witness certificates. The ruling has led to confusion among election officials, with no consensus on whether, for example, they can count a ballot if the witness certificate is missing a ZIP code. State law does not specify what constitutes an address. “While WEC’s cure guidance remained in effect, clerks were empowered to resolve address omissions or defects to avoid ballot rejection,” the lawsuit states. “So, whether a witness address was ‘missing’ was a purely academic question. No longer. That question now holds the fate of numerous Wisconsin voters.” The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin seeks a declaratory judgment defining that a missing address entails when the address field is left entirely blank. The organization also seeks to allow clerks to accept absentee ballots if the witness has included his or her street number, street address and municipality. “Wisconsin voters need an answer to the unresolved legal question of whether a witness’ address is ‘missing,’” the lawsuit continues.

With just over one month until the Nov. 8 general election, a Waukesha County judge on upheld his initial ruling that election officials cannot fix errors on absentee ballot witness certificates. In a final judgment, Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Aprahamian prohibited the Wisconsin Elections Commission from “advising, guiding, instructing, publishing, or otherwise communicating information to Wisconsin municipal clerks and local elections officials that clerks or local election officials have the duty or ability to modify or add information to incomplete absentee ballot certifications.” The ruling has led to confusion among election officials, with no consensus on whether, for example, they can count a ballot if the witness certificate is missing a ZIP code. State law does not specify what constitutes an address. Aprahamian’s order also permanently prohibits the bipartisan elections commission from displaying or disseminating guidance stipulating that clerks can add missing information to absentee ballot witness certificates. Under the order, clerks can only return an incomplete ballot to the voter, who has the opportunity to correct the error or fill in the missing address information.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Voting Rights Act, II, III | Secretary of state races | Get out the vote | Youth vote | Native American voting rights | Election deniers | Poll workers | Democracy, II | U.S. Supreme Court | Threats | Election workers | Ranked choice voting | Election officials

Arizona: Ballot counting | Primaries | Secretary of state race, II

Colorado: Boulder ballot measure

Florida: Hurricane Ian | Alachua County

Illinois: Ranked choice voting

Indiana: Voter registration | Election integrity | Secretary of state race, II

Maryland: Court ruling | Ranked choice voting

Massachusetts: Election security

Michigan: Election workers | Election lies

Minnesota: Secretary of state race, II

Missouri: Accessibility

Nevada: Ranked choice voting

New Hampshire: Cost of voting

New Jersey: Polling places

North Dakota: Secretary of state race

Ohio: Secretary of state race

Oregon: Election security

Pennsylvania: Ballot counting | Vote by mail, II, III | Drop boxes | U.S. Postal Service

Tennessee: Primaries

Texas: Vote by mail | Voters

Virginia: Ranked choice voting | Election integrity unit

Washington: Clark County

Wisconsin: Election lies

Wyoming: Ranked choice voting

Upcoming Events

The Path to End-to-End (E2E) Protocols for Voting Systems:  The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), in collaboration with NIST, is initiating a process to publicly solicit, evaluate, and approve protocols used in end-to-end (E2E) cryptographically verifiable voting systems for conformance to the recently revised Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, Version 2.0. This workshop will be used to discuss the plan and further develop the protocol requirements and evaluation criteria. This workshop will cover the following: A keynote presentation on E2E in voting systems; Four discussion-based panels covering: Integrity and Voter Confidence, Voting System Security, Accessibility and Human Factor Considerations, Implementation of E2E in Voting Systems/Testings; Next Steps; Q&A Session When: October 6 & 7, 1pm-5pm Eastern. Where: Online.

NPC Headliners Book Event: Major Garrett and David Becker, “The Big Truth”: Less than a month before the midterm elections, CBS Chief Washington Correspondent Major Garrett and David Becker, one of the nation’s leading elections experts, will discuss their new book, “The Big Truth: Upholding Democracy in the Age of THE BIG LIE,” at a National Press Club headliners book event. Garrett and Becker’s new book examines the potentially dire consequences for the 2022 midterms and beyond. Filled with interviews with key players — election workers, January 6th Committee members Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md), Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and more — they take a close look at what is known as the Big Lie. Garrett, a veteran Washington correspondent, and Becker, the Executive Director of the nonpartisan Center for Election Integrity, make a case that Big Lie “fraud” allegations evaporate under scrutiny. The authors examine what actually happened in 2020, while reporting on what they call each Trumpian misdirection designed to con and beguile Americans into chasing phantom allegations of election crimes. The authors argue that the next midterm and presidential elections will test American democracy more severely than at any time since the Civil War, arguing that how Americans react may determine whether the country is led into another war against itself. The program will include a question-and-answer session with Garrett and Becker. When: October 11. Where: National Press Club, Washington, D.C.

Information Security, Minority Communities, and 2022 Election: November’s upcoming midterm elections are the first federally administered elections since 2020, which were notable for the numerous attempts to cast doubt on the legitimacy and security of the presidential election. The presidential election also highlighted the role of information security and operations in election, and how mis/dis/malinformation interacts with the US democratic process. As the US heads into election season, why should election security expand to include information security, and how does this impact minority communities within the US? New America’s #ShareTheMicInCyber Fellowship program is pleased to invite the public for a virtual panel discussion on the role of information security and operations in election security. There will be a moderated panel discussion, followed by an audience Q&A session. Where: Online. When: October 12, 10am Eastern.

To Save Democracy, Make It Worth Saving: Get More Done: Former Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Alice Rivlin’s posthumous book, Divided We Fall contains an urgent message to the American public: Get involved in making democracy work better or risk losing it. Alarmed at the state of American politics and policy, Ms. Rivlin combined scholarship with personal experience to call on political leaders of both parties to break stalemates and make the compromises necessary to reach bipartisan agreements. Following her passing in 2019, Ms. Rivlin’s son and daughter-in-law, Allan and Sheri Rivlin, completed her manuscript. Join BPC for a discussion on the state of politics and public policy, as well as the legacy of the late Alice Rivlin. Where: Online & in Washington, DC. When: October 12, 5pm Eastern.

Voter Accessibility: Improving your election coverage for people with disabilities:  Midterm elections are Nov. 8. Are you prepared to be a watchdog for disabled voters in your communities? What is your newsroom doing to ensure your election coverage is useful and accessible for disabled voters? How are you covering voter rights and accessibility leading up to and on Election Day?  More than 61 million Americans live with disabilities, yet they remain underrepresented in journalism produced by U.S. newsrooms. As a decisive midterm election approaches, recent coverage shows state and local measures intend to: reduce voting by absentee ballot, limit access at polling locations, and limit information explaining how people with disabilities can cast their ballots. Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute for a virtual discussion among experts in voter access, disability representation, and accessible news coverage on best practices to cover disabled voters and to highlight voting access issues they may face.  When: October 14, 11:30am Eastern. Where: Online.

It’s Time to Audit: Every State, Every Election: Presented by The Heritage Foundation: While in-depth financial and accounting audits are a standard practice in the business world, they are almost nonexistent in public elections. Should all states require comprehensive audits of their voter registration, voting, and vote tabulation processes and systems? How should such audits be conducted and who should conduct them? What should auditors be reviewing and what standards should they apply to election administration? How often should audits be conducted and how many political subdivisions within a state should be audited? On the eve of the upcoming midterm elections, this timely issue is vital to ensuring the honesty and integrity of elections. Join us for a discussion of this important topic with current and former election officials. Where: Online. When: October 20, 12pm Eastern

Vote Early Day: Vote Early Day is a nonpartisan movement of media companies, businesses, nonprofits, election administrators, and creatives working to ensure all Americans have the tools to vote early. This holiday is a tentpole moment for partners of all stripes to engage with voters and urge them to cast their ballots. Created in 2020, Vote Early Day has brought thousands of national and local partners together in celebration and activation to increase the number of people voting early. This collaborative, open-source model—similar to Giving Tuesday and National Voter Registration Day—ensures that millions more Americans take advantage of their options to vote early through on the ground activations, get-out-the-vote pushes, national communications on traditional and social media, and efforts to create a new culture around voting. Vote Early Day plays a unique role in the push to get voters to cast their ballot. We are a trusted, nonpartisan holiday with supporters on both sides of the aisle. We provide a central moment for a wide range of partners (many non- traditional to the civic space) to engage with voters and urge them to vote early. Our collaboration of thousands of diverse partners allows us to engage in places beyond where voters are used to seeing election messages. This allows us to break through the noise and meet voters where they are. When: October 28

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.

Arizona Deputy Coordinator, U.S. Elections, The Carter Center— The Democracy Program at The Carter Center works globally to support and strengthen participatory democracy, consistent with human rights. Beginning in 2020, The Carter Center began efforts to support elections in the United States. There are multiple key aspects to this project: establishing nonpartisan observation efforts, tracking disinformation and dangerous speech, contributing to electoral reform, and promoting candidate codes of conduct. The Carter Center is advancing nonpartisan observation efforts in two key states: Arizona and Michigan. These states were selected following assessments completed on multiple states. Nonpartisan observation efforts implemented and/or supported by The Carter Center will differ from existing partisan poll watchers and election-protection groups. The goal of nonpartisan observation is to provide credible and transparent information on the conduct of elections in each state through public reports. The Deputy Coordinator will execute the citizen observation plan and develop partnerships with community-based organizations. They will report directly to the US Elections Coordinator in [Michigan/Arizona] and to the US Elections team in Atlanta. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Assistant Director, Butler County, Pennsylvania— To supervise and direct the operational processes relating to voter registration, voting and elections, ensuring that voters’ rights are protected and votes are recorded and counted accurately. Assists the Director in implementing the day to day functions of the Elections Department. The incumbent supervises the non-exempt staff and answers voter and candidate questions or selects proper course of action to resolve problems. Assists Director in evaluating new technologies for election process. Consults with others regarding clarification of the Pennsylvania Election Code. Refers complex issues requiring clarification of the Pennsylvania Election Code or the Pennsylvania Constitution to the Director of Elections. A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and/or equivalent work experience is required. Significant experience in Computer Science course work or equivalent is required. Prior work experience involving the electoral process is desirable, as is supervisory experience. Must be knowledgeable of State and County voting laws, regulations, procedures, and requirements. Computer, telephone and customer service skills are necessary. Salary: $45,129.18-$63,180.85. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Campaign Finance Specialist, Wake County, North Carolina— Do you want to be a part of democracy in action? Wake County Board of Elections wants you! If you enjoy working in a fast-paced rewarding environment, then come work in a place where your team values you. The Board of Elections Campaign Finance Specialist plays a critical role, providing communication support and report auditing for candidates and committees who file campaign finance reports at the county level. The Campaign Finance Specialist must maintain in-depth knowledge of campaign finance law and reporting schedules. What will you do as a Board of Elections Campaign Finance Specialist? Communicate with candidates and campaign committee treasurers; Conduct financial audits of campaign finance reports; Refer late or non-compliant reports to the State Board of Elections for further investigation or financial penalties; Maintain directories and databases of elected officials and report filing statuses; Develop candidate and campaign finance informational guides; Manage the Candidates and Campaign Finance section of the Board of Elections website; Organize and administer candidate filing; Assist campaign committee treasurers with campaign reporting software; and Petition Management. Salary: Hiring Range: $20.81 – $28.10. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Certification and Training Manager, Washington Secretary of State’s Office— The Program Manager for Certification & Training manages the provision of professional certification and training to state election administrators and canvassing board members in 39 Washington counties. The Certification and Training Program Manager reports to the Elections Director and is a member of the Elections Management Team that advises the Elections Director on direction and policy. The Program Manager is responsible for the administration of the Certification and Training Program of the Elections Division by providing strategic analysis, planning, and management of a program that includes four major functions. There functions are: 1) professional certification and training of local and state election administrators and county canvassing board members; 2) review of county election operations and procedures; 3) the election clearinghouse; and 4) testing of all vote tabulation equipment used in each county during state primary and general elections. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Chief Information Officer, Illinois State Board of Elections— Functions as Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the SBE Information Technology Systems.  Responsibilities encompass full range of information services; application design and development, system administration, data administration, operations, production control, and data communications. In conjunction with the Board, Executive Director, and Executive staff, the CIO determines the role of information systems in achieving Board goals.  Defines goals in terms of statutory obligations to be met, problems to be solved, and/or opportunities that can be realized through the application of computerized information systems.    Prepares and submits budget based projections of hardware, software, staff and other resource needs to adequately provide for existing systems, as well as support of new project initiatives.   Advises Executive Staff in matters relating to information technology.  Develops presentations and reports for the Board and Administrative Staff.  In conjunction with Executive Staff, evaluates system performance to determine appropriate enhancements. Salary: $7,885 – $13,237 Monthly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Communications Specialist, The U.S. Election Assistance Commission— The employee and supervisor collaborate to develop the approach, timelines and general framework for projects and, within these parameters, the employee independently plans and carries out the work involved in developing, maintaining, and managing media communication, coordinating with others as appropriate, interpreting and applying policy, determining the content and format for media communication, and consulting with the supervisor on questionable content or issues. The Director of Communications assigns special projects and assignments, defining the nature of the assignment, objectives to be achieved, and resources available. The employee independently resolves most problems that arise, keeping the Director informed on unusual, sensitive or controversial matters. Completed work is reviewed for achievement of objectives and consistency with governing laws, regulations, policies, and the EAC strategic plan. Salary: $74,950 – $95,824. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Departmental Training Coordinator, DeKalb County, Georgia— The purpose of this classification is to develop, coordinate, deliver, and evaluate departmental training programs and learning solutions. The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned. Develops training programs for departmental employees; creates new and/or modifies existing courses and course materials; researches industry changes; and prepares activities and course assignments. Conducts training and facilitates in-house training programs for employees based on current trends and best practices. Assists employees in meeting certification and recertification requirements for mandated licensure and submits documents for license renewals. Coordinates training logistics to include training room, schedules, attendance tracking, passwords, supplies and set up; and selects or develops teaching aids including training handbooks, tutorials or quick reference guides . Administers and grades course assignments and exams; and tracks and analyzes learning curriculum effectiveness through various evaluations techniques including evaluation of individual performances. Maintains and prepares training and compliance records and prepares related documentation and reports; enters course exam grades; prepares training certificates; and updates compliance databases. Assists with internal departmental communications by preparing newsletters, promotional materials for training programs, flyers for departmental events, or related communications. Communicates with department management, supervisors, other employees, subject matter experts, schools, community groups, volunteers, the public, and other individuals as needed to coordinate work activities, review status of work, exchange information, or resolve problems. Maintains current knowledge of departmental business functions and operations to develop training programs and solutions for improving employee knowledge and performance within business units; and research training industry standards and best practices and applies new technologies. Salary: $52,815 – $81,862. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy Elections Director, Davie County, North Carolina— Performs administrative work with the registration, voting and election activities for the County. Must be willing to perform job duties during pandemics, natural disasters and unexpected  events during planned elections and election schedules. This position is required to work extended hours and weekends during planned elections and election schedules. Regular, predictable, full attendance is an essential function of the job. Essential job functions: Performs administrative duties for the Director and Board Members and serves as a resource person to staff and the public, as needed; Assists with the supervision of Elections part-time staff and one stop workers in the performance of their daily responsibilities; Assist the Director with annual budgets and grants received; Assists the Elections Director in the interview and selection process of new employees, one stop and precinct workers and training new employees on office procedures and applications; Assists with ensuring proper and efficient conduct of primary and general elections held in Davie County; Maintenance of geo codes/street index, to include all annexations and changes, to insure accuracy for each address; Performs related duties as required. Salary: Minimum hiring range: $33,587. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy County Clerk, Boone County, Missouri— The Boone County (MO) Clerk’s Office seeks a deputy county clerk in its elections division. With general supervision, this clerk processes new and revised voter registrations, provides information to the public on candidates, ballot issues and other election information, determines ballot styles for walk-in absentee voters, verifies petitions, and performs related election duties. Salary: $15.45-$16.41/hr. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Elections, Pender County, North Carolina— Performs difficult administrative work planning, directing, coordinating and supervising the elections process staff, registering voters, conducting elections, preparing and maintaining records and files, preparing reports, and related work as apparent or assigned. Work is performed under the general direction of the Board of Elections. Departmental supervision is exercised over all personnel within the department. Assist with other duties as needed or assigned. Salary: $62,274-$75K. Deadline: October 16. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Registration and Elections, Fulton County, Georgia— The County is seeking a Director of Registration and Elections (DRE). This position serves as the chief executive responsible for developing goals, objectives, policies, and procedures relating to voter registration and elections in Fulton County. The DRE also prepares, presents, and manages the department’s approved annual budget.  The DRE leads programs and services that ensure safe, free, and accessible voter registration and elections in the County. The DRE ensures accurate collection and maintenance of voter registration data and administers the county elections and associated services, which includes but is not limited to absentee balloting, voter registration, voter education and outreach. The Director collects information and validates candidates for elective office, ensures the availability of training for poll workers, and directs efforts to educate voters on elections in the county. The DRE performs other duties, including preservation, storage, preparation, testing and maintenance of departmental election equipment. Furthermore, the director oversees election district boundaries, and administers the selection of polling places in the county. Salary: $175K-$195K. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Elections, Cumberland County, North Carolina— The Elections Director works under the administrative direction of the County Board of Elections and Executive Director of the State Board of Election. The Elections Director performs professional, managerial, and administrative work for the Board of Elections and carries out all duties or responsibilities as assigned by Chapter 163 of the General Statutes of the State of North Carolina and as delegated by members of the County Board in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, GS 163-35 (d) and 163-33.  Reports to the Chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Elections. Salary: $78,784.40 – $132,425.23. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Elections & Chief Registrar, Butler County, Pennsylvania— Seeking a Director of Elections & Chief Registrar with great communication, leadership and organizational skills. Employee reports directly to the Board of Commissioners. Employee is responsible for the overall planning, organization, direction, management, coordination, and oversight of the County voter registration and election processes in accordance with the County Code, the policies of the Board of Commissioners and/or Board of Elections and Federal, State and Local laws and regulations. Working knowledge and familiarity of PA Election laws, laws pertaining to Conduct of Election and Voter Registration and supervisory experience a plus. Must have a minimum of three years’ experience and/or training in the election/voter registration process, course work with an emphasis in business a plus. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Division Director, Illinois State Board of Elections— Subject to Executive Director approval; oversees the administration of human resource programs including, but not limited to, compensation, payroll, benefits, and leave; disciplinary matters; disputes and investigations; performance and talent management; productivity, recognition, and morale; occupational health and safety; and training and development. Serves as the Board’s subject matter expert relating to personnel and human resource matters. Identifies staffing and recruiting needs; develops and executes best practices for hiring and talent management. Conducts research and analysis of Board trends including review of reports and metrics from human resource information systems. Recommends, implements, and ensures compliance with agency policies and procedures including, but not limited to, hiring, disciplinary actions, employee grievances, compensation plan, and employee performance evaluations. Creates and oversees human resource practices, programs, and objectives that provide for an employee-oriented culture that emphasizes collaboration, innovation, creativity, and knowledge transfer within a diverse team. Oversees the day-to-day administrative aspects of the Board’s personnel programs; accuracy of bi-monthly payrolls; benefits; quarterly and annual EEO/AA reporting; and, employee transaction documentation. Facilitates professional development, training, and certification activities for staff; development and maintenance of agency-wide training programs for on-boarding, staff development, and knowledge transfer. Responsible for the administration and oversight over all disciplinary matters; including: investigation of complaints; conducting witness interviews; documentation gathering; drafting and submittal of investigation findings to Executive Staff; advising Division Directors and Executive Staff on disciplinary matters; and, drafting of formal disciplinary reprimands in accordance with policy. Has administrative oversight of the Chief Fiscal Officer regarding budgetary and fiscal matters under the purview of the Division of Administrative Services. Supervises and evaluates subordinate staff; facilitates knowledge transfers and cross trainings; performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above. Salary: $6,023.00 – $12,374.00 Monthly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Early Voting Coordinator, Wake County, North Carolina— re you looking to be more involved in your community? Are you ready to be a part of democracy in the making? If so, get ready to roll up your sleeves and become a part of history! Wake County Board of Elections is currently seeking an Early Voting Coordinator to join our dynamic and talented Early Voting Team. The Early Voting Coordinator plays a critical role in the management and logistical planning of Early Voting. This includes communicating, scheduling election service vendors and managing voting site support operations to include the physically demanding work of setting up Early Voting sites. What will you do as an Early Voting Coordinator? Plan and organize all Early Voting operations; Assist with development of Early Voting expansion budget items and analyze budget impacts of new election laws and state directives and incorporate the changes into Early Voting site procedures; Work with Town Clerks, Municipal Administrators, Facility Directors, Special Event Coordinators and Superintendents to secure use of facilities for Early Voting; Manage Early Voting facilities, including scheduling, communication, support, logistics, database management and site setups; Develop Early Voting ballot order and determine the distribution of ballots each Early Voting facility will receive; Update and maintain the Early Voting blog and Early Voting page of the Wake County Board of Elections website; Manage the Early Voting support Help Line; Post-election reconciliation duties to include provisional management, presentations to the Board and assisting with record retention. Salary: Hiring Range: $20.81 – $28.10. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Cycle Temp, Pinal County, Arizona— Under supervision, performs the basic duties of Voter Registration and Early Voting during the election cycle as required by state statute for the Recorder’s Office. This position is not covered under the Pinal County Merit System. Incumbents in this position serve at the pleasure of their respective Appointing Authority. The employment relationship of incumbents in this position is “at will” the employee may be terminated at any time, for any reason, with or without cause. Salary: Up to $20/hr. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Deputy Director I, Cecil County, Maryland— Under the direction of the Election Director, the primary responsibility of the Deputy Director is to organize, and coordinate programs and activities of the Cecil County Board of Elections in accordance with the Registration and Election Laws of Maryland, the Maryland Constitution, miscellaneous Maryland laws, and the Code of Maryland Regulations – Title 06 & Title 14 as well as rules, regulations and administrative directives disseminated by the Maryland State Board of Elections, to ensure that every citizen is afforded the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to vote and guarantee the efficiency, accuracy and candor of all elections. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Information Environment Specialist, The Carter Center— The Democracy Program at The Carter Center works globally to support democratic elections and strengthen participatory democracy, consistent with human rights. Beginning in 2020, The Carter Center began efforts to support good elections in the U.S. There are multiple key aspects to this project, contributing to electoral reform, promoting candidate codes of conduct and establishing nonpartisan observation efforts. The Carter Center is seeking a highly qualified Electoral Information Environment Specialist to work on the Center’s US election advisory team under the guidance of the Democracy Program staff. The Electoral Information Environment Specialist will assess and analyze key issues affecting women, the disabled, and disenfranchised groups in the United States. The Electoral Information Environment Specialist will contribute to public and private statements concerning the electoral information environment. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Review Program Lead, Washington Secretary of State’s Office— The certification and training program oversees, directs, and advises County Auditors in interpretations of federal and state election law and the correct administration of voter registration and elections throughout the state. The certification and training program reviews county practices for adherence to election law and best practices, provides essential tools for election administrators through official communications and training, and acts as liaisons for the Office of the Secretary of State. This position reports to the certification and training program manager and is responsible for overseeing, reviewing and advising county auditors on the federal and state elections laws and the administration of voter registration. Serves as the lead program specialist in the county election review program; Travels extensively throughout state to conduct reviews of county elections departments. Application: For a complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Security Intelligence Analyst, Illinois State Board of Elections— Under administrative direction, serves as a team member identifying computer system vulnerabilities in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Elections and Department of Innovation and Technology for local election authorities and other state election partners. Identifies vulnerabilities and provides technical analysis and remediation recommendations for those affected computer systems, including forensic analysis for investigations, monitoring and reporting. Provides technical support to the Cyber Security Information Sharing Program Manager and Cyber Navigator Program Manager of the Illinois State Board of Elections Cyber Navigator Program in coordination with the Department of Innovation and Technology Security Operations Center.  Develops and recommends measures to safeguard systems before and after they are compromised.  Conducts monthly Tech Talks on election security and relevant cyber threats for local election authorities and their IT and security staff.  Develop annual cyber security training for local election authorities. Develops publications, guides, and other election security related resources for statewide distribution. Participates in the development of incident response plans, continuity of operation plans, and tabletop exercise training.  Serves on-call for emergency situations and Election Day.  Travel to attend training sessions, conferences, meetings, etc. is required. Serves as a team member identifying computer system vulnerabilities; reviews existing computer systems of local election authorities monitored by DoIT for security violations.  Document incidents as appropriate.  Perform analysis of systems for any weaknesses, technical flaws or vulnerabilities.  Identifies vulnerabilities and provides remediation recommendations for those affected computer systems, including forensic analysis for investigations, monitoring and reporting. Coordinates with regionally assigned cyber navigators to assist local election authorities information technology staff/vendor mitigate incidents or provide technical support. Monitors network traffic by utilizing intrusion detection devices and other technologies. Monitors activities such as automated notification of security breaches and automated or manual examination of logs, controls, procedures, and data.  Salary: $5,667 – $6,000 Monthly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Business Intelligence Specialist, Tennessee Secretary of State— Summary: Assist in planning and coordinating the computer functions and responsibilities for the Elections Division which includes, but is not limited to: data processing, integrating the statewide voter registration system with county voter registration systems, improve election reporting capabilities; analyzing and resolving technical software issues (25%) for the Division of Elections and 95 county election commission offices, which includes, but is not limited to cybersecurity practices; reviewing and researching regulations, legislation, government codes, and directives relevant to the technical elections operation; including serving as the liaison to the Office of the Comptroller of the Treasury, Local Government; and performing other duties as assigned. This position is responsible for the accuracy and timely compliance and security of voter registration data, ballot review and approval, producing and analyzing election-related state and federal reports, maintaining and assist in updating elections mobile app. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Manager, Cochise County, Arizona— Under limited supervision by the Director of Elections, performs professional and administrative work of a high level in the management of election administration work in planning, organizing and directing strategic and daily goals and objectives, operations and activities of the Elections Department. Performs other related work as assigned. Assists the Director of Elections in the administration and supervision of all County, special, primary and general elections with state and local jurisdictions; Manages program requirements through appropriate delegation and work supervision, organization and assignment of task duties including warehouse organization and inventory, delivery and return of election supplies to polling places, poll workers, election boards, training and pay, website, and submitting meeting agenda items; Assists with ballot creation process including proofreading all ballot styles, sending ballot proofs to candidates and jurisdictions, and creating and reviewing ballot orders; Assures accuracy of election materials and maintains chain of custody of ballots, forms, equipment, and materials; Programs, tests, and maintains all voting equipment, following Federal, State, and local requirements; Recruits, coordinates, trains, manages, supervises, and terminates seasonal or temporary staff in consultation with the Director; Develops and presents poll worker education and curriculum for online and in-person training; Assists with ballot tabulation duties including coordinating, hiring, and training the Early Boards to receive, count and prepare early ballots for tabulation, assists with oversight of receiving Boards on Election night to receive and tabulate the polling place ballots, assists with Hand Count Boards as part of the election audition process and completes necessary reports related to canvass of election and post-election audits; Assists with election night reporting, including preparing the necessary data uploads into the State’s reporting system; Assists with oversite of the departmental budget and administers office financial tasks including but not limited to, inputting requisitions, tracking expenditures and budget reconciliation, lease agreements, paying invoices, overseeing and maintains inventory for equipment and supplies and assists with annual budget preparation; Delivers effective, accurate, secure, cost-effective customer service relative to areas of responsibility. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Finance and Operations Manager, The Carter Center— The Finance and Operations Manager support The Carter Center’s nonpartisan Observation efforts by managing the finance and operations in both states. They will report directly to the US Nonpartisan Observation Coordinators in Michigan and Arizona and to the US Elections team in Atlanta. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Information Services Specialist, Illinois State Board of Elections— Under the general supervision of the Chief Information Officer and Deputy Chief Information Officer and the day-to-day supervision of the Information Services Team Leads, independently and as a project team member, develops, maintains, and enhances the State Board of Elections’ Information Systems. Establishes application development task schedules, testing plans and implementation schedules; Performs technical analysis, design, and programming according to SBE standards; Coordinates development, testing and implementation with end-users, technical consultants and IT Staff according to SBE standards. Consults with end-users to determine application goals, requirements, cost, architecture, and impact to existing systems; Provides Level 1 technical support for Agency end-users as well as end-users of other agency-developed systems. Through continuing self-study and/or formal coursework, acquires knowledge of advanced information systems concepts and techniques, productivity tools, election law, and Board policy as they affect Board Information Systems. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Information Technology Security Analyst, Illinois State Board of Elections— The IT Security Analyst reports directly to the Manager of Cyber Operations and Infrastructure. Supports the administration, implementation, review, and improvement of endpoint, network, hardware, application, and data security practices. Implements, supports and monitors the agency’s information security applications, including email security, web security, endpoint security software, firewalls, intrusion prevention applications, data loss prevention, etc. Monitors system dashboards and logs for threat indicators. Analyzes data and performs necessary incident response procedures. Conducts network, system and application vulnerability assessments. Analyzes agency threat surface and makes recommendations to management to harden agency systems. Evaluates agency processes and implements and/or makes recommendations to enhance security. Reviews information received concerning threat events from end users, supervisory personnel, other federal, state, county and local agencies and governmental entities involved in the exchange of data with the State Board of Elections (SBE), external entities such as the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), trusted cybersecurity vendors, law enforcement agencies, and public information sources. Consults with SBE staff on security issues. Provides a high level of customer service to agency staff, state, county, and local election officials. Ensures service desk queues and incidents are handled in an appropriate and timely manner. Salary: $6,264 – $8,917 Monthly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Michigan Deputy Coordinator, U.S. Elections, The Carter Center— The Democracy Program at The Carter Center works globally to support and strengthen participatory democracy, consistent with human rights. Beginning in 2020, The Carter Center began efforts to support elections in the United States. There are multiple key aspects to this project: establishing nonpartisan observation efforts, tracking disinformation and dangerous speech, contributing to electoral reform, and promoting candidate codes of conduct. The Carter Center is advancing nonpartisan observation efforts in two key states: Arizona and Michigan. These states were selected following assessments completed on multiple states. Nonpartisan observation efforts implemented and/or supported by The Carter Center will differ from existing partisan pollwatchers and election-protection groups. The goal of nonpartisan observation is to provide credible and transparent information on the conduct of elections in each state through public reports. The Deputy Coordinator will execute the citizen observation plan and develop partnerships with community-based organizations. They will report directly to the US Elections Coordinator in [Michigan/Arizona] and to the US Elections team in Atlanta. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Public Relations Manager, DeKalb County, Georgia— The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned. Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff; develops and oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; compiles and reviews timesheets; approves/processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; directs work; acts as a liaison between employees and management; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures. Organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; prioritizes and schedules work activities to meet objectives; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; provides progress and activity reports to management; and assists with the revision of procedure manuals as appropriate. Develops and implements a comprehensive communications plan to support the mission and objectives of the department/division; develops communications strategies; reviews internal and external communications to ensure consistent messaging; creates and implements branding initiatives; manages online presence; and generates public relations campaigns to support special projects, service changes, and new initiatives within the department. Oversees the creation of print and online content to publicize and promote department programs, facilities, events, or objectives; researches and verifies information; reviews, approves, or produces newsletters, calendars, brochures, and flyers; monitors, approves, and creates content for social media and department website; and writes or edits official department announcements, emails blasts, press releases, letters, or posts. Oversees community outreach programs and events; plans, organizes, and oversees special events, facility tours, educational programs; oversees the selection of locations, dates, and sponsorships; reviews activities and materials prepared by staff or vendors; recruits and supervises event volunteers; and coordinates set-up, staffing, and implementation of program/event plans. Represents department as a spokesperson; serves as a liaison to the news media, other departments, boards, and other external groups; responds to media requests; gives interviews and official comments; and produces short television segments for DeKalb County TV. Cultivates community partnerships to advance departmental objectives and initiatives; develops and maintains relationships with community partners; attends or leads community events on behalf of the department; responds to inquiries from citizen groups or the public; and serves on internal and external committees or projects. Prepares and monitors public relations budget; prepares cost estimates; develops annual budget requests; and reviews and approves expenditures. Salary: $67,182 – $104,133. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Programmer Analyst, Clark County, Nevada— This position provides project and program leadership to professional and technical staff; performs applications systems design, modification and programming of a routine to complex nature in support of County administrative and business services for multiple computer platform applications. Provides lead direction, training and work review to a programming project team; organized and assigns work, sets priorities, and follows-up and controls project status to ensure coordination and completion of assigned work. Provides input into selection, evaluation, disciplinary and other personnel matters. Gathers and analyzes information regarding customer systems and requirements and develops or modifies automated systems to fulfill these needs. Conducts feasibility studies and develops system, time, equipment and cost requirements. Using computer generated techniques, simulates hardware and software problems, tests and evaluates alternative solutions, and recommends and implements appropriate applications design. Develops program logic and processing steps; codes programs in varied languages. Plans and develops test data to validate new or modified programs; designs input and output forms and documents. Troubleshoots hardware and software problems, as needed, for customers, other agencies and information systems personnel. Writes program documentation and customer procedures and instructions and assists user departments and staff in implementing new or modified programs and applications; tracks and evaluates project and systems progress. Writes utility programs to support and validate adopted systems and programs. Confers with customer department staff regarding assigned functional program areas. Maintains records and prepares periodic and special reports of work performed. Maintains current knowledge of technology and new computer customer applications. Contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of the unit’s service to its customers by offering suggestions and directing or participating as an active member of a work team. Uses standard office equipment in the course of the work; may drive a personal or County motor vehicle or be able to arrange for appropriate transportation in order to travel between various job sites depending upon departments and/or projects assigned. This is an open and continuous recruitment, scheduling dates will vary depending on when the application was received and reviewed by Human Resources. This examination will establish an Open Competitive Eligibility list to fill current and/or future vacancies that may occur within the next six (6) months or may be extended as needed by Human Resources. Human Resources reserves the right to call only the most qualified applicants to the selection process. Salary: $32.07 – $49.74 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

(Senior) Training Associate, Center for Tech and Civic Life— As the CTCL Government Services (Senior) Training Associate, you will develop and deliver training courses and easy-to-use tools that advance the tech and communication capabilities of election officials. Project coordination – Oversee multi-course training series and other major projects by setting goals, creating project plans, coordinating coworkers and partners, and monitoring progress. Continuous improvement – Suggest, hone, and evaluate new approaches to instructional design, such as alternative training formats, materials, or participant engagement practices. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Technology Division Leader, Boulder County, Colorado— The Boulder County Clerk and Recorder Technology Division Leader is a leadership position in the Clerk’s office and reports directly to the elected Clerk and Recorder. The Technology Division Leader is accountable for driving the multi-year strategic technology planning, resourcing, and implementation for the office that enables us to achieve our vision of providing the best in public service for Boulder County residents.  This position leads the Technology Team and is accountable for the multi-year planning, resourcing, and implementation of technology and security projects that support our vision. This position supports all areas of the office to ensure adequate technology support and is especially collaborative with the Elections Director, Boulder County IT, and our Cybersecurity Consultant. This position is one of the office’s six Leadership Team members and collaborates closely with the Administrative Team and the Division Leaders. Our team sets a high-bar for fulfilling our commitment to providing the best in public service, and we are looking for someone who has an exceptional technical foundation, is forward-thinking, committed to continual improvement, and someone who can build an empowering and results-driven environment. Our office consists of 75+ team members (and hundreds more during election time). Commitment to ensuring we include historically excluded communities in our work is vital to fulfilling our mission. This person must be committed to building a culture where individuals from any background can be successful, which includes ongoing work around disrupting patterns, systems, and behaviors of inequity and exclusion. Deadline: October 9. Salary: $92,940 – $133,872. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Voter Education & Outreach Specialist, Washington Secretary of State’s Office— This position reports to the Voting Information Services Manager of the Elections Division and works collaboratively to provide outreach and educational services. This position leads onsite customer service to candidates during annual peaks, voters’ pamphlet training for internal staff, organization of printed materials for proofing, fulfillment of outreach materials to stakeholders, and coordinates the printing and distribution of the state Voters’ Pamphlet. The passage of new legislation (ESHB 2421) increases the business needs to be met by the Secretary of State’s Office. Each May and June, the office must preview and process candidate’s statements to be printed in local county primary pamphlets as well as the processing necessary July through October for the state general election pamphlet. The Voting Information Services (VIS) team promotes accessible, fair, and accurate elections. Through educational programs and service excellence, we help eligible Washington residents register to vote, file for office, and cast an informed ballot. VIS exercises visionary leadership to publish the state Voters’ Pamphlet. The team provides voters and candidates with essential tools and training, digestible data and auditing reports, outreach programs and publications. VIS also advises County Auditors in interpretations of federal and state election law to uphold the integrity of election administration throughout the state. These objectives are accomplished through official communications, collaboration with stakeholders, and educational publications including the state Voters’ Pamphlet. The VIS program also acts as liaison for the Office of the Secretary of State. Salary: $55,524 – $74,604. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Voting Rights Expert, The Carter Center— The Carter Center is seeking a highly qualified voting rights analyst to work on the Center’s US election advisory team under the guidance of the Democracy Program staff. The voting rights expert will assess and analyze key issues affecting women, the disabled, and disenfranchised groups in the United States. The voting rights expert will contribute to public and private statements concerning the electoral process and provide an impartial assessment of elections as well as detailed recommendations for ways to improve the program’s inclusiveness, credibility, and transparency as it relates to voting access of historically disenfranchised peoples. A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in democracy and/or elections is required, in addition to a degree in political science or another relevant field. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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