electionline Weekly

electionline Daily News Email

What’s the best part of waking up? electionline Daily News in your inbox of course so be sure to sign up for your daily dose.

Each morning you’ll receive the top headlines of the day, plus a listing of states featured in that day’s news round up.

To sign up, simply visit our site and provide us with your email and you’ll begin receiving the news in your inbox each morning.

We Google so you don’t  have to!

Election News This Week

Honoring Democracy Heroes: On the second anniversary of the January 6 attacks on the Capitol, President Joe Biden honored elections workers and officials as well as police who were at the Capitol that day with the Presidential Citizens Medal. Among the elections officials and workers honored were Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss as well as Al Schmidt, former city commissioner with the Philadelphia County board of elections. “For the first time in my presidency, I’m bestowing the Presidential Citizens Medal, one of our nation’s highest civilian honors. It recognizes, ‘citizens of the United States of America who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country, or their fellow citizens,’ ” Biden said during the ceremony at the White House. Biden’s full remarks from the event can be read here. “It’s not exaggeration to say America owes you, owes you all — I really mean this — a debt, a debt of gratitude,” Biden said, “one we can never fully repay unless we live up to what you did.”

It’s in the Mail: This week, the U.S. Postal Service said it delivered more than 54.4 million ballots from voters to election officials during the 2022 midterm general election, with almost 99% reaching their destination within three days. The total delivered through the U.S. mail between Sept. 6 and Dec. 6 includes the Georgia runoff election for the U.S. Senate. The figure only includes ballots that used correct electronic identifiers and not those USPS diverted or handled outside normal processes to accelerate delivery. Between Sept. 6 and Dec. 6, the Postal Service delivered more than 54.4 million ballots to and from election officials to voters through the U.S. Mail to support elections across the country.

Of these ballots:

• 98.96 percent of ballots sent by voters to election officials were delivered within three days
• 99.82 percent of ballots sent by voters to election officials were delivered within five days
• 99.93 percent of ballots sent by voters to election officials were delivered within seven days
• Less than two days average to deliver completed ballots from voters to election officials.

“These results speak for themselves. The Postal Service has performed at a very high level as it has done since the late 1800s. The entire team – from the Postmaster General, to the senior leadership team, to the 655,000 men and women of the Postal Service – is dedicated to ensuring excellence when it comes to delivering our nations’ election mail for the American people. And we will continue to look for opportunities to improve operational effectiveness of this critical service in future elections,” said Amber McReynolds, Chair of the USPS Board of Governors Election Mail Committee.

Election Policy Progress Reports: This week, the Institute for Responsive Government released a 50-state review of how each state has fared at making their elections more responsive and more user-friendly for voters and election administrators over the past two years. According to IRG, this is not a total state-to-state comparison of election laws, instead, “We’re taking a different approach, but we’re also including their scores in our report to help show you how our initial state tiering compares. Most importantly, we’ll paint a legislatively-backed picture in our analysis to explain the why behind our differences with these scores.” Per the report: We consulted with our in-house experts, fellows, and advisory board to come up with something new in our annual Election Policy Progress Reports. These state-specific progress reports evaluate each state’s progress within its tier rather than compared against every single state. A state’s grade is based on its own unique existing election law landscape and, primarily, any legislative improvements it made or any setbacks it experienced in expanding voter access and improving election administration over the past two years. We chose a two-year review cycle to be able to consider the most recent state legislative changes while also allowing us to evaluate progress made by states that meet only biennially. According to the review, nine states got As and three got Fs. You can read the full report here.

Outside Review: Maricopa County has asked former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor to lead an independent inquiry into its Election Day printer problems. “Justice McGregor will hire a team of independent experts to find out why the printers that read ballots well in the August primary had trouble reading some ballots while using the same settings in the November general,” wrote Supervisors Bill Gates and Clint Hickman in a joint statement. “Our voters deserve nothing less.” The county doesn’t have a timeline for when McGregor’s inquiry might wrap up, officials said. “Obviously, it’s going to take time for her to set up her team and get the appropriate people on board to conduct that independent investigation,” said county spokesperson Fields Moseley. McGregor didn’t waste any time getting started. She spent several hours last week at the county’s election center, Maricopa County Elections Department spokesperson Megan Gilbertson said. When complete, McGregor’s probe will produce a written report detailing what went wrong. It will be independent of an internal review already conducted by county staff, Gilbertson said. Moseley said, “The intention was always to have trust but verify and to have an outside group of eyeballs come in and take a look at this.”

Personnel News: Jefferson County, Colorado Clerk and Recorder George Stern is leaving office. Jennifer Datum has been sworn in as the Old Lyme, Connecticut town clerk. Natalie Adona has been sworn in as the Nevada County, California clerk-recorder. Al Schmidt has been tapped to serve as the next secretary of the commonwealth in Pennsylvania. Kenneth Dow is stepping down from the Columbia County, New York board of elections. Larry Weirich and Venita Shoulders have been appointed to the Richland County, Ohio board of elections. Piper Acton has been appointed Jackson County, Indiana clerk. Longtime Linn County, Iowa Auditor Joel Miller announced that he will not seek re-election in 2024. Jane Nelson has been sworn in as the new Texas secretary of state. Andrew Higgins has been sworn in as the Shelby County, Ohio board of elections deputy director. Linda Greenlaw has retired as the Rockport, Maine town clerk. Diego Morales has been sworn in as the Indiana secretary of state. Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Dillon has been appointed to the Prince William County, Virginia electoral board. San Diego, California’s longtime city clerk, Elizabeth Maland is retiring after more than 17 years on the job. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber has been sworn in for her first full term. Shuwaski Young, who worked in the Department of Homeland, Tuesday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Mississippi secretary of state. West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner has announced his bid for governor in 2024. Rose Mentoe is retiring as the longtime Hamden, Connecticut Democratic registrar of voters. Kaitlin M. Wright is the new Haverhill, Massachusetts clerk. Grosse Pointe, Michigan City Clerk/Assistant City Manager Julie Arthurs has retired.

Legislative Update

Alaska: Incoming members of the Alaska Legislature have so far filed 63 bills and five proposed constitutional amendments ahead of the upcoming legislative session, scheduled to begin next week. Three Republicans are set to introduce bills to repeal Alaska’s new ranked-choice voting and open primary election system, which were narrowly approved by voters in 2020 through Ballot Measure 2. Republican Reps. Sarah Vance and George Rauscher have legislation ready in the House of Representatives to repeal those changes; Wasilla Republican Sen. Mike Shower is set to introduce the same legislation in the state Senate. According to the Anchorage Daily News, while the House remains unorganized, an effort to repeal ranked-choice voting could face an uphill battle in the 20-seat Alaska Senate. Incoming Senate President Gary Stevens, a Kodiak Republican who heads the 17-member bipartisan majority coalition, said that it was his preference to keep the new election system. “I think that it worked fine,” he said. “And I think that we should give it a chance to see if it works in the future.”

Iowa: Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) is proposing legislation aimed at bringing more uniformity to recounts. A bill isn’t yet filed with the Legislature, but in a news release, the secretary of state’s office said the measure would standardize the recount timeline across Iowa’s 99 counties, bolster recount boards in larger counties, and require more uniform methods for recounting, reconciling and reporting ballots. The legislation would increase the size of recount boards, depending on a county’s population. Currently, when a candidate requests a recount, three candidate-picked people make up the board that tallies the ballots.  Under the proposed legislation, recount boards in counties with a population of 15,000-49,000 would grow to five members. Counties with a population of more than 50,000 would conduct recounts with seven-member boards.  Another change under the bill would make just two of the recount board members candidate-picked. The remainder of the board members would be election poll workers selected by the chief judge of the judicial district, balanced by party. Another change would require all counties to hold an official canvass of elections on a certain day with a goal of making the recount timeline uniform for each county.

Kansas: Secretary of State Scott Schwab (R) said he planned to introduce legislation to update state election codes and simplify state election laws this year, following confusion over rules and regulation in past elections. “Over the past year, our agency has reviewed lessons learned from past elections and best practices from other states,” Schwab said in a news release. “This legislation will improve election administration processes, reduce the burden on county election staff and protect election integrity and transparency.” Schwab said voting privacy and security would also be priorities for him in the upcoming legislative session. He plans to propose legislation that would determine standards for criminal election activities, firm up ballot privacy measures and better define voter intimidation.

Rockville, Maryland: Rockville could become the latest jurisdiction in Maryland to lower the voting age to 16. The move, which would apply to municipal elections, was recommended by a commission assembled to review the city’s charter. The commission noted numerous advantages to expanding the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds, including advancing equity and increasing voter turnout. The commission was unable to identify any negatives, unanimously recommending the change. Letting younger people vote would have a “trickle up effect,” the commission argued, as teenagers who vote are likely to influence other members of their family to do so as well. In addition, allowing people to vote at a younger age will build civic engagement and help residents form voting habits, driving higher voter turnout over the long term, the commission wrote. Plus, allowing younger people to vote would “better represent the changing demographics of Rockville residents,” according to the commission. The commission also urged city officials to allow non-citizens to vote, noting that at least 16 percent of Rockville residents are not U.S. citizens, but still make a “significant contribution to the local economy, education system, and our society as a whole.” The report lists 11 other jurisdictions in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County that allow residents to vote regardless or citizenship status.

Minnesota: Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon (DFL) announced his legislative priorities, including automatic voter registration, protections for election workers and restoring the right to vote for anyone convicted of a felony offense and still on probation or parole.  “I will work with anyone of any political affiliation, from any background, from any part of our state to protect and strengthen and defend the freedom to vote,” said Simon, a Democrat recently elected to his third term. If enacted, automatic voter registration would likely start with registration when obtaining a driver’s license, but Simon said they hope to expand automatic registration to other interactions between the public and government, such as obtaining hunting and fishing licenses. The Office of Secretary of State estimates that automatic voter registration would add or update 450,000 voter registrations each year. Restoring voting rights to people once convicted of a felony would restore access to the polls for 66,000 Minnesotans. Simon is also calling for civil and criminal penalties for anyone who intimidates an election official or “intentionally interferes with the working of an election.” Simon’s other priorities are pre-registration to vote for 16- and 17-year-olds; making it easier for local governments to get reimbursement for presidential nominee primary costs; and removing restrictions from federal funding for election security — Simon said the funds were “held hostage” by the Minnesota state Senate in 2018.  Several bills related to Simon’s priorities have already been introduced by DFL lawmakers. Bills to allow pre-registration for 16- and 17 year-olds and to restore formerly incarcerated people’s right to vote get their first hearing this week.

With a chorus of assenting “ayes,” Minnesota legislators took their first step to restoring voting rights for anyone convicted of a felony offense and still on probation or parole.  “Restore people, restore communities. That’s what this is about,” said chief author of the bill Rep. Cedrick Frazier, DFL-New Hope. The voting rights restoration bill is one of a suite of measures Democrats are pushing on election issues early in the legislative session, newly empowered by full control of the Legislature. Even as Republican states around the country have sought to make it more difficult to vote by shortening early voting periods and eliminating ballot drop boxes, Minnesota Democrats this year are already pushing automatic registration to make voting easier. If enacted, the voting rights restoration bill would allow 66,000 more Minnesotans to vote. Current Minnesota law allows formerly incarcerated people to vote after finishing every part of their sentence, including probation, parole or any form of supervised release. Minnesota has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the country but some of the longest probationary periods of any state.

Nebraska: Nebraska State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha again introduced Legislative Bill 20 to restore convicted felons’ right to vote as soon as their term is up. Currently, there’s a two-year waiting period. Wayne argues it’s about more than the right to vote. “Study after study shows that when people come out of prison and they’re engaged in their community, they’re less likely to re-offend,” Wayne said. He said that drives down the re-offender rate, “which is one of the big things we have to do to not only solve our (prison) overcrowding problem, but also just get people right re-engaged in our community.” Wayne’s bill passed the legislature before. In 2017, then-Gov. Pete Ricketts didn’t sign the bill and an attempt to override the veto failed. A related bill introduced at the start of the new legislative session would seek an amendment to the state constitution through the approval of voters. Under the legislation re-introduced by State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, felons in Nebraska would never lose the ability to vote.

Bills introduced in the Legislature address a voter ID requirement passed in November by voters, but also add measures that critics say are designed to make it harder to vote. Two bills introduced by state Sen. Steve Erdman, of Bayard, go beyond simply requiring government-issued photo identification to be presented to vote. While the measures would make primary and general election days state holidays and would cancel some fees to acquire IDs, they also would largely eliminate voting by mail for all except those who could show an inability to go to the polls, such as registered military members, nursing home residents and those away at college. One of his bills would also require all ballots to be counted on Election Day.

New Hampshire: New Hampshire lawmakers are weighing a bill to end the state’s tradition of open primaries by requiring residents to register with a political party at least four months before the state primaries in order to vote in that primary.  House Bill 101 would bar a longstanding practice in the state: independent-minded voters voting in a party primary and then immediately registering as undeclared before they leave the polling place.  The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Michael Moffett, said the bill is intended to prevent voters of one party from interfering with another party’s primary by temporarily switching parties on primary election day. But critics argued the bill would disenfranchise residents who don’t want to be a member of a specific party but still want to vote in favor or against candidates in the primary.

New York: Measures designed to make it easier to vote and reduce discrimination at the ballot box advanced in the Democratic-led New York state Senate on Monday, the first package of measures to be approved in the new legislative session.  But some of the measures, including an effort to make changes to the local administration of boards of election, face uncertain paths in the Democratic-led state Assembly.  The bills approved on Monday include provisions to expand early voting by allowing counties to create portable polling places. Lawmakers also want to allow for absentee ballot drop-off box locations and allow for people to provide snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to voters waiting in line.  Another bill would make voter suppression in New York a criminal offense. Separately, lawmakers in the state Senate are backing an effort to restructure the New York City Board of Elections, a move that has not gained traction beyond that chamber in recent years.

Ohio: Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a bill that will require Ohio voters to show a photo ID when voting in person, either early or on Election Day. House Bill 458 replaces current law, which gives voters the option of presenting alternate forms of ID, like a current utility bill, bank statement or paycheck with their current address. The bill includes a provision requiring the state BMV to issue free state ID cards to those who request them. The new law also includes a slew of other measures, including largely ending special elections in August, specifying that county boards of election can offer only a single drop box for completed absentee ballots, and eliminating the day of early, in-person voting the day before Election Day. In addition, it changes the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot to seven days before Election Day, compared to the current deadline of three days. It also cuts the grace period for late-arriving absentees from 10 days under current law to four days, as long as the ballots are postmarked before Election Day.

Oklahoma: Sen. Warren Hamilton (R-McCurtain County) plans to introduce the legislation that would increase pay for election poll workers. “Poll workers are instrumental in ensuring integrity in Oklahoma’s elections and are absolutely essential to the process,” Hamilton said. “But this last election cycle, many counties faced worker shortages. I believe increasing the compensation for these jobs would definitely help address this issue.” Poll workers across the state are currently paid $110 per day, and judges and clerks are paid $100 per day. Hamilton’s proposed legislation would increase compensation to $200 a day. “These volunteers spend long days at polling places as they arrive well before the polls open and are still working after they close,” Hamilton said. “A pay increase would not only help attract the workers our counties need, but it’s also a way we can show our appreciation to these individuals who work so hard to ensure an efficient and secure voting process in each of our precincts.”

Senate Bill 90 by Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, would require the State Election Board to accept voter registration applications online no later than Dec. 31. While the Legislature authorized state election officials to create the system in 2015, technical problems cross-referencing information from voters’ state-issued identification with the Department of Public Safety has delayed the project for years.

Pennsylvania: Two proposed constitutional amendments — requiring voter identification for every election, mandating post-election audits by the auditor general passed the Senate State Government Committee this week. The committee voted 8-3 nearly on party lines to send the proposals, which cannot be vetoed by the governor, to the full chamber for consideration. If approved, voter identification would be required to participate in every election, as opposed to someone’s first time voting at a precinct, and mandate that the state auditor general’s office administer post-election audits. Citing existing law that mandates post-election audits, Democrats said that the proposed changes were unnecessary and argued that stricter voter identification requirements would disenfranchise voters, specifically people of color, seniors, and people with disabilities.

Wyoming: Secretary of State Chuck Gray (R) has outlined his priorities for the upcoming legislative session. His first priority for the session is to encourage legislation that would ban crossover voting. Gray also called for legislation that bans what he called “ZuckBucks,” or “private financing of government election offices.” Gray also called for legislation that would increase “security and clarification in Wyoming’s voter identification requirements.” (There are a couple bills, one in the House and one in the Senate, that concern voter-I.D.s. Both would allow Wyomingites to use their concealed carry permit as identification at the polls.) He also wants to promote legislation that bans “ballot harvesting,” the practice of having someone beside the voter return that voter’s absentee ballot.

During the legislative session beginning this week, legislators will have a chance to consider House Bill 47, sponsored by the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. In October, Kai Schon, then the state elections director, told the Corporations Committee the state has been requiring the federal certification of voting machines for years, and the bill would simply codify the process into law as another way to ensure the security of public elections and build public trust in the process. “This doesn’t really establish anything new — it just protects that process by codifying it,” Schon said. The bill requires proof that an electronic voting system has been certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, meets the voluntary voting system guidelines and complies with certifications of good standing before being utilized in an election. The draft bill comes amid recent questioning of the accuracy of electronic voting systems throughout the state, and especially in Park County.

Wyoming elections may be subjected to hand-count ballot audits after the Legislature’s House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee killed a bill that would have prevented ballot inspections. With the rejection of House Bill 6, the possibility of hand-count ballot audits in Wyoming elections remains alive, as newly sworn-in Secretary of State Chuck Gray has said he wants more scrutiny of Wyoming elections. HB 6, which would have clarified that ballots cannot be requested for inspection under the Public Records Act, was rejected by the committee on a 6-3 vote. It also was specific that any ballots, election records or images of ballots would be kept confidential.

Legal Update

Alabama: Perry County Commission Chairman Albert Turner Jr. has been charged with voting more than once and violating Alabama’s law that prohibits the fraudulent collection and filling of other people’s absentee ballots. The charges were by Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill and District Attorney Michael Jackson. Jackson said Turner is accused of running multiple ballots through a voting machine during the May 2022 Democratic primary election. He is also accused of breaking state law as regards using absentee ballots, Jackson said. Turner was seen with a “stack” of absentee ballot material at the post office, he said. “He was stuffing the machine with the ballots that he had already filled out for the folks he was supporting. He did that for a good little while, and he had some folks distracting the poll watchers,” Jackson said.

Arkansas: A panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments this week over whether the Voting Rights Act allows private citizens to sue to enforce a key part of the 1965 law prohibiting discriminatory voting practices. Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and the Justice Department told an 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel that a judge in an Arkansas redistricting case was wrong to say that only the U.S. attorney general could file such lawsuits. U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky made that conclusion as he dismissed the lawsuit by two groups challenging Arkansas’ new state House districts. “For over 40 years, dozens of federal courts have heard hundreds of Section 2 claims brought by federal plaintiffs,” Sophia Lin Lakin, co-director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, told the three-judge panel during a 44 minute hearing. “In that time, not one court denied the plaintiffs their day in court because of a lack of private action.” An attorney for the state said the 1965 law never explicitly allows for private citizens to sue to enforce Section 2, and noted that Congress has never added such language over the years. “I would say that Congress has left this as an open issue,” Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni said. Jonathan Backer, an attorney with the Justice Department, told the panel that voting rights have traditionally been viewed as private rights.

Georgia: Fair Fight Action and other plaintiffs must repay the state over $231,000 after the organization lost its lawsuit that alleged Georgia laws violated voting rights, according to a court order. The costs include nearly $193,000 for trial and deposition transcripts and over $38,000 for copies of thousands of exhibits the state used in the four-year case that started after Democrat Stacey Abrams’ loss to Republican Brian Kemp in the 2018 race for governor. “This is a win for taxpayers and voters who knew all along that Stacey Abrams’ voter suppression claims were false. It has never been easier to vote and harder to cheat in the state of Georgia,” Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said. “This is a start, but I think Stacey Abrams should pay back the millions of taxpayer dollars the state was forced to spend to disprove her false claims.” Overall, the cost to taxpayers in defending the lawsuit in federal court was nearly $6 million, according to the attorney general’s office. But only $231,000 of that amount was recovered from the plaintiffs through the court’s order. Attorney fees to defend state’s laws won’t be repaid.

The state of Georgia is asking a federal judge to rule in its favor in a long-running lawsuit alleging that the state’s voting system is inherently insecure. Motions for summary judgment filed Monday said there’s no evidence that voting computers have been hacked or that votes have been counted inaccurately. In addition, election officials have said audits and recounts checked election results. The state’s court filings come as the lawsuit over Georgia’s voting system, which combines touchscreens and printed-out ballots, could finally go to a trial this year, more than five years after the case started. “Ultimately, there is no burden on the right to vote using the state’s chosen voting system by the mere existence of vulnerabilities — because every voting system has vulnerabilities,” wrote attorneys for Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the State Election Board. “The numerous audits and hand counts of Georgia elections verify the accuracy of Georgia’s voting equipment.” An attorney for the plaintiffs, David Cross, said there’s substantial evidence of flaws in Georgia’s voting system.

New Jersey: Superior Court Judge William Anklowitz has ordered a hand recount in a Trenton city council race where the winning candidate has already been sworn into office. Jennifer Williams won the runoff for Trenton’s North Ward, held on December 13 after a series of snafus, with 427 votes to her opponent Algernon Ward’s 426. The election was not certified until December 30, so although Ward immediately filed for a recount, the proceedings could not begin before Williams took office on January 1. Anklowitz ruled in favor of a recount, a decision which was not opposed by either Williams or Deputy Attorney General Levi Klinger-Christiansen, who was present on behalf of the county Superintendent of Elections and Board of Elections. Klinger-Christiansen did, however, argue that the recount should be done by machine rather than by hand, since Board of Elections workers are already overburdened with a separate January 24 council runoff. But Anklowitz rejected this line of argument, saying that only a hand recount could provide the certainty needed in such a close race. “For the Board to do a machine recount, and then be attacked for not having sufficient integrity where parties are going to come back to challenge the election – well, that wouldn’t really solve very much,” Anklowitz said.

New York: Former Rensselaer County Republican Elections Commissioner Jason Schofield pleaded guilty to federal identity theft charges arising from his fraudulent use of voters’ personal information to apply for a dozen absentee ballots in 2021. In entering his plea in U.S. District Court in Albany, Schofield admitted to requesting the bogus ballots through a state website in his role as the Republican election commissioner in Rensselaer County, federal prosecutors said in a news release. Schofield’s guilty plea is part of a broader federal inquiry into potential ballot fraud across Rensselaer County. He or someone working for him sought the ballots from May to October 2021, during elections for county executive, clerk and legislature and municipal races in the cities of Rensselaer and Troy, according to the indictment charging him in the case.

Ohio: The same day Gov. Mike DeWine signed the bill into law, Ohio’s new photo voter ID law saw its first court challenge. The Elias Law group filed suit on a behalf of a handful of Ohio interest groups. Elias attorneys filed its suit on behalf of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, and the Union Veterans Council. In a statement, Elias attorney Abha Khanna called Ohio’s new law “a sweeping attack on Ohioans’ fundamental right to vote.” Although requiring voters to present a photo ID when voting is the most recognizable change, the law makes other important changes, too. The timeline to “cure” deficiencies for provisional ballots is now shorter. The deadline for absentee ballots to arrive after an election is tighter as well. “This bill makes it substantially harder for Ohioans to vote in person and by mail, and makes it harder to correct simple mistakes that prevent ballots from being counted,” Khanna said. “By their own admission, (Secretary of State Frank LaRose) and Governor DeWine have no justification for this harsh crackdown on voting rights.”

Pennsylvania: Elections officials argue that preparations are too far along for two Pittsburgh-area special elections that the Republican leader of the Pennsylvania House has filed a lawsuit to delay past their scheduled date in early February. This week, a lawyer for the Allegheny County Elections Bureau told a three-judge Commonwealth Court panel that ballots were ready to be printed, machines have been tested and most of the polling places and elections workers have been lined up. Some voters have begun to get notices they should expect to receive mail-in ballots soon. “The vendors have not begun to mail them” but that has to happen next week to comport with the Feb. 7 election date, Allegheny County attorney Lisa Michel said near the end of two hours of argument in the case. Justin Weber, the attorney representing acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman, told the judges the state’s election machinery is already in gear. “There is great deference to the election process when it’s put in motion, as it was on Dec. 7,” when McClinton set the elections, Weber told the judges.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Media coverage | Election workers | Election litigation | Get out the vote

Georgia: Secretary of state | Food at polling places

Idaho: Election laws

Kentucky: Polling places

Michigan: Prop. 2

Nevada: Ranked choice voting

Ohio: Military & overseas voters

New Jersey: Voting equipment

Pennsylvania: Secretary of state | Voter ID

Texas: Voter ID

Wyoming: The Big Lie

Upcoming Events

EAC Technical Guidelines Development Committee Annual Meeting: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) will hold its annual meeting tentatively on January 26, 2023. This meeting will be held virtually and live-streamed on the EAC’s YouTube Channel.  Registration is not required. When: January 26, 2023. Where: Online.

iGO 2023 Mid-Winter Conference: Check out the iGo website for more information about the tentative agenda. When: Jan. 28-Feb.1, 2023. Where: Glendale, Arizona.

NASS Winter Conference: Attendee registration for this event will open in December 2022 The cost to attend is $500 early/ $600 late (after January 24, 2023) for Secretaries of State, State Government Staff, NASS Corporate Affiliates and Federal Government Staff. The cost for Non-Profit Organizations to attend is $750 per person early/ $850 late (proof of valid non-profit status required). The cost for Corporate Non-Members to attend is $1300 per person early/ $1400 late. Registration for this event will close on Monday, February 6, 2023, or when registration capacity is fulfilled. On-site registration WILL NOT be available for this event. All event attendees are subject to the event anti-harassment policy and conference waiver of liability. There is no virtual option to attend. Press registration for this event will open on January 18, 2023 Further details and instructions will be posted on January 18. There is no cost for the press to attend. Virtual attendance will not be available. Where: Washington, DC. When: Feb. 15-18, 2023.

NASED Winter Conference: Save the date and check back for more details. When: Feb. 15-18. Where: Washington, DC.

Job Postings This Week

electionlineWeekly publishes election administration job postings each week as a free service to our readers. To have your job listed in the newsletter, please send a copy of the job description, including a web link to mmoretti@electionline.org.  Job postings must be received by 5pm on Wednesday in order to appear in the Thursday newsletter. Listings will run for three weeks or till the deadline listed in the posting.

Assistant County Clerk-Recorder, Nevada County, California— Under administrative oversight you can be assisting with planning, organizing, directing and leading the activities of the County Clerk-Recorder’s office! The Assistant Clerk-Recorder will provide highly sophisticated staff assistance to the Clerk-Recorder! This management classification position serves at the will of the County Clerk-Recorder, and acts on her behalf in her absence and provides full line and functional management responsibility for the department’s Recorder and Election divisions. This position is distinguished from the County Clerk-Recorder in that the latter is an elected position and has overall responsibility for all functions of the department. Salary range: $111,810 – $136,500. 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.

Board of Elections Training Specialist, Wake County, North Carolina— Are you looking to get involved in your community? Do you want to make a difference? Are you passionate about learning? If so, get ready to roll up your sleeves and become part of something bigger! The Wake County Board of Elections is currently seeking an experienced Instructional Designer/Training Specialist to join our dynamic and driven Training Team. The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator who thrives in a fast paced, ever changing work environment. They will have a clear understanding of the commonly accepted instructional design models, what it takes to be a behind the scenes designer, have a strong visual sense and excellent project management skills. What will you do as a Board of Elections Training Specialist? Develop training materials, including classroom presentations, manuals, workbooks, training videos and online training modules to facilitate comprehensive training for Early Voting and Election Day Officials Review, evaluate and modify existing and proposed programs and recommend changes Create schedules, design layouts for training facilities and adjusts room layouts as necessary between in-person classes. Train and manage instructors and assistants for in-person training classes. Serve as instructor for some online webinars and in-person classes. Collaborate with team members to gain knowledge of work processes, identify training needs and establish plans to address the needs through training solutions. Identify innovative training tools and methods to enhance the training program. Monitor and assess election law changes and incorporate the changes into polling place procedures. Develop and design election forms, precinct official website, newsletters, assessments and other communications. Develop high level design documents, storyboards, audio narration scripts, status reporting, QA and testing plans. Assists with Early Voting site setups and call center support. Assists with Election Day call center support and post-election processes. Portfolios will be required by all applicants who are selected to move forward in the recruitment process. 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.

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 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.

Deputy Director of Elections, Arapahoe County, Colorado— The Deputy Director of Elections position has direct responsibility for the entire Election Division. This position will direct complex administrative and supervisory work in activities. The Deputy Director of Elections supports the Chief Deputy Director and the Clerk and Recorder with issues concerning all operations of Elections. The following statements are illustrative of the essential function of the job. The following duty statements are illustrative of the essential functions of the job and do not include other non-essential or marginal duties that may be required. The County reserves the right to modify or change the duties or essential functions of the job at any time: Directs the long term strategic operation of the Election Division which may include but is not limited to, legislative tracking, budget development, business process analysis, data analysis, project management, coordination with external and internal stakeholders and overseeing senior management staff. Manages, and ensures statutory compliance of all election functions including: voting equipment, voter registration, mailing ballots, and providing access to voter service polling centers. Serves as the project manager and primary point of contact for election systems software and hardware vendors. Responsible for the evaluations of the Election staff as directed by the Chief Deputy Director and/or Clerk and Recorder. Informs the Chief Deputy Director and/or Clerk and Recorder on the status of projects and/or changes within the Division. Attends association and professional meetings to enhance and maintain knowledge of trends and developments in elections, as determined necessary by the Chief Deputy Director and/or Clerk and Recorder. Responds to inquiries, providing guidance and interpretation regarding application of the organization’s policies and procedures. Technical expert of election software, business processes, statutes, rules and regulations.  Voting equipment and election security subject matter expert. Responsible for overall timekeeping and leave within the Election Division. Salary: $78,780 – $125,866. Deadline: Jan. 27, 2023. 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.

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.

Elections Specialist, Vietnamese, King County, Washington— This benefits-eligible Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position is anticipated to last up to one and a half years. A Special Duty Assignment may be considered for King County Career Service employees who have passed their initial probationary period. The Department of Elections – is searching for energetic and resourceful professionals who like to “get stuff done”. The Administrative Specialist II positions in the Voter Services Department combines an exciting, fast-paced environment with the opportunity to cultivate talents and apply a variety of skills. The ideal candidate will have a desire to help ensure the democratic process through public service. They will thrive in an innovative environment and will not hesitate to roll up both sleeves, work hard, have fun, and get the job done. King County Elections (KCE) manages voter registrations and elections for more than 1.4 million voters in King County, the largest vote-by-mail county in the United States. KCE’s mission is to conduct accessible, secure, and accurate elections. As a leader in providing inclusive elections, KCE is focused on three key priorities – (1) actively identifying and working to remove barriers to voting at both the individual and community level, (2) strengthening relationships with community and governmental partners, and (3) creating a culture of professional growth and development, openness and inclusion. Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/elections.aspx . Who May Apply: This position is open to the general public and all King County employees. This position is open until filled. Applications submitted by December 28th will be part of the first round of review and interviews. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Supervisor, Pierce County, Washington— The Pierce County Auditor’s Office is responsible for elections, licensing services, and public records. This position supervises an award-winning division in the second largest county in Washington State. There is plenty of activity between elections and experienced staff to accomplish division goals. The Auditor’s Office promotes innovation and process improvement. The Auditor’s Office Elections Division maintains voter registration rolls, conducts federal, state and local elections, verifies petition signatures, publishes a local Voters’ Pamphlet, and maintains precinct lines after redistricting. Pierce County has over 550,000 registered voters and conducts four elections each year. The Elections Division serves 114 jurisdictions (boundary lines, voter assignment, elections) and files candidates for over 500 elected offices. As the Elections Supervisor, you will have the ability to immediately contribute to the division’s success. You will be guided through the process with coaching-focused managerial support, a team that wants you to be successful in your role, and an organizational culture that encourages continuous learning and professional development. You will be influential across the state, networking with other counties, sitting on advisory committees, and collaborating with the Elections Manager on policy decisions. Salary: $36.44 – $46.33 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Executive Director, Ranked Choice Voting Resource Center— The primary responsibilities of this position are to set and reinforce the mission and vision of the organization, define its strategic direction and implement strategic plans for the organization’s development, make executive decisions that drive organizational growth, and build and manage relationships including stakeholders and potential donors. The Executive Director works with the Board to set goals for the organization, governs over organizational activities and relationships, guides the organization’s culture, and directs communication to support the mission of the organization. The ideal candidate will define the organization’s priorities and direction, oversee staff recruitment and retention, and work systematically to meet organizational goals. He or she should be a self-starter with the ability to work independently and with a team. This is a full-time remote position with in-person meetings and travel as needed. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Executive Director, National Vote at Home Institute — The Vote at Home Executive Director shall be responsible for managing all aspects of the organizations’ operations. These major responsibilities include the following: Strategy. Recommending, implementing, and effectively executing all VAH policies and key strategies and programs as approved by one or both boards. Budget. Fundraising and budget administration, to ensure Vote at Home’s financial sustainability and the effective and efficient expenditure of available funds. Management. The hiring, supervision, and performance management of all staff, contractors, and contracts to promote diversity and equity, ensure a collaborative and productive workplace, and comply fully with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Partnerships. The creation of collaborative partnership relationships with other key organizations and individuals to help promote and amplify VAH’s work. Communication. The effective communication, in a wide variety of public and private forums, of Vote at Home’s vision, mission, key strategies, and core messages. Salary: $120K-$160K. 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.

Language Access Coordinator (Russian and Somali), King County Elections — The Department of Elections is searching for energetic and resourceful professionals who like to “get stuff done”. The Language Access and Outreach Coordinator position in the Elections Department combines an exciting, fast paced environment with the opportunity to cultivate talents and apply a variety of skills. The ideal candidate will thrive in an innovative, fast-paced environment and will not hesitate to roll up both sleeves, work hard, have fun, and get the job done. The Language Services and Community Engagement Program is recruiting Language Access and Outreach Coordinators who will support the program for the Russian and Somali languages. This position provides bilingual assistance, translation, and community outreach support. These individuals must be able to read, write, understand, and speak Russian or Somali at the language proficiency testing level used by the Department. In addition, as part of the community engagement program, they will participate in voter registration and voter education activities with community partners and provide support to out Voter Education Fund partners. Individuals in this position will provide language access assistance to our communications team and administrative support to other election work groups as needed. Salary: $33.63 – $42.62 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Legal Counsel, Illinois State Board of Elections (Chicago)— Under supervision of the General Counsel, serves as Legal Counsel, assisting the General Counsel in the following areas: research, review, analysis, and drafting evaluation of relevant court decisions, State and Federal laws, rules and regulations, and other legal resources. Undertakes or assists with special projects as assigned by the General Counsel. Conducts research, review, and analysis of relevant court decisions, State and Federal laws, rules and regulations, and other legal resources. Drafts legal memoranda and other legal documents. Undertakes or assists with special projects. Confers with and advises division directors and staff members regarding legal issues. Converses with public officials, candidates, attorneys and other persons regarding election related issues and offers limited guidance on legal related questions. Drafts agency communications to election authorities, vendors, and other outside parties to assist with agency functions. Consults with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General regarding pending litigation involving the State Board of Elections. Reviews Board publications for legal accuracy. Assists with drafting and updating agency policies and procedures and Illinois Administrative Code rules. Reviews proposed legislation. Assists with drafting and review of Board orders related to Campaign Disclosure matters. Serves as Ethics Officer or Deputy Ethics Officer, consulting on agency ethics matters, investigating OEIG complaints and facilitating mandated ethics and sexual harassment training at the Chicago office, attending trainings and staying knowledgeable on current ethics laws/mandates, being available for staff inquiries related to ethics issues. Assists with state electoral board proceedings, including procedural rules for administrative hearings, records examinations, and preparation of recommended decisions and board orders. Assists with facilitation of administrative hearings and communicates regularly with board appointed hearing officers on legal matters. Serves as hearing officer for Campaign Disclosure complaints. Monitors Open Meetings Act compliance. Assists with review of documents for Freedom of Information Act responses as needed. Salary: $5,834 – $6,667. Deadline: Jan. 25. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Program Director, National Voter Registration Day — We are seeking a Program Director to leverage and coordinate the efforts of our broader staff team to ensure the success of National Voter Registration Day, a single day of coordinated field, technology, and media strategies to raise awareness of voter registration opportunities and help more Americans register to vote. Held every September, over 5 million people have registered to vote as part of the holiday’s 10-year history, a success we seek to build on. To do this we need a well-organized and entrepreneurial Program Director with strong people skills and a passion for civic engagement and democracy. 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.

Marketplace

electionline provides no guarantees as to the quality of the items being sold and the accuracy of the information provided about the sale items in the Marketplace. Ads are provided directly by sellers and are not verified by electionline. If you have an ad for Marketplace, please email it to: mmoretti@electionline.org