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Election News This Week

On the Hill: The Senate and House held elections-related hearings this week. On the Senate side, state elections officials testified before the Senate Rules Committee which is chaired by Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota). Klobuchar said it was important to hear from election officials from those states — North Carolina, South Carolina, New Mexico and Nebraska — to help prepare for the 2024 elections. “In the face of these challenges, it is important as ever that we continue to support election officials as they do their jobs to uphold our democracy,” she said. New Mexico’s Maggie Toulouse Oliver spoke about the difficulty of hiring and retaining elections workers. South Carolina’s Howard Knapp talked about mis/disinformation. Nebraska’s Bob Evnen detailed how his state is moving to implement a new voter ID law. On the House side, the House Administration Committee held a hearing on problems faced by Luzerne County, Pennsylvania on Election Day. The county faced a host of problems on Election Day 2022 including running out of paper ballots at many polling places. Some Republicans have called that voter suppression. Both Republicans and Democrats agree that there were problems in Luzerne County, but Democrats questioned why a Congressional hearing was being held. Neither Luzerne County election officials nor Pennsylvania state representatives responsible for election oversight attended the hearing in Washington. Both were invited but declined to appear, citing the ongoing inquiry by Luzerne County District Attorney Samuel M. Sanguedolce. The committee did hear from one losing candidate—who did not contest the election—and several county residents about their experiences on Election Day. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D), whose district includes Luzerne County, did not speak at the hearing, but he released a statement supporting the district attorney’s inquiry.  “Well, of course we need an investigation,” he said. “And a hearing in Washington is also good, but it probably should have waited until the actual investigation is complete. Luzerne County has a very capable DA, and he is conducting that investigation. What we should not do is name the hearing beforehand ‘Government Voter Suppression’ and grandstand about it without any basis for such a thing.”

Montana Staffing: Staffing issues are creating problems in two Montana counties. In Lincoln County, not only has the clerk and recorder resigned, but so has everyone in the office that runs elections. According to County Human Resources Director Dallas Bowe, she has received letters of resignation from Clerk and Recorder Robin Benson and both employees in the Elections Office, including Administrator Paula Buff and her assistant, Amanda Eckart. According to The Western News, county commissioners are unsure how May 2 school board elections will be conducted. According to the Western News, although the resignation letters weren’t made public, there had been recent tensions about the amount of work elections staff were required to do without support from the county. In Cascade County, there has been concern and confusion about how five upcoming elections will be conducted after newly elected County Clerk and Recorder Sandra Merchant said they could not be conducted by mail, a practice many Montanans have long embraced, including more than 80% of Cascade County voters. At a community meeting this week, residents expressed their concerns about Merchant’s ability to conduct the upcoming elections. “When people don’t have confidence in the election procedure, guess what? They don’t vote,” resident Gerry Jennings said. “How sad for Cascade County. In the opinion of many, Ms. Merchant should resign from office.”A meeting is scheduled for March 31 to discuss how the county plans to move forward with at least these upcoming elections.

Funding: A bipartisan group of former U.S. lawmakers on the National Council on Election Integrity called on Congress to spend $400 million on election integrity to insulate the system from foreign interference. “The Department of Homeland Security designated our election system as critical infrastructure in 2017,” the four wrote in a letter. “However, that designation was not accompanied by regular or adequate federal funding.” “In each of the last two years, Congress appropriated just $75 million for Election Security Grants — a fraction of the funds needed to secure our elections in this dynamic threat environment,” they added. The co-chairs of the council — former Virginia Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock, former Maryland Democratic Rep. Donna Edwards, former Indiana Democratic Rep. Tim Roemer and former Tennessee Republican Rep. Zach Wamp — wrote in the letter they are “deeply concerned that election officials are currently not receiving the federal support that they need to strengthen and secure federal elections in 2024 and beyond.” The National Council on Election Integrity, which began ahead of the 2020 presidential elections, includes about 40 civic and political leaders focused on “defending the legitimacy of our free and fair elections,” according to its website.

Personnel News: Maryland Election Administrator Linda Lamone announced that she will retire sometime this summer. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said via social media that she has no plans to run for the U.S. Senate.  Mel Levey is the new Merced County, California registrar of voters. Deborah Poulalion has announced her candidacy for the Seminole County, Florida supervisor of elections. The Georgia General Assembly has approved William Duffey as the chairman of the state board of elections. Jerry Forestieri and Timothy DeHaan have been removed from the Surry County, North Carolina board of elections for refusing to certify election results. Brunswick County Director of Elections Sara LaVere was sworn in as president of the North Carolina Association of Directors of Elections. Liberty County, Texas Elections Administrator Klint Bush has been charged with abuse of official capacity and theft of property.

Legislative Updates

Alabama: The Senate State Governmental Affairs Committee advanced two elections-related bills. Senate Bill 9 (SB9) would require that the state’s electronic voting counting system must require the use of a paper ballot that is marked and inspected by the voter prior to being cast and counted. The second bill, SB 10, prohibits the use of electronic vote counting systems that are capable of connecting to the Internet or cell phone networks or that possess modem technology. State Sen. Dan Roberts motioned to give SB9 a favorable report. The Committee voted unanimously to give SB9 a favorable report. SB10 was given a favorable report on an 11 to 0 vote. Both bills are supported by Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen, who was present to show his support and answer any questions the committee members might have. The legislation can be considered by the full Senate as soon as Tuesday, April 4, when the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session resumes.

Arizona: Senate Republicans on the Elections Committee have approved a House bill granting officials the option to hand count ballots instead of using voting machines in upcoming elections. Committee Chair Wendy Rogers explained why she supports the bill. “I would submit to you that machines cost more for updates and maintenance and upkeep than humans,” she said. But political activist Rivko Knox warned that her experience with hand counts shows even short, simple ballots are prone to human error. “Can you imagine how long it would take with Arizona’s long and complex ballot? And, by allowing any county to choose to hand count ballots the statewide certification of an election could be significantly delayed,” Knox said. The bill now moves to the Senate Rules Committee.

House Bill 2961 sponsored by Rep. Justin Heap (R-District 10) and co-sponsored by Rep. John Gillette (R- Kingman) would require county supervisors to provide a chain of custody record for ballots, including the time and signature of each supervisor beginning at the printing locations to the transportation, storage and delivery to the county recorder/officer in charge of elections and to any voting location. It would also require ballot boxes to be locked with a “tamper evident seal.” Law enforcement would also need to be present during the lock box transferring phase. Currently, law enforcement can aid in ballot box transportation if it’s practical or if they are available. The bill would also require a log of “voting irregularities,” which Marson said is broad. “We are hoping for some specificity about what that means,” Marson said that counties already do incident reports. The county recorder or other officer in charge of elections would need to give a record of voting irregularities of the Arizona Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives within 30 days of Election Day. The Arizona Secretary of State would need to be provided a copy.  According to the bill, all “damaged and defective” ballots that are replaced with a duplicate ballot would need to be reported in the chain of custody record. Jen Marson with Arizona Associations of Counties spoke in opposition because parts of the bill are repetitive of what’s already being done in Arizona. Marson said the organization’s main concern is logistics and details. For example, Maroon said the “robust” chain of custody records component is vague in certain sections, including when it comes to obtaining the signature of a voting location supervisor. The bill passed committee 5-3 with Republicans in support and Democrats against.

Shasta County, California: The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 in favor of hand-counting voting ballots. During the meeting, supervisors discussed multiple options that were on the table to replace the Dominion Voting Systems voting machines after the Board of Supervisors voted to cancel the contract with Dominion in January. The options were as follows: Negotiate a plan with ES&S; Negotiate a plan with Hart; Rescind the earlier decision to cancel their contract with Dominion Voting Systems; or Provide an alternative option, such as hand counting ballots The board listened to several presentations from the Shasta County Election Office and representatives from both ES&S and Hart voting systems. The decision affirms the board’s action in January to break the county’s contract with Dominion Voting Systems and develop a process to tally votes by hand. The board’s vote directed the county elections department to develop a process for hand-counting ballots rather than using machine tallying, which has been employed for decades. “The fact remains that these proprietary systems, without us looking into them, there is no trust for me. And most Americans, the majority of Americans, do not trust these machines,” Board Chairman Patrick Jones said. But dozens of speakers disagreed with Jones according to the Record Searchlight. They claimed the board’s actions would unnecessarily cost the county nearly $2 million, create more vote-counting errors and possibly interfere with the timing of future elections. County Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen said in a report that hand counting has not been tested anywhere else in California. After Tuesday’s board meeting, Darling Allen said she wasn’t sure she could develop a hand counting system in time for a special election Aug. 29 or a presidential primary election scheduled for March 2024.

Connecticut: Proposals to explore or implement ranked choice voting options in Connecticut will not advance this year out of a legislative committee on election policy, which declined to vote on the bills before a key deadline later this week. The Government Administration and Election Committee left five separate ranked choice proposals on the table when it finished a lengthy agenda on Monday, its last meeting before a deadline to advance committee bills. Rep. Matt Blumenthal, a Stamford Democrat who co-chairs the panel, said there was no consensus on the committee whether to move forward with ranked choice voting and little time to explore the issue given more pressing priorities like advancing early voting policies in the wake of a constitutional amendment allowing for the practice in Connecticut. “We ultimately just decided that we didn’t have the bandwidth or the support we needed this session to get a [ranked choice] bill done,” Blumenthal said.

Georgia: By a 100-69 vote, the House has approved legislation to prohibit donations to county election offices. The Senate previously passed a similar version of the measure. Defenders of nonprofit donations say they were essential for election operations since they started during the coronavirus pandemic. The money paid for items including equipment to process mail ballots, protective gear for election workers, elections staffing, absentee ballot postage costs and voter outreach. The voting law the General Assembly passed two years ago limited nonprofit contributions but didn’t shut them off entirely. The law, Senate Bill 202, prohibited direct contributions to county election offices while still allowing county governments to solicit grants on their behalf. This year’s legislation would close that loophole. If the bill becomes law, contributions would still be allowed to the state government, which could then distribute funding among counties. Before the House vote, the Rules Committee amended the bill so that it’s no longer backdated to Jan. 1, a provision that would have required DeKalb to return its $2 million grant. A retroactive law could have been challenged in court since it was legal for DeKalb to receive the money at the time. The Senate gave final approval to the legislation by a 32-21 vote.

The Senate passed a bill to ensure workers can take time off to cast a ballot either during early voting or on election day, sending the measure to Gov. Brian Kemp. The Senate voted 46-3 to approve the legislation, Senate Bill 129, which would expand on an existing law that guarantees two hours of unpaid voting time for workers on election day. Under the bill, workers would also have the option of taking time to vote during three weeks of early voting. Workers seeking time off would have to notify their employer in advance, and then the employer could decide on a time when workers could be absent, according to the bill. “Now, Georgians will have more options to cast a ballot during advance voting and more confidence in the results,” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said. “This bill is good for business, election officials and Georgia voters.” The legislation also would require audits of at least one statewide contest after primary, runoff and special elections. Currently, a race is only audited after general elections every two years.

Idaho: A bill that would allow the Department of Transportation to issue a free state ID card to vote for people who can’t afford one passed the Senate this week. House Bill 340 comes as the governor recently signed a bill removing student IDs as a valid form of identification at the polls. The bill also standardizes the voter registration process, and specifies the acceptable documentation needed to prove your identity and residence – both for registration and for voting. Secretary of State Phil McGrane says this was a key piece of legislation for his office coming into this session. “You may recall when we had the conversation with student IDs, I kind of had a caveat in terms of my support and that was, it had a former bill number at that time but that was this legislation. I think that this is important, particularly for poll workers and just the registration process in general. As you may recall, we have actually two identification requirements. We have the ID requirement to vote and we have the ID requirements to register to vote and currently they are quite different from one another. One is very specific, one is very broad. What this legislation does is unify those,” McGrane told the committee. According to the bill’s fiscal note, 98.8 percent of voters in the 2022 general election used a driver’s license to vote, 0.4 percent of voters used an affidavit attesting to their identity at the polls, while 104 people used a student ID. The bill sponsors anticipate that the state will issue fewer than 2,000 no-fee IDs each year. The bill now heads to the full Senate with a do-pass recommendation. That’s the last stop before it can reach the governor’s desk.

The Senate voted 23-11 to pass House Bill 138. If passed into law, the bill would move Idaho’s presidential primary election back on the calendar from its current date on the second Tuesday in March until the third Tuesday in May. Sen. Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs, sponsored the bill in the Idaho Senate, describing it as a cost-saving measure that could increase voter turnout by consolidating the March primary election with an existing election date in May. Harris estimated consolidating the March presidential primary election into the May election could save the state $2.7 million every four years.  The bill is written so that it would take effect July 1. That means it would be in effect for the upcoming 2024 presidential primary elections.

Indiana: Efforts to exempt members of the military, overseas voters and those voting by travel board from a bill requiring additional identification to apply for an absentee ballot failed largely along party lines Tuesday in the Indiana Senate. The amendments were presented by State Sen. J. D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, as the Senate considered House Bill 1334 on second reading. The bill has been engrossed for a third and final reading where the Republican supermajority is expected to pass the bill with ease. Republican lawmakers say the measure makes the identification requirements process for voting by mail or travel board the same as that for in-person early and absentee voting. The move, they say, will increase the security of the state’s election process and add a layer of protection against voter fraud. Their Democratic counterparts say the measure duplicates existing processes and laws and will disenfranchise the most vulnerable of voters: the elderly, disabled and members of the military. A second amendment sought to exempt voters using the travel board since the travel board is comprised of both a Republican and Democrat who can verify a person’s identity. He said it may be difficult for senior citizens or those who can’t leave their house to vote to have unexpired versions of the required identification. Most of those using the travel board are unable to leave their homes. Republican Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, joined a handful of other Republicans supporting the amendment exempting military and overseas voters. The measure failed 17-31. A straight party-line vote killed the travel board amendment.

Minnesota: Minnesota legislators and state election officials are proposing new penalties for people who intentionally spread false information intended to prevent someone from voting. The proposal, nearing a vote as part of a broader DFL-led elections package, would carry a gross misdemeanor penalty and allow the attorney general and others to bring civil action against someone who violates the law within 60 days of an election. The bill is part of a suite of proposals this session meant to combat false and manipulated information about state elections and candidates while adding new protections for election workers, who have borne the brunt of anger from voters as disinformation has spread. Under the bill’s language, that would include information “regarding the time, place, or manner of holding an election; the qualifications for or restrictions on voter eligibility at an election; and threats to physical safety associated with casting a ballot.” A different proposal with backing from members of both parties would carry similar penalties for someone who uses artificial intelligence to create manipulated videos, photos or audio 60 days before an election to hurt a candidate’s credibility or otherwise influence voters. “In America, everyone has a right to be wrong,” said Secretary of State Steve Simon. “What you can’t do … is intentionally, with the intent to impede someone’s access to the polls, lie and say things that are not true. That is the cornerstone of the fight against disinformation.”

Mississippi: Under the policy outlined in House Bill 1310, county registrars offices must survey their voter rolls every presidential election cycle. If someone has not voted at least once since the primary election in the previous presidential election cycle, they will be placed on inactive status and sent a letter asking if they still live at that location. Voters placed on inactive status will not be eligible to vote at their precinct and must cast an affidavit ballot. The list also removes someone from the selection pool for jury duty. Language of the bill is vague, and some experts are also interpreting it to mean any voter who misses a single election could be placed on inactive status.  Once someone is removed from the voter roll, they must register with their county elections office to have their voter status reinstated. Republican Representative Brent Powell says the registered voter will then have 4 more years to take action before they are removed from voter rolls. Democratic Representative Edward Blackmon says it would unjustly take voting rights away from Mississippians.

Missouri: The Legislature is considering a bill that would move Missouri back to a primary system for its presidential elections. Last year, the legislature opted to switch back to a caucus system, but a special committee on public policy met Wednesday to hear two bills that would reinstate the presidential primary, one  sponsored by Veit and another sponsored by Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway, R-Festus. The bills were presented together and sponsors cited limitations to attending caucuses, limitations to hosting caucuses and a lack of privacy at caucuses as reasons to return to a preference primary system. As it stands, military service members who are deployed can submit absentee ballots from anywhere in the world, but, caucuses require participation in person. “We’re asking them to fight and die for us, but we don’t care what they think, (about) their input,” Veit said. First responders and parents with young children were among other groups supporters said would not get input at caucuses. Fears of disenfranchisement were evident in testimony of both supporters and opponents. Supporters of the bill raised concerns that rural areas would not have access to the facilities required to host a caucus. A representative for the Missouri Association of County Clerks testified that having the primary election in March causes confusion for absentee voters who would be casting ballots for the April municipal elections at the same time. The Republican and Democratic Directors of Elections in St. Louis County testified together for informational purposes about the costs of primary elections being so close to municipal elections. “It’s gonna require a lot of extra work … to get our machines back so they can run the election in April,” said Rick Stream, the Republican director.

Nevada: If passed, a bill in the Nevada Legislature would prohibit the use of paper ballots when voting in person and require all votes to be cast using a mechanical voting system. AB242 would remove all references in Nevada Revised Statutes to paper ballots and repeal provisions regarding them. It would also require every polling place to have at least two voting booths designed for voters who are elderly or with disabilities. “Except as otherwise provided… all votes cast in person at a polling place at any election must be cast using a mechanical voting system and not by the marking of a paper ballot,” the bill reads. The changes would not affect mail-in ballots. The changes would go into effect July 1 if the bill were to pass.

Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) announced his legislative agenda this week. On the elections front, Lombardo wants to require voters to show a photo ID at the polls and to do away with universal vote-by-mail. The Department of Motor Vehicles would be required to provide identification for voters who lack it. Senate Bill 405 would also require mail-in ballots be received by the time polls close on Election Day, rather than 5pm four days after the election., Ballot harvesting, the practice of collecting and turning in ballots for other voters, would be criminalized in some circumstances under the legislation. Lombardo’s Chief of Staff Ben Kieckhefer said ending the “Covid-era” practice of sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters would save the state money, but Lombardo’s office would not say how much will be saved or how much it will cost to have election personnel respond to individual requests for ballots. Voters would be required to notate a driver’s license number or last four of their Social Security number on a mail-in ballot.

New Jersey: Robert Karabinchak (D-Trenton) wants to change the way unaffiliated mail-in voters vote in political primary elections in New Jersey. Under state law, unaffiliated voters must declare a political party 55 days before a primary election. Under the proposed change, unaffiliated primary voters could vote using the mail-in ballot in a primary election if the voter submits a political party affiliation declaration form to the municipal clerk or the county commissioner of registration by 3 p.m. the day before the primary election and requests the mail-in ballot by that deadline from the county clerk.

North Carolina: Rep. Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba, Irdell) has introduced legislation that would repeal funding for North Carolina to join ERIC. “I don’t see that we need to share the information of our citizens with everybody in the world,” Setzer said. The bill comes just a year after the GOP-led legislature authorized the use of federal election funds to join ERIC.  Setzer said his bill is a response to constituent concerns about the sharing of voter data and personal information, and is not driven by partisanship. While the bill to repeal funding for joining ERIC sits in a House committee, North Carolina elections officials are proceeding with plans to join the organization, which still could take a few months.

Ohio: Senate President Matt Huffman hopes to get Senate Bill 92, which calls for an August special election on the Senate and House floors within the next few months.  The bill would need to pass by May in order for boards of elections to have enough time to prepare for the special August election. If Senate Bill 92 passes, Ohioans would have the chance to vote yes or no, on raising the threshold to 60% for passing a constitutional ballot amendment. Ohio House Speaker State Rep. Jason Stephens ultimately decides what legislation the Ohio House will vote on and said he does not support an August special election. Ohio’s last general assembly passed a law eliminating most special elections because of the high cost.  “The Ohio Association of Election Officials has not yet taken a formal position on Senate Bill 92, which would create an August special election in 2023 and appropriate $20 million to administer that election,” said Aaron Ockerman, executive director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials. “As always, our bipartisan association looks forward to working with members of both political parties in the legislature and our Secretary of State to craft sound election laws and policies.”

Texas: Under SB990 countywide vote centers would be eliminated on Election Day. The bill’s sponsor didn’t cite any specific examples but said there is widespread concern about everyone in a county being able to vote at the precinct of their choosing. State Senator Bob Hall from Rockwall says, “Some election workers have expressed concern that countywide voting increases vulnerabilities in election security and frustrates chain of custody measures. it is an unnecessary convenience that sacrifices election security.” Supporters of SB 990 say the change would allow for immediate reporting of local precinct voting results and that would make the voting more secure. Elections officials testified against the proposal say they would prefer to stay with the early voting rules through election day. Heider Garcia with the Texas Association of Elections Administrators notes, “We do it for two weeks. This is just allowing us to do for one more day what we already do for two weeks. So there are no compromises in security or chain of custody or anything to implement this program.”

Vermont: The Senate has voted to advance a bill that would move toward implementing ranked choice voting in Vermont for presidential primary elections. But hold your horses: Ballots wouldn’t change until 2028. Introducing S.32 to her colleagues on the Senate floor, Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, P/D-Chittenden Central, said ranked choice voting is “an often misunderstood and seemingly complex topic that, once understood, is actually quite simple.” S.32 comes after a different, more robust ranked choice voting bill died last year. Lawmakers came back this year with the idea to limit implementation of the system to presidential primaries as a trial run. In its original form, S.32 would have plowed ahead with a ranked choice presidential primary ballot as soon as the 2024 election cycle, but lawmakers heard from the Secretary of State’s Office and town clerks that the timeline was simply too tight. So 2028 it is. In the meantime, there will be a study committee comprised of lawmakers, representatives from the Secretary of State’s Office, municipal governments and other stakeholders to take a closer look at how widespread ranked choice voting would operate in Vermont. S.32 also contains permissive language offering municipalities the Legislature’s blessing to implement ranked choice voting for their own local elections, should they so choose, as early as 2024, but the bill does not require it. Senators voted 23-7 to approve S.32’s second reading. It faces one more Senate floor vote before it heads to the House.

Legal Updates

Arizona: Secretary of State Adrian Fontes wants Mark Finchem, the Republican Fontes defeated in last year’s election, to pay nearly $75,000 in attorney’s fees for filing what a judge said was a “groundless” lawsuit to overturn the election. Finchem lost by more than 120,000 votes, but still filed an election contest in which the conspiracy-friendly former legislator claimed Fontes only won because of massive election malfeasance at the hands of Maricopa County and then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.  He provided no evidence that anything affected the election outcome, and his attorney mused in court that he would likely be disbarred and sanctioned for making the claims. Earlier this month, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Melissa Julian said the lawsuit was brought in bad faith, as many of the claims brought by Finchem would not have materially affected the outcome of his election even if they were true. Julian also told Fontes he could ask the court to order Finchem to pay the legal fees incurred by both his campaign and the Secretary of State’s Office.  On March 21, Fontes’s campaign requested more than $67,000 in attorney’s fees. And On March 27, the Secretary of State’s Office said it spent more than $7,000 fighting the case.

Florida: Two Hillsborough County residents who were part of a statewide sweep billed as an effort to combat voter fraud pleaded guilty to felony charges and received six months of probation. Hubert Jack and Michael Anderson each admitted to charges of voting by an unqualified elector, stemming from their participation in the 2020 election, despite prior convictions that made them ineligible to vote. Jack also pleaded guilty to a charge of false swearing. Attorneys for Jack and Anderson both characterized the cases as political prosecutions. “This was a glorified waste of time and money and limited resources in the law enforcement community, all to make a political point,” said attorney Stephen Crawford, who represented Jack. “It’s pretty clear this was not about punishing a crime, as it was a political stunt,” said attorney Shelton Bridges, who represented Anderson. Both attorneys said their clients believed they were allowed to vote.

Minnesota: Kenneth Gerald Wiese, Jr., 75 of Brownsville, received a stayed 15-month prison sentence in Houston County District Court for illegally voting in several elections in 2020 and 2022. Wiese was facing three counts of knowingly voting as an ineligible voter and one count of attempting to knowingly voting as an ineligible voter, all felonies, in three separate cases. He pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly voting as an ineligible voter as part of a plea deal that dismissed the other three charges.  District Judge Carmaine Sturrino put Wiese on five months of supervised probation and ordered him not to possess or use any firearms, explosives or mood altering substances. During the hearing, she stressed that Wiese is still not allowed to vote. “Continued efforts to vote could end up as a prison sentence,” Sturrino said in court.

Missouri: Columbia resident Harry Cooper filed a lawsuit accusing Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft of illegally blocking a proposed citizen-driven ballot question that would have prevented lawmakers from making it harder for voters to amend the state constitution. The lawsuit argues that Ashcroft unlawfully rejected Cooper’s filing, did so after a 15-day deadline and refused to provide a reason, as required by state law. It alleges that Ashcroft’s actions create a pretext where the secretary of state could block any ballot question he does not like. JoDonn Chaney, Ashcroft’s spokesperson, said that the secretary of state’s office was served the lawsuit and it is “currently under review.”

New Hampshire: Tina Thomas, 52 of Raymond, is facing charges for allegedly assaulting an election official. The New Hampshire Attorney General’s office said Thomas allegedly assaulted the election worker at the town’s polling center at Iber Holmes Gove Middle School on Tuesday. She was arrested and charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct before being released on bail. Jonathan Wood, the interim town moderator in Raymond, confirmed to WMUR that he was the worker Thomas allegedly assaulted.  Wood said Thomas had gotten agitated when the polling location’s ballot machine rejected one of her paper ballots several times. Wood said the 52-year-old then folded the ballet and shoved it into the machine.  Wood said when he tried to remove the jammed ballot, Thomas hit him in the face, giving him a bloody nose. He said police at the polling center intervened, and he returned to help others cast their ballots soon after.  A spokesperson for the New Hampshire Attorney General’s said the Election Law Unit is working with Raymond police to investigate the incident, but no new charges have been filed.

Pennsylvania: Commonwealth Court Judge Ellen Ceisler dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee that had sought to prevent counties from helping voters ensure their ballots count by fixing minor, technical deficiencies on mail-in ballot envelopes. Ceisler said county courts, not a statewide court, have jurisdiction. The lawsuit, filed in the statewide Commonwealth Court, had argued that state law prevents what is known as “ballot curing” and, as a result, must be barred by the court. Ceisler agreed with lawyers for the state’s Democratic administration and ruled that county courts have jurisdiction in the matter, not a state court, because counties have the authority under state law to make rules, regulations and instructions necessary to run an election.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Dominion lawsuit | ERIC | Democracy

Colorado: E-voting

Connecticut: Outside funding | Early voting | Ranked choice voting, II

Illinois: Youth vote

Idaho: Ranked choice voting

Indiana: Election legislation, II

Louisiana: Recall, II

Maine: Ranked choice voting

Maryland: Ranked choice voting

Michigan: Ballot access

Missouri: Secretary of state

Montana: Ranked choice voting

New Jersey: Election integrity

New York: Vote centers

Ohio: Ballot access | ERIC

Pennsylvania: Voter suppression | Efficient elections

Tennessee: Ex-felon voting rights | Student IDs

Texas: Election legislation | Online voter registration

Virginia: Ex-felon voting rights

West Virginia: Election integrity

Wisconsin: Election fraud

Wyoming: Ranked choice voting | Voter access

Upcoming Events

Confronting the Insider Threat on Election Security and Protecting Election Officials: The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA promotes research, collaboration, and advocacy under the leadership of UCLA Law Professor Richard L. Hasen; one of the nation’s leading election scholars. The Safeguarding Democracy Project is built upon the premise that tackling issues of the U.S. election integrity must be collaborative: across ideologies, across scholarly disciplines, and as a bridge between theory and practice. Speakers for this event include Richard Hasen, Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project and Professor of Law & Political Science @UCLA School of Law, Judd Choate, director of elections for the Colorado Department of State and Elizabeth Howard, senior counsel, Democracy at Brennan Center for Justice: When: April 4, 3pm Eastern. Where: Online.

Can We Improve the Way We Elect Our President?: Making Every Vote Count and Leadership Now Project will co-host a virtual program to discuss the U.S. presidential election system based on the Electoral College provisions of the Constitution. We hope that you will join us. The purpose of the program is to inform and energize opinion leaders, business professionals, and others interested in democracy issues about how the Electoral College works; describe the damages it causes and why; and discuss possible reforms. It is not the purpose of the program to enlist support for any particular reform proposal. Neither MEVC nor Leadership Now endorses a particular proposal. But the program will cover the reform proposals, and speakers and panelists will express their views on them. At the core of the April 4 program will be a panel moderated by E.J. Dionne, nationally syndicated columnist and long-time student of and commentator on the country’s presidential election process and the Electoral College system. When: April 4 at 2:30pm Eastern. Where: Online.

How To Rig An Election: Actor Tom Hanks and former American Civil Liberties Union deputy legal director Jeffery Robinson have produced a new short film about the contested and consequential 1876 presidential election that was resolved in a backroom deal. On Thursday, April 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET, Hanks and Robinson join The Washington Post’s Kate Woodsome to discuss “How to Rig an Election: The Racist History of the 1876 Presidential Contest.” The animated short will be distributed by The Post Opinions section. When: April 6 at 3pm Eastern. Where: Online.

U.S. Election Assistance Commission Standards Board Annual Meeting: This meeting is in-person and open to the public. This meeting is to conduct an annual review the VVSG 2.0 Requirements and  implementation, review the status of the EAC’s e-poll book pilot program, discuss ongoing EAC programs, and address election official security and mental health concerns. This meeting will include a question and answer discussion between board members and EAC staff. Board members will also review FACA Board membership guidelines and policies with EAC Acting General Counsel and receive a general update about the EAC programing. The Board will also elect nine members to the Executive Board Committee. Background: On February 10, 2021 the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced the adoption of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0, the fifth iteration of national level voting system standards. The Federal Election Commission published the first two sets of federal standards in 1990 and 2002. The EAC then adopted Version 1.0 of the VVSG on December 13, 2005. In an effort to update and improve version 1.0 of the VVSG, on March 31, 2015, the EAC commissioners unanimously approved VVSG 1.1. HAVA designates a 110-member Standards Board to assist EAC in carrying out its mandates under the law. The board consists of 55 state election officials selected by their respective chief state election official, and 55 local election officials selected through a process supervised by the chief state election official. When: April 18-19. Where: Washington, DC.

Disinformation Nation: How Partisan Politicians Distort History: Misinformation is on the rise. From cable news to social media, we’re very aware that what we’re hearing or reading could be wrong. And it seems our skepticism of the right’s version of current events should extend to our history as well. A new book, Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past, dispels many of the myths being pushed about our country’s past. In a collection of 20 essays from top historians, edited by Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer, this important text shows how those on the right have used revisionist history to fan the flames of politicization and unravel the seams of democracy.  Join us for a live virtual conversation on Thursday, April 20, at 6 p.m. ET with historians featured in the book, Yale University law and political science professor Akhil Reed Amar, Emory University African American Studies professor Carol Anderson, and Northwestern University associate professor Kathleen Belew, as well as editors and Princeton professors Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer. Where: Online. When: April 20 at 6 pm Eastern.

2023 EAC Board of Advisors Annual Meeting: This meeting is to conduct an annual review the VVSG 2.0 Requirements and implementation, review the status of the EAC’s e-poll book pilot program, discuss ongoing EAC programs, and address election official security and mental health concerns. This meeting will include a question and answer discussion between board members and EAC staff.  Board members will also review FACA Board membership guidelines and policies with EAC Acting General Counsel and receive a general update about the EAC programing. The Board will also elect three members to Executive Officer positions and consider amendments to the Bylaws.  Background: On February 10, 2021 the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced the adoption of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0, the fifth iteration of national level voting system standards. The Federal Election Commission published the first two sets of federal standards in 1990 and 2002. The EAC then adopted Version 1.0 of the VVSG on December 13, 2005. In an effort to update and improve version 1.0 of the VVSG, on March 31, 2015, the EAC commissioners unanimously approved VVSG 1.1. Where: Washington, DC. When: April 25-26.

U.S. Election Assistance Commission Public Meeting: Please join the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for a public discussion about serving military and UOCAVA voters. Where: Online. When: April 26 at 1pm Eastern.

Election Center Special Workshop: Courses offered will include: Course 9 (History III – 1965 to Present), Course 10 (Constitutional Law of Elections, renewal) and Course 15 (Training in Elections: Reaching All Levels). When: April 27-30. Where: Houston.

ERSA 2023 Conference:  The 7th Annual Summer Conference on Election Science, Reform, and Administration (ESRA) will be held in person from Wednesday, May 31 to Friday, June 2, at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.  Details about this year’s conference program are forthcoming. When: May 31-June 2. Where: Atlanta

State Certification Testing of Election Systems National Conference: This year’s State Certification Testing of Election Systems National Conference (SCTESNC), hosted by Pro V&V, Inc., will be held at Huntsville Marriott at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. The purpose of the conference is to share ideas and solutions for ensuring voting and election system reliability, transparency, and integrity through better testing of systems. The 2023 conference will feature a panel discussion on risk-limiting audits by leading national experts in the field. The primary goal of the conference is to provide a venue for practitioners and academics to share best practices for voting system testing and management, to explore more efficient and effective methods for testing and implementing voting and election systems, and to identify common challenges and potential mitigation to those challenges. Additionally, the conference is meant to be a vehicle to improve the flow of information between the federal, state, county, and municipality testing entities. This is a working conference with expectations that all attendees prepare a paper, presentation, panel discussion, or other activity to share ideas and innovations in the testing of voting and election systems.  First-time attendees may waive the paper presentation requirements. This year, in lieu of an overarching theme, the conference organizers invite those attending to submit proposed topic presentations on any issue of importance related to the certification and testing of election systems. Attendance is open for all individuals engaged in the testing and certification of voting and election systems for government jurisdictions.  When: June 12-13. Where: Huntsville, Alabama

NASS 2023 Summer Conference: The National Association of Secretaries of State will hold its summer conference in Washington, D.C. Registration will be open in May. Check back for more details. When: July 9-12. Where: Washington, DC.

NACo Annual Conference: The National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference & Expo is the largest meeting of county elected and appointed officials from across the country. Participants from counties of all sizes come together to shape NACo’s federal policy agenda, share proven practices and strengthen knowledge networks to help improve residents’ lives and the efficiency of county government.  When: July 21-24. Where: Travis County, Texas.

Election Center National Conference: The National Association of Election Officials (The Election Center) will hold its 38th Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida in late August. In addition to the conference, CERA courses and renewal courses will be offered. Check back for more information. When: Aug. 26-30. Where: Orlando, Florida

Job Postings This Week

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

Administrative Specialist II (Elections Specialist – Chinese), King County Elections— This is an amazing opportunity to be engaged in the election process! This benefits-eligible Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position is anticipated to last until December 2024. 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.  Salary: $24.59 – $31.30 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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 Manager-Poll Worker Department, Palm Beach County, Florida— The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections is looking for an experienced Assistant Poll Worker Department Manager. In this role, you will oversee the planning and the completion of various projects, administrative functions, operations, and specialized tasks in the Poll Worker Department. The work involves knowledge and application of departmental operations, planning, assigning responsibilities, monitoring election worker classes, maintaining records, evaluating performance, and the ability to review work for accuracy. This position requires initiative and sound independent judgement in the application of office policies, election laws, and procedures. Must be personable and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, associates, and the general public. All work is performed under the guidance of the Supervisor of Elections. The ideal candidate will have an excellent work ethic, including consistent performance, reliability, and attendance. The desire and ability to work well in a fast-paced collaborative environment with a smile are essential to the position. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Associate Director, Political Science, MIT Election Data and Science Lab— To serve in a leadership role by working with the faculty director to develop and implement an expanded strategic vision of MEDSL and to manage operations and administration of the lab’s activities. Will bear primary responsibility for ensuring that the lab’s activities are responsive to the most pressing needs of election administrators throughout the United States and for maintaining robust lines of communication with election officials and allied research institutions. MEDSL is dedicated to the creation of knowledge, insights, and data necessary to increase understanding and guide improvement of elections as they are conducted in the United States. Required: bachelor’s degree; five years’ direct experience working in election administration or election science (which may have been acquired through work as a state or local administrator, leader of a nonprofit organization, or academic researcher); tactical and strategic approach to responsibilities; excellent problem-solving, organizational, project management, and written and verbal communication and presentation skills; organizational and cultural awareness; diplomacy and good judgment;  initiative; interest in contributing to the progress of scientific research by facilitating the work of others; discretion and judgment with confidential information/issues; and proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.  Must be able to achieve big picture results while paying attention to detail; follow through and achieve objectives in a timely manner; keep teams, projects, and deliverables on track; coordinate multiple tasks, set priorities, deliver results, and meet deadlines; exert influence, negotiate, and work across boundaries; and work independently and collaboratively. Preferred: graduate degree in law, political science, public policy, public administration, management, or related field. 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 adjust 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; and Portfolios will be required by all applicants who are selected to move forward in the recruitment process. Salary: $27.10 – $28.10. Application: For the complete listing and to apply, click here.

Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters, San Bernardino, California— The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters seeks a dynamic and innovative administrator who can lead and thrive in a fast-paced environment to manage our elections programs, processes, and team.  The Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters is a forward-thinking individual that assists with guiding the future direction of the department and its processes, taking a hands-on approach to find solutions while working collaboratively with a knowledgeable and dedicated team. The Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters is a key member of the Department’s senior management team, participating in organizational strategic planning and administering election programs. The position serves as a Chief over a division of the Registrar of Voters (ROV) office and has primary responsibility for assisting the ROV in planning, conducting, and certifying all Primary, General, and Special elections. Salary: $85,425.60 – $118,684.80. 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 Director, NonproftVote— Are you a seasoned communications professional concerned about the state of our democracy? Do you believe in the power of nonprofits and nonpartisan voter engagement? If so, we have an opportunity to put your skills to work in a mission-driven environment to foster a more engaged and inclusive democracy. Nonprofit VOTE equips our nation’s nonprofits with nonpartisan tools and resources to help the communities they serve participate in voting and democracy. In doing so, we seek to close participation gaps among populations underrepresented in the political process. Additionally, Nonprofit VOTE manages the collaborative work of National Voter Registration Day, a single day of coordinated field, technology, and media strategies to raise awareness of voter registration opportunities and help hundreds of thousands of Americans register to vote. Working within a small, collaborative, and flexible team, your role as Communications Director will be to lead the communications of both Nonprofit VOTE and National Voter Registration Day. Our communications seek to weave a narrative around successful voter engagement efforts, highlighting key partners and traditionally underrepresented communities, while distributing practical advice and tools on how nonprofits can more effectively engage their communities. Salary: $75,000 and $90,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Digital and Multimedia Specialist, Issue One— The Digital and Multimedia Specialist (DMS) will play an integral role in expanding Issue One’s reach by producing and promoting multimedia content (including in-house video),  managing and growing Issue One’s social media footprint, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram, running Issue One’s fundraising and action email list. The DMS will be proficient at video production and help Issue One reach new and larger audiences through video messaging, social media, and digital storytelling. The individual will also support key functions of the communications team, working closely with the communications director, senior communications manager, and communications specialist. The ideal candidate will possess a strong understanding of digital and multimedia strategies and tools needed to reach wider audiences and grow the organization’s brand in a competitive digital climate. Salary: $58K-$70K. 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.

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 Certification & Training Program Manager, Washington Secretary of State’s Office—   The Elections Certification & Training Program Manager reports to the Deputy Director of Elections and is responsible for managing the Certification and Training team. Certification and Training is a mission critical program established and required by RCW 29A.04.530, 29A.04.560, 29A.04.590. The Certification and Training Manager develops and manages program objectives and priorities, in collaboration with external stakeholders including independently elected auditors and election officials. Additionally, the Program Manager makes collaborative strategic judgments and decisions balancing competing program demands or priorities for resources; develops, modifies, and implements division policy; formulates long-range strategic plans and projects . The Certification and Training Manager also integrates division and office policies and reviews the program for compliance with policies and strategic objectives. The position is responsible for four mission critical functions: Professional certification and training of local and state election administrators and county canvassing board members. Review of county election operations and procedures. Testing of all vote tabulation equipment used in each county during state primary and general elections. The election clearinghouse and publication program. The Program Manager also manages the process for adopting state rules and is the Election Division’s liaison with the USPS. Salary: $83,000 – $93,000. Application: For the complete job application and to apply, click here.

Election Director, Ohio Secretary of State’s Office— The Ohio Secretary of State Elections Division is recruiting for a Director of the Elections Division. The Director of the Elections Division (often called the Elections Director) oversees a team responsible for one of the Office’s two main functions: the oversight of local, state, and federal elections. The director serves as the Office’s primary liaison to Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections and, under the general direction of the Chief of Staff, leads the strategic planning and daily management of the division, including the following duties: Supervises division employees, including the enforcement of workplace policies, periodic review of performance, and recommendations for compensation and promotion; Oversees the issuance of advisories and directives that inform boards of changes to state election laws and sets uniform standards and policies by which elections are conducted; Develops and executes a detailed plan to manage the division’s work product in support of all timelines and deadlines associated with the annual elections calendar; Helps to develop and administer the division’s operational budget to ensure adequate levels of statewide support for the Office’s objectives; Provides daily support to boards of elections, including troubleshooting and training, as well as assistance as needed with administrative functions such as voting operations, poll worker recruitment, records processing and retention, post-election auditing, budgeting, legal compliance, and all other expectations established in the Secretary of State’s Election Official Manual; Reviews feedback from the Office’s regional operations teams and provides follow-up and support as needed; Determines the forms of ballots, poll books, voter instruction notices, and other forms relevant to the administration of elections; Oversees the collection, organization and review of statewide initiative and referendum petitions; Coordinates the meetings and direction of the Ohio Board of Voting Machine Examiners and the Ohio Ballot Board; Assists in the development and implementation of election-related public policy; Supports the Office’s legal staff in fulfilling public records requests, addressing litigation, and supporting law enforcement inquiries; Frequently briefs the Secretary of State and Chief of Staff on all relevant developments impacting the administration of elections in Ohio; Advises on vendor and consultant contracts; Assists the Office’s Information Technology team with election data retention and analysis efforts, including maintenance of voter registration records, investigations of fraud and irregularities, and publication of election statistics; Communicates with advocacy groups and election officials seeking guidance on the Office’s directives, advisories, or strategic policy initiatives; Represents the Secretary of State as needed in meetings, hearings, conferences, and other functions related to election administration; Seeks opportunities to strengthen the influence and visibility of the Office with election officials, advocacy groups, and influencers; Assists with the development of the Office’s communication content to intergovernmental contacts and third-party stakeholders; Manages the logistical planning and execution of the Office’s statewide Election Night Reporting operation, which includes the collection, tracking, tabulation, and reporting of election data from boards of elections to an official website for public consumption; Assists the Office’s legal staff in ensuring compliance with applicable rules, disclosures, and filings relating to lobbying and ethics laws; Collaborates with the Office’s External Affairs, Business Services, and Public Integrity divisions to support their respective objectives, including the development of public voter awareness campaigns, informational publications, website content, and other communications content; and Otherwise supports the Secretary of State and the Office of the Secretary of State in complying with all statutory obligations set forth under Ohio Revised Code Section 3501.05, “Election duties of secretary of state.” Salary: $125K-$140K. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Review Specialist, Washington Secretary of State’s Office— This Program Specialist 4 reports to the Certification and Training Program Manager and is responsible for overseeing the County Review Program which reviews the policies and procedures of Washington County Election Departments roughly every 5 years for compliance with state and federal election law.  This collaborative process is intended to support local election officials, share best practices and is one of the reasons Washington State Election Administration is ranked highest in the nation. Salary: $57,324 – $77,028. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Services Manager, Contra Costa County, California— Contra Costa County has more than 700,000 registered voters and a population of 1.1 million. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Contra Costa County offers a great salary and benefits in addition to a collaborative and fast-paced work environment. Our office is vital to our democracy and our community, and we love to help our residents. Our leadership values employee development and engagement, promotes open and transparent communication, prepares us to be a high-performing organization, and recognizes the contributions of others. We connect with the community, listen to them, and provide a critical service that people rely on. We are looking to fill one (1) Elections Services Manager to help support our mission. The incumbent will report directly to the Assistant Registrar, work in collaboration with the Clerk-Recorder-Registrar and executive management team, and interact with leaders in other county departments, state officials, and vendors to carry out essential functions. Salary: $99,084.96 – $120,438.48. Deadline: April 25. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Specialist, Thurston County, Washington— The position of Election Specialist assists in the preparation and operation of County elections by processing voter registration applications and election ballots, maintains voter registration records, selection and training of election extra help staff, and education programs. Receives significant public contact requiring effective communication and service to the customers in person, by email, and telephone. Salary: $3,637 – $4,837 Monthly. Deadline: March 31. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Technician, Jefferson County, Colorado — Take your love of elections administration to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains! Under the direction of an Elections Manger, the Elections Technician is responsible for the administration of multiple duties that support the operations of the Clerk and Recorder’s Elections Division. The position administers processes for elections programs that will include data entry for voter registrations, customer service (via phone, email, and in-person), and day-to-day office administration. During election periods, manages the day-to-day operations of our Mail Ballot processing center; this includes Signature Verification & Challenge Team processing, Military & Overseas voters ballot processing, Ballot Removal, Duplication processing and Health Care Facilities visits. Oversees and manages the work of temporary election workers performing activities in support of the election. Salary: Target Hiring Range: $21.50 – $26.79 USD Hourly. Deadline: April 9. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Technician-Voter Services, Jefferson County, Colorado— The Elections Technician is responsible for supporting the operations and functions of Jefferson County’s elections. As the front office representative, the Elections Technician acts as the first line of communication between the Elections Division and the public. The Elections Technician performs a variety of general office support and exceptional customer service by telephone, email, and in-person and works to process incoming and outgoing voter correspondence, account for deliveries, manage inventory, order supplies, and provide general clerical support. The Elections Technician also assists office visitors with questions about registering to vote, curing their ballot, and becoming a confidential voter. This position administers processes and procedures for election programs including data entry for voter registrations. During election periods, this role issues absentee ballots, follows election security and chain-of-custody protocols, and welcomes visitors, election watchers, and election workers. This position also oversees and manages the work of temporary election workers performing activities in support of the election. Deadline: April 21. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Executive Director, Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Officials— The Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities (MACCEA) is a professional association of county clerks and election authorities from Missouri’s 116 counties and election authority jurisdictions. MACCEA’s Executive Board is comprised of elected county clerks and appointed election directors whose full-time jobs are to manage county offices, conduct high profile elections, and work in the challenging environment of county government administration. The Board is a volunteer position and officers are elected by the association membership with additional members appointed by the Board President. The Executive Director position, established in 2022, will help the Board better support our membership in their roles as county clerks and election authorities, as well as support the association’s vision, mission, and goals. MACCEA seeks a contract Executive Director with diverse non-profit management, governance, conference planning, and communications experience. The Executive Director reports to the 12-member MACCEA Executive Board. Duties and association management are delegated to the Executive Director by the MACCEA Bylaws and under the direction of the Executive Board. Salary Range: $55,000 – $65,000. 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.

Legal Intern, Illinois State Board of Elections— The State Board of Elections’ Legal Division is seeking a legal intern to assist in the creation of the State Officers Electoral Board (SOEB) decision database. The candidate will be responsible for reviewing objections and related decisions to create a public research database of Board decisions. The Internship will require legal research and writing skills consistent with serving as agency counsel. Responsibilities include updating, reviewing and creating reference/training materials focused on election law.  Application: For the complete internship listing and to apply, click here.

Program Officer, Election Trust Initiative— The Election Trust Initiative, LLC is a non-partisan grant-making organization providing support to nonpartisan research, resources, and organizations that help election officials strengthen election administration. Launched in 2023, the Initiative’s founding partners are the Pew Charitable Trusts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Klarman Family Foundation. Election Trust Initiative operates as a subsidiary of the Pew Charitable Trusts, a section 501(c)(3) public charity. The program officer is part of a small project team that works to advance evidence-based and nonpartisan solutions that improve the accessibility, integrity, and trustworthiness of the U.S. election administration system. This position will work with the team and our partners to develop strategies to strengthen the field of election administration, identify and vet grantees, provide business planning and capacity building support to key organizations in the field, develop metrics to assess and monitor the portfolio’s progress in attaining its objectives, and coordinate strategies with allied philanthropic partners also investing in the elections sector. This work will involve building relationships with elections officials, researchers, policymakers, non-profit organizations, donors, and other key stakeholders. The position is based in Washington, D.C., though remote candidates will be considered, and it is eligible for up to 60% telework if working from the DC office. The position will report to the executive director of the Election Trust Initiative. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Specialist-Voter Services, Johnson County, Kansas— The Senior Election Specialist – Voter Services will take a lead role on the voter services team within the Election Office. This position will oversee the office’s use of the statewide voter registration system and support other employees in their work within this vital system. This will require attention to detail and the ability to define a series of tasks to complete work within the system in an efficient and accurate manner for temporary employees. This position will also research and perform all geography changes within the statewide voter registration system to accommodate annexations made by cities as well as district boundary changes made by state and local governing bodies. The Senior Election Specialist – Voter Services will also participate in the programming of elections to include laying out paper ballots and designing the screens and audio for use on the ballot marking devices. This position will also receive and file all candidate paperwork including declarations of candidacy and required campaign finance disclosures. This position also actively mentors, coaches and collaborates with employees to enhance the county mission and vision keeping in mind the common goal of leaving our community better than we found it. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

State Election Director, North Dakota Secretary of State’s Office— The Office of Secretary of State is seeking an election administration professional to join our team as Election Director. The successful candidate will have demonstrated success in election administration, be able to work in a fast-paced environment, balance a variety of responsibilities, and lead a team of 3-4 election staff. The Office of the Secretary of State team is made up of over 30 staff members who work diligently to support elections and ease of business in North Dakota.  The Election Director will work closely with the Secretary of State leadership team to guide strategy for the agency and direct election administration and processes. The position will be responsible for implementing election best practices and training for the State of North Dakota, working closely with North Dakota’s 53 counties, to ensure uniform election procedures and processes. This position also leads voter education and awareness efforts to inform North Dakota voters about voting rights and processes. Hiring Salary: $6,400 – $8,100 per month. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

System Administrator, Sarasota County, Florida— The Systems Administrator is an Information Technology professional responsible for the coordination, implementation, planning, investigating and serving as the liaison for all facets of data processing, to include any election related tasks. Salary: $40,996 – $87,630. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Systems Integration Specialist, Oregon Secretary of State’s Office— In this position you will serve as the system integration expert and ensure that the new Oregon voter registration system (Oregon Votes) properly interacts with hardware and software systems used by the Agency and counties. This is accomplished in part by, but not limited to: Integration, system support, reporting, and analysis and policy recommendation.  Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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