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Election Security Updates

Social Media: In 2022, electionlineWeekly speculated  about how changes coming to the ownership of Twitter could impact local election administrators. This week, the Associated Press has story about how election administrators across the country have struggled to figure out the best way to respond after Twitter owner Elon Musk threw the platform’s verification service into disarray. Some are taking other steps allowed by Twitter, such as buying check marks for their profiles or applying for a special label reserved for government entities, but success has been mixed. Twitter’s new policy invites government agencies and certain affiliated organizations to apply to be labeled as official with a gray check. Some counties contacted by The Associated Press said they have minimal concerns about impersonation or plan to apply for a gray check later, but others said they already have applied and have not heard back from Twitter. An email sent by The Associated Press to Twitter’s press office and a company safety officer requesting comment was answered only with an auto-reply of a poop emoji. The National Association of State Election Directors has been proactive in helping state and local elections officials with verification on Twitter. “State and local election office accounts are eligible for free grey check marks for government accounts under Twitter’s verification program, but they must apply for it.  To apply, election officials should complete this form on Twitter’s website,” said Amy Cohen NASED executive director. “If a local election office applies and is denied or doesn’t hear back in a timely manner, they should contact their state election director.  Verification is an important part of an election office’s communication arsenal: it tells platform users that this account – your office – is the source for accurate, reliable information about elections in your jurisdiction. Even if your office only uses Twitter sporadically, getting verified now prepares you now so that if you do choose to tweet when an election is closer or you do need to communicate urgent information, you are already established as the source for election information in your jurisdiction.”

2024 Security: This week, Verified Voting released a paper outlining essential recommendations to ensure that the 2024 U.S. elections stay on track to use the most secure and resilient election equipment yet. Along with the recommendations, Verified Voting breaks down voting equipment issues in the 2022 midterm elections and analyzes what it means for the future. Preparing for 2024: Election Technology and the Battle Against Disinformation explains how, despite continued disinformation about the security of voting systems, U.S. voting equipment deployment has become more resilient over time—and how, with the right resources, election officials can make more improvements to how elections are administered ahead of the 2024 elections.

Election News This Week

Change is Coming: This week, officials in Maricopa County, Arizona approved an agreement drawing stronger lines of responsibility between the agencies tasked with running elections. The agreement, which Maricopa County’s Board of Supervisors approved, largely won’t impact elections operations but will mean shifts in communications strategies. Currently, county supervisors and the Recorder’s Office operate a shared communications office within the Elections Department. Under the new agreement, the Elections Department will be fully under the control of county supervisors and have its own communications team. The supervisors are responsible for functions such as in-person voting and vote tallying. The Recorder’s Office, which is responsible for areas like campaign finance, voter registration and mail-in voting, will rely on separate spokespeople. “When somebody speaks, we have to be always answering … ‘Is this what the board’s saying or is this what the recorder is saying or both,'” Recorder Stephen Richer told the Arizona Republic. “And so I hope that this will make that less frequent.” The agreement also adds new guidance around operations such as election center tours, ballot drop boxes and provisional ballots not directly addressed in the existing agreement. In addition, it outlines one area of responsibility that both county supervisors and Richer will remain jointly involved in — ensuring the security of information systems.

Ongoing Issues: Interim Buckingham County, Virginia General Registrar Luis Gutierrez was fired this week, less than a month after he was hired. Gutierrez was hired after the county’s entire election staff quit earlier this year. Gutierrez’s firing came a day after several residents showed up at a public meeting to say the turmoil and dysfunction surrounding the office were a growing embarrassment for their community. “You can all stand up and rejoice and start clapping and just go have a party,” Gutierrez said. “Because I have been terminated.” Gutierrez said he had been asked to resign but refused to do so because that would be “admitting some sort of guilt.” He also said he apologized if he had disappointed or offended any Buckingham residents. Republican Electoral Board Chairwoman Karen Cerwinski said Gutierrez was terminated for “falsification” of his job application, but the firing comes after numerous residents reported unusual encounters with the man recently hired to run voter registration and elections. In Cascade County, Montana, the Great Falls Public Library is requesting an elections monitor to oversee the Cascade County Election Office going into its June 6 mill levy election. A letter sent Cascade County commissioners, the county attorney Josh Racki, and Clerk and Recorder Sandra Merchant, listed a series of concerns surrounding the Election Office’s handling of the Great Falls Public School District election last week. These included apprehension over instructions on a sample ballot for their upcoming election, the incorrect processing of signatures with the school board election, along with previously reported concerns of absentee ballots not fitting in secrecy envelopes and the delay to vote in person on Election Day. “The library cannot simply rerun a failed election if any of the same violations or irregularities occur. The library will suffer immediate damage if the election is invalidated, and it will hold those responsible for its losses liable for them,” the letter read. The letter said in order to prevent the potential for a failed election and the consequences for the library, the board is considering seeking injunctive relief from a court, which would include the appointment of someone to oversee the library’s election. “To avoid involvement of the courts, however, we propose that the county immediately appoint a mutually acceptable monitor,” the letter said.

Special Election: Within a few hours of the Ohio Legislature passing a resolution to hold a special election in August, Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a directive with instructions to all of Ohio’s 88 county boards of election to “begin preparations immediately.” The purpose of the special election is for voters to approve or deny an amendment that requires any future constitutional amendment to be approved by at least 60% of the voters. It would also eliminate the ten-day cure period to gather additional signatures and require petition signatures from at least 5% of the electors of each county in the state, instead of half of the counties. A cure period is a time to collect additional signatures if the petition falls short of the required number. Ohio eliminated August special elections last year due to cost and low turnout. Who will pay for the new election? Under Ohio law, the state bears the entire cost. LaRose said he has been “assured by legislative leaders that those funding needs will be met.” The Ohio Association of Elections Officials spoke out against the special election resolution. “Over the last several years, elections officials have been through so, so much. And in terms of the timelines of an August special election and so much more, it just makes for a very hectic schedule and a very difficult operation,” said Frankie DiCarlantonio, a trustee of the Ohio Association of Elections Officials and a board of elections member in Jefferson County.

Congratulations: Power the Polls, the first-of-its-kind, nonpartisan initiative for recruiting the next generation of poll workers to help ensure safe, fair, and secure elections, was named an honorable mention in the politics and policy category of Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards. Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Award honors sustainable designs, innovative products, bold social initiatives, and other creative projects that are changing the way we work, live, and interact with the world. This is the second time Power the Polls has been recognized as a World Changing Idea since it launched less than three years ago. “Poll workers are essential to our democracy. Our elections simply cannot run without them, so it is absolutely critical that all of us – businesses, non-profit organizations, celebrities, neighbors – are finding ways to support poll workers and encourage more people to step up to serve their communities,” said Marta Hanson, national program manager for Power the Polls. “Power the Polls has been a collaborative initiative from the start, and we’re so honored to be recognized for a second time as one of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas. We’re thrilled with the excitement from thousands of people – especially young people – who have raised their hands in 2020 and 2022 to be poll workers in their local elections, and we’re gearing up to connect with even more people across the nation who want to support democracy in their own communities.”

New Report: This week, Nonprofit VOTE released their 2021-2022 Biennial Report. The report is filled with updates on their work and impact in 2021 and 2022. This report celebrates Nonprofit VOTE’s  continued efforts to provide nonprofit partners with the nonpartisan tools and voter engagement resources they need to engage their communities, and in doing so, build a civic ecosystem that makes voting not only possible but probable. Here’s a look at what they have achieved during this time: Conducted over 25 free webinars, reaching more than 6,000 nonprofit staff; Developed tailored toolkits and trainings for prominent organizations like the National Family Support Network, National Low-Income Housing Coalition, Goodwill, and many others; Engaged a total of over 49,000 voters across 11 states through our annual Multi-State Field Program; and Marked National Voter Registration Day’s 10th-anniversary celebration with record-breaking participation Looking ahead, Nonprofit VOTE has set even more ambitious goals for 2023 and beyond. These include expanding their resources to better support their network, developing new and exciting partnerships, and leveraging the philanthropic sector as partners in the cause. Through all this, Nonprofit VOTE remains committed to their mission to promote voter participation and engagement at nonprofits across the nation.

Personnel News: The Livingston County Board of Supervisors has appointed Gary Nageldinger as the county’s new Republican Commissioner of Elections. Travis Brimm is the new executive director of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State. Former State Rep. Nancy Landry (R) has announced her candidacy for Louisiana secretary of state. Cheryl Myers has officially taken over as interim secretary of state in Oregon. Putnam County Clerk Brian Wood has announced his candidacy for West Virginia secretary of state. The North Carolina State Board of Elections was sworn in this week. The Three members are new to the board — Democrats Alan Hirsch and Siobhan Millen and Republican Kevin Lewis. Democrat Jeff Carmon and Republican Stacy “Four” Eggers were reappointed to another term. The new board unanimously elected Hirsch as the next chair

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation: U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Chairwoman of the Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight over federal elections reintroduced legislation to expand protections against election interference during the ballot counting and certification processes. The Protecting Election Administration from Interference Act would: Expand protections for election administrators by extending existing prohibitions on intimidating or threatening voters to include election officials engaged in the counting of ballots, canvassing, and certifying election results. It is currently a federal crime to interfere with the voting process, and this would make clear that the criminal penalty extends to the counting and certifying process as well; Strengthen protections for Federal election records and election infrastructure to stop election officials or others from endangering the preservation and security of cast ballots; and Provide judicial review for election records by allowing the Justice Department and candidates to bring lawsuits to ensure compliance with election record requirements. “Across the nation, we have seen our local election administrators and officials face a barrage of threats and abuse,” said Klobuchar. “We need to respond head on to protect those who are on the frontlines of our democracy. This legislation is key to fighting against attempts to undermine access to the ballot box and ensuring our democracy works for all Americans.”

Sens. Mark Warner (D-Virginia) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) introduced the Strengthening Election Cybersecurity to Uphold Respect for Elections through Independent Testing, or SECURE IT, Act  that would require voting systems that need certification to undergo penetration testing. Current law under the Help America Vote Act does require the Election Assistance Commission to provide for the testing and certification, decertification and recertification of voting system hardware and software by accredited laboratories. However, the senators say the existing law does not explicitly require penetration testing of these systems. This new legislation would also tell the EAC and the National Institute of Standards and Technology to accredit the entities that can perform penetration testing. And the bill would create a Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure Program through which vetted researchers would be given access to voting systems by their manufacturers. The researchers would then look for vulnerabilities and disclose them to the manufacturers and the EAC.

Alabama: The House has passed a bill to make it a felony to assist another person with an absentee ballot or an absentee ballot application, with exceptions. HB209 calls for harsher penalties and no exceptions if the assistance involves a payment. The bill passed by a vote of 76-28, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. The vote came after the Republican majority cut off the debate after an hour. The bill moves to the Senate. Under the bill, a person who accepts payment for help obtaining, filling out, or delivering an absentee ballot would be guilty of a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Paying a third party for that same help would be a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years. Family members and certain election officials would be allowed to help with a ballot or application. And people would be allowed to help a voter who is blind, disabled, or unable to read and write at that voter’s request. But otherwise, it would be illegal for a person “to knowingly distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, obtain, or deliver an absentee ballot application or absentee ballot in addition to his or her own absentee ballot application or absentee ballot.” The exceptions for help by family members or requested help would not apply to the section of the bill on paying or receiving payment for help with a ballot.

Alaska: The House State Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on a bill that would repeal the state’s ranked choice voting system. The sponsor of the repeal bill, Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, said getting rid of ranked choice voting was the No. 1 issue her constituents wanted to discuss last year. “For many years, voters have highlighted the lack of trust in our election process,” she said at the start of the hearing. “Ranked choice voting has exacerbated that, because it must be counted by the use of a computer, using an algorithm instead of people being able to simply count and tally a vote.” Alaska voters adopted the new voting style by ballot measure in 2020. Among nearly 50 members of the public who spoke at the hearing, the testimony ran 3-to-1 in support of ranked choice voting.

California: An bill making its way through the Legislature draws its inspiration from Shasta County’s abrupt and controversial decision in January to prematurely end its contract with Dominion Voting Systems. “It was pretty shocking to see a county board of supervisors terminate a voting contract without any option with how to move forward with another system,” Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin, a Democrat, told the Record Searchlight. Introduced on Feb. 14, Pellerin’s Assembly Bill 969 would require a county board of supervisors to have both a transition plan and a replacement contract with a state-certified system in place before terminating an existing voting system contract. Pellerin introduced the bill about three weeks after Shasta Supervisors voted 3-2 to terminate their contract with Dominion without a state certified and federally qualified voting system in place, ignoring the advice of Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen and then-County Counsel Rubin Cruse Jr. The California Association of Clerks and Election Officials support the bill. Pellerin’s bill is now headed to the Senate after passing the Assembly.

Assembly Bill 1227 has already cleared the assembly and is now headed to the state senate. The bill, by Assemblymembers Evan Low (D-San Jose) and Alex Lee (D-San Jose), would allow the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to decide if they want to adopt ranked choice voting for county elections. California law dictates that only cities — not counties — can change their voting methods on their own, which is why state legislation is needed before Santa Clara County could proceed with the change. With ranked choice voting, there would be no primaries and only a general election would be held. Voters have the option to rank the candidates on the ballot in the order they prefer. The winner is determined by a simple majority and if one isn’t reached, the votes are redistributed based on the rankings until a candidate reaches more than 50%. If AB 1227 makes its way to the governor’s desk and Gov. Gavin Newsom gives it a sign of approval, it would then be up to the board of supervisors as to what happens next.

Connecticut: After more than four hours of debate, the state House approved an early voting bill by 107-35 with all negative votes coming from Republicans. The caucus was split as 15 Republicans joined with Democrats to pass the measure. The bill calls for early, in-person voting for 14 days before a general election in November, seven days before the statewide August primaries, and four days before special elections and presidential primaries. Local referendums on budgets and other issues are not included. The 33-section bill gives wide latitude to cities and towns to run their elections, but each municipality must have at least one early-voting location. The locations will be required to be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., but have extended hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the last Tuesday and Thursday before statewide primaries and general elections. Early voting would not be enacted until the presidential primaries in early 2024 as vendors and local officials need time to prepare for the change.

Legislators voted for a constitutional amendment to adopt “no excuses” absentee voting. After debating for one hour, the state House of Representatives voted 113-38 with all negative votes cast by Republicans. Another 15 Republicans voted in favor of the bipartisan resolution. Under the rules, legislators needed to pass the resolution for the amendment by a simple majority for the question to be placed on the ballot for all voters during the presidential election year in November 2024. The question to appear on the ballot is: “Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to permit the General Assembly to allow each voter to vote by absentee ballot?” Currently, residents can obtain an absentee ballot for specific reasons, including sickness, physical disability, serving overseas in the United States military, and a voter’s absence from the municipality on the day of the vote.

Delaware: Senate Democrats pass the first leg of a constitutional amendment to roll back restrictions on absentee voting. After failing to gather enough support to pass a previous constitutional amendment with the same goal, Democratic state lawmakers attempted a workaround last year, passing legislation with a simple majority to allow Delawareans to vote by mail. They argued the state constitution’s limits on acceptable reasons for absentee voting are a floor, not a ceiling for the General Assembly. Delaware’s Supreme Court rejected that argument in October, overturning the law and asserting the General Assembly could only permit voting by mail via constitutional amendment. State Sen. Darius Brown’s bill would begin that process, removing the constitution’s limits on the circumstances in which absentee voting is allowed and permitting the General Assembly to set new rules and procedures through legislation. Brown argues no-excuse absentee voting is a common practice nationwide and would allow Delawareans to choose the most convenient voting option without cutting corners. The amendment passed with more than the required two-thirds majority in the Senate on a party-line vote, and it will need to reach the same vote threshold to pass in the House and return for consideration and final approval next session.

Georgia: Workers in Georgia can take up to two hours off to cast a ballot during early voting, under a bill Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law. The law also requires more frequent audits of election results. The new law expands on an existing statute that guarantees two hours of unpaid voting time for workers on Election Day. Workers seeking time off will have to notify their employer in advance, and then the employer will decide on a time when workers can be absent. In addition, the measure calls for 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. “This bill would further empower Georgians to participate in one of the most important civic duties,” said state Sen. Rick Williams, a Republican from Milledgeville and the sponsor of Senate Bill 129.

Kemp signed House Bill 730 on May 1 that makes changes to how appointments are made for the Columbia County Board of Elections appointments.

Kemp has blocked $550,000 in state funding for technology intended to reduce wait times when voters check in at their polling places. Instead, money for the upgrades would have to come from county governments and their taxpayers during next year’s elections. Kemp wrote in a message that accompanied his line-item vetoes that the secretary of state’s office should disregard an item in the state budget calling for a statewide data plan to connect check-in tablets to a cellphone network. The governor said local governments are responsible for data plan contracts for election equipment.

Maine: A legislative committee has advanced a bill that would allow voters to automatically receive absentee ballots. Beginning this year, Maine voters who are disabled or at least 65 years old can request that town clerks automatically mail absentee ballots to them for every statewide and municipal election. Some lawmakers now want to make that same option available to all voters. The bill, LD 1690, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Mattie Daughtry of Brunswick, has the support of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who pointed out that five other states already allow “ongoing absentee balloting.” But Maine’s Town and City Clerks Association opposes the measure. Speaking on behalf of the organization, Waterville clerk Patti Dubois told members of the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee that a further expansion is premature because clerks are still rolling out ongoing absentee balloting for older and disabled Mainers. She said there are also concerns about costs. Committee members were divided on the issue, voting 6-3 along party lines in favor of the bill. The bill will now go to the House and Senate for consideration. If approved as amended by the committee, the change would take effect by Dec. 31, 2025.

Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed the “Democracy for the People Act” into law, a sweeping bill aimed at expanding access to the polls that includes long-sought after provisions from voting rights advocates. The legislation implements automatic voter registration, allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote, and creates a permanent absentee voter list that will automatically send people who sign up a ballot each election. “Today is a great day for Democracy,” Walz said. “The ballot is the most powerful thing we have. Your voice is in your ballot. And if you don’t have access to that or it’s made more difficult, your voice is stifled.” The proposal also requires voting materials and sample ballots to be in languages other than English and prohibits voter intimidation at the polls, among other provisions. Secretary of State Steve Simon, also a Democrat, praised the measure during a bill signing ceremony on Friday surrounded by supporters. He acknowledged that 50 years ago, then-Secretary of State Joan Growe began the push for some of these provisions. The bill passed both chambers along party-lines. Republicans criticized Democrats of scrapping a long tradition of passing election bills on a bipartisan basis.

New Hampshire: Senate Bill 157 quietly and unanimously passed the House with no debate. It would make election audits a normal procedure occurring after every state and federal election moving forward. The bill requires the Secretary of State to randomly select eight towns or city wards to audit per election. The audits would be open to the public. Election audits allow states to verify the accuracy and performance of voting equipment and vote counting machines. In practice, it’s a partial recount of results that takes a random sample of paper ballots and checks it against the initial results to make sure the results are accurate. The House made some changes to the Senate’s version of the bill: making the audit mandatory, expanding it to include all voting devices and not just AccuVote devices, doubling the number of audits from four to eight, and requiring that 100 ballots be compared to digital images. It would also include the presidential primary in races to be audited.

Oklahoma: Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 481, which makes it a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 to threaten, intimidate, harass or dox election workers. Doxing refers to the act of publishing a person’s address and other personal information online, typically to make the person a target. Under the bill, a person could be guilty of the offense if revealing the information of an election officer results in the individual having a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. Oklahoma’s top election officer praised a new law making it a crime to harass or threaten the state’s election workers. “It is unfortunate that even here in the state of Oklahoma, election officials have been doxed, harassed and even threatened by people who believe false claims about the conduct and administration of elections,” Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said this week. “As one of those who has been doxed and threatened, I can tell you that election officials across this state are very grateful to the Legislature and the governor for taking these threats seriously and enacting this legislation to deter and punish such actions in the future.”

Oregon: The House passed former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s proposal to automatically register unregistered voters who sign up for the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s subsidized health care for low-income Oregonians. The 34-25 party-line approval of House Bill 2107 came despite protests from Republicans who are suspicious of the proposal and argued it is tainted by its connection to Fagan. HB 2107 would put Oregon in league with Nevada and Colorado in expanding opt-out registration to the state’s Medicaid program, the Oregon Health Plan. Other states have adopted variations on that policy, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Under HB 2107, automatic registrations via the Oregon Health Authority could not begin until 2026. There are approximately 200,000 Oregonians who are eligible to vote but not registered, according to estimates from the Oregon Secretary of State. Fagan said earlier this year about 85% percent of those people — 171,000 — are on the Oregon Health Plan.

Texas: Many poll workers and election judges could carry handguns at polling places under a bill from a North Texas representative that passed in the House. The bill from Frisco Republican Rep. Jared Patterson would permit election judges to carry handguns at polling places on Election Day and would allow some poll workers to carry guns during early voting. The change will “make it clear that law abiding citizens who are election judges who want to carry to protect themselves and discharge their duties can do so legally without fear of prosecution,” Patterson said during a hearing on the bill in March. The proposal, House Bill 636, now heads to the Senate for consideration, where a similar bill died in 2021. The change expands on a portion of Texas’ election code that considers an appointed election judge a government official with the authority of a peace officer or district judge while they preside over a polling place. Though Texas prohibits guns in polling places, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a nonbinding legal opinion in 2018 that said polling judges could bring firearms to polling places. Patterson’s legislation would enshrine it in law.

Vermont: A bill empowering 16- to 18-year-olds with voting rights in Brattleboro received the Vermont Senate’s approval. Sen. Nader Hashim, D-Windham District said the charter amendment was approved by a vote of 18 yeses. Last month, the House of Representative passed the bill in a 103-33 vote. The amendment would allow “youth voters” to vote for local offices, and serve as members of Representative Town Meeting and the Select Board. Residents approved a charter amendment to lower the voting age in a 908-408 vote in March 2019, sending the matter to the Legislature. The Youth Vote initiative came from Brattleboro Common Sense, an activist group focused on promoting democracy and other progressive issues. “I hope the governor will sign this charter change into law and respect local control and the wishes of the voters,” he said. “This charter change is a great way to foster civic involvement at an earlier age, and many of our youth are working, paying taxes, and are involved in our community. Our youth should have a voice when it comes to the ballot.”  Last March, the Senate failed to override Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of a similar bill. At the time, senators raised concerns about youth serving on select boards because they aren’t allowed to sign contracts by state law.

Four election-related changes to the Burlington city charter passed a second reading in the Senate paving the way for final passage and then heading to Gov. Phil Scott’s desk. Burlington voters passed the charter changes by wide margins on Town Meeting Day this year. Those changes would allow noncitizen voting in city elections, expand ranked-choice voting to more city offices, including mayoral races, create a new map for election ward boundaries and give some flexibility to where polling places are located. The Senate’s final passage is expected to occur on Thursday, after the third reading. Following that, it would be sent to Scott. Scott vetoed similar resolutions for Montpelier and Winooski in 2021, but the Senate overrode him. Reached by email on Wednesday, Jason Maulucci, a spokesman for Scott, said “The Governor has not yet reviewed the charter changes, but on non-citizen voting generally, he remains concerned by the patchwork approach. The governor believes there should be consistency with election laws.” The Burlington measures passed the House on May 2, with some Republican pushback on the basis of constitutionality.

Wisconsin: Wisconsin lawmakers unveiled bipartisan plans to address problems that have disrupted how elections have been administered in the presidential battleground state since 2020. Among other changes, the proposals would prevent last-minute polling site closures, better protect election officials and enact stricter military voting requirements to deter fraud. One of the bills would raise the penalty for intentionally harming an election official from a misdemeanor to a felony and prohibit public access to records containing an election official’s address. It would also protect election officials from losing their jobs for reporting suspicious activity and fraud. Another bill would prohibit towns and cities from closing more than half their polling locations unless local lawmakers hold a public hearing and approve the shutdowns at least 30 days before an election. Polling sites could only be closed fewer than 30 days before an election with permission of the local clerk and the head of the local lawmaking body. Lawmakers also proposed requiring service members to provide their Department of Defense identification number when requesting a military absentee ballot. Local clerks would have to verify the voter’s identity with the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs before counting a military ballot. The bipartisan group of lawmakers behind the bills has also proposed requiring the Wisconsin Elections Commission to reimburse local governments for the costs of special elections, and allowing people to make a voting complaint on behalf of their adult parent or child even if they live in separate districts.

A motion to add more oversight to investigations commissioned by the state Legislature was voted down after being introduced by Democrats in reaction to Michael Gableman’s fruitless look into purported voter fraud during the 2020 election. The motion would have required a vote by both the Assembly and Senate to approve the hiring of investigators but was rejected with little discussion by Republicans who hold the majority in the Legislature and on the joint finance committee. The four Democrats on the committee — Sen. LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee, Sen. Kelda Roys of Madison, Rep. Evan Goyke of Milwaukee and Rep. Tip McGuire of Kenosha — introduced the motion in hopes that investigations going forward would have more oversight.

Legal Updates

Arizona: The Arizona Supreme Court ordered sanctions against former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s lawyers for “unequivocally false” claims made in court about 35,000 ballots added to last year’s election vote count. Attorneys for Gov. Katie Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, both Democrats, sought sanctions against Lake for bringing what they called a frivolous and unfounded lawsuit. The order signed by Chief Justice Robert Brutinel declined to award Hobbs and Fontes their attorneys fees and said Lake’s lawyers must pay $2,000 to the court clerk for repeatedly claiming it was an “undisputed fact” that 35,563 ballots were added to the results at Maricopa County’s third-party ballot processor, Runbeck Election Services. Hobbs, Fontes and Maricopa County all disputed the claim. Even after the Supreme Court itself said Lake did not show evidence to prove ballots were added, her attorneys Bryan Blehm and Kurt Olsen made the claim again in an April court filing. “Sometimes campaigns and their attendant hyperbole spill over into legal challenges,” the Arizona Supreme Court order reads. “But once a contest enters the judicial arena, rules of attorney ethics apply.” Those rules build confidence in the judicial system, the court said, noting that sanctions can deter lawyers from making false statements in the future.

Colorado: District Court Judge J. Eric Elliff has allowed a lawsuit to continue against Colorado’s secretary of state over rejection of voter signatures on mail ballots. The complaint, filed last December by a veterans rights group called Vet Voice Foundation, argues that Colorado’s vote-by-mail system unfairly disenfranchises voters when it rejects ballots because of a signature mismatch. It also alleges that Black and Hispanic signatures are rejected at significantly higher rates than for white voters. That signature verification system is in an attempt to prevent fraud that almost never happens, according to the lawsuit. The advocacy group is seeking an injunction to stop the signature matching requirement. The judge rejected an attempt by the Secretary of State, Jena Griswold, and her attorneys, to dismiss the lawsuit over the plaintiff’s lack of standing. In court filings, the plaintiff’s attorneys, from the national firm Perkins Coie, wrote that the right to vote is fundamental to democracy, but “for the vast majority of Colorado voters who vote by mail, this fundamental right is contingent on an arbitrary, deeply flawed signature matching process. While ostensibly deployed to verify voter identity, signature matching is election integrity theater: it disenfranchises qualified voters by the tens of thousands, all for the appearance—but not the reality—of election integrity.”  The secretary of state had argued that the case should be dismissed in part because the Vet Voice Foundation lacked standing.

Florida: Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Kim Barton is suing the Gateway Christian Center, a Gainesville church, after she tripped and fell while delivering voting materials. According to the lawsuit, Barton was delivering the materials the church on Oct. 22 when she tripped on a riser. She alleges the riser was “improperly installed with the wrong nails.” Barton had to undergo multiple surgeries for her broken kneecap and arm. Alachua County paid the medical bills and wages. Barton still requires physical therapy for her injuries and walks with a cane. County officials are seeking reimbursement for the payments. The lawsuit seeks a judgment of $50,000 from the church for the negligence which led to the injury.

Joshua David Lubitz, 39, of Broward County has pleaded guilty to voter intimidation in Miami federal court and now faces up to five years in prison at his sentencing on July 25. Because he cut a plea deal, he’s expected to get less than the maximum. During the court hearing, Lubitz’s lawyer, Jonathan Friedman, said it was his client’s decision to plead guilty against his advice, arguing “this was a triable case.” But Lubitz told U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz that he wanted to accept responsibility for his crime, so the judge accepted his guilty plea. In August 2022, he threatened election workers who assisted him and other voters at a senior center in Sunrise during the primary election. “Should I kill them one by one or should I blow the place up?” a federal indictment accused Lubitz of saying at the polling station, then he “pointed his finger and thumb in a gun-like fashion towards election workers.”

Louis Palmieri, 77, of Palm Bay and a previously convicted sex offender was arrested after state elections investigators said he unlawfully voted in the 2020 presidential election. Palmieri was charged with false swearing in voting and unqualified elector willfully voting after state investigators reviewed forms showing that he met eligibility requirements despite a previous sex offense in St. Lucie County in 2001, records show. Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents issued the warrant.

Kansas: U.S. District Court Kathryn Vratil issued a ruling declaring another portion of a 2021 Kansas law passed by the Legislature over the veto of Gov. Laura Kelly to be an infringement of First Amendment rights of speech and association in the U.S. Constitution. The statute designed to block distribution of advance mail ballot applications to potential Kansas voters was inspired by Republicans who acted on false claims sophisticated crooks stole reelection from President Donald Trump in 2020. The Democratic governor vetoed the bill, but was overridden by the GOP-led House and Senate two years ago. Last year, Vratil struck down portions of House Bill 2332 forbidding out-of-state groups from being involved in distribution of mail ballot applications to potential voters. The state’s attorneys had agreed this section of the law violated First and 14th Amendments of the federal constitution. Vratil said in the new ruling — a 42-page dissertation on shortcomings of the 2021 Kansas law — the personalized application prohibition was an unconstitutional restriction on “plaintiff’s core political speech and association” and was written so broadly it “criminalizes a substantial amount of protected speech.” Under the law, it would have been illegal to mail an advance mail ballot application personalized with a voter’s name and address even if the voter provided that information and requested the application.

New Jersey: Union County will be required to print ballots in English and Spanish under the terms of a consent decree the Justice Department announced this week. The consent decree follows a complaint lodged by federal prosecutors that alleged the county breached provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act requiring that bilingual ballots be printed in any voting jurisdiction where residents with limited English proficiency account for more than 5% of the voting population. The county also violated portions of the law requiring access for those with disabilities, prosecutors allege. Under the consent decree, which must still be approved by the courts, the county would be required to print all election materials in English and Spanish and ensure the presence of in-person Spanish language assistance in districts where at least 100 registered voters have Spanish surnames. Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, who appeared to welcome the consent decree, said the county had already been sending bilingual ballots to roughly half of the county’s 21 municipalities. “I’m really happy about it because there are people in those other towns that probably need bilingual ballots,” she said. “We have a very diverse population in Union County, so I see it as giving more accessibility and information to people.” The suit also charged the county denied voters who knew limited English from receiving assistance from the person of their choice, as required by the Voting Rights Act. Union County has agreed to let voters choose who assists them, so long as the latter individual is not an agent of their employer or union.

Pennsylvania: Judge Eric R. Linhardt, who ruled cast vote records (CVR) from the 2020 general election in Lycoming County are public, has concluded images of votes cast in person are not. Linhardt’s decision came on the same day the state Department of State asked Commonwealth Court to reverse his ruling on the CVRs. Both cases involve appeals of Office of Open Records’ (OOR) decisions on Right to Know requests that neither is public. The Legislature in passing Act 77 in 2019 amending the Election Code made public images of mail-in and absentee ballots. The act does not explicitly establish whether images of a voted in-person ballot constitute the contents of the ballot box and thus excepted from public access, Linhardt pointed out. Using what he referred to statutory construction, he ruled since a voted in-person ballot is considered contents of the ballot box, so should an image of that ballot. He cited these differences between CVRs and ballot images: A CVR contains almost all the information that is on a ballot but will not list the name of a write-in and an image will not only reveal who the elector has written in but display the voter’s handwriting. Someone familiar with the handwriting could identify the voter. Linhardt speculated the reason the Legislature made images of mail-in and absentee ballots public was a concern they might be more subject to voter fraud. Making them subject to public disclosure increases confidence in the accuracy and reliability of such votes, he wrote, adding: “Mail-in and absentee ballots present unique challenges, so it makes sense they warrant special provisions to deal with them.”

Wisconsin: Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington said this week he will order that the state elections commission to reconsider a complaint filed against fake Republican electors who attempted in 2020 to cast the state’s electoral ballots for former President Donald Trump. Remington said, the commission must consider the complaint without the participation of one of its six commissioners who was also one of the fake electors. The Wisconsin Elections Commission, Republican commissioner Robert Spindell and those who brought the lawsuit ultimately all agreed that the complaint should be heard again without Spindell’s participation.  Given that agreement, Remington said during oral arguments that he would write a written order as soon as next week to vacate the commission’s unanimous rejection in March 2022 of the complaint against the fake electors and to require it to consider it again without Spindell. “Surprise, surprise, I’m coming to the same conclusion, as all the parties have, that the appropriate remedy is to vacate the decision of the WEC and remand it back for further proceedings, which don’t include Commissioner Spindell,” Remington said.

Opinions this Week

National Opinions: Youth vote, II | ERIC

Alaska: Election reform

Arizona: Pinal County | Maricopa County

California: Recounts

Connecticut: Early voting

Georgia: 2020

Hawaii: Ex-felon voting rights

Illinois: Ranked choice voting

Indiana: Turnout

Louisiana: Voter suppression

Maryland: Voting rights

Massachusetts: Election reform | Felon voting rights

Michigan: Democracy

Minnesota: Election legislation

Nevada: Election reform

New York: Vote by mail | Primary system

North Carolina: Youth vote | Voting rights | Ex-felon voting rights | Voter ID

Ohio: Voting rights | Election legislation

Pennsylvania: Uniform elections | Primary system

Texas: Election legislation

West Virginia: Secretary of state

Wisconsin: Secretary of state, II, III

Upcoming Events

Ensuring Accuracy: Post-Election Audits: It’s always a good idea to double-check your work, and in the world of elections, audits do just that: ensuring accuracy and providing an added layer of assurance to election officials and the public alike that election results are verifiably correct. Tune in for the third installment of NCSL’s four-part webinar series, How U.S. Elections Are Run, to learn more about the different types of post-election tabulation audits that states use (traditional, tiered and risk-limiting) and the value of having such audit laws on the books with EAC Commissioner Christy McCormick. When: May 12, 3:30pm Eastern. Where: Online.

USPS National Postal Forum Election Mail Symposium: USPS and NPF will once again be hosting a special “Election Mail” symposium at this year’s National Postal Forum on Wednesday, May 24th at the Charlotte Convention Center, NC.  Join us at NPF in Charlotte, NC for a special one-day Election Mail Day Forum hosted by USPS. Election Mail Stakeholders will showcase how to optimize best practices and make the most of available resources throughout every stage of the election process. Enjoy a full day of expert panel presentations and actionable insights to fortify your Election Mail strategies. Come hear top Postal Service Leaders and Election Officials discuss topics such as: Securing and Ensuring the Integrity of Election Mail; Understanding Election Mail Visibility & How to use IV®-MTR to Track Election Mail; Leveraging Data for Better Election Administration through Business Intelligence; Understanding Address Management Services; and Learning Appropriate Election Mailpiece Design Standards for Election Mail. When: May 24. Where: Charlotte, North Carolina.

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

Voting Technology, Certification and Standards: As voting technology gets more sophisticated, so do the standards against which they’re tested. The Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) are a set of specifications and requirements designed to test basic functionality, accuracy, accessibility and security capabilities. Tune in for the final installment of NCSL’s four-part webinar series, How U.S. Elections Are Run, to learn more about the newest iteration of these standards, VVSG 2.0: What it is, why it’s important and what options legislators can consider for keeping their state’s voting technology as secure and accurate as possible with EAC Commissioner Donald Palmer. When: June 6, 3pm Eastern. Where: Online.

VVSG Public Comment Period: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) is seeking public comments as a key component of its annual review of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG). The public comment period will last for 90 days. This will allow all stakeholders to provide comments concerning the current iteration of the VVSG, presently version 2.0, to the EAC. These public comments will be posted on the EAC website. Substantive comments will be reviewed and considered for inclusion in an annual report detailing proposed changes to the VVSG 2.0. Deadline: June 7, 5pm.

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, Santa Cruz County, California— Under general direction, assists the County Clerk, to plan and direct all activities associated with conducting state, federal, local, and special district elections at multiple locations; to plan and direct the delivery of Clerk Services at multiple locations including special events, and to maintain and secure official documents and records consistent with state and federal mandates. Acts for the County Clerk in their absence. Perform other duties as required. Salary: $9,549-$12,797/month. 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.

Consultant: Election Expert, Electoral Assessment in Michigan, North Dakota, New Mexico, California, Virginia, Montana, Mississippi, The Carter Center— The Democracy Program at The Carter Center works globally to support democratic elections and strengthen participatory democracy, consistent with human rights. The overarching objective is to enhance democratic governance and increase effective political participation for all, especially groups that have been historically disadvantaged or that face political, cultural, or socioeconomic barriers. This includes women, racial and ethnic minorities, indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, youth, elderly people, and other marginalized groups. This consultant position will support the U.S. Election Project within the Democracy Program including a team of Carter Center staff and consultants, to conduct a short-term assessment of election related issues in Michigan, North Dakota, New Mexico, California, Virginia, Montana, or Mississippi focusing on the electoral/political environment and the landscape for non-partisan election observation. The State Assessment consultant will largely be tasked with collecting information to assess whether the presence of the Democracy Program at The Carter Center would be useful, advisable, and feasible. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy Director- Communications & Support Services, DeKalb County, Georgia— The following duties are normal for this classification. 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. Manages, directs, and evaluates assigned staff; oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; reviews timesheets; approves/processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; directs work; acts as a liaison between employees and County administrators and elected officials; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures. Organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; prioritizes and schedules work activities in order to meet objectives; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; provides progress and activity reports to County administrators and elected officials; and assists with the revision of procedure manuals as appropriate. Directs functions and activities of the department; directs voter registration programs, voter education and outreach programs; administers elections; recruits and trains poll workers; and oversees storage, maintenance, preparation, and testing of election equipment. Directs voter registration activities; reviews and approves staffing levels during high volume and peak registration periods; monitors work activities to ensure timely processing of applications and maintenance of voter registration rolls; and conducts voter education seminars and training for citizens. Conducts elections; supervises departmental personnel to ensure that all elections are conducted in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations; determines locations and schedule for early voting; organizes equipment and staff deployment levels for early and election day voting; reviews training packets; monitors early voting traffic and election task lists; approves ballot layouts; and implements changes in procedures to resolve issues. Plans, directs, trains, and supervises voter outreach activities; processing absentee ballots; receives/files nomination papers, candidate statements and initiative petitions; maintains the voter file; advises individuals/groups on procedures for filing initiatives, referendums and recall petitions; and files/audits campaign financial statements. Coordinates the daily operation of the department’s computer systems; supervises data entry of affidavits of registration; maintains election district information; prepares and maintains precinct maps; creating and consolidates precincts, including the operation of customized computer aided drafting applications; supervises election night ballot tabulating. Plans, directs and supervises employees engaged in securing polling places and precinct officers; training precinct officers; orders and delivers precinct supplies and materials; operating collection centers; conducting official canvass of election returns; operates mailing and computerized mail addressing equipment; mails sample ballots and election information to voters; and receives, inventorying and storing election supplies Assists in developing and implementing long- and short-term plans, goals, and objectives for the department; evaluates effectiveness and efficiency of department activities; reviews and revises policies, procedures, plans and programs; and researches, assesses, and makes recommendations regarding strategies to meet current and future election and voter registration needs. Interprets, applies, and ensures compliance with all applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations; maintains a comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable laws/regulations and pending legislation that may impact department operations; and maintains an awareness of new products, methods, trends and advances in the profession. Assists in developing, implementing, and administering department budget; monitors expenditures for adherence to established budgetary parameters; and prepares and submits financial documentation. Oversees equipment and supplies for the department; determines voting equipment needs for each precinct for elections; monitors the packing and preparation of voting equipment and supplies; reviews and approves supply and equipment requisitions; develops equipment specifications; obtains price quotes from vendors; prepares and updates policies and procedures for equipment storage; and manages the maintenance of all related records. Completes data entry and filing; enters new voter registration information; verifies accuracy and completeness of voter information; conducts research of state records; mails out letters to retrieve missing information and documentation; updates existing records in statewide registration base; files new, updates existing, and pulls deleted cards as appropriate; scans and indexes registration and absentee applications; and files records and correspondence after processing. Oversees the creation of print and online content to publicize and promote department programs, facilities, events, or objectives; researches and verifies information; reviews, approves, or produces newsletters, calendars, brochures, and flyers; monitors, approves, and creates content for social media and department website; and writes or edits official department announcements, emails blasts, press releases, letters, or posts. Directs the design, planning and implementation of training programs aligned with department objectives and strategies; oversees community outreach programs and events; plans, organizes, and oversees special events, facility tours, educational programs; oversees the selection of locations, dates; reviews activities and materials prepared by staff or vendors; recruits and supervises event volunteers; and coordinates set-up, staffing, and implementation of program/event plans. Represents department to media, other departments, municipalities, candidates and state officials; answers questions and provides information; coordinates work activities; reviews status of work; resolves problems; responds to media requests; gives interviews and official comments; and produces short television segments for DeKalb County TV. Salary range: $81,077 – $125,670. 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.

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.

Elections Manager, Clackamas County, Oregon— Take a leadership role in ensuring our elections are accurate, transparent, and inclusive in Clackamas County, in Oregon, and in our country! The Clackamas County Clerk, Catherine McMullen seeks an experienced election professional to join the Elections Division as the county’s Elections Manager. Under the general direction of the County Clerk, the Elections Manager plans, organizes, manages, and conducts all elections (federal, state, and local) for Clackamas County residents; ensures elections procedures and voter registration records comply with statutory requirements; and are conducted in an accurate, transparent, efficient, timely, and accessible manner. The selected candidate will manage each election using project management practices, follow all federal, state, and local laws and rules and incorporate available technology and best practices. This position maintains voter registration records, candidate filing, district and precinct boundaries, and vote-by-mail processes. Additionally, the Elections Manager directly supervises division staff; four permanent and up to 100 temporary employees. The Elections Manager also prepares, administers, and monitors the annual budget for the Elections Division. The Elections Manager works closely with other county departments, Oregon’s Secretary of State Elections Division, third-party vendors, local jurisdictions, candidates and elected officials, media members, political parties, and voters. Qualified applicants will be highly motivated, detail-oriented, and have well-developed management and supervisory skills. A demonstrated ability to maintain an environment of high integrity and dependability is critical. The Election Manager must foster an environment where all people thrive, are celebrated for their diverse identities, and feel safety, trust, and belonging. Salary: $94,465.78 – $127,529.32. Deadline: May 22. 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.

Operations Associate, NASED— This position is part-time and fully remote, but the candidate must live in the United States. Travel to support NASED’s Winter and Summer conferences is required (approximately 10 days per year). This position reports to NASED’s Executive Director. This role does not supervise any staff. A part-time (approximately 20 hours per week), fully remote, Operations Associate for a small nonpartisan, nonprofit membership association. Reporting to the Executive Director, this new role will support all the organization’s operational needs. The responsibilities of this position will include, but are not limited to, the following: Help update and maintain website content; Help maintain NASED’s social media presence, including developing content and creating basic graphics; Work with NASED’s controller on monthly financial reports and with the auditor and accountant on annual reports and filings; Monitor and assist with responses to inquiries sent to NASED’s shared inboxes; Maintain organization distribution lists; Assist with scheduling Board and Committee meetings; Assist with conference planning, including developing the conference website via the conference management platform, creating and proofing materials, planning activities, and budgeting; Support the execution of two national conferences per year; Create and send annual invoices to organization members and Corporate Affiliate members; Other duties and special projects as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Program Manager-Strategy, Impact and Learning, The Center for Tech and Civic Life— When you think about elections, you might think about popular candidates, “I voted” stickers, and all sorts of paperwork and deadlines, but behind the scenes are thousands of election officials in state and local governments who are working hard to make sure ballots are counted and voices are heard. At a time when election officials are facing unprecedented challenges and scrutiny, they need support in order to administer secure and inclusive elections and build trust among the public. As Program Manager on the Strategy, Impact, and Learning Team, you will play a key role in implementing a multi-year strategy to connect and support officials across the country to meet high standards of election administration. You’ll report to an Associate Director in the Government Services department. Salary: $72,931. Application: For the complete job 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 Campaign Manager, Center for Tech and Civic Life— When you think about elections, you might think about popular candidates, “I voted” stickers, and all sorts of paperwork and deadlines. But behind the scenes are thousands of people in state and local governments who are working hard to make sure accurate election information is published, ballots are counted, and voices are heard. As CTCL Senior Campaign Manager, your goal is to support local elections offices across the country in advocating for adequate and reliable funding at the federal, state and local levels. You will implement CTCL’s nonpartisan advocacy strategy to support elections officials in administering inclusive and secure elections. You will execute tactics to support a range of key audiences including election officials, elected officials, allied organizations, and other CTCL supporters. Working closely with other members of the department, you will manage persuasion campaigns at all levels of government, and support the skills-development of key audiences to build power. You’ll report to the Advocacy Director and work in collaboration with other members of the CTCL team. This is a new position in a new department, so there’s room for you to help shape what the role looks like. 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 Elections Administrator, Maryland— The State Administrator of Elections is the highest managerial level of directing elections in the State of Maryland. The work of this classification will require travel throughout the State and the country to exchange information regarding the election processes, procedures, policies, equipment and promote continued growth in the field for the benefit of the public interest. The State Administrator of Elections is appointed by the State Board with the advice and consent of the Senate of Maryland and serves at the pleasure of the State Board. The State Administrator performs all duties and exercises all powers that are assigned by Law to the State Administrator or delegated by the State Board. The State Administrator serves as the “Chief Election Official” as designated by federal law. The State Administrator of Elections supervises the Deputy Administrator of Elections at the State Board of Elections. The State Administrator also provides managerial supervision, guidance, and support to all seven divisions of the State Board of Elections: Budget and Finance, Candidacy and Campaign Finance, Election Management, Election Reform, Information Technology and Security, Voter Registration and Petitions, and Voting Systems. The State Administrator of Elections also provides guidance and support to the 24 local election directors in the State. The State Administrator of Elections receives managerial guidance and supervision from the State Board of Elections. The State Administrator of Elections will be required to work evenings and weekends during election day, early voting, and other deadlines in the election process. Deadline: May 19. 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.

Warehouse Supervisor, Decatur County, Georgia— The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned. Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff; develops and oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; compiles and reviews timesheets; approves/processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; directs work; acts as a liaison between employees and management; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures. Prioritizes and schedules work activities to meet objectives; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; provides progress and activity reports to management; and assists with the revision of procedure manuals as appropriate. Supervises warehouse operations and facilities; safeguards warehouse operations and contents; establishes and monitors security procedures and protocols; implements production, productivity, quality, and customer service standards; plans warehouse layout, product flow, and product handling systems; identifies trends; evaluates and recommends new equipment; and analyzes process workflow, space requirements, and equipment layout; and implements improvements. Researches, purchases, and inventories commodities, equipment, and other supplies; conducts physical counts of inventory items; records issuing and usage; verifies and refines or updates required bid specifications; and maintains related records and documentation. Oversees the administrative process through process assessments, measurements, and process mapping for better efficiency; formulates process documentation; organizes periodic and random cycle counts; formulates and monitors various administrative reports; populates database with stocking levels and other information for proper report generation and order tracking; performs regular maintenance on various inventory report statuses to keep system clean and updated; and reviews various system-generates reports for overall key performance drivers. Manages the issuing, maintenance, servicing, and receiving of various types of equipment and supplies from the supply room. Organizes and directs physical inventory counts; manages vending equipment acquisition, implementation, and orders replenishment items; and manages office product inventory for assigned department and emergency response procedures, non-stocked inventory, and expendable inventory items. Receives and reviews various documentation, including attendance records, overdue equipment reports, operational budgets, equipment status reports, stock transfer reports and about-to-reorder reports, and physical inventory reports; reviews, completes, processes, forwards or retains as appropriate; prepares or completes various forms, reports, correspondence, and other documentation, including inventory measures reports, open purchase order reports, performance evaluations, and performance measurements; compiles data for further processing or for use in preparation of department reports; and maintains computerized and/or hardcopy records. Facilitate all logistics related to the elections operation of voting sites, including moving equipment, furnishings, supplies, and materials; conduct pre-election testing and post-election equipment audits. Serve as site manager for VRE warehouse space; oversee the department’s inventory of voting site supplies, tables, chairs, signs, voting machines, and equipment. Attend and participate in mandatory ongoing training, including certifications and annual training. Salary Range: $42,937 – $66,552. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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