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Upcoming Temporary electionline Changes

Upcoming Electionline Schedule Changes

As we move into the holiday season and countdown to 2024, we’ve got a few temporary changes to our schedule. These changes will mostly affect the Daily News.

Fridays in December — The Daily News will post by 10am on Fridays in December (Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29).

December 25 — The Daily News will not publish.

December 26-29 — The Daily News will post by 10 am all this week.

January 1, 2024 — The Daily News will not publish.

Election News This Week

Reinstated: At a special meeting, the Atlantic Beach, South Carolina council voted to reinstate the majority of the town’s election commission. The drama surrounding the election commission all stems from the Nov. 7 mayoral election where John David faced Atlantic Beach Town Councilwoman Josephine Isom. The Thursday following the election, the town’s election commission counted the votes and found David received 65 votes while Isom, received 64 votes and two ballots were cast for write-in candidates. Isom filed a protest of the certification of the mayoral election, stating that several votes were cast by people who do not live in Atlantic Beach. The election commission then reconvened on Friday morning for a recount, but the recount could not move forward because a court reporter was not present in order to transcribe the hearing. The election commission elected to go into recess until 2 p.m. when a court reporter could be secured. But during the recess, the Atlantic Beach Town Council called an emergency meeting at 12:30 p.m., where the town council voted in favor of removing Joe Montgomery, Kenneth McIver and Carolyn Gore from the Municipal Election Commission for the town of Atlantic Beach and dissolving the commission. While McIver and Gore were re-instated on the elections commission during Tuesday’s meeting, the town council voted to remove Joe Montgomery from it. “The town saw that there was evidence of a violation of SC Code 7-13-75, and it showed a conflict of interest of an election commissioner engaging in political activity,” said Atlantic Beach town attorney Joseph Dickey. Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed with the South Carolina Supreme Court by David over the town’s election will move forward. David argued that the decision to dissolve the elections commission in the first place breaks South Carolina laws. According to state law, a municipality must have an elections commission in place unless the county takes over the election process for the city or town. “These people are usurping the votes of Americans. One hundred and thirty-one United States citizens’ votes are not being counted,” David said.  Dickey said the town is focused on filing a response to the lawsuit, seeking to prove that Atlantic Beach maintained a fair election process amid all of the recent drama.

Redesigned: Mail ballots in the Pennsylvania are getting a new look in time for the 2024 election cycle. The design has revised language about how to fill out and return a mail-in ballot, more easily identifiable secrecy envelopes on a yellow background, with watermarking to reduce stray marks, and coloring to make it easier to tell the difference between the inner and outer envelopes. The outer envelope will have a pre-filled “20” at the beginning of the year field, so that voters write the current year, not their birth year, and full-page instructions with graphics to show how to place the envelopes before mailing. Counties will have the discretion to use a hole punch in the return envelope to help county election workers see when the inner secrecy envelope — now with yellow coloring and a watermark — is missing – or “naked.” “Governor Shapiro has made it clear that the Commonwealth should help people succeed, not get in their way,” Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said in a statement. “In each election cycle since 2020, when no-excuse mail-in voting was implemented in Pennsylvania, we have seen thousands of mail ballots not be counted because of unintended technical errors voters made when completing their ballot.”  According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, rejected mail ballots only accounted for about 3% of the 597,000 mail ballots cast in this year’s primary election, but that meant thousands of votes were disqualified due to small errors.

Trusted Info 2024: The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), and its nearly 40 Chief Election Official Members, come together ahead of the 2024 elections to relaunch the asso­ciation’s initiative as #TrustedInfo2024. This effort continues to highlight election officials as the trusted sources for election information, which is critical in the age of mis-, dis-, and mal-information campaigns. “When voters need accurate election information, my answer is always clear: turn to Chief Election Officials. #TrustedInfo2024 is an excellent tool in democracy’s toolbox, and I would like to praise NASS for continuing this important initiative,” said Scott Schwab, NASS President and Kansas Secretary of State. NASS’s nonpartisan #TrustedInfo2024 effort directs voters to election officials’ websites, social media pages, and other public facing materials for information on each step of the election pro­cess—from registration, voting, to post-election procedures. “The mission of #TrustedInfo2024 is to communicate to the American people that they should al­ways turn to state and local election officials for reliable, timely information,” said Steve Simon, NASS President-Elect and Minnesota Secretary of State. “Rapidly advancing technology using ar­tificial intelligence will likely allow for more convincing false information and increase how fast in­correct information spreads. I encourage voters to do their part by only sharing credible infor­mation from our offices with their communities. And when in doubt, contact us or your local elec­tion administrator.” Since its initial introduction in November 2019 as #TrustedInfo2020, the #TrustedInfo initiative has received acclaim from numerous non-profit, private sector and government organizations. View NASS’s #TrustedInfo2024 page for more information and follow NASS on social media (Facebook, Instagram and X) for real-time updates.

A Major Award: Democracy Works recently announced, that it has received an unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Provided through her charitable fund Yield Giving, Scott’s gift is the largest single donation Democracy Works has received. “We are honored by and grateful for this generous donation,” Democracy Works CEO Luis Lozada said. “MacKenzie Scott’s support is a validation of the commitment of our staff, Board, and partners, and their impact on voters and election officials. This investment sets a strong foundation for Democracy Works to continue to innovate and support our democracy through the 2024 election cycle and beyond.” Democracy Works was selected through Yield Giving’s “Quiet Research” process, in which it independently identifies and evaluates organizations through careful analysis of criteria specific to their size, geography, and mission for indicators of high potential for sustained positive impact. Scott has donated more than $14 billion to over 1,600 nonprofit organizations, and Democracy Works is honored to be among these leading nonprofits. More than 15 million Americans receive voting information and election guidance from Democracy Works through its voter engagement platform, TurboVote. Democracy Works Elections Data has been viewed by voters more than a billion times thanks to partnerships with leading search engines, social media platforms, and world-class partners. This includes polling location information provided and verified by election officials through the Voting Information Project. In a commitment to help voters safely navigate the first elections in the generative AI era, Democracy Works has launched an Elections API to make its trusted elections and voting data more widely available to developers for the first time.

Poll Worker Grants:  The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced that it is rolling out a revamped version of Help America Vote College Program (HAVCP), which provides grants to support poll worker recruitment efforts. These grants were directed by the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act and authorized under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). The EAC is accepting proposals for HAVCP funding from accredited colleges (including community colleges) and universities, nonprofit organizations, and local and state election offices starting November 16 until December 18. Applicants may apply to one of two competitive grant programs: the HAVCP Poll Worker Program and the HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program. Through the HAVCP, funding may be used for programming and events that educate and encourage students enrolled in institutions of higher education to support polling places or offices on Election Day. Eligible activities include the recruitment, training, education, and support of college students serving as nonpartisan poll workers, language assistants, or technical assistants. For the HAVCP Service Day Mini-Grant Program, funding may be used for service day events for the recruitment of college students as poll workers on Help America Vote Day and National Poll Worker Recruitment Day in 2024. Interested organizations may submit one application for either the HAVCP Poll Worker Program or the HAVCP Service Day Program, but not both. The EAC will host several training calls to provide applicants with an overview of the HAVCP programs and application process. To view a full schedule of these calls and to learn more about the Help America Vote College Program, visit www.eac.gov/grants/HAVCP.

Congratulations: Recently, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) hosted its fourth biennial awards ceremony to recognize colleges and universities as well as students, faculty and staff, presidents and chancellors, coaches, partner organizations, and election officials for their nonpartisan efforts to engage college students in the 2022 midterm elections. The 2022 elections saw the second highest youth voter turnout for a midterm election in thirty years. More than 960 institutions enrolling 9.7 million students participate in the ALL IN Challenge, which supports colleges and universities in achieving excellence in nonpartisan student voter engagement. “Despite nationwide attempts to undermine democracy through restrictive voting laws, college students made their voices heard during the 2022 midterm elections,” said Jen Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “Each and every one of us has a role to play in promoting nonpartisan student democratic engagement. The individuals we are celebrating today are leading the way on their campuses and in their communities to ensure that every student has the tools and information they need to participate in our democracy and cast their ballot.” Champion award winners included Tahesha Way of New Jersey as the Standout Secretary of State and Eric Fey and Rick Stream of the St. Louis County Board of Elections as the Standout Local Election Officials.

Sticker News: Battle High School senior Amanda Hughes was chosen as the winner of Boone County, Missouri‘s 2024 to 2025 “I Voted” sticker design, according the Boone County Clerk’s Office. Hughes’ sticker will be available at all election locations in 2024. Boone County opened the contest in October, encouraging all ninth through 12th grade Boone County students to create a design. Students were asked to submit a sticker design including the phrase “I Voted” that corresponded with the theme of voting and elections.

Personnel News: Michael Curtis is the new chair of the nine-member Hawaii Elections Commission. Republican Billy Christensen, a Seffner real estate agent, has filed to challenge Democratic Hillsborough County, Florida Elections Supervisor Craig Latimer. Northampton County, Pennsylvania Director of Administration Charles M. Dertinger has resigned.

In Memoriam: Retired Peabody, Massachusetts Clerk Tim Spanos died unexpectedly on Nov. 14. He was 66. “There are some deaths that really hit you, and then there are some you can prepare for, but this one was just really a kick in the gut,” longtime City Councilor Dave Gamache said. “I could look at 1,000 people I know and he would be in the top 1 percent. He was just unique.” He was just 19 when he began recording meeting minutes for the Peabody City Council on a typewriter in 1977. He worked his way up to becoming City Clerk in 2005. Even after retiring in 2019, he didn’t stay away from City Hall. Until his death, he worked two days a week in the clerk’s office helping out with city matters and elections, including the Nov. 7 general election just a week before his death. “He loved working with the City Council and having his hand in the elections. He just couldn’t give it up completely,” current City Clerk Allyson Danforth said. “We’re all just heartbroken here at the City Clerk’s office.”

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation: U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Angus King (I-Maine) reintroduced the Voter Choice Act to support adoption of a ranked choice voting (RCV) model for elections, also known as an “instant runoff.” The Voter Choice Act provides $40 million in federal matching grants for local and state governments that choose to adopt ranked choice voting, covering up to 50 percent of the implementation cost. The 2021-2022 version of the legislation passed the U.S. House as an amendment to the Protecting our Democracy Act (PODA). The Voter Choice Act authorizes $40 million in federal grants to support state and local governments that choose to transition to RCV. Grants would support up to 50 percent of the transition cost, including through the purchase of voting equipment and tabulation software, ballot design, educational materials, and voter outreach. “As partisanship continues to harm our democracy and impede progress, we need to make government work for the American people,” said Senator Michael Bennet. “Ranked choice voting gives people more options at the ballot box, increases political competition, eliminates costly runoffs, and rewards candidates who appeal to the broadest swath of voters. Our bill provides vital support for states and local governments that choose to make this important transition.”

Mohave County, Arizona: Mohave County supervisors for a second time rejected a proposal to hand-count ballots cast in 2024 elections instead of using machines. After two hours of impassioned public comments and debate quoting everyone from Thomas Jefferson to Yogi Berra, the five supervisors again rejected the proposal in a 3-2 vote, with each supervisor sticking to the position they took in a previous vote in August. Public comments ranged widely. One Kingman resident teared up Monday as she pleaded with Mohave County supervisors to agree to the hand count, asking them to consider how much they valued their freedom. But another Mohave County resident told supervisors that hand-counting ballots would be a silly and expensive act of “pandering to the misinformed conspiracy theorists in your constituency to get yourselves reelected.” The county expects about 100,000 voters in the 2024 general election. The elections director previously estimated it would take 657 days to complete a hand count for that election. Hand-counting all 2024 elections, he said, would cost an additional $1.1 million at a time when the county faces an $18 million deficit. Deputy County Attorney Ryan Esplin told the supervisors Monday that they did not have the authority under state law to hand count all ballots. If they moved forward, he said he would recommend to the county attorney that the office not represent the supervisors in resulting legal matters. That would expose supervisors to personal liability for breaking state law and require them to obtain private counsel.

Florida: Legislation filed at the state capitol would allow hand counting of ballots at election precincts. Under current law, counties must use electronic or what are known as “electromechanical” systems to tabulate votes. The bill, filed a year before the 2024 elections, would allow votes to be counted by hand. The legislation, in part, also would prevent the Florida Department of State from authorizing voting systems that use hardware or software designed, owned or licensed by foreign companies. Republican State Rep. Berney Jacques said he filed the bill in hopes of instilling confidence in the voters about the election process.  “There are a lot of individuals who believe, in their heart of hearts, and have run different models, that show hand-counting may be a more accurate way of tabulating votes when it’s done at the precinct level and it’s in a controlled setting,” Jacques said.  “I actually don’t know any supervisor who wants to do that,” Palm Beach County Supervisor of Election Wendy Sartory Link told WPBF 25 News. “There are many, many studies out there that show that when you’re doing manual counts and hand counting, it is not as accurate. And so, it’s not just the time that would be lost, but also the accuracy is what we’re concerned about.” The bill will be considered during the legislative session that will start in January.

Boston, Massachusetts: The Boston City Council is weighing a measure that would allow immigrants with “legal status” to vote in municipal elections, even if they are not American citizens.  Councilor Kendra Lara proposed a home rule petition that would enact the change. Lara received words of support from multiple colleagues, and a hearing on the matter will be scheduled soon so that experts can weigh in.  “Though immigrants, particularly those with legal status, pay taxes and contribute to Boston’s economy, they are not able to participate in the electoral process, in what I believe is a violation of one of our foundational American principles,” Lara said. “By moving this home rule petition forward, Boston can begin the process of making good on our promise to build a city that is for everyone.” Lara argued that disenfranchising taxpayers from the electoral process is not in line with American values. As the process of gaining full citizenship is often lengthy and expensive, immigrants new to Boston are stuck without the ability to vote for the officials in charge of making decisions that affect their day-to-day lives, she said.  In introducing the measure, Lara also highlighted other ways that Boston should grow its electorate, such as giving voting rights to incarcerated people and implementing same-day voting registration.  Lara said she spoke with elected officials from communities across Massachusetts, advocates, lawyers, and other experts in crafting the petition. It was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

New Jersey: Lawmakers have revamped a bill that would allow for same-day voter registration in New Jersey, a goal of progressive activists that has previously met with resistance from state Senate leadership. Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, a prime sponsor of the bill, said New Jersey should join the 20 other states that already allow eligible residents to register to vote at the polls. Mukherji will be joining the state Senate in January after voters gave him a promotion earlier this month. Under current law, residents must register to vote 21 days before an election to participate in that election. Mukherji’s proposal would allow people to register to vote at an early voting site during the early voting period or at their polling place on Election Day, and then vote. They would be required to produce an ID, like a driver’s license, or proof of address, like a utility bill. A previous version of the bill was set to be heard by a Senate committee in March 2022, but the hearing was canceled by Senate leadership. Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) has previously expressed opposition to same-day voter registration.

New York: Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation to assist New Yorkers in understanding proposed constitutional amendments and other questions that are put on voters’ ballots in New York state. The legislation states that any proposed amendments or other ballot measures must be explained using language that is “plain and clear,” allowing voters to fully grasp the practical impact of adopting or rejecting the measure being proposed to them. Hochul touted the move as an effort to ensure a level playing field when New Yorkers head to the polls. “Generations of Americans have fought for the right to vote, and New York is doing our part to ensure access to the ballot box is fair and equitable,” Hochul said. “I proudly signed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of New York into law last year, and am pleased to enact this new legislation which will ensure New Yorkers are informed and protected when they cast their vote on proposed constitutional amendments.” The legislation lies out specifics for the language used when amendments and questions are put up for a vote, stipulating that all ballot language be written at or below an 8th grade reading level, and also must be written in a “yes” or “no” format, so all citizens have a fair opportunity to confidently cast their ballots.

Legal Updates

Arizona: Arizona legislative leaders will submit to depositions in a lawsuit over two voting rights laws after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected their application for an emergency stay. The court released a brief reply to the emergency application, stating “the application for stay presented to Justice (Elena) Kagan and by her referred to the Court is denied.” State Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, and Speaker of the House Ben Toma, R-Glendale, both said they would comply. Toma’s deposition is scheduled for Nov. 28. The state’s top lawmakers and their lawyers filed a 66-page emergency application for the stay on Nov. 20. They hoped to avoid the depositions of up to seven hours and additional demands for records such as emails with other legislators. The U.S. Supreme Court released a brief reply to the emergency application, stating “the application for stay presented to Justice (Elena) Kagan and by her referred to the Court is denied.”

Attorney General Kris Mayes announced that an Arizona grand jury has indicted Cochise County Supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd for conspiracy and interference with an election officer, both felonies. Crosby and Judd, the two Republicans on the three-member board both refused to certify, or canvass, the county’s election by the Nov. 28, 2022 deadline in state law, twice voting against the canvass. The Nov. 27 indictments in Maricopa County Superior Court came after the supervisors were ordered to appear at a state grand jury hearing on Nov. 13, under subpoenas issued by Mayes’ office in October. Judd’s subpoena was first reported by Votebeat. The indictment alleges that on or between Oct. 11, 2022 and Dec. 1, 2022, Judd and Crosby “conspired to delay the canvass of votes cast” and “knowingly interfered with the Arizona Secretary of State’s ability to complete the statewide canvass,” according to a news release from the Attorney General’s Office. “The repeated attempts to undermine our democracy are unacceptable,” Mayes wrote. “I took an oath to uphold the rule of law, and my office will continue to enforce Arizona’s elections laws and support our election officials as they carry out the duties and responsibilities of their offices.”

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is seeking the legal opinion of Attorney General Kris Mayes on whether Tucson’s ballot measure regarding salary raises for the Mayor and Council is subject to a recount under state law. Proposition 413 narrowly passed. “The margin of votes cast was 289 votes; an amount less than ½ of the 1% of the total votes cast for the Proposition,” Fontes wrote to Mayes. According to state law, “a recount of the vote is required when the canvass of returns in a primary or general election shows that the margin between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes for a particular office, or between the number of votes cast for and against initiated or referred measures or proposals to amend the Constitution of Arizona, is less than or equal to one-half of one percent of the number of votes cast for both such candidates or on such measures or proposals.”  In his letter to Mayes, Fontes noted that he lacked the authority to provide Tucson’s City Attorney Mike Rankin with a legal opinion, and instead asked Mayes to.

Arkansas: The 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled against a key tool used to enforce the Voting Rights Act – likely setting up another Supreme Court showdown over one of the nation’s landmark civil rights laws. In a ruling that springs from an Arkansas redistricting case, the 8th Circuit ruled that private entities cannot bring lawsuits under a provision of the law, known as Section 2. If it stands, the decision would dramatically weaken what remains of the Voting Rights Act, passed in 1965 to counter racial discrimination in elections. In a 2-1 decision, the judges said the “text and structure” of the voting rights statute shows that Congress did not give private plaintiffs the authority to sue. The appellate panel affirmed a 2022 ruling by a Trump-appointed federal judge in Arkansas that held only the US Justice Department can bring Section 2 lawsuits. That ruling runs counter to decades of legal practice, however.  The vast majority of cases brought under the Voting Rights Act – which prohibits election rules that have the intent or effect of discriminating on the basis of race – are brought by private plaintiffs, with the Justice Department facing strained resources and other considerations that limit the number of such cases it files to, at most, a few each year. The case at hand centers on a challenge originally brought by the Arkansas chapter of the NAACP and the Arkansas Public Policy Panel to Arkansas’ state House map.  The ruling immediately affects the seven states covered by the 8th Circuit: Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. And it comes as the 2024 presidential campaign heats up.

Attorney General Tim Griffin rejected two proposed constitutional amendments to remove voting machines from Arkansas’ election process. One proposal would require hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots, while the other would create absentee ballot procedures.  Griffin cited several reasons for rejecting the proposed popular name and ballot title of both initiatives, including a lengthy popular name, “partisan coloring language” and ambiguities. Conrad Reynolds, chief operating officer of Restore Election Integrity Arkansas, the ballot question committee behind the proposed amendments, said the decision was expected and the proposals will be revised. “We anticipated that and so we’re fully prepared to move forward,” Reynolds said. If Griffin approves the updated submissions, the group must then collect 90,704 signatures from registered voters to qualify for the 2024 ballot.

California: A resident is suing to get a proposal to require voter identification in Huntington Beach removed from the March primary ballot, arguing that would be unconstitutional and questioning if the city followed proper election procedures. The lawsuit, filed on Nov. 22, makes real the previous legal warnings of top state officials and civil rights nonprofits that have also argued against the proposed requirements. A City Council majority in October approved placing ballot measures before voters that include asking if they want to implement voter ID and local monitoring of ballot drop boxes and update local flag laws. “Democracy works best the more that people vote,” said Mark Bixby, who is bringing lawsuit. “California has been a leader in making it easy to vote. All of that is really great stuff. The City Council, however, wants to roll back that progress. They want to erect barriers to discourage people from voting.” The lawsuit asks a judge to remove the charter amendment measures from ballots for the March 5 primary election. It argues that having a voter ID law would violate the state constitution and would “discriminate against minorities, senior citizens and voters with disabilities.” Bixby’s lawsuit also asserts that the city was late in posting the charter amendment language for public review. “For unknown reasons, the city posted a ‘corrected’ version of the City Council resolution, stating that there had been a ‘clerical error.’ The city’s action creates a serious doubt about whether the City Council even properly adopted the election resolution.”

Connecticut: Judge William Clark endorsed a plan to hold Bridgeport’s second mayoral primary between Mayor Joe Ganim and challenger John Gomes on Jan. 23 with absentee ballot applications available starting Dec. 29. Clark’s order, which was filed Nov. 17, came shortly after attorneys representing Bridgeport election officials asked him to extend the time absentee ballot applications would be available. In a nine-page memorandum, attorneys for Registrar of Voters Patricia Howard and Town Clerk Clarence Clemons asked Clark to allow absentee ballot applications to go out starting Dec. 1. If Gomes wins the primary, there will definitely be a second general election.  But attorneys for both Ganim and Gomes have stated previously that they believe if Ganim wins the second primary that he is elected mayor, but the secretary of the state raised the possibility that there would need to be a second general election no matter what happens on Jan. 23. The court requires that there be serial numbers on absentee ballot applications for people who request more than five ballots for family members or caregivers. The town clerk would be required to stamp every absentee ballot received from drop boxes, and absentee ballot applications would only be made available three weeks before the election.

Georgia: Chad Christopher Stark, of Leander, Texas who pleaded guilty to posting a message online threatening Georgia officials in the wake of the 2020 election was sentenced to two years in prison. Stark was charged last year in connection with a Craigslist ad posted on Jan. 5, 2021, that mentioned $10,000 and referred to killing Georgia election officials. Stark pleaded guilty in August to one count of threatening use of a telecommunications device. He was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Georgia. In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said threats of violence against election officials are “dangerous for our democracy.” “This sentence should serve as warning — illegal threats against the public servants who make our democracy work will be met with the full force of the Justice Department,” Garland said. Stark’s two-year sentence was at the higher end of the 18-24 months’ imprisonment federal prosecutors recommended in court documents.

Iowa: Kim Phuong Taylor, wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor, has been found guilty of 52 counts of voter fraud. The jury spent about five hours deliberating. Prosecutors say Taylor took advantage of other Vietnamese immigrants by illegally filling out election forms and ballots. Her husband, Jeremy Taylor, lost a GOP primary for the U.S. House and won election to the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors in 2020. During closing arguments, the prosecution added the case was important because voter fraud jeopardizes the foundation of democracy in the United States and damages the public trust in the electoral process. They added that Kim Taylor has worked on campaigns since 2008 and knew the difference between right and wrong. Kim Phuong Taylor was indicted in January on 26 counts of providing false information in registering and voting, three counts of fraudulent registration and 23 counts of fraudulent voting. She entered a not-guilty plea. Taylor faces up to five years in prison on each count. A sentencing date hasn’t been set.

Louisiana: Republican John Nickelson filed a petition to challenge the results of the Caddo Parish sheriff election and subsequent runoff. After the initial vote count, Nickelson lost by one vote. Following a recount where each candidate gained three votes, Nickelson still lost by one vote. According to KQAD, Nickelson’s petition describes a litany of issues arising from the Saturday, November 18 runoff election; issues that he contends robbed him of becoming the next sheriff of Caddo Parish, instead of Democrat Henry Whitehorn. “What we discovered, Jeff, was that many ballots, absentee ballots, which the registrar of voters accepted and counted in this election, were either not signed by a voter at all, or were not witnessed at all.” Nickelson says his lawsuit spells out what he calls “a large number of serious irregularities.” One example he cites is that two people voted twice. Another is the number of people who turned out to vote but allegedly were not permitted to do so. “Finally, there is a law directed to prevent vote harvesting,” Nickelson explains, “which says that no witness to an absentee ballot can witness more than one ballot of a non-immediate family member. And we found instances of individuals witnessing many ballots of non-immediate family members. So, all those problems we uncovered in just a very short amount of time.” Nickelson’s lawsuit asks the judge to either declare a winner based on a corrected count of ballots or call for a new election. Some observers may consider an unsigned or unwitnessed absentee ballot as a mere technicality.

U.S. District Chief Judge Shelly Dick has granted the Legislature a two-week extension to redraw Louisiana’s congressional map as ordered by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. When the Appellate Court ordered the redraw, it gave Dick discretion to grant the state a modest extension. “She essentially gave them until Jan. 30,” said Stuart Naifeh, the redistricting projects manager for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Incoming House Speaker Phillip DeVillier said he appreciated the judge giving lawmakers more time to redraw the boundaries but said he doubted that they can complete the task by Jan. 30.

Maryland: Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Glenn L. Klavans ruled in favor of state elections officials in a lawsuit over the proposed location of an early voting center in one Washington County town. Earlier this year, the Maryland State Board of Elections rejected a request to locate one of two required centers in the county in Hancock. Plaintiffs in the case, including one Republican Washington County commissioner and the spouse of a Republican Hancock councilmember, alleged the board owed more deference to the proposal made by local elections officials. The plaintiffs also asked the judge to invalidate the vote based on several alleged procedural missteps including violations of the Maryland Open Meetings Act. Klavans rejected those arguments. In granting the board’s request for summary judgment, Klavans said the board was in “substantial compliance” with state election laws and regulations. Klavans added that the state board must consider local preferences but is not bound to “blind deference.” “There has to be a strike zone that the state board can undertake in order to reach its determination as to whether to approve,” Klavans said in his ruling from the bench. “I think in this case, it’s clear from the affidavits and from the other materials supplied here, that the state board undertook a thorough and adequate analysis of the local board’s recommendation and reached a decision not to approve…on that basis.”

Mississippi: The Mississippi Republican Party is asking the state Supreme Court to dissolve an emergency order a judge issued on election night keeping polls open in Hinds County, saying the order violated state law and the court lacked jurisdiction. The state Republican Party filing notes the issue is spilled milk with the election over, but says the high court should make a ruling to prevent future problems and because the issues are “of great public interest.” It said conflicting court actions on election night caused confusion and run the risk of “sowing public doubt about the reliability of election results.” On Nov. 7, there were numerous reports of Hinds County precincts running out of ballots or not having proper ballots, and voters reportedly waited in long lines or left without casting ballots. The state Democratic Party filed for an emergency order in chancery court to keep Hinds County polls open an extra hour that night. Chancellor Dewayne Thomas granted the order. But in a separate case filed that night by Mississippi Votes, a Jackson nonprofit organization, in Hinds County Circuit Court, the Mississippi Supreme Court appointed a special judge, former Supreme Court Judge Jess Dickinson, to hear the matter. Dickinson issued an order that simply repeated existing state law: that people who were in line when the polls closed at 7 p.m. could vote if they remained in line. In a petition filed this week with the state high court, the Republican Party argued chancery court lacks jurisdiction to be involved in such issues, that it should have been given notice of the Democratic Party’s petition that night, and that there is a lack of evidence that the ballot shortage was widespread or caused problems for many voters. The petition describes the “unknown and possibly surreptitious nature” of the Democratic Party’s filing that night.

Montana: Missoula District Judge John Larson has ruled that the Missoula County Elections Office didn’t misuse its voter database during the 2020 or 2022 elections, contrary to allegations first levied by a couple of local Republicans. “Plaintiff has not produced evidence that Missoula County or its employees misused its limited access to this database or operated those controls in an abuse of voter databases in 2020 or 2022,” the judge said in his Oct. 17 summary judgment. The Missoula County Election Integrity Project, a local election-conspiracy group, initially filed the lawsuit, but asked to be dismissed as a party to the lawsuit prior to answering discovery. The group claimed vote-count video supported its false theory of ballot-stuffing and a 6% margin of error, contrary to research conducted by the Missoula County Republican Central Committee that found a .09% margin of error in tracking ballots. Plaintiff John Lott, who continued the allegations the local Republicans made, claimed Missoula County failed to preserve “snapshots” of the voter database, violating Montana’s records retention law and federal requirements. But the county said the Secretary of State’s Office manages the voter database and the county follows the office’s guidance on retaining data. Larson said the county had no access to the information Lott was seeking and had no way to provide the information, as it was controlled by the Secretary of State’s office and “any relief requested from the court is more appropriately directed to the Legislature.” Lott is also known for research on guns, although his work has been discredited by officials at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research whose director, Daniel Webster, has publicly stated Lott makes things up.

The Montana Supreme Court overturned a decision by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen to block from the ballot in 2024 a citizen initiative that would create top-four primary elections in the state.  In a unanimous ruling, Chief Justice Mike McGrath wrote that the attorney general erred in determining that the initiative violated the Montana Constitution’s prohibition on “log-rolling,” or bundling multiple unrelated amendments into a single measure for voters to approve, and ordered Knudsen to refer the initiative to Montana’s top election administrator, the secretary of state. Ballot Initiative 12, as it is now called, would, for most offices, replace Montana’s current system of partisan primary elections with an open primary in which the four candidates with the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party. “Ballot Measure 12’s primary purpose is to constitutionally mandate a top-four primary for specified offices,” Deputy Solicitor General Brent Mead wrote in the legal review of the initiative. But its full text “then adds numerous provisions that are not closely related to the creation of a top-four primary.” Montanans for Election Reform challenged the legal determination in court, arguing that each of the initiative’s components is essential to its overall functioning.  The Montana Supreme Court apparently found that argument persuasive,  The court heavily relied upon its September opinion in Monforton v. Knudsen, in which it upheld the attorney general’s decision to void a previous ballot initiative on the same grounds he used to invalidate the top-four initiative. McGrath wrote that he concurred with Montanans for Election Reform’s argument that “a reasonable signature cap is essential to ensuring that the Legislature cannot functionally convert a top-four primary into a top-two primary by requiring onerous signature gathering that would serve to bar candidates from the ballot,” and thus that “the signature-gathering limitation is not a separate function but is rather … an integral part of the top-four primary system BI-12 proposes. “We thus disagree with the attorney general that the signature-gathering limitation is not closely related to the remainder of BI-12,” the ruling continues.

The League of Women Voters of Montana (LWVMT), represented by Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and Upper Seven Law, filed a motion in Montana state court to block HB 892, a voter registration restriction that threatens Montanans’ freedom to vote. The groups argue that the law is unconstitutionally vague and imperils both Montanans’ freedom to vote and the important democracy-building work of nonpartisan civic engagement organizations like LWVMT. LWVMT initially filed suit against the law on October 31. HB 892 was signed into law on May 22, 2023 with the stated purpose of preventing people from voting twice in the same election, an action which is already prohibited under Montana and federal law. But HB 892 goes much further than this. HB 892 makes voters and voter registration organizations responsible for ensuring that registration applicants somehow deregister from a previous address. Furthermore, HB 892 could punish voters who do not provide detailed information—even if it is unintentionally omitted—about their previous place of residence when applying to register to vote.  Under HB 892, if a voter trying to register is not able to comply with these requirements, they risk felony prosecution, including penalties of up to 18 months in prison, fines up to $5,000, or both.  “We agree that voters should not vote twice in the same election, but HB 892 goes beyond penalizing double voting to threaten the act of registering to vote itself,” said Nancy Leifer, president of the League of Women Voters of Montana.  “HB 892 weakens democracy in Montana by discouraging voters from registering to vote. It also threatens the critical voter services work the League does for voters across the state. The League is ready to defend the rights of Montana voters and protect their freedom to vote.”

Nebraska: The Winnebago and Omaha tribes have reached an agreement with Thurston County in which Native Americans would make up a majority of voters in five of seven county board of supervisors districts. The plan does not displace any current supervisors from their districts, giving incumbents the chance to run for re-election in their present districts when their current terms are on the ballot in 2024 or 2026. Also of importance, the redrawn districts, the tribes and county agree, comply with the Voting Rights Act. The tribes had argued in a lawsuit that the current map violated the law and was approved by the board to ensure white politicians maintain control in a county in which Natives make up a majority of the voting-age population. The agreement awaits a federal judge’s signature on a consent decree that would lead to the adoption of the new district plan and the lawsuit’s dismissal.

Nevada: Judge James Russell in Reno dismissed the latest suit in Robert Beadles’ feud with the county with prejudice, meaning he cannot refile it. He also ordered the wealthy ex-California businessman and right-wing activist to cover the other side’s legal fees. Russell referenced a state law that permits attorneys’ fees be paid to “deter frivolous or vexatious claims.” But the judge did not sanction Beadles as requested in a motion from the Washoe District Attorney’s Office, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported. The defeat comes three months after Beadles withdrew a federal lawsuit. Lawyers for county officials threatened to seek sanctions for filing a baseless complaint laced with “rantings of a conspiracy theorist.” He claims the election system is rife with “flaws and irregularities” that robbed him of his vote in 2020. He lost another lawsuit last year that sought heightened observation of Washoe County’s vote-counting process.

New York: Common Cause New York and The Black Institute – a public policy think tank in New York focused on issues impacting Black New Yorkers – have filed a lawsuit to prevent the usage of touch screen ExpressVote XL voting machines. The two groups, along with five individuals, are suing the state Board of Elections, claiming that voters cannot independently and privately verify votes they cast through the machines – a requirement under state law. The state Board of Elections approved the ExpressVote XL machines earlier this year. But since their approval, no local Board of Elections has purchased the machines. The new lawsuit seeks to block localities from buying them and putting them into use in the 2024 elections. “The certification of the ExpressVote XL – an expensive and below standard voting machine – was a major step backwards for New York, and an exceedingly poor decision ahead of the 2024 presidential election year when election security remains a fraught topic,” Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, said in a statement. “Paper ballots marked by the voter – which New York currently uses – are the preferred election security standard.” A key part of their argument, and the basis of the new lawsuit, is that voters can’t adequately verify that their ballot is correct before submitting it. Whereas with a hand-marked paper ballot that a voter can ensure they marked the correct candidate, voters cannot view their ballot with ExpressVote XL. Instead, they can review a ballot summary card based on their electronic touch screen selection, printed based on bar codes associated with candidates in the machine.

North Carolina: Following the passage of newly drawn North Carolina Senate districts in the General Assembly, two individuals are formally challenging them in a lawsuit. The lawsuit filed on Nov. 20 claims Senate Bill 758, which established the new district map lines, “unlawfully deprives Black voters of the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.” In particular, plaintiffs Rodney Pierce and Moses Matthew, claim the bill is in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. According to the lawsuit, the bill was enacted despite having “ample evidence of racially polarizing voting and a history of discrimination in the ‘Black Belt counties’ of northeastern North Carolina.”  Having such evidence, the plaintiffs said there is an obligation under the Voting Rights Act to analyze it before drawing lines.  The passage of the new maps is also considered in the lawsuit to be the “the most recent episode in North Carolina’s long history of race discrimination generally and race-based vote suppression in particular.” Following the filing of the lawsuit, Pierce and Matthew are seeking an order that would: declare that SB 758 violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, prohibit future elections to be conducted under SB 758, and require a remedial plan that includes a minority opportunity district in N.C.’s “Black Belt” counties. The lawsuit names President Pro Tem of the N.C. Senate Phil Berger and N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore as defendants along with the entire N.C. State Board of Elections, including Alan Hirsch, Chairman Alan Hirsch, Secretary Jeff Carmon III, and members Stacy Eggers IV, Kevin Lewis, and Siobhan Millen. The plaintiffs have asked the court to move forward on an expedited timeline, asking for a decision on their request for a preliminary injunction by Friday, Dec. 1. Candidates are scheduled to begin filing to run for office on Dec. 4. Judge James Dever rejected the request to speed up a lawsuit regarding the new election districts Republicans drew for the state Senate, calling that request “meritless.”  Dever is declining to take any action ahead of Dec. 4 when candidates will begin filing to run for office for 2024.  Dever questioned why the plaintiffs waited nearly four weeks after the General Assembly voted on the new districts to file their lawsuit and ask the court to issue a preliminary injunction.

North Dakota: U.S. District Chief Judge Peter Welte has ruled that North Dakota’s 2021 legislative redistricting plan violates the rights of two Native American tribes because it dilutes their voting strength. Welte said the redrawn legislative districts violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The ruling came months after a trial held in June in Fargo. The decision could lead to another surprise special session of the Legislature. In his ruling, Welte said the plan approved by the state Legislature to redraw voting districts in accordance with the latest census data “prevents Native American voters from having an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice” – a violation of the landmark civil rights law. Welte gave the Republican-controlled Legislature and the secretary of state until Dec. 22 “to adopt a plan to remedy the violation.” The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and the Spirit Lake Tribe alleged the 2021 redistricting map “simultaneously packs Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians members into one house district, and cracks Spirit Lake Tribe members out of any majority Native house district.” The two tribes sought a joint district and unsuccessfully proposed to the Legislature a single legislative district encompassing the two reservations, which are roughly 60 miles (97 kilometers) apart. Following the 8th Circuit’s ruling in Arkansas, North Dakota has filed an appeal.

Ohio: Ron Berkowitz, 71, of Westlake was indicted Nov. 15 for allegedly voting twice in two different states in the 2020 presidential election. According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Berkowitz was indicted on one count of election fraud. The prosecutor’s office said Berkowitz registered to vote in Ohio on September 15, 2020. On October 20, 2020, Berkowitz signed his Ohio mail-in ballot, the prosecutor’s office said. On September 30, 2020, Berkowitz registered to vote in Arizona and on October 13, 2020, he signed an Arizona mail-in ballot, the prosecutor’s office said. He mailed in his Arizona ballot and dropped his Ohio ballot off at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections office, the prosecutor’s office said. The Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Berkowitz’s arraignment is set for Friday, December 8 at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Pennsylvania: Judge Susan Baxter of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania has directed Pennsylvania counties to accept mail ballots that a voter has failed to date or misdated, a long-awaited decision that could affect thousands of ballots in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. The date a voter writes on the envelope they return a mail ballot in is “immaterial” to its eligibility, Baxter ruled. Under the materiality provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Baxter said ballots should not be rejected over what is essentially a technicality that isn’t related to the voter’s eligibility. “There are many reasons to date a document,” Baxter wrote, adding, “Dates may also be wholly irrelevant, as in this case. The requirement at issue here is irrelevant in determining when the voter signed their declaration.” The ruling in the complicated and long-running case could still be appealed within 30 days. If it stands, it means counties would no longer be forced to disenfranchise voters for failing to date their mail ballot or using a date previous courts have found to be outside an acceptable time range.

A group of 12 Delaware County residents has asked for a recount of 14 precincts in a move that county officials say is an “effort to undermine democracy” while at least one petitioner has said county officials are acting as tyrants and bullies. The suit was filed on Nov. 15 in Delaware County Court of Common Pleas and seeks to have recounts done in 14 of the 430 precincts in the county, including the approximately 38,500 mail-in ballots processed at the central counting center in Chester. Delaware County Solicitor William F. Martin called the suit “harassment” among other things. “What is the purpose of this?” he asked. “The purpose is harassment. They’re the same baseless complaints about mail-in voting that we’ve been hearing since November of 2020 … There is just the usual parade of conspiracy theories regarding mail-in votes.” “Apparently the only logic to the selection of the precincts is ones where they could find three voters to sign the petition,” Martin said, adding, “This will be a profound waste of county money, a profound waste of county assets, wasting the time of the election staff.”

Tennessee: A group that includes former Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe has filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Tennessee over a new law that requires poll workers to tell voters it is against the law to vote in open primary elections without being a “bona fide” political party member. The League of Women Voters of Tennessee, along with Ashe and Phil Lawson, argue that the new law creates confusion and could discourage voters who do not want to register with a party from exercising their right to vote. This new law, which took effect in May, requires election officials to place a sign at every polling place warning voters that to vote in a party’s primary, they must be a “bona fide member of or affiliated with” or “declare allegiance” to that party or else face criminal prosecution. Additionally, the lawsuit also contends that there is no provision in state law that defines what a “bona fide” party member is, nor how voters would affiliate or “declare allegiance” to a party in order to avoid risk of prosecution.  Tennessee currently has partially open primaries, allowing voters to select which party primary they want to vote in at the polling place. “This new law will have a chilling effect on Tennesseans exercising their right to vote and creates unnecessary confusion for voters,” said Debby Gould, President of the League of Women Voters of Tennessee. “The League of Women Voters will continue to fight to ensure that all voters are empowered at the ballot box and can feel confident in their right to vote.”

Texas: Harris County has dropped its lawsuit against the state, ending its challenge to a law that went into effect weeks ago eliminating the county’s elections office. The county had hoped to stop the measure Texas Republicans passed this year that abolished the Harris County elections administrator, an appointed position, and returned election duties to two elected officials, the county clerk and the tax assessor-collector. However, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee called the case “moot” because the county was already forced to comply with the law starting Sept. 1. Though more than half of Texas counties have an appointed elections administrator, the new law applies only to Harris County, which created the office in July 2020. The new state law went into effect shortly before the start of early voting in this year’s November election. Menefee had argued that the law violated the Texas Constitution by targeting just one county. A district judge agreed with Menefee in August, temporarily delaying the measure from going into effect and writing in her order that Harris County should not be forced to implement “an unconstitutional statute” that was designed “to deprive Harris County of a statutory right available to every other county in Texas.”  When the Texas Attorney General’s Office appealed that ruling, the Texas Supreme Court decided the law could go into effect as planned and was scheduled to hear the county’s argument next Tuesday that the law was unconstitutional. The county instead made a motion to dismiss the lawsuit days before that hearing. “The Texas Supreme Court’s decision in August allowed the state to abolish the elections administrator’s office,” Menefee said in a statement. “That mooted the county’s claims. I look forward to continuing to support County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth in elections moving forward.”

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals says it will hear the redistricting case against Galveston County next year. Those suing the county are pressing for the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene quickly to force the county to revise its 2021 political map to comply with the Voting Rights Act. The 5th Circuit says that its full bench will review a lower court’s ruling against Galveston County in May in the case formally known as Petteway v. Galveston County. Meanwhile, the appeals court has extended a stay on a lower court’s order that says the county must redraw its map.

Wisconsin: Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel handed down a decision permanently banning voters from canceling an absentee ballot they have already returned so they can cast a new ballot. Schimel granted a permanent injunction “which will contain substantially the same terms” as a temporary injunction he granted in October of last year, giving a win to the conservative group that spearheaded the lawsuit against the practice known as “ballot spoiling.” Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections brought its lawsuit in September 2022 on behalf of Waukesha County voter Nancy Kormanik, claiming the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission unlawfully advised municipal clerks and the public in a memo and a press release in August of that year that ballot spoiling was permitted. In his decision, Schimel said Wisconsin laws holding that absentee voting is a privilege, not a right, are unambiguous and contain no language “that would authorize the scheme whereby a clerk spoils the ballot for the elector, at their request, and sends out a new blank ballot for a do-over.” Discussing whether Kormanik had standing to sue as a lone taxpayer, Schimel found that, under binding precedent, Kormanik “has at least a trifling interest in her voting rights,” especially given that the Wisconsin Legislature’s policies have made clear its commitment to guarding against voter fraud. “Why would they do that? Because election fraud cannot be repaired. Once it happens, people are disenfranchised by improperly cast votes. A candidate will get votes improperly, and there is no way to adjust the vote count,” Schimel said. The Legislature concluded the dangers of fraud from absentee voting require strict rules and safeguards, Schimel noted, and if the rules are violated by any ballot cast, that ballot may not be counted. “That is arguably a harsh rule, because it could result in a voter not having their vote counted, and it might not be the fault of the voter that the procedures were not followed. The point: WEC and all election clerks had better get it right, or voters will be disenfranchised. This court had better get it right, too,” Schimel said

Paul Buzzell, 52, of Mequon, who posted a photo of his marked ballot on Facebook during the April 2022 election had felony charges against him dropped this week. Buzzell had faced maximum penalties of 3½ years behind bars and $10,000 in fines. Buzzell, a member of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board, would have also been barred from holding elected office if convicted. Ozaukee County Judge Paul Malloy dismissed the charges against Buzzell in a hearing, saying a state law prohibiting voters from showing their marked ballots to anyone else is in violation of the constitutional right to freedom of speech. Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol, who brought the charges against Buzzell, promised to continue pursuing the case by asking Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to review the judge’s decision and decide whether to file an appeal.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Democracy, II, III | Voting Rights Act, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX | Election fraud claims | Artificial Intelligence | New voting laws | Election rules | Ranked choice voting | Russian interference | Youth vote | Election tampering | Vote by mail | Voting records | Native American voting rights

Arizona: Election lines | Mohave County

California: Open primaries

Colorado: Election myth busting | Ranked choice voting | Tina Peters

Connecticut: Bridgeport elections

Florida: Florida Supreme Court | Ranked choice voting | Voter suppression

Idaho: Ranked choice voting | Recount

Kansas: Johnson County

Kentucky: Hardin County

Maine: Voting rights

Minnesota: Ranked choice voting

Montana: Democracy | Election integrity, II | Cascade County

Nevada: Absentee ballot fraud

New York: Poll workers | Vote by mail

North Carolina: Voter ID, II | Voting Rights Act

Ohio: Disenfranchisement

Pennsylvania: Voting concerns | Special elections | Vote by mail | Lancaster County

Rhode Island: Ranked choice voting

Tennessee: Poll workers

Texas: Youth vote | Election administration | Poll workers

Washington: Civic health | Election security | U.S. Postal Service | Trust in elections

Wisconsin: Ballot processing

Upcoming Events

Structural Election Reform: What is Happening in the States?: A bipartisan bill recently introduced in the Wisconsin legislature would enact final-five voting for state elections. Next year’s mayoral election in Burlington, Vermont, will be conducted using ranked-choice voting. And Idaho citizens may be voting in 2024 on a ballot initiative to consider opening its partisan primaries. Various states, counties, and municipalities are enacting systemic election reforms, aiming to improve governance by altering the incentives of candidates running for elected office. These reforms include preferential voting (e.g., ranked-choice voting), open primaries, jungle primaries and runoff elections, proportional representation, and nonpartisan redistricting. Where are these reforms occurring, and what concerns are prompting these changes? Join AEI’s Kevin R. Kosar and a panel of experts for a discussion on how efforts to enact systemic election reforms might shape the future of American politics. When: Dec. 4, 10am Eastern. Where: Online

Philanthropy for Voter Engagement: The 2024 election is just around the corner and foundations across the country are exploring ways to support their communities to participate in the upcoming election. Nonprofit VOTE is releasing the second edition of the Philanthropy for Voter Engagement Toolkit that includes tips, best practices, and case studies for foundations exploring voter engagement. This webinar hosted by United Philanthropy Forum will feature this new toolkit and panelists who will help demystify, offer specific examples, and answer questions about ways private and community foundations can support and bolster voter engagement in their communities. Featuring: Matthew L. Evans, United Philanthropy Forum; Brian Miller and Angie Jean-Marie, Nonprofit VOTE; Tryphena Clarke, Ruth Mott Foundation; and Deborah Schachter, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Whether your mission is healthier environments, improving social determinants of health, or increased investment in arts education, foundations have a role to play to build a more inclusive and equitable democracy. Join us to explore strategies and tactics for achieving our shared goals of healthier, thriving, and equitable communities through engaged voters who reflect said communities. When: Dec. 4 1pm Eastern. Where: Online

EAC Virtual Public Meeting on the Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Pilot Program:  Please join the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for a public discussion on the 2023 EAC Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Pilot Program and next steps for the EAC’s Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (ESTEP). This virtual event will be live streamed on the EAC’s YouTube Channel. Registration is not required. When: Dec. 4, 1pm Eastern. Where: Online.

EAC Technical Guidelines Development Committee Annual Meeting: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Technical Guidelines Development Committee (TGDC) will hold its annual meeting on December 5, 2023, at the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Rockville, Maryland. This meeting will be held in person and live streamed. Registration is required to attend in person, and attendees must be registered no later than November 20, 2023. A registration link and a live stream link will be added to this page. The TGDC is composed of 14 members appointed jointly by EAC and the director of NIST. Members will discuss program updates for EAC Testing and Certification and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Voting Program. The meeting will also include the status of the Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Pilot Program, the annual review of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), lab testing strategies, and more. When: Dec. 5, 8:30am Eastern. Where: Online and Rockville, Md.

Tackling global corruption to strengthen democracy and security: As the international community marks the second anniversary of the United States Strategy on Countering Corruption and the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), anti-corruption priorities and strategies around the globe have greatly evolved. To address this mounting challenge, the newly launched Anti-Corruption, Democracy, and Security (ACDS) project in the Governance Studies program at Brookings will tackle the world’s thorniest anti-corruption problems that impact and threaten global democracy and security. On December 6, please join the ACDS project at Brookings for an expert discussion that will highlight anti-corruption progress and priorities in the lead up to the tenth session of the Conference of the States Parties (COSP) to the UNCAC and the third Summit for Democracy. The conversation will explore ways that civil society, media, private sector, and governments can work together to advance measurable progress to prevent and combat corruption. Audience Q&A will follow the discussion.  When: Dec. 6, 9:30am Eastern. Where: Online or in-person in Washington, DC.

Is Alaska the Secret to Saving American Democracy?: American democracy is in crisis. The country has become deeply divided along partisan lines, causing Americans to turn against each other. Compromise has become scarce, while threats of political violence have risen. But there’s hope in an unlikely place: Alaska. In 2022, Alaska completed its first election under its new electoral system, known as “Final Four.” This electoral system consists of a nonpartisan, “top four” open primary, in which any individual regardless of political party affiliation can cast their vote for their preferred candidate in each race. The top four candidates then move on to the general election, where they are voted on via ranked choice voting. This reform provides voters with more choices in the primary election and a greater ability to express their preferences at the general election. Early results indicate this reform can decrease polarization and help incentivize consensus building and more bipartisan governing. Please join the Center for American Progress for a conversation about the impact of Alaska’s electoral reform, featuring three Alaska state legislators from across the political spectrum: state Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel (R), state House Minority Leader Calvin Schrage (not affiliated), and state Rep. Genevieve Mina (D). When: Dec. 12, 2pm Eastern. Where: Washington, DC.

Joint Election Officials  Liaison Conference (JELOC): The Election Center will hold the annual JELOC once again in Arlington, Virginia. Among the courses offered in conjunction with the conference will be Renewal Course 37. In addition to Election Center committee meetings, the convening will include briefings from many of the federal agencies that work with state and local elections officials—the U.S. EAC, FVAP, DOJ, CISA, FBI and the Council of State Governments. Additionally there will be briefings from NCSL, NASS, NASED, and NACo. Congressional staff have also been invited to provide remarks.  When: January 10-14, 2024. Where: Arlington, Virginia.

NASED Winter Conference: The National Association of State Election Directors will hold its annual winter conference in February 2024. More details to come. When: February 8-10, 2024. Where: Washington, DC.

NASS Winter Conference: The National Association of Secretaries of State will hold its annual winter conference in February 2024. More details to come. When: February 7-10, 2024. Where: Washington, DC.

Job Postings This Week

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

Assistant Registrar of Voters, Ventura County, California— Under general direction of the County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, the Assistant Registrar of Voters plans, organizes, administers, supervises and directs the activities of the Elections Division of the County Clerk and Recorder’s office; and performs related work as required. The ideal candidate is a dedicated public servant who possesses solid administrative leadership skills, the highest integrity, and a strong work ethic that includes accountability for oneself and others. A well-qualified candidate will have in-depth knowledge of and experience in implementing federal, state, and local election laws, regulations, codes, guidelines, and procedures. Additionally, they should possess strong analytical and budgetary skills that are applicable to work in a California public agency. Other qualities needed to be a successful candidate include: detail-oriented, customer-service focused, striving for efficiency and continuous improvement. Salary: $104,708 – $146,606. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Central Count Coordinator, Dallas County, Texas— This Dallas County Elections Department (“DCED”) position is located in the Central Counting Station Division. Dallas County utilizes ES&S voting equipment and election management systems. We also utilize VOTEC software to help manage data for this process. Performs first line supervision of clerical support staff assigned to standardized tasks to include hiring, training, coordinating workflow, monitoring performance, and ensuring effective and timely delivery of services. Management Scope: Supervises generally five (5) or more clerical support staff in one or more of the smaller sections of the department. Supervises clerical support staff in performing standardized tasks related to receiving, filing and processing documents, fees and fines, maintaining records, files and reports, and providing excellent customer service. Ensures effective delivery of services by training staff, coordinating, delegating and monitoring assignments, evaluating performance, providing feedback and collecting data for performance measures. Acts as a technical expert, researches and resolves more complex issues, responds to inquiries, audits work processes and reconciles/corrects exceptions. Assists management with employee related issues which may include: serving on an interviewing team, coordinating leave activities, maintaining time and attendance, preparing performance appraisals and making staff recommendations. Stays abreast of changes in applicable laws, policies and procedures, recommends and implements changes to policies and standard operating procedures, and assists management in establishing goals and objectives. Performs other duties as assigned. Salary: $3598-$4491. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Chief Deputy Clerk, Lane County, Oregon— Are you ready to play a pivotal role in shaping the democratic processes of Lane County? Are you committed to ensuring the efficient and accurate administration of elections while also maintaining the integrity of vital records that affect the lives of our residents? If so, we invite you to consider the Chief Deputy Clerk position within our County Clerk’s office. The County Clerk’s office is at the heart of our community’s governance, overseeing critical functions that impact every Lane County resident. As a member of our team, you’ll collaborate with a dedicated group of 15 full-time staff, working under the direction of the County Clerk. As the Chief Deputy Clerk, you will directly supervise a team of 5, while closely collaborating with the Clerk Program Supervisor who manages the remaining 7 staff members. Elections Division: Our Elections Division is responsible for conducting all Federal, State, County, school, and special district elections in Lane County, encompassing elections for all cities within our jurisdiction. Your role will involve administering voter registration and outreach programs, managing the master voter file, processing voted ballots, and ensuring the accuracy of test ballots, official ballots, and voter information materials. Additionally, you’ll oversee the processing of local initiative petitions, the maintenance of district boundaries and drop site locations, and the operation of voting equipment. You’ll also play a crucial role in recruiting and training temporary election workers. Salary: $79,476.80 – $116,812.80 Application: For the complete listing and to apply, click here.

Chief Fiscal Officer, Illinois State Board of Elections— Under the general supervision of the Director of Administrative Services formulates, interprets, controls and administers policies regarding all Fiscal Programs. Provides fiscal oversight and monitors to ensure adherence to applicable laws, rules, regulations, contracts and financial reporting guidelines. Serves as spokesperson on matters associated with fiscal programs and operations. Coordinates and supervises the financial and fiscal operations for the Board. In collaboration with the Grants Program Manager, coordinates and oversees the administration of state and federal grants. Recommends and implements changes in accounting policy and procedures. Responsible for the preparations of monthly financial statements; annual GAAP packages; monthly reconciliations; ensuring compliance with statute, policies, and other applicable rules and regulations; and maintaining records of the same for audit purposes. Compiles, analyzes and presents annual Agency budget submissions for operational and non-operational activities of the Board. Coordinates with Division Directors and Accounting Manager in data gathering, budget preparation and submission to GOMB and legislative appropriation staff. Evaluates budgetary needs with programmatic and operational initiatives of the Board and makes recommendations to Executive Staff. Monitors and adjusts budgetary resources to facilitate the Board’s needs. Represents the agency at legislative hearings or other meetings regarding budgetary or fiscal matters. Serves as the Agency Purchasing Officer in procurement matters involving the Board. In conjunction with the Procurement Specialist and Accounting Manager, reviews purchase and procurement requests for reasonableness and budgetary feasibility, monitors contracts and obligations prepared to verify compliance with State procurement rules and mandates, and approves contracts on behalf of the Executive Director and Board. Coordinates and actively engages with the Board, Executive Staff, and Division Directors on guiding and developing the Board’s programmatic and operational initiatives. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with external entities and resources to facilitate the same. 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: $6,250 – $10,334. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Clerk-Recorder Division Manager, Ventura County, California— Under general direction of the Assistant County Clerk and Recorder, the Clerk Recorder Division Manager plans, organizes, administers, supervises and directs the activities of the County Clerk and Recorder Division of the County Clerk and Recorder’s office which includes the main office at the Government Center in Ventura and satellite East County office in Thousand Oaks; and performs related work as required. The ideal candidate is a dedicated public servant who possesses solid administrative leadership skills, the highest integrity, and a strong work ethic that includes accountability for oneself and others. A well-qualified candidate will have thorough knowledge of and experience in implementing federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, and guidelines applicable to a public agency’s operations. Additionally, they should possess strong analytical and budgetary skills that are applicable to contribute to the management team of a California public agency. Other qualities needed to be a successful candidate include detail-oriented, customer-service focused, striving for efficiency and continuous improvement. Salary: $82,275 – $132,491. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Customer Support Manager, Hart InterCivic— The full-time Customer Support Consultant role is an on-site position located in the Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area. The role’s primary responsibility is to support Hart’s commitment to extraordinary service by ensuring customer satisfaction through prompt issue resolution and effective communication. The successful candidate will be responsible for resolving customer questions and issues and will collaborate with related teams to assist with technical issues, provide training, and maintain customer records. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Data Analyst, Protect Democracy— VoteShield, a project of Protect Democracy, seeks highly motivated and civic-minded Data Analysts to join our growing team. VoteShield’s goal is to maintain complete and accurate voter data in order to ensure free and fair elections for all qualified voters. As a member of this world-class analysis and engineering team, you will analyze voter registration data, work with election administrators, and grow your technical skills. Ideal candidates will be critical thinkers with a command of data analysis techniques and the ability to distill findings into clear, accessible reports and presentations. We are seeking people who bring an interest in civic data, commitment to non-partisanship, and passion for defending and strengthening our democracy through free and fair elections. We do not expect that any one candidate will have all of the experiences and requirements listed — our current data analysis team comes from a variety of professional backgrounds, including academia and the public and private sectors. We highly encourage you to apply if the job description gets you excited about the role and the work of Protect Democracy & VoteShield. You may work from any location in the United States, and candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum are strongly encouraged to apply. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Departmental Specialist 13 – Elections Security & Standards Voting Systems Specialist, Michigan Dept. of State— This position serves as the Voting Systems Specialist supporting the Bureau of Election’s (BOE) Security and Standards Section, providing expert advice regarding voting systems to BOE management and staff, the Board of State Canvassers, and election administrators statewide. Incumbent serves as BOE liaison with voting system vendors and program manager for voting system vendor contracts and directs and conducts complex testing and certification of voting systems used in Michigan. Incumbent develops and monitors procedures, guidelines and policies related to voting systems, ballot standards, ballot containers, seals, and absent voter ballot drop boxes. Also serves as expert consultant and liaison between voting systems and the voter registration and election database. Salary: $61,526 – $91,832. Deadline: Dec. 13. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Departmental Specialist 13 – Elections Security & Standards – Election Review Specialist, Michigan Dept. of State— This position serves as the Election Review Specialist providing specialized support to the Bureau of Election’s (BOE) Security and Standards Section, regarding the three procedural steps following elections: Audits, Recounts, and Canvasses. This includes providing expert advice, review, and support regarding post-election audits, recounts, canvasses, to BOE management and staff. Incumbent serves as BOE liaison with national, state, county, and local election administration experts regarding best practices surrounding post-election canvassing, recounts, and audits of Michigan and as the primary staff member responsible for enforcing and ensuring compliance with auditing and other post-election procedures. Salary: $61,526 – $91,832. Deadline: Dec. 13. Application For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Deputy Director, Miami County, Ohio— The Miami County Board of Elections is looking to fill the position of Deputy Director. The position of Deputy Director, under the direction of the Director, is responsible for overseeing, directing and managing the Board of Elections staff; conducting fair and impartial elections; managing operational procedures; devising, recommending and adhering to the annual budget; implementing changes required by the Ohio Secretary of State, federal legislation, and Ohio Revised Code, implementing policies of the Board of Elections, and reporting to the Ohio Secretary of State. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Elections, Greene County Georgia— The Greene County Board of Commissioners is looking for a Director of Elections who is a competent, effective, and experienced manager with elections experience to join their team. Under supervision of the County Manager, with oversight from the Greene County Board of Elections & Registration, the Director oversees the operations and staff of the Elections & Registration Department that serve the registered voters and citizens of Greene County. While the department is funded by the Greene County Government, a 3-member citizen board comprised of one member each appointed by the county Democratic and Republican parties, and the Chairman appointed by the Board of Commissioners is responsible for conducting all county, state and federal elections that are held in Greene County as well as serve as an election resource for municipalities within the county. As such, the Board shall have jurisdiction over the performance of primaries, elections and the registration of electors and may provide guidance, policy and direction to the Director of Elections. However, the Director is responsible to run the day-to-day operations of the election office and its employees. Application: For the complete listing and to apply, click here.

Director of Purchasing, Chicago Board of Elections— The Director of Purchasing is an administrative position at the Board responsible for managing all duties related to preparation and processing of procurement contracts for the Board. Responsibilities: Implement purchasing policies and recommend procedures for staff; Work with user departments and warehouse to coordinate planning and purchasing strategies, including assisting Divisions with contract management and renewal; Schedule all purchasing activities to ensure timely procurement and delivery of sufficient supplies for effective administration of the Board; Coordinate the preparation of RFQs, RFPs, IFBs and other procurement methods to solicit competitive proposals and bids from qualified vendors; Prepare legal notices for publication as required for purchasing in coordination with the Board’s Director of Public Information, Legal Department and Administration; Analyze and evaluate bid specifications, tests reports and other relevant data; Oversee the evaluation of proposals and bids to determine the most responsive, responsible and qualified bidder; Participate in negotiating contract terms, cost and conditions; Promote and monitor MBE/WBE participation; Prepare purchasing and financial reports as requested by the Executive Director and the Board, including bid award recommendations and providing such reports to the Commissioners during their public Board meetings; Prepare annual and quarterly reports on procurement; Coordinate reports and vouchers for the Board and related agencies; Supervise employees in the Purchasing Department; and Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director. Salary: $100,000 – $105,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Early Voting Specialist, Ottawa County, Michigan— Under the direction of the County Clerk, Chief Deputy County Clerk and Elections Supervisor, coordinates and administers all early voting operations held within the county. Ensures substantive and procedural compliance with all federal, state, and local statutes and regulations governing elections. Coordinates and manages the staging of early voting sites, develops and manages the communication plan, assists with the development and administration of the budget for early voting, and aids with the management of nine early days of voting and post-election reconciliation duties. Provides technical support for all cities and townships within Ottawa County. Performs a variety of functions required to ensure fair, free, accurate and cost-effective elections. This is a full-time benefited position working out of Fillmore complex in West Olive, Michigan. Travel to other County locations as needed. Salary: $27.82 – $36.18 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Administrator, Pinellas County, Florida— We are seeking an Election Administrator who is passionate about public service and upholds the highest standards of integrity. The successful candidate should have an extensive knowledge of election laws, as this individual would lead and coordinate functions of the election process, including reviewing, interpreting, and implementing government codes, legislation, policies, and procedures in federal, state, county, and local elections. In addition to leading over complex projects, this supervisory role demands an articulate communicator and resilient team player adept at managing a dynamic and collaborative environment. An eagerness to learn and adapt to new ideas is key, as innovation and flexibility are cornerstones of our operations. Strong leadership qualities and a commitment to our mission are essential, backed by a solid work ethic and exceptional organizational skills. Candidates should possess a detail-oriented mindset, excellent time management abilities, and the capacity to work harmoniously with our team. Open-mindedness and adaptability are vital, as our processes are continually evolving. The ideal candidate will preferably hold a Certified Election and Registration Administration (CERA) certification, be a Certified Florida Elections Professional (FCEP), or possess a Juris Doctor (JD) or MBA. However, we place the highest value on an individual’s drive and ability to fulfill the role’s requirements. We are committed to equipping our team for success, offering robust resources and training for professional growth. Salary: $100,000 – $120,000. Deadline: Dec. 1. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Compliance Officer, Pima County, Arizona— Are you an experienced professional specializing in elections? The Pima County Elections Department is looking for you! Join our team and bring your expertise to the forefront of our mission. Your background in city, county, state, or federal agencies, coupled with your in-depth knowledge of election processes, will make you an invaluable asset. Be a part of our dedicated team, shaping policies, and ensuring the integrity of our electoral system while making a lasting impact on our community. If you’re ready for a rewarding challenge, apply today! (Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s needs and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor) Independently plans, coordinates, monitors and participates in administrative and operational activities required to maintain compliance with state and federal election regulations; Verifies department director and staff operate within full compliance regarding any and all applicable legal regulations and timelines; Maintains a listing of legally required deadlines for the unit via a cyclical timeline; Manages campaign finance, including correspondence for late filings and violations; ensures candidate filing compliance, including challenges; Ensures federal and state voting equipment compliance; Responds to public records requests; Assures separation of duty compliance required by Pima County; Completes periodic compliance audits and provides findings with recommendations to the Director and Deputy Director; Prepares requisite drafts of new procedures or processes for preclearance by regulatory agencies in compliance with state or federal laws or other regulatory requirements;  Coordinates the compilation and submission of required reports to regulatory agencies; Ensures Department compliance with all poll worker regulations; Determines Department compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with respect to facilities utilized in the elections process; Assists with grant requests; Develops and maintains public feedback tracking systems to capture voter complaints and concerns, allocate them to the appropriate division for resolution and record actions taken to rectify issues identified. Salary: $57,607 – $63,367. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Director, Utah County, Utah— Under general direction of the County Clerk, administers the Elections functions within the Clerk department including voter registration and service, electronic voting system, candidate services, and the full elections process for Utah County. The County Clerk conducts all elections in Utah county pertaining to county, state or national offices. Marriage licenses and passports are also processed in the Clerk’s Office. Salary: $86,652.80 – $99,611.20. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Equipment/Operations Analyst, Jackson County, North Carolina— This position performs intermediate skilled technical and operational support work assisting the Director with planning, directing, coordinating, and supervising the elections process. Duties and Responsibilities: Assists in Implementing changing election laws, coordinating elections, and supervising activities of the office. Oversees set up of One-Stop voting sites and network. Sets up all E-poll books according to polling place. Assists in machine logic and accuracy. Administers Campaign Reporting schedule. Provides requested information such as registration analysis, voting analysis, lists of precinct officials, precinct locations, precinct political committees, and campaign reports to the various candidates, campaign committees, party chairs, news media, and the general public. Provides requested information   regarding the North Carolina Campaign Reporting Act to prospective candidates, candidates, elected officials, media, and the general public, provides and notices of required reports to Candidates. Assists with audits submitted campaign reports, reviews, and verifies records to ensure that required information is provided and correct. Assists with polling sites database. Prepares campaign reports for public viewing. Assists with planning for and coordinating all early voting site, including the set up and close out of all sites.  Assists in training of one-stop workers.  Assists in canvassing the returns of all elections. Explains policies, laws, rules, regulations, and procedures to the public and other inquiring parties. Assists with voter registration verification procedures. Assists in ADA compliance and Campaign zones at polling places. Assists in processing and verifying petitions. Assists in preparing and conducting elections. Assists with state reporting requirements. Interacts with elected officials, candidates, the North Carolina Campaign Reporting Office, the general public, and the media. Performs other related job duties as assigned. Salary: $40,694. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Operation Manager, Pima County, Arizona— Pima County Elections Department is actively seeking a highly qualified candidate with a unique blend of skills and experience to join our team as an Elections Operations Manager. The ideal candidate brings extensive expertise in voting equipment and e-poll books, ensuring the seamless functioning of critical election infrastructure. Your familiarity with online inventory systems will be instrumental in maintaining accurate and efficient inventory management. Additionally, your proven ability to collaborate with political parties and high-ranking officials sets you apart. Your past interactions with these stakeholders have showcased your exceptional communication and diplomacy skills, essential in the realm of elections. If you’re ready to leverage your expertise and contribute to the democratic process, we encourage you to apply. Join us in shaping the future of elections, where your skills and experience will make a significant impact. This classification is in the unclassified service and is exempt from the Pima County Merit System Rules. Duties/Responsibilities: (Work assignments may vary depending on the department’s needs and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor.) Develops program goals, objectives, policies, and procedures, and establishes short- and long-range program performance plans subject to management review; Manages and administers program activities and evaluates program effectiveness and success; Manages the activities of professional staff and evaluates their performance; Develops, negotiates, monitors, and administers contracts, intergovernmental agreements, and/or financial and service agreements for the program managed; Monitors program contract compliance and takes corrective action as required; Performs as a program representative within the community, delivers informational news releases, serves as a program contact person, and participates in community awareness activities; Develops and maintains effective working relationships and coordinates program activities with other County departments, public and private agencies, organizations and groups to promote the program and its goals; Analyzes local, state and federal legislation and ensures program compliance with applicable regulations and policies; Directs organizational and management studies for the purpose of identifying problems and alternative solutions to the problems; Develops, writes and administers the program’s annual budget, prepares program-related financial forecasts, and identifies funding sources to support program activities; Reviews and analyzes routine and special reports detailing the status and/or success of the program, prepares recommendations, and/or initiates corrective action; Evaluates management problems and makes decisions regarding the proper course of action; May make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding program objectives; May direct the preparation and submission of proposals and grant applications; May access or maintain specialized databases containing program-specific information to review information or generate reports. Salary: $57,607 – $63,367. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections Supervisor, White County, Georgia— White County is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Elections Supervisor. This position is responsible for supervising county elections and voter registration processes. This position is responsible for supervising county elections and voter registration processes. Directs the preparations for and administration of county elections, primaries, and voter registration functions. Develops the department budget; monitors and controls expenditures to ensure budgetary compliance. Provides staff support for the Board of Elections and Registration; coordinates board member training; provides support for board meetings. Directs the recruitment, selection, training, assignment, and supervision of poll workers; develops and implements the poll worker pay plan. Supervises and assists with all logic and accuracy testing of election equipment in compliance with state law. Reviews all directives, advisories, memoranda, correspondence, and materials issued by the Secretary of State and the State Board of Elections; advises the Board of Elections and Registration and county leadership regarding compliance. Establishes and maintains the department website to meet state requirements for public notices and to provide the public with election information. Performs related duties. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Executive Director, Rhode Island Board of Elections— Provide strong leadership, communication and knowledge in developing and maintaining the programs and services to protect the integrity of the electoral process and efficiently administer the provisions of the election laws. Senior management executive responsible for overall administration/operation of the entire agency and staff. Executive Director will execute policies and directives established by the Board; develop and implement agency’s strategic plan. Duties include, but are not limited to, preparation and administration of the agency’s budget, personnel administration, labor relations, drafting legislation, legislative lobbying; planning, organizing and administering election and campaign finance laws; management of the state assets (building, equipment & vehicles). Coordination of agency media relations and public information campaigns through national and local media outlets and social media platforms. Responsible for cybersecurity by attending and engaging in increased training and seminars for elections. Working knowledge of RI General election laws, Rules & Regulations promulgated by the Board of Elections and of procedures and practices in administering elections. Working knowledge of current and proposed federal election law and court decisions to inform the Board of the need to modify existing state law and rules and regulations. Ability to testify in legislative hearings and judicial proceedings. Prepares and submits to the Commissioners recommendations relative to all matters requiring Board action, placing before the Board all information, facts and reports necessary to ensure the making of informed decisions. Advises the Board on the need for new or revised policies. Participate and oversee the planning, organizing and administering the conduct of elections, enforcement of campaign finance reporting requirements, calculation and awarding of the matching funds program, assist local canvassing authorities, elected officials, candidates and general public in election-related matters. Serve as the Board liaison to local, state and federal agencies as well as public and private organizations. Serves as agency’s representative on various boards; oversees and updates voter registration, campaign finance, oversees the conducting of voter registration drives in RI High Schools with the assistance of local Board of Canvassers, and oversees the developments of instructional programs and materials. Prepares and reviews agenda for Board meetings, attends all Board meetings, including executive session’s when requested. Assisting and overseeing staff in the preparation, development and production of writing rules & regulations, directives, manuals, booklets, informational and educational material relating to election and campaign finance publications and procedures. Preparation of RFP and review, rating of bids for election equipment, technical and consulting services. Maintain, educate and implement digital scan voting equipment, accessible voting equipment ballot – on demand printers, ES&S DS200’s Poll Place Precinct Scanners & Tabulators, e-pollbooks statewide, logic and accuracy testing, tabulators and interfacing with the thirty-nine municipalities, the RI Department of State and other state agencies. Oversee the processing, certification, and tabulation of high volume mail ballots as well as the conduct of early voting, recounts and post-election Risk Limiting Audits with increased security. Achieve agency goals and objectives established by the Board. A motivator who can effectively communicate and who can interact, motivate and work with individuals and groups. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with local BOC, SOS, NGOs and interested parties. Salary: $133,919 – $150,930. Deadline: Dec. 17. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

GovTech Sales, Democracy Live — Leading elections technology provider hiring regional sales representative. Exciting, fast growing election modernization technology firm is looking for an energetic sales-focused individual who enjoys traveling, while helping to modernize voting in America. Experience in GovTech sales preferred. Willingness to travel 2-3 weeks a month. Application: Apply@democracylive.com

Legal Compliance Officer, Ventura County, California— Under administrative direction of the County Clerk-Recorder & Registrar of Voters, this position is responsible for coordinating, planning, and administering regulatory compliance for the County Clerk/Recorder and Elections divisions. It also ensures agency-wide observance of pertinent state law. Additionally, the CCR Legal Compliance Officer serves as legislative analyst to monitor, interpret, and apply legislation, and supervises related functions as assigned. Salary: $133,224 – $186,534. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Logistics Coordinator, Dallas County, Texas— This Dallas County Elections Department (“DCED”) position is located on the Logistics team. Successful candidates will have the requisite experience to help manage the people, equipment, software systems, and processes related to election and voting logistics operations and administration. Performs first line supervision of clerical support staff assigned to standardized tasks to include hiring, training, coordinating workflow, monitoring performance, and ensuring effective and timely delivery of services. Supervises generally five (5) or more clerical support staff in one or more of the smaller sections of the department. Supervises clerical support staff in performing standardized tasks related to receiving, filing and processing documents, fees and fines, maintaining records, files and reports, and providing excellent customer service. Ensures effective delivery of services by training staff, coordinating, delegating and monitoring assignments, evaluating performance, providing feedback and collecting data for performance measures. Acts as a technical expert, researches and resolves more complex issues, responds to inquiries, audits work processes and reconciles/corrects exceptions. Assists management with employee related issues which may include: serving on an interviewing team, coordinating leave activities, maintaining time and attendance, preparing performance appraisals and making staff recommendations. Stays abreast of changes in applicable laws, policies and procedures, recommends and implements changes to policies and standard operating procedures, and assists management in establishing goals and objectives. Performs other duties as assigned. Salary: $3598-4491. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Montana Nonpartisan Observation Coordinator and Election Administration Advisor, The Carter Center— The Democracy Program at The Carter Center works globally to support and strengthen participatory democracy, consistent with human rights. Beginning in 2020, The Carter Center began efforts to support elections in the United States. There are multiple key aspects to this project: establishing nonpartisan observation efforts, bolstering the electoral dispute resolution process, tracking disinformation and dangerous speech, contributing to electoral reform, and promoting a set of candidate principles for trusted elections. The Carter Center plans to advance nonpartisan observation efforts in Montana. Nonpartisan observation efforts implemented and/or supported by The Carter Center will differ from existing partisan poll watchers and election protection groups. The goal of this observation is to provide credible and transparent information on the conduct of elections in each state through public reports. To support this work, The Carter Center also provides analysis and resources on various aspects of the electoral process and election administration such as, poll worker recruitment & training and tabulation & audit procedures. The Carter Center is looking for an experienced professional with knowledge of the U.S. electoral system that can support our targeted efforts in Montana as we work to increase transparency in the electoral process and support election officials. This position requires up to 24 days of work per month. Start date: As soon as possible.
Location: Remote, with some travel to Atlanta and other states The Carter Center will be working in. Length of Assignment: Through August 31, 2024, with a high likelihood of extension or contract renewal depending on performance. Deadline: Dec. 4. Application: To apply, please fill out the form at the link below and attach a CV and Cover Letter. https://filerequestpro.com/up/uselectionsrecruiting Only applications submitted to the email above will be considered.

Research Director, CEIR— CEIR seeks a qualified Research Director to join our team. The Research Director will report to the Executive Director and lead CEIR’s research initiatives. These initiatives include, but are not limited to, matters pertaining to voter registration, voter access, election integrity and security, and election policy, generally. The Research Director will set goals aligned with CEIR’s mission and provide the research team with strategic direction on how to reach those goals, all while ensuring the rigor, integrity, and quality of all research activities. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated individual who wants to join a growing nonprofit that seeks to make a substantial, positive, nonpartisan impact on elections and American democracy. The Research Director role is a full-time job. CEIR supports hybrid work at its office in Washington, DC. However, we will consider outstanding candidates across the United States that wish to work remotely. CEIR’s office hours are 9am-5pm ET, and the Research Director is expected to be available during that time regardless of location. Salary Range: $110,000-160,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Training Program Coordinator, Charleston County, South Carolina— This position is responsible for the recruiting, coordinating, and training of Election Day poll managers on the policies, procedures, and SC State law regarding the administering of fair, honest, and accurate elections within the polling places on Election Day and during early voting. This position will also train all temporary Early Voting staff. This position will be responsible for developing all instruction manuals and materials. This position reports directly to the Deputy Director of Election Operations. Salary: $53,248 – $69,784. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Voter Outreach Specialist, DeKalb County, Georgia— The purpose of this position is to:  Educate, inform, and empower all DeKalb County residents on voter registration and election-related subject matters. Assist voters with completing registration and absentee ballot applications. Participate in discussion panels, to make presentations at town hall and community meetings, speak at secondary schools, colleges and universities. Develop printed collateral and web content for translation and design. Essential Functions: Receives and responds to citizen inquiries, concerns, requests, problems, and complaints; actively listens to callers and visitors; conveys understanding and willingness to resolve issues; promotes and establishes goodwill; exercises tact and discretion; remains composed with rude or irate constituents; addresses or routes concerns based on knowledge of County services; provides information and assistance; and follows-up with citizens.  Assists citizens with resolution of problems and complaints; communicates with County departments to identify, research, and resolve issues; connects constituents with resources, referrals, and support; and refers complex or sensitive problems to appropriate staff for resolution.  Attends community or homeowner meetings; represents County; makes presentations; answers questions; provides information; and advises appropriate staff of issues and concerns. Prepares correspondence, emails, and written replies; composes, proofreads, and edits letters, emails and other responses to constituent questions and concerns; and sends replies to constituents. Maintains outreach records and files; compiles and tracks data related to inquiries and complaints and the disposition thereof; maintains notes and records to facilitate follow-up and problem resolution; and prepares related reports. Salary: $44,654 – $71,893. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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