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AI Election Security Handbook

The ASD AI Election Security Handbook
Resource for responding to threats to election security

The Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States released “The ASD AI Election Security Handbook” as a resource for elections officials responding to unprecedented threats to election security supercharged by technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). 

Crafted by leading experts in emerging technologies and election integrity, the handbook describes the new threats looming over this election cycle and offers real solutions for officials to safeguard democratic processes. From AI-generated disinformation campaigns to sophisticated cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure, the authors analyze the ways these technologies might be misused, share what experts are watching out for this cycle, and offer specific action items for officials and policymakers to safeguard election security. 

ASD Senior Fellow for Emerging Technologies Lindsay Gorman said: “Generative AI is upending our relationship to information, democratizing the ability to create realistic fake calls, videos, and images. Nowhere is quality information more vital to a democracy than in selecting political leaders, and now AI and the largest election year in history are headed for a near-on collision. Equipping front-line election officials with the tools and tactics to meeting evolving technology threats is an urgent national priority.”

“The emergence of generative AI tools comes at a time when the demands and expectations facing election officials continue to grow, trust in US elections is at an all-time low, and threats to elections continue to increase,” said ASD Senior Fellow for Elections Integrity David Levine. “Election officials are the biggest reason recent US elections have been successful, and this handbook offers tips that should help them replicate that success in 2024.”

These are some of the steps the authors recommend that election officials take:

• Simulate AI threats to election infrastructure. Conducting mock elections and tabletop exercises to test resilience against AI-driven phishing campaigns and disinformation help officials identify vulnerabilities in voter registration databases, voting systems, and election day operations, testing partnerships with state, federal, and academic entities for comprehensive threat assessment.
• Maintain hard copies of voter registration for resilience against ransomware. Keeping organized, easily accessible hard copies of voter registration cards to mitigate the impact of AI-enhanced ransomware attacks. This ensures continuity in the signature verification processes for mail ballots, even in the event of digital system compromises, safeguarding against delays and exploitation.
• Pilot content authenticity technologies before the election. Exploring technologies that embed data on content creation and modification to combat deepfakes, enhancing trust in digital communications. Some election officials—particularly those in well-funded, tech-savvy jurisdictions—should pilot integrating these technologies into their election infrastructure to increase public trust.
• Create reading rooms for public records requests. Mitigate the administrative strain caused by a potential surge in AI-generated public records requests by expanding public records reading rooms to proactively offer frequently requested public records streamlines the process and alleviates the burden on election officials

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Election Security Updates

Election Mail Handling Procedures to Protect Against Hazardous Materials
CISA, FBI, EAC and USPIS publish new tool for elections officials

This week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) published Election Mail Handling Procedures to Protect Against Hazardous Materials. 

This resource helps officials understand safe mail handling procedures and provides guidance on responding to potential hazardous materials exposure.  

Over the past two decades, U.S. government offices and employees have been the target of multiple incidents using letters containing hazardous materials, including suspicious letters mailed to election offices in California, Georgia, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington in 2023. 

Since mail is a key component of both standard office operations and mail balloting across the country, this guidance document provides information for election offices on how to identify and handle potentially suspicious mail and respond to potential hazardous materials exposure while handling suspicious mail. The guide also provides specific information on how to protect against the three hazardous powders of greatest concern, fentanyl, anthrax, and ricin, in addition to more routine mail hazards. 

“CISA is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with state and local election officials who face a complex threat environment,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “Today’s guidance on safe mail handling procedures will help election officials and others on the frontlines of our democracy take steps to protect themselves and their personnel from hazards sent through the mail.  We will continue to work with our partners to ensure election officials have the information and resources they need to run a safe, secure and resilient election.” 

“It is essential for the FBI to leverage force multipliers, through strong partnerships and informational campaigns, like this one, which focus on election mail handling procedures,” said Susan Ferensic, Assistant Director of the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate. “This guidance will further strengthen the ability of those on the frontlines to be better prepared to identify and handle suspicious mail. The FBI will continue to reinforce proactive partnerships in an effort to protect election workers.”

EAC Chairwoman Christy McCormick, Vice Chair Ben Hovland, Commissioner Donald Palmer, and Commissioner Thomas Hicks said in the following joint statement: 

“The safety of election workers is a top priority for the EAC, as it should be for all Americans. To ensure our elections run smoothly, election officials must be able to carry out essential tasks such as opening and receiving mail without risking their health. Due to the multiple incidents involving election offices being sent hazardous materials, we urge election workers to exercise caution when handling mail by following the guidance in this resource. We will continue to work with federal partners to support officials as they conduct fair, safe, and secure elections in 2024 and beyond.”

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to ensuring the safe and secure delivery of Election Mail, the integrity of our elections and the protection of election offices and election officials from threatening and dangerous mail,” said Gary Barksdale, Chief Postal Inspector.  “This guidance is part of our collaborative efforts with our federal partners to raise awareness with the election community of suspicious, threatening, and dangerous mail and steps that can be taken to prepare for, and respond to, these incidents should they arise.  We encourage all election offices to implement the recommendations that are part of this guidance.”

Election News This Week

News From NACo: This week, the National Association of Counties held their Legislative Conference in DC. During the conference, they held a Summit on Election Administration. Officials met with federal government officials, members of Congress, representatives from the private sector and senior administration officials for a series of workshops and panels on issues ranging from disaster preparedness to artificial intelligence, to funding and more ahead of 2024’s elections. “Each election cycle, counties play a role in managing over 100,000 polling places and coordinating the training of over 630,000 poll workers that are essential to ensure that citizens can exercise their right to vote,” said Curtis Koch, auditor of Utah’s Davis County and chair of one of NACo’s policy steering committees, as he kicked off a session on election administration. Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil (R), chairman of the Committee on House Administration heard from many elections officials at the event about the need for funding but didn’t seem optimistic about it. “I just don’t want anybody to walk out of here thinking that all of a sudden a massive flow of funds is going to come forward,” he told them. President Joe Biden was the keynote speaker of the conference and during his remarks he thanked election workers and directly addressed the threats they are facing. “To all the county … election workers, thank you. I never thought I’d have to say this to anybody but thank you for your physical courage, thank you for your courage and your service to the community,” Biden said. “The idea that I’d ever thought I’d be standing before over 1,000 country officials and having to thank somebody for being an election worker because they’re putting their life at risk,” he said. “Something’s wrong, folks, we’ve got to change this. We’ve got to change the attitude in this country.”

News from NASS and NASED: The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) held their winter conferences in Washington, DC last week and each had some post-conference news to report. New Mexico’s State Election Director Mandy Vigil was elected president of the NASED Executive Board of the Vigil’s presidency marks the third time a New Mexican has headed the organization, the last being Hoyt Clifton (1992) and Denise Lamb (2004). “As the incoming president of the National Association of Election Directors, I am both proud and humbled by the opportunity to serve my colleagues and voters all across the nation,” said Ms. Vigil.  “There is vital work ahead as we ensure the integrity and accessibility of the 2024 elections for all Americans and I urge voters to prepare for the upcoming elections by seeking out trusted sources of election information from state and local election officials.” Marking its 120th anniversary during its winter conference, NASS handed out two awards.  Nominated by New Jersey Lt. Governor Tahesha Way, the 2023 Margaret Chase Smith Award for political courage was given posthumously to Laura Wooten rec­ognizing her service as America’s longest-serving poll worker. The award was accepted by her daughter Yvonne Hill. The John Lewis Youth Leadership Award is a way for NASS members to recognize gifted, civic-minded young people in their states each year. A video recognizing the 2023 recipients from across the country was played for conference attendees, which can be found here.

News from the EAC: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) recently announced the 21 award recipients for the Help America Vote College Program (HAVCP). In the FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress dedicated $1 million in funding for grants to encourage college students to serve as nonpartisan poll workers for the first time since 2010. The EAC received more than 40 applications for a total request of over $3.3 million in funding from a broad range of educational institutions, local governments, and organizations. The EAC awarded the full $1 million in available HAVCP funding, including 14 Poll Worker Grants totaling $937,050 and seven Service Day Mini-Grants totaling $62,950. The organizations selected for HAVCP awards include accredited colleges and universities, state and local election offices, and nonprofits across 19 states. HAVCP programming will engage more than 7,000 college students through targeted recruitment and training initiatives, civic education courses, and established partnerships with local stakeholders. EAC Chairwoman Christy McCormick, Vice Chair Ben Hovland, Commissioner Donald Palmer, and Commissioner Thomas Hicks issued the following joint statement:  “The relaunch of the Help America Vote College Program has come at a pivotal time for election offices across the country. The EAC looks forward to seeing how the recipients use these funds to engage young people as poll workers and in the election process. The agency appreciates Congress’ recognition of the need to develop the next generation of poll workers and election workers. We hope the efforts of grantees will benefit their communities, and we will provide updates as their programming moves forward.”

Sticker News: The Clay County, Florida Supervisor of Elections Office announced the winner of its 2024 “I Voted” Sticker Design Contest is Gwendolyn Harvey from Middleburg. Clay County residents, 14 years old and older, were asked to submit their artwork for a new “I Voted” sticker design involving the themes of Clay County and democracy. The goal of the competition was to further encourage our community to engage in the voting process in a fun and creative way. The picture of the Great Blue Heron, against a vibrant backdrop of water and trees, was snapped by Harvey. She then edited it to add the words “Clay County” and “I voted!” to it. As she explained “I think these wading birds represent the natural beauty our county has to offer.” Originally, the sticker templates were either a circular or rectangular shape, but Supervisor of Elections Chris H. Chambless thought printing them in the shape of Clay County would add a personalized twist to the overall design. The new stickers will be handed out to voters during Early Voting and Election Day for the Presidential Preference Primary on March 19, 2024, as well as the Primary and General Elections later this year. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, voters will be getting special, custom “I Voted” stickers celebrating the city’s bicentennial.

Personnel News: Julie Adams has joined the Fulton County, Georgia board of elections. Anita A. White has been reappointed to the Pittsylvania County, Virginia board of elections. Mashpee, Massachusetts Town Clerk Deborah F. Kay is retiring. Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Director of Elections Eryn Harvey has resigned and Emily Cook has been appointed interim director.. Rebecca Addler will be the new operations coordinator for the Traverse City, Michigan clerk’s office. Kylie Moreland has been hired as elections supervisor for Monroe County, Indiana. Wayne Pettigrew and Ernie Wiggins have been appointed to the Oklahoma County, Oklahoma election board. Stacie Lozada is the new deputy clerk for the City of Coldwater, Michigan. 

New Reports, Research and Studies

Jail Voting Case Study: While many people are aware of the restrictions formerly incarcerated individuals face in voting, few know about the challenges faced by another group of incarcerated citizens: people in pretrial detention and those incarcerated for misdemeanors. Despite having the right to vote, incarcerated persons often confront challenges in registering and/or voting while being detained. In a new case study published by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Senior Researcher in Democratic Practice Tova Wang explores how the District of Columbia became one of the first jurisdictions in the country to make its central jail an early voting center and set up a polling place inside the facility.  A resource for policymakers, election administrators, jail staff, and organizers, this case study tells the story of Washington, D.C. through the eyes of those who have been directly involved. It presents the evolution of jail voting in the city, what it took to get it to happen, logistics of its successful implementation, challenges, and how different stakeholders in the process have made it work. The District of Columbia’s success demonstrates that providing incarcerated people with a true opportunity to vote is not overly burdensome and is something they will enthusiastically participate in. “It may sound trivial, but [what] was very important to those residents that I saw vote was that they wanted that ‘I voted’ sticker… And one of the reasons I heard was they wanted to send it home to their family to let them know they are being included, that they are taking a step to being a part of the community, making decisions for the community. That’s one of the things that really impacted me on the election days,” Danjuma Gaskins, inmate grievance process program manager and voter registration liaison for the D.C. Department of Corrections.

Legislative Updates

Alabama: The Senate approved a bill that would criminalize some forms of absentee voting assistance to have more aggressive penalties for “ballot-harvesting.” SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, would make it illegal for someone to “knowingly” provide an absentee ballot application with pre-filled information, with exceptions for emergency medical care. “This is a bill about voting rights and the integrity of our elections in the state of Alabama and this bill is and should be a bill for every Alabamian,” said Gudger. The bill passed 27-8 on party lines, after a nearly three-hour filibuster from Democrats who said the bill would make it much more difficult for people with disabilities in rural areas to vote. Gudger’s bill makes it a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for a person to receive payment or a gift for “distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining or delivering” a voter’s application. A person who knowingly pays or provides a gift to a “third party to distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, complete, obtain or deliver” an application for an absentee ballot would be guilty of a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The bill includes exceptions for some disabilities and does not impact members of the armed services stationed overseas. Four amendments to the bill were also added on the floor. The amendments allow some handwritten requests; allow the marking of which election the ballot is for; require a person must declare they are not barred from voting because of a felony or that their voting right has been restored rather than they have not been convicted of any disqualifying felonies; and makes allowances for those who work for utilities in cases of needing to travel to provide mutual aid.

Arizona: After weeks of negotiations, lawmakers at the Legislature agreed to a bipartisan bill to fix election deadline issues that threatened to put ballots for military personnel and the state’s presidential votes at risk. County officials warned that an increase in the number of mandatory recounts triggered by a law passed in 2022 would not leave them with enough time to issue ballots to UOCAVA voters after the August primary by a federally-imposed deadline. There are different fears about the general election, when an influx of recounts could create delays that conflict with a new federal law that requires the state to certify its presidential electors by Dec. 11. All parties involved, including both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, agreed they needed to solve that problem by giving election officials more time to perform recounts and other post-election activities. Democrats sought to roll back the 2022 recount law. Republicans, who hold a slim one-vote majority in the state House and Senate, backed a different bill that included other election calendar changes sought by county officials that run elections, including moving the primary this year up by a week to July 30. The bill also limits the days primary candidates have to proofread ballots from five to two days; allows counties to transmit their official vote counts to the state electronically; and speeds up the state’s official vote tally. It also allows counties to conduct the five-day cure period, or the time period after an election when mail-in voters can correct any problems with their signatures on a ballot envelope, over five calendar days instead of the five business days that counties currently allow. But the GOP bill also codifies signature verification standards for mail-in ballots in state law, a Republican election priority that is unrelated to the election deadline issue.

On a party-line vote, a Senate committee passed a bill that would ban voter registration workers from getting paid strictly by the amount of names they register. Republican Sen. Ken Bennett, the bill’s sponsor, says the current rules incentivize workers to commit fraud by adding names. “It doesn’t prohibit people employing people to do a voter registration project. You just can’t pay them by name,” Bennett said. Bennett says Hobbs had vetoed a similar bill last legislative session, so he would be willing to modify his latest bill to avoid a repeat of last year.

Georgia: Pictures of Georgia ballots would be displayed online for the public to see and review after elections, according to a bill that unanimously passed a House committee. The proposal would enable voters to check ballots and count votes for themselves after each election. If the bill becomes law, millions of ballots could be put online this year. In the last presidential election, 5 million Georgia voters turned out. State Rep. John LaHood, the sponsor of House Bill 974, said it’s the latest step toward greater transparency and accountability in elections. “Those who want to count for themselves and inspect can do so to their heart’s content,” said LaHood, a Republican from Valdosta and chairman of the House Governmental Affairs Committee. LaHood’s bill requires the secretary of state’s office to create a statewide program to display ballot images for 24 months after each election. Ballot images are already public records in Georgia, available at a cost from county election offices. Original paper ballots would remain sealed unless a judge requires their disclosure. Absentee ballots, which have received the most scrutiny from election skeptics, would be posted at the highest resolution available, according to the bill. Ballots printed from Georgia’s touchscreens could be displayed at a lower resolution. The bill doesn’t include any funding, but LaHood said the expense would be minimal because the secretary of state’s office is already working on a ballot image website. The secretary of state’s office did not weigh in on the bill.

The House overwhelmingly voted to increase the number of election audits, requiring human verification of two statewide races each election. The bill is the latest Republican-sponsored proposal to tweak election rules ahead of this year’s presidential race. The bill calls for the top race on the ballot to be audited each election along with another statewide race chosen by the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the House and the minority leaders in the state House and Senate. The House passed the bill on a 164-3 vote, and it will next be considered by the state Senate.

Guam: A total of seven bills were deliberated, all sponsored by Senator Roy Wuinata, who worked with the Election Commission in drafting the measures. GEC offered testimony in support of all of them. Program Coordinator Tom San Agustin said, “Bill 216 allows for Guam Police Department intervention should electioneering occur at the polls, and provides further collaboration with GPD. GEC seeks to establish safer electioneering parameters for the polling sites throughout the island.”  “Bill 217  seeks to change the deadline for tabulating provisional ballots which would allow the GEC to synchronize its timetable for tabulating both absentee and provisional,” He added.  San Agustin also said, “Bill 218 seeks to change the close of registration 10 days to 21 days prior to an election, which would consistently apply the close of registration to all avenues, further this additional time will help the GEC to ensure and protect the accuracy of the voter registry.”  Among the other bills: there’s one that would require write-in names to be published only if the total would impact race results. Another would eliminate the Attorney General and the Public Auditor races from the primary election, because they’re non-partisan positions.

Indiana: A contested election bill with new citizenship checks and data buys could soon undergo edits. House Bill 1264 has won praise from some who say it would improve election security. But it’s also rankled voting rights advocates — who fear it could disenfranchise some eligible voters — and deadlocked the bipartisan state clerks association. The bill creates new requirements for first-time voters, proof of citizenship and more. It also would allow state election officials to pay for commercially available data — likely Experian’s TrueTrace — and let county voter registration offices use the information for voter list maintenance. The measure also requires people registering to vote for the first time in person to show proof of residency. If the application doesn’t include the person’s Indiana driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number, additional proof would be needed — a current and valid photo ID or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows their name and address.

Iowa: Lawmakers advanced a pair of bills this week that would make a raft of changes to elections, including banning ranked choice voting, standardizing training and limiting ballot eligibility challenges for federal candidates. The bill with the more significant changes of the two, Senate Study Bill 3161, would do the following: Limit challenges of petitions of federal candidates to the legal sufficiency of the petition, or the residency, age or citizenship requirements of the candidate. Create a pilot program for a third party to maintain Iowa’s voter database. Ban ranked choice voting. Ban the use of ballot drop boxes in the state. Require that absentee ballots be received by a county auditor’s office the day before the election, and allow the auditor to begin mailing absentee ballots two days earlier. The bill was passed out of a Senate subcommittee by the two Republican members. Democratic Sen. Janice Weiner, of Iowa City, did not vote to advance the bill. Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, the chair of the Senate State Government Committee and sponsor of the two bills, said the bill was a “settling of our election procedures” and intended to instill trust in Iowa’s election process.

Nebraska: LB-1211 would reduce the time that voters have to receive, complete and return absentee ballots or vote early in person from 35 days to 22. Heidi Uhing, director of public policy for the group Civic Nebraska, questioned the logic of condensing election officials’ time to process ballots – especially now, when they’re preparing for the state’s first election requiring voter ID. Cherry County Election Commissioner Brittny Longcor said 13 fewer days could make a big difference in mailing absentee ballots and getting them back in time. But she said she believes the change would be especially problematic for the state’s high-population counties.  “Like in Douglas County, it will cause a time crunch for the processing of all of those,” she said, “because, you know, we have 4,000 or so here to process, where they have hundreds of thousands to process.” Cherry County, population roughly 5,500, has all vote-by-mail elections, which Nebraska allows for counties with populations of less than 10,000.

New Jersey: The senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee released Senate Bill 1255, which requires mail-in ballot applications be available at polling places on election day for voting in future elections. Under the bill, the County Clerk would make available at each polling place on the day of any election copies of mail-in ballot applications for future elections. The bill passed unanimously. S-1230 would prohibit electioneering within 25 feet of a person waiting in line at a polling place or ballot drop box in an area that is farther than 100 feet from the polling place or ballot drop box. Violations of this provision would constitute a disorderly persons offense. A disorderly persons offense can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

New Mexico: The House of Representatives voted this week in favor of a measure that would prohibit firearms within 100 feet of polling places. Supporters have said the measure would prevent voter intimidation at the polls. Violations of the law would be a petty misdemeanor. Rep. Reena Szczepanski, D-Santa Fe, was a sponsor on a similar bill last year. This year, she said, several changes have been added to protect gun owners who are walking by or happen to be near a polling station but don’t intend to vote there. There’s also carve-outs for people who leave their guns in the car while they vote. Another exception was added on the House floor.. As the bill has moved through committee, conservative legislators have pushed to allow concealed carry license holders to bring their weapons to the polling station. Until Tuesday, those amendments have failed to gain traction. During the debate, Rep. Bill Rehm, R-Albuquerque, introduced an amendment with the concealed carry exception, with a requirement that the gun must remain hidden. The amendment succeeded on the slimmest of margins with a 35-34 vote. Despite the addition of the compromise amendment, no Republicans voted in favor of the bill. The amendment succeeded on the slimmest of margins with a 35-34 vote. Despite the addition of the compromise amendment, no Republicans voted in favor of the bill. The altered bill headed to the Senate where the changes were approved. It now heads to the governor’s desk for signature. 

North Carolina: State Senator Jay Chaudhuri announced plans to introduce a bill that would grant the Board of Elections the ability to remove a presidential candidate from the ballot. On X, Twitter, Chaudhuri said that the hearing is “one of the most important cases in our country’s modern history.” Chaudhuri said the Board of Elections should have the authority to remove a presidential candidate under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prevents those who “engaged in insurrection” from running for president. The same section is being argued at the Supreme Court.  Chaudhuri’s plan follows a complaint filed in December with the elections board by retired North Carolina attorney Brian Martin, who says the Constitution disqualifies Trump because of his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection. The board held 4-1 that state law didn’t give them the authority to consider a challenge to a presidential candidate being on a primary ballot.

 

Oklahoma: Lawmakers are considering the prohibition of ranked-choice voting in state elections. Rep. Eric Roberts, R- Oklahoma City, introduced House Bill 3156 to the House Elections and Ethics Committee, this week. The measure would ban voters listing candidates for public office in order of preference on their ballots, and election boards from certifying race results determined that way. Roberts said changing the way the state conducts elections would fix an unbroken system. “It has been said that Oklahoma’s election laws are some of the best in the nation,” Roberts said. “Why would we scrap them for another system that relies on computer algorithms to choose the winner?” Rep. Mickey Dollens, D-Oklahoma City, was a vocal proponent of ranked-choice voting at the committee meeting. He said the voting method can save the state money, reduce partisanship in elections and give third-party candidates a fighting chance. He said voters he’s talked to support preference-based voting. Paul Ziriax, the Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary, testified during the committee meeting and backed up Roberts’ concerns. Ziriax said the voting machines the state uses now cannot read ranked-choice ballots and aren’t due to be upgraded for another four to eight years. The measure was approved in committee with a 5-2 vote and can now be heard by the full House.

Tennessee: A bill that would move up the deadline for voters to request an absentee ballot passed the Tennessee Senate this week and is advancing quickly in the House.  Senate Bill 1967, by Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, would require voters who wish to vote absentee to request an absentee ballot at least 10 days before Election Day – up from the current seven-day deadline. The bill would have no impact on qualified medical exemptions. “We’re misleading our voters and people who want to vote for them to think that they can request a ballot on day seven and their vote will be counted,” Briggs said. “In reality that’s just not true.” If adopted, the bill would take effect on Nov. 6, 2024, so it would not impact any elections taking place this year. Currently, Tennessee absentee voting procedures rely almost entirely on U.S. mail delivery. Once requested by mail, fax, or email, election officials are required to mail absentee ballots to voters. Then voters are required to mail absentee ballots back to their Election Commission via USPS, FedEx, or UPS. Tennessee is one of only a few states that does not allow voters to hand deliver ballots to county election commissions. Briggs noted during the Knoxville mayoral election last year, 90% of the absentee ballots requested on the seventh day before the election were not counted because they were not received by the Election Commission in time to be counted.

Utah: The House Government Operations Committee advanced a bill that seeks to abandon a pilot project to try ranked choice voting in the state. The Committee voted 7-4 to support House Bill 290, which would repeal ranked choice voting in cities across Utah. The pilot project, which allowed municipalities to opt in to use the alternative form of voting, would have run until 2026. Under HB 290, it would end this year. Rep. Katy Hall, R-South Ogden, argued the pilot project was not showing signs of success and there were issues with ranked choice voting. But she faced pushback from some who testified in support of it, including the League of Women Voters of Utah and Salt Lake City Council member Dan Dugan, who was elected in a ranked choice voting election. “I spoke in opposition to the bill as I believe municipalities should be allowed to make the decision on whether or not to use [ranked choice voting] and to let the pilot program continue,” he said.

 

Washington: In a bid to enhance voter engagement and participation, local governments across the state could have a choice to shift their elections to even years and skip the odd years’. After an hour-long floor debate, the state House passed House Bill 1932 Thursday by a vote of 52-45 with one member excused.  Six Democrats joined all of the Republicans in voting against the bill. It’s one of the closest votes taken so far during this legislative session. The bill will give cities, towns and certain special-purpose districts the option to hold their elections in even-numbered years instead of odd-numbered years. Currently, odd-numbered years are primarily dedicated to local elections, while even-numbered years encompass statewide and national elections alongside certain local measures. This discrepancy often results in lower voter turnout during odd-numbered years, prompting concerns about democratic representation at the local level. Under the proposed bill, jurisdictions wishing to transition to even-numbered-year elections would have the flexibility to do so through various mechanisms. The legislative body of the respective jurisdiction could adopt an ordinance or policy, or alternatively, voters could approve an ordinance or charter amendment referred to by the legislative body. However, any decision to make the switch must be finalized before Jan. 15 of an odd-numbered year to take effect in that election cycle. Lawmakers eliminated a mandate in a previous version that said jurisdictions with voter turnouts below 40% in four consecutive general elections must switch to even-numbered year elections.

West Virginia: The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced three voting-related bills to the full Senate. Two deal with purging inactive voters or voters who’ve moved away from the voter rolls. SB 622 trims the time period for removing inactive voters from eight years to six years. As explained by committee counsel and by Deak Kersey, secretary of state’s general counsel, when a voter is inactive for four years, which would include not voting and not renewing a driver’s license among other things, the county clerk must send out a confirmation notice to the voter. If the card isn’t returned the person goes on inactive status, and after two more federal election cycles of inactivity – another four years – the clerk would then purge that voter from the rolls. The bill would shorten the period the clerk has to wait to send out the confirmation notice to two years. This bill and the other two would all take effect Jan. 1, 2025 – after the current election – if passed into law. SB 624 also deals with purging the rolls and would come into play when the state is up and running with the State-to-State information sharing program. Under the program, when a West Virginia voter acquires a driver’s license in a participating state, that information would be transmitted to West Virginia, allowing purging of the voter from the rolls without the confirmation process. SB 623 requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to send images from a resident’s driver’s license or photo ID to the secretary of state for voter identification purposes. Kersey told the senators that the DMV already sends images of voter signatures to the office, which are sent out to the county clerks. This will give an extra layer of security and can make the poll workers’ jobs easier by giving them an extra form of identification when a signature might be unclear or not match the voter’s signature that day.

Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Consumer Protection and Elections held a public hearing last week on a proposed resolution to amend the state constitution to prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in all elections.  The proposed resolution, authored by Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Rep. Ty Bodden (R-Hilbert) is one half  of a dueling pair of bills on the issue. A separate bill that has bipartisan support would establish a final-five runoff system for the state’s congressional elections. In both systems, voters can rank all the candidates on the ballot or only one. Critics of the systems say the process can be confusing to voters and take a long time to determine a winner. The proponents of the final-five bill in Wisconsin say those problems are limited to straight ranked choice voting, and their system solves those problems.’

 

Wyoming: A bill filed by state lawmakers could make it so voters have to live in the state for at least 30 days to register. The bill’s proponents say it clears up ambiguity around who exactly is qualified to vote in Wyoming. However, some lawmakers argue it represents a solution to a problem Wyoming doesn’t really have. In general, voter fraud in the state is rare, and they say this proposed requirement would be another barrier to voting. Fremont County Clerk Julie Freese said this bill could clear up some misconceptions. It comes as poll workers and election officials have been under increased scrutiny in recent years following attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The new regulation would make people sign an updated oath when registering to vote, but wouldn’t require them to bring physical identification to prove their residency. If a voter lies about the length of their residency when registering, county clerks can refer them to law enforcement, according to Freese.

Legal Updates

Arizona: The Republican National Committee joined with the state and Yavapai County GOP in a lawsuit filed late last week to stop new voting rules they say will allow election fraud. The new suit against Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is the second his office is facing by Republicans complaining about the Elections Procedures Manual issued in December. The manual provides detailed guidance for county officials on how to run elections. State Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma sued Fontes on Jan. 31 over five provisions in the manual they say undermine previous Republican “voter confidence measures.” The latest lawsuit, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, adds nine other complaints. “The new EPM weakens safeguards against non-citizen voting during a time of unprecedented illegal immigration on Arizona’s southern border, unlawfully limits the ability to challenge early ballots, and violates numerous provisions of Arizona law meant to protect election integrity,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who’s stepping down from her position this month, said in a statement about the lawsuit. A statement by Gina Swoboda, the new chair of the Republican Party of Arizona who previously worked in the Secretary of State’s Office, accuses Fontes of releasing the manual “at the last second during the holidays” to avoid scrutiny. Fontes is reviewing the lawsuit, according to spokesman Aaron Thacker. The office declined other comment for now. The office put out a statement after the Jan. 31 lawsuit filing saying Fontes was “prepared to defend the EPM that was created to provide uniformity and clarity for elections officials, so they can administer free and fair elections for the people of Arizona.”

The America First Policy Institute on behalf of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club has sued Secretary of State Adrian Fontes over the most recent iteration of the state’s elections rulebook, specifically on the guidance on poll watchers and drop boxes. The suit alleges its limitations on monitoring ballot drop boxes and polling locations are unconstitutional. Their latest suit argues drop box monitors are protected by the First Amendment. It contends the new voting rulebook aims to “criminalize” their conduct. They note their organization is “interested in observing activities at drop boxes” and “conveying a message to others that the drop boxes are being watched and should be watched.” “These activities — watching drop boxes, speaking to people at election sites, and photographing activity at election sites — all constitute forms of speech,” the suit reads.

Colorado: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a Colorado case attempting to keep former President Donald Trump off the ballot in the Mile High State. According to SCOTUS Blog, the high court appeared ready to hold that Colorado cannot exclude Trump from the ballot based on his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol. During an oral argument that lasted for more than two hours, justices of all ideological stripes questioned the wisdom of allowing a state to make its own decisions about whether a candidate should appear on the ballot, both because of the effect that such decisions would have on the rest of the country and because of the hurdles that courts would face in reviewing those decisions. A central issue at the oral argument was whether the question of how Section 3’s ban on government service by individuals who have “engaged in insurrection” can be enforced – do states like Colorado have the power to enforce it themselves, as the voters contend, or (as Trump argues) can it only be enforced through laws passed by Congress? There is no way to know when the justices will issue their decision, SCOTUS Blog wrote. The Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling is currently on hold, so Trump will remain on the ballot there unless the justices decide otherwise, but the court is nonetheless likely to act relatively quickly to resolve the issue because of its significance for other states where challenges to his eligibility are pending.

Florida: Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker has ruled that restrictions on after-hour drop boxes may make it inconvenient to return ballots outside business hours, but they don’t keep Floridians from voting. Walker previously had ruled that restrictions in Florida’s 2021 election law would have suppressed Black voters, but parts of that decision were overturned by an appellate court and sent back to the Tallahassee judge to reconsider. Often sounding conflicted about how to respond to the appellate court decision, Walker said in his latest ruling that the voting rights groups that had challenged Florida’s election law failed to show that the restrictions on drop boxes unduly burdened voters. The judge also said that restrictions in the law on third-party voter registration groups also failed to be proven unduly burdensome. 

 

Guam: Three federal judges heard arguments in Honolulu as the Ninth Circuit considered Borja v. Nago, a federal lawsuit that seeks to expand voting rights in U.S. territories by challenging discriminatory federal and state overseas voting laws. Under the challenged laws, former residents of Hawaii or other states who live in a foreign country or the Northern Mariana Islands remain free to vote for president by absentee ballot in their former state of residence. But former residents who live in Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or other territories cannot. The Borja plaintiffs argue this violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection. The hearing was an appeal of a 2022 district court decision denying their claims, according to a press release from Right to Democracy. Neil Weare, co-counsel in the case and co-director of Right to Democracy, which has joined Borja to sue to advance democracy, equity, self-determination in U.S. territories, said the Ninth Circuit has the opportunity to ensure the same legal standards apply to voting in U.S. territories as they do to voting anywhere else. The lawsuit is part of a broader effort by Right to Democracy to advance democracy, equity, and self-determination in U.S. territories.

Louisiana: U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick of the Middle District of Louisiana ruled that maps Louisiana lawmakers drew two years ago to update the boundaries of their own districts do not give Black voters a fair opportunity to elect their own representatives. Dick rejected the state House and Senate maps, saying that they violate the Voting Rights Act.  Her ruling comes in the case Nairne v. Ardoin, in which Black voters sued the secretary of state and Republican legislative leaders. The plaintiffs argued the maps unlawfully dilute Black voting strength by gerrymandering the districts to minimize the number of majority-Black House and Senate seats. Dick’s order gives the state a “reasonable period of time” to approve new legislative districts that do not violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting laws or procedures that purposefully discriminate on the basis of race, color or membership in a language minority group.  Dick did not specify in her ruling what a reasonable period of time is or the number of majority Black districts necessary to comply with the Voting Rights Act. Plaintiffs have said the state should add six in the House and three in the Senate. Currently, 28 out of 105 House seats are majority Black, as are 11 of 39 Senate seats. Her ruling also does not specify when the maps need to take effect. One possibility would be 2027, when the next legislative elections are held.

North Carolina: A federal lawsuit filed more than five years ago challenging North Carolina’s new photo voter identification mandate is now set to go to trial in the spring, with an outcome that could possibly affect what people must do to cast ballots this fall. The U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem announced this week that Judge Loretta Biggs will convene the nonjury trial starting May 6 over the law, which was implemented just last fall. While the state’s photo ID requirement remains in place for the March 5 primary elections, a spring or summer ruling after the trial by Biggs to strike down the law could threaten its use in the November general election. The May date is about three months later than the date that lawyers for the state NAACP and several local chapters had requested several months ago. They sued over the 2018 law claiming it is marred by racial bias.

 

Pennsylvania: Two Pennsylvania House lawmakers sued the state’s 67 board of elections offices and Pennsylvania itself over absentee ballots. State House Republicans David Zimmerman and Kathy Rapp sued over a disparity between the Pa. Constitution and the state’s Election Code. Currently, voters use drop-off boxes or return absentee ballots to their county board of elections office. Zimmerman and Rapp argue that all absentee ballots should be returned to the voting district that the voter resides in. Officials then canvas the ballots – the number of ballots received is counted, not the number of votes. After canvassing, ballots from each voting district should be sent to their county office for vote counting, according to the state’s Constitution. However, all Pa. counties follow the state’s Election Code, which states the opposite. Officials canvass and count absentee ballots at their county board of elections office. The lawsuit asks the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania to decide whether election officials should follow the state’s Constitution or the Election Code’s regulations on absentee voting.

Wisconsin: The Elias Law Group on behalf of Priorities USA has asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take up a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of several voting rules ahead of the state’s 2024 presidential election. The three matters targeted in the lawsuit are: Wisconsin’s requirement that returned absentee ballots must be accompanied by a valid witness signature; the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling that unmanned absentee ballot drop boxes are illegal; and state law setting an 8 p.m. Election Day deadline for when voters can “cure” or correct errors on their absentee ballots. The plaintiffs in the case argued the rules “infringe upon the fundamental right to vote in violation of the Wisconsin Constitution.” In her decision, Judge Ann Peacock ruled the lawsuit did not meet the “high burden” needed to find the voting rules cited in the lawsuit were unconstitutional. Peacock did not address the legality of absentee ballot drop boxes, noting she leaves “any revisiting of that decision to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.” Elias Law Group later filed notice of an appeal to Peacock’s ruling and last week issued a new request seeking to bypass the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and have the state Supreme Court take up the matter directly.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Artificial Intelligence | Ranked choice voting | Election integrity | Ranked choice voting | Vote by mail | Election certification process

California: Voter ID | Secretary of state

Connecticut: Ranked choice voting, II | Election reform 

Illinois: Election security 

Kansas: Ranked choice voting 

New York: Incarcerated voters 

North Carolina: Voter registration 

Ohio: Election security | Voter bill of rights 

Pennsylvania: Election workers 

Texas: New citizen voter registration | Election fraud 

Washington: Ranked choice voting 

Upcoming Events

Social Media Training: Join Meta’s Government and Social Impact team for a Meta Platforms best practices training for Election Authorities. During this training we’ll cover best practices for building and engaging your community through Meta platforms, tools we developed for election offices, like Voting Alerts, and the best ways to get platform support. Protecting elections is a top priority for Meta and we continue to invest a huge amount of effort and resources in this work – not just during election periods, but at all times. We look forward to connecting with you and talking more about this work. When: Feb. 15 2:30pm Eastern. Where: Online. 

Communications Workshop: Sh%t Happens: How Election Officials Can Respond Effectively When Mistakes Are Made: Join The Elections Group and ideas42 on Zoom at noon (EST) on Tuesday, February 20, for a workshop designed to prepare your office to communicate effectively when mistakes are made. No matter how much you plan or how many contingencies your office puts in place during election season, there are inevitably times when sh%t happens. Tune in on Tuesday to hear from an official who’s been there, and for expert tips and the latest proactive and reactive communications resources to assist your office. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions, enhance your skills and prepare. When: Feb. 20, 12pm Eastern. Where: Online

Election Center Special Workshop: The Election Center will hold its February special workshop in Nashville. The workshop will feature presentations of professional practice papers. Additionally several CERA classes will be held in conjunction with the workshop. When: Feb. 21-25. Where: Nashville, Tennessee.

Social Media Training: Join Meta’s Government and Social Impact team for a Meta Platforms best practices training for Election Authorities. During this training we’ll cover best practices for building and engaging your community through Meta platforms, tools we developed for election offices, like Voting Alerts, and the best ways to get platform support. Protecting elections is a top priority for Meta and we continue to invest a huge amount of effort and resources in this work – not just during election periods, but at all times. We look forward to connecting with you and talking more about this work. When: Feb. 22 2:30pm Eastern. Where: Online. 

Misinformation and Disinformation: Is Democracy in Crisis, and Is It at Risk of Failing?: According to a 2023 poll, only one in 10 Americans have confidence and give high ratings to the way that democracy is conducted in the United States. Nearly 50 percent of those surveyed believe our country’s democracy is flawed. People are concerned about the state of elections, the performance of Congress, inflation, crime, and the southern border. Fear about these issues is exacerbated by rampant misinformation and disinformation. Join us for an in-person and virtual panel that will provide insights and solutions to these threats to democracy. Panelists will also explain the best way to fight misinformation and disinformation before elections this year. When: Feb. 22, 12pm Eastern. Where: Online and in-person in Washington, DC. 

A Real Right to Vote: A Conversation with Rick Hasen: For many Americans, the freedom to vote is unfairly conditioned on where they live, the color of their skin, or how much money they have. Several amendments to the U.S. Constitution have been passed over the decades extending this fundamental freedom to voters of color, women and citizens who are 18 years of age. However, the lack of an overarching amendment guaranteeing the right to vote leaves our democracy vulnerable because the freedom to vote is treated differently depending on where voters live and how courts handle disputes over their rights.  In his new book, “A Real Right to Vote,” Law Professor Rick Hasen explains why a constitutional amendment is necessary, and why now is the time to begin a campaign in support of such an amendment. As Professor Hasen explains, enshrining voting rights in the Constitution will benefit all Americans, no matter which side of the political aisle they sit on.   In discussion with Campaign Legal Center President Trevor Potter, Professor Hasen will describe his vision for the freedoms an amendment on voting rights would protect, its potential impact on our democracy, and why he believes it’s possible to pass such an amendment, despite a challenging political climate. When: Feb. 29, 3pm Eastern. Where: Online

Race and Risk of Election Subversion: The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA promotes research, collaboration, and advocacy under the leadership of UCLA Law Professor Richard L. Hasen; one of the nation’s leading election scholars. The Safeguarding Democracy Project is built upon the premise that tackling issues of the U.S. election integrity must be collaborative: across ideologies, across scholarly disciplines, and as a bridge between theory and practice. Speakers: Matt Barreto, Lecturer in Law UCLA School of Law; Sophia Lin Lakin, Director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project ACLU; and Spencer Overton, The Patricia Roberts Harris Research Professorship and Professor of Law George Washington Law. When: April 9, 3pm Eastern. Where: Online and Los Angeles

Election Center Special Workshop: The Election Center will hold its April special workshop in Portland, Oregon. Additionally several CERA classes will be held in conjunction with the workshop. When: April 24-28. Where: Portland, Oregon.

ESRA 2024 Conference: The 8th Annual Summer Conference on Election Science, Reform, and Administration (ESRA) will be held in person from May 16-17, 2024 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. Call for Proposals The 2024 conference Call for Proposals is now open through February 16! Learn more about this year’s conference and submit your proposal here. Registration: Registration to attend the 2024 conference has not yet opened. To hear the news first when it does, please sign up to join our mailing list. When: May 16-17. Where: Los Angeles

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.

Advocacy Campaign Strategist, Elections and Government Program, The Brennan Center– The Elections and Government Program is looking to hire an experienced campaign strategist. The Advocacy Campaign Strategist position reports to the DC-based Deputy Director of the Elections and Government Program. Responsibilities: Contribute to planning and execution of advocacy campaigns to achieve Elections and Government Program goals, including: Provide project management, organization, logistical solutions, and administrative support, as needed. Identify tools and methods to increase effectiveness and efficiency of team’s work. Coordinate communications between program staff and internal/external stakeholders. Engage in field advocacy, including: Participate in coalition meetings, convenings, briefings. Develop and maintain productive relationships with election officials, grassroots allies, civic partners, government staff, elected officials, and other outside stakeholders. Identify and create opportunities to advance program goals in the field, as well as to improve the program’s advocacy with learning and perspectives from the field. Conceive and execute advocacy products, such as blog posts, digital media products, public comments, FAQs, and other assets, in collaboration with communications colleagues where appropriate, with focus on broadening and increasing partner engagement with program’s work. Contribute research and writing for policy and empirical research reports that will form the basis of advocacy campaigns. Contribute to program’s media and public education work, including strategy, talking points, and speaking engagements. Help to train new program support staff, including program associates, and serve as their first point of advice on routine matters. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

City Clerk, San Mateo, California– The City of San Mateo (pop. 105,661) is the largest municipality in San Mateo County, located on the San Francisco Bay Peninsula. This culturally and economically diverse community offers an extraordinary quality of life characterized by safe neighborhoods, quality city services and assets, friendly people, and an ideal location. The City’s increasingly vibrant and walkable downtown area continues to attract a wide array of small-to-medium-sized businesses, some of which, according to community members, include many of the best dining options in the Bay Area. The municipality has benefitted from a steady history of leadership, with just five city managers over the last 30 years and three city attorneys over the last 36 years. The current City Clerk is retiring from her position after twelve years and the City is focused on hiring a qualified candidate that is outgoing, reliable, and professional with an adaptive, solution-based work ethic. The incoming City Clerk must have excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to remain politically astute without being politically aligned. A kind, uplifting, and approachable candidate will be successful in this role. The ideal candidate will value the community and possess high emotional intelligence as an ambassador of the City and liaison to the public. The nature of this position requires an individual who is creative, discerning, and constantly striving to improve. Salary: $195,288 to $215,306. Deadline: March 3. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Counsel, Elections and Government Program, The Brennan Center– The fight for a more secure, responsive, and equitable democracy has never been more urgent. The Brennan Center seeks a talented early career attorney to join its team in the Elections and Government Program, working on a range of issues related to defending the security of our elections, breaking down barriers to political participation, restraining campaign finance abuses, countering disinformation, and bolstering the integrity and responsiveness of government. The Brennan Center’s methods include legislative and policy advocacy, legal and empirical research and writing, litigation, media communications, and public education. This is an in-person position based in New York City or Washington, D.C. It will require occasional travel. Responsibilities Include: Assisting with policy advocacy, sometimes through work in coalitions, to change policies and laws at the local, state, and federal levels. Participating in litigation, including research, brief writing, and strategy development, with team members, allied organizations, and/or pro bono law firm counsel. Authoring and otherwise supporting the preparation of written work (including articles, opinion pieces, speeches, reports, policy proposals, and organizational materials), with opportunities for named authorship. Providing research support for reports and policy proposals, including research (legal, social science, and news-based), fact checking, legal cite checking, and proofreading. Representing the Brennan Center in meetings and other interactions with external stakeholders, including government officials, allies, donors, and journalists. Helping to supervise and mentor program associates and legal and undergraduate interns. Taking on special projects and other duties as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Counsel, Elections and Government Program (Research and Policy), The Brennan Center– The fight for a more secure, responsive, and equitable democracy has never been more urgent. The Brennan Center seeks a talented attorney to join its team in the Elections and Government Program, working primarily on empirical research and policy advocacy around campaign finance and related money in politics issues (for examples of the type of work this position would do, please see here, here, and here), with opportunities to work on a range of other matters that are the focus of the program’s work. The Brennan Center’s methods include legislative and policy advocacy, legal and empirical research and writing, litigation, media communications, and public education. This is an in-person position based in New York City or Washington, D.C. It will require occasional travel. This position will report to the directors of the Elections and Government program, and work under the supervision/in close collaboration with a senior attorney who leads campaign finance research initiatives. Responsibilities Include: Designing and executing empirical research projects involving campaign finance and similar data, in collaboration with social scientists and other researchers. Advocacy, sometimes through work in coalitions, to change policies and laws at the local, state, and federal levels. Authoring and otherwise supporting the preparation of written work (including articles, opinion pieces, speeches, reports, policy proposals, and organizational materials), with opportunities for named authorship. Public speaking and other representation of the Brennan Center in meetings and other interactions with external stakeholders, including government officials, allies, donors, and the media. Legal strategy, research, and writing. Helping to supervise and mentor junior lawyers, program associates, and legal and undergraduate interns. Taking on special projects and other duties as assigned. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Deputy Director, Swain County, North Carolina– The Swain County Board of Elections is now hiring for its Deputy Director of Elections position. An employee in this position performs clerical functions, voter registration procedures, and other election-related tasks in the daily operations of the Swain County Board of Elections, as may be assigned by the Director or Chair/members of the Board of Elections. This position is open until filled. Desirable Experience and Training: 1. Graduation from high school/GED or higher. 2. Considerable experience in one of the following fields: elections, public administration, clerical work involving public contact, or another field related to this position. OR 1. An equivalent combination of education and experience. Located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, Swain County is an excellent place to live and work and is a popular destination for tourists across the Southeast. It contains nearly half of America’s most-visited national park and is home to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, Fontana Lake, and the vibrant communities of Bryson City and Cherokee. Apply to join us today! Salary: $38,850 – $51,445 per year. 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 Board of Elections/Voter Registration, Bucks County, Pennsylvania— Are you ready to play a pivotal role in the election processes in Bucks County, the fourth largest county in the State of Pennsylvania? Are you committed to ensuring the efficient and accurate administration of elections while also maintaining the integrity of vital records of 470,992 registered voters? If so, we invite you to consider the role of Director of the Bucks County Board of Elections/Voter Registration. The Board of Elections office is at the heart of our community’s election governance, overseeing critical functions that impact every Bucks County resident. As a member of our team, you will collaborate with a dedicated group of 20 full-time and 40+ seasonal part-time employees, working under the direction of the Board of Elections/Voter Registration Director. Bucks County has an excellent benefits package including medical, vision, dental, and prescription as well as an employer-matched retirement program. Bucks County is a wonderful community to live, work, and play and is uniquely located along the I-95 Corridor. Directs operation of the offices of Board of Elections, Voter Registration, and Voting Machines. This includes planning and conducting elections, voter registration management, and ensuring compliance with election laws and regulations. The Director is responsible for training election staff, overseeing technological security measures to safeguard voting integrity as well as creating an annual budget. Communicates election information to the Board of Elections, County administration, and the public. Addresses any issues or concerns that may arise during the election process. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Program Specialist (Absentee Ballot Specialist), North Carolina State Board of Elections– The Absentee Voting Program Specialist has extensive knowledge of election administration and performs detailed planning and preparation for civilian, military and overseas citizens mail-in absentee voting.  This will include the pre-absentee season processes, mail-in approval processes, county board absentee meeting procedures, election day mail-in counting processes in all 100 North Carolina counties and the State Board of Elections in compliance with General Statute 163.  Performs work in assuring that the mail-in absentee program is timely and accurately conducted with successful counting of all eligible mail-in ballots.  Performs work in coordinating with USPS, FVAP, DOJ, and all stakeholder agencies in conducting the program.  Coordinates with the voting systems division in assuring that absentee ballots are ready for deployment on a timely basis. This position will work closely with the State Board of Elections legal division, the IT division, and other stakeholders to review election law and make necessary recommendations in the mail-in absentee process.  Collaborates with the communications division of the State Board of Elections to develop and maintain web content and other public documents pertaining to these areas and with the State Board of Elections in assuring that all absentee rules and requirements are met.  Collaborates with county election board staffs and state agencies to assure that all counties comply with multipartisan assistance team (MAT) training and MAT deployment in all 100 counties.  Works closely with the in-person voting specialist in identifying areas that need clarification and/or training within the county voting programs. Salary: $51,616 – $90,328 Annually. Deadline: Feb. 16. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Election Protection Hotline Specialist, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law– Are you passionate about safeguarding democratic processes? Join us as an Election Protection Hotline Specialist! This pivotal role involves collaborating with hundreds of legal volunteers to address voter concerns reported to the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline. As part of our dynamic hotline infrastructure team, you’ll be at the forefront of managing day-to-day operations. Expect a fast-paced environment, multitasking, and a commitment to early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Embrace the opportunity to learn and employ cutting-edge technology. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law stands at the forefront of national racial justice legal advocacy. Established in 1963 at the behest of President John F. Kennedy, our organization employs legal advocacy to champion racial justice. We strive, within and beyond the courtrooms, to ensure that Black individuals and people of color have a resounding voice, equal opportunities, and the power to materialize the promises of our democracy. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Election Services Representative, Fort Orange Press— The Election Services Representative is an onsite position at our Albany, NY facility. It acts as a liaison between clients and internal Fort Orange Press teams (i.e., Estimating, Sales, Prepress, Production, Shipping, etc.). The primary focus is gathering election details, and artwork from numerous clients across the United States while coordinating all aspects of day-to-day processes to ensure a successful election cycle. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills and thrive in a high-pressure environment. Providing timely solutions for clients’ ever-evolving needs while building/maintaining quality relationships. Identifying new business opportunities within assigned accounts. This role is a brand ambassador to both current and prospective clients and requires an energetic personality, the ability to multitask, manage multiple clients and elections at the same time and serves as the internal client advocate. Salary: $23– $32 per hour.  Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election Training Coordinator, Denton County, Texas– The Elections Training Coordinator performs professional level work organizing, managing, developing and implementing training for all Denton County Elections Administration (DCEA) employees, temporary staff, and election workers.  Employee is responsible for assessing the training needs within the DCEA and implementing a curriculum to meet those needs.  Employee is responsible for coordinating, managing, implementing and executing training with minimal supervision with specific deadlines in place. Examples of Duties: Develops, manages, and/or coordinates required training for all election workers. Prepares, schedules, coordinates, and teaches election training for election workers (Election Judges, Alternate Judges, Elections Department, clerks, etc.). Manages CERA, REO, IGO, and other professional election certifications and reporting requirements. Prepares and schedules CERA, REO, and IGO approved training classes for employees of DCEA. Manages the training of help desk personnel and other temporary employees. Schedules, announces, and conducts registration for training classes.Researches changing laws and trends and modifies or revises existing training programs as necessary, based on the need for new material. Manages and maintains training material and tools used for the various types of training and makes recommendations for additional resources. Prepares all necessary handouts for the attendees. Regular and punctual attendance is required. Performs other related duties as required. Salary: $53,909.00 – $62,534.00 Annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Candidate Coordinator, Buncombe County, North Carolina– Buncombe County Election Services is hiring for a Candidate Coordinator position that will be responsible for campaign finance duties, assisting candidates with candidate filing and petitions, and providing support to the department’s front desk and finance division when needed. The goal of the Candidate Coordinator position is to be an informational resource and point of contact for potential candidates and currently elected officials. This includes auditing campaign finance reports, creating campaign finance and filing materials, training staff in candidate filing, and assisting candidates and treasurers with compiling campaign finance reports. The Candidate Coordinator will also provide the general public with valuable information regarding campaign contributions and expenditures allowing them to make informed voting decisions with knowledge of campaign fundraising and spending. Salary: Hiring Range: $23.38 – $27.31. Deadline: March 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 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 Technician II, Pima County, Arizona— Participates in the supervision and training of elections personnel and the administration of elections activity. Duties/Responsibilities: Supervises and participates in activities involved in inventory control, ordering, receipt, delivery, and storage of election equipment and supplies; Researches election laws and regulations and prepares reports regarding impact on County election procedures; Supervises the preparation of the ballot order; Participates in preparing forms; Receives and files nomination forms; Assists in generating signature requirements necessary for the candidate or proposition to be placed on the ballot; Supervises and coordinates requisite training of election office and warehouse personnel; Coordinates the transportation and delivery of voting machines, supplies and equipment to polling places; Makes minor adjustments to voting machines to ensure functionality and operability prior to use by the public; Demonstrates voting machine operation and explains voting procedures to the public and elections workers; Participates in updating precinct and district maps; Assists State and local agencies in administering election activities; Participates in coordinating elections activities with other government agencies or departments; Assists in the training of subordinate and volunteer staff. Salary: Hiring Range: $19.14 – $22.49/hr. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Technology Specialist, McLennan County, Texas— Under supervision of the Elections Administrator, the Elections Technology Specialist performs complex and technical duties related to activities in overseeing the County’s voting equipment by creating each election’s ballot using ballot origination software, programing and testing the County’s voting equipment with each elections ballot, processing and scanning returned mail-in ballots with the Ballot Board, and maintaining the County’s voting equipment after each election. Salary: $20.61 – $31.71/hr. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Executive Director, Texas Association of Election Officials– The Texas Association of Election Administrators is a not-for-profit professional association that represents election officials for 254 counties both appointed and elected. TAEA is an established association of more than 30 years. The purpose of the Texas Association of Elections Administrators (TAEA) is to promote the efficient integration of voter registration functions with the actual conduct of elections and to ensure that voter registration, voting, and vote tabulation are all carried out in accordance with the highest legal and ethical standards. The Executive Director position is being developed to administer and support the association. The TAEA seeks a contract Executive Director with diverse non-profit management, governance, conference planning, and communications experience. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors. The Board is elected by the association membership. The duties will be delegated to the Executive Director by the board and under the direction of the President of the Board. Salary: $75,000. Deadline: Feb. 16. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Field Services Engineer, Clear Ballot– Our nation’s elections are being challenged like never before, and the elections industry has historically stifled innovation to improve voting technology. As the first newcomer in the industry in the last 30 years, Clear Ballot rises to the challenge with a simple goal: Let’s create technology that empowers our customers to improve democracy. Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, with the right to vote being one of our greatest freedoms. While most Americans across the country watch and read about elections, Clear Ballot lives them. Great elections require secure and reliable tabulation equipment, full transparency of the process in which ballots are created and cast, and the ability to audit the results. Our mission is to surpass those expectations in a way that will raise the bar for the entire election technology industry. At Clear Ballot, we view collaboration as one of our main drivers for success and we encourage all of our employees to share their thoughts and ideas to help both turn our bold vision into a reality and to make Clear Ballot a great place to work.  This is a great opportunity to combine technical skills with customer interaction and support. As a Field Support Engineer, you will travel to customer sites to upgrade hardware, software, and to provide application training. Travel within assigned territory is required, with the potential to travel to other domestic states as necessary to support our customers.  This position will support the Syracuse, NY area with routine travel to surrounding counties. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Field Services Manager, Clear Ballot – Our nation’s elections are being challenged like never before, and the elections industry has historically stifled innovation to improve voting technology. As the first newcomer in the industry in the last 30 years, Clear Ballot rises to the challenge with a simple goal: Let’s create technology that empowers our customers to improve democracy. Elections are the cornerstone of our democracy, with the right to vote being one of our greatest freedoms. While most Americans across the country watch and read about elections, Clear Ballot lives them. Great elections require secure and reliable tabulation equipment, full transparency of the process in which ballots are created and cast, and the ability to audit the results. Our mission is to surpass those expectations in a way that will raise the bar for the entire election technology industry. At Clear Ballot, we view collaboration as one of our main drivers for success and we encourage all of our employees to share their thoughts and ideas to help both turn our bold vision into a reality and to make Clear Ballot a great place to work.  This is a great opportunity to combine technical skills with customer interaction. As a Field Support Engineer, you will travel to customer sites to upgrade hardware, software, and to provide application training. Travel within assigned territory is required, with the potential to travel to other domestic states as necessary to support our customers. This position will support the Allentown, PA area with routine travel to surrounding counties. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Precinct Manager, North Charleston, South Carolina— Are you passionate about democracy and civic engagement? Join us as a Precinct Manager at the Board of Elections and play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth and efficient elections! Welcome to the Board of Voter Registration and Elections, where we are not just an agency, but a dynamic force committed to excellence in democracy. As an award-winning organization, we pride ourselves on our relentless pursuit of improvement to better serve the voters in our community. A major way this is done is through the recruitment and management of those who serve as poll managers. At the heart of our mission is an unyielding dedication to organizing elections with precision, fairness, and strict adherence to the law. Salary: $64,209 – $84,146. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Registrar of Voters, San Bernardino County, California– The Registrar of Voters will foster an environment that promotes civic participation and ensures transparent and fair elections. They will design and implement voter education programs tailored to the needs of County residents. This position requires a deep understanding of the County’s diverse demographics, its unique challenges, and the ability to implement strategies that promote voter engagement, education, and participation. The Registrar will oversee voter registration efforts, ensuring that registration processes are accessible, efficient, and in compliance with state and federal regulations. They will work closely with local community organizations, schools, and governmental entities to create outreach initiatives and workshops to increase countywide engagement. Engaging with the community is at the heart of this role. Building and maintaining strong relationships with various stakeholders, including community leaders, advocacy groups, and residents, is paramount. Organizing town hall meetings, forums, and public discussions will be essential to address concerns, gather feedback, and disseminate essential information related to voting procedures, ballot measures, and electoral reforms. By actively listening to the community’s needs and concerns, they will play a pivotal role in shaping policies and initiatives that resonate with the diverse population of San Bernardino County. This position offers a unique opportunity for development and growth within the realm of civic engagement and electoral processes. As the landscape of voting rights, technologies, and methodologies continues to evolve, staying abreast of emerging trends, best practices, and legislative changes is essential. Participating in training programs, conferences, and workshops will enhance the knowledge base, skill set, and capacity to navigate the complexities associated with administering elections in the County. Salary Range: $153,504 – $218,004 DOE/DOQ. Deadline: Feb. 29.  Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Registration & Elections Manager, DeKalb County, Georgia– The following duties are normal for this position. The omission of specific statements of the duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned. Manages, directs, and evaluates assigned staff; develops and oversees employee work schedules to ensure adequate coverage and control; compiles and reviews timesheets; approves/processes employee concerns and problems and counsels or disciplines as appropriate; assists with or completes employee performance appraisals; directs work; acts as a liaison between employees and management; and trains staff in operations, policies, and procedures. Organizes, prioritizes, and assigns work; prioritizes and schedules work activities in order to meet objectives; ensures that subordinates have the proper resources needed to complete the assigned work; monitors status of work in progress and inspects completed work; consults with assigned staff to assist with complex/problem situations and provide technical expertise; provides progress and activity reports to ; and assists with the revision of procedure manuals as appropriate. Conducts elections; manages personnel to ensure that all elections are conducted in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations; secures early voting locations and recommends schedules; appoints site managers and determines staffing requirements for early and election day voting; works with polling location personnel and county information technology and GIS staff to ensure provision of technology training and services; develops and reviews training for compliance with election laws; monitors early voting traffic; recommends changes in procedures to resolve issues; conducts election night precinct check-in, election audit and preparation of precinct statistics; monitors election tasks lists; monitors election software programming; and oversees financial filing process. Implements, monitors and maintains registration functions and processes; reviews registration functions and processes including felon registrations, duplicate voters, citizenship verifications, jury summons questionnaires, provisional voting, election night precinct check-in and election audit; monitors and ensures compliance with established protocols and procedures; and updates protocols and procedures as needed. Prepares and completes a variety of registration, production and election reports; compiles and/or tracks various administrative and/or statistical data; generates and prepares data; submits all mandated reports to local, state and federal regulatory agencies or others as required; and maintains related records. Maintains training and procedure manuals; and develops, updates, and revises procedural manuals for voter registration and election functions. Interprets, applies, and ensures compliance with all applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies and procedures; initiates any actions necessary to correct deviations or violations; maintains comprehensive, current knowledge of applicable laws/regulations and pending legislation that may impact department operations; and maintains an awareness of new products, methods, trends and advances in the profession. Assists in developing and implementing department budget; reviews budgetary needs and makes recommendations to executive management; and monitors expenditures against approved budget. Salary: $66,132 – $106,473. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Senior Elections Investigator, North Carolina State Board of Elections– Coordinate with agency legal counsel to prioritize and plan investigations consistent with the Elections-Related Investigation Priorities Policy. Apply knowledge of elections and campaign finance laws, policies, and procedures, as well as knowledge of investigatory techniques and methods, to direct and assign casework to elections investigators. Review written investigative reports to ensure case findings are clearly and logically presented to law enforcement partners and prosecuting authorities. Coordinate presentation of cases in grand jury settings, court, and State Board of Elections hearings. Maintain a case management system and provide investigation statistics to management as needed. Conduct short- and long-range planning to ensure that alleged violations are investigated in a timely manner and that violations are referred to the State Bureau of Investigation and prosecutors within the relevant statutes of limitations for remedial action. Perform independent, technical, investigative work. Gather and analyze evidence and prepare investigative reports.Prepare evidence for hearings and court proceedings.Coordinate with agency legal counsel, law enforcement partners, prosecutors, and judicial staff to provide testimony in hearings and court proceedings. Develop and maintain effective professional relationships with State Board elections personnel, county elections personnel, law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, emergency management personnel, and the general public. Provide training and guidance to county personnel and law enforcement personnel at conferences and other meetings.Communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally, both orally and in writing. Salary: $59,752 – $104,566. Annually. Deadline: Feb. 23. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Senior Policy Associate, Verified Voting– As we head into an election year, the SPA will play an integral role on Verified Voting’s programs team, helping the organization ramp up work in priority states and respond effectively to new developments as they arise. The SPA will lead our engagement in several priority states related to Verified Voting’s key issue areas, including robust tabulation audits, ballot accounting, chain-of-custody documentation, and other best practices that support public confidence in elections. (The states will be determined in coordination with other team members who serve as state leads.) The SPA will not lobby, but will advocate for improved policies in priority states, engaging with various stakeholders. They will also collaborate closely with election officials, providing procedural and technical assistance related to implementation of risk-limiting audits and other best practices. The SPA will also provide election officials with strategic messaging support to help them effectively communicate the impact of their work to voters. The SPA will work closely with team members on other policy work and may lead research and writing projects. In particular, the SPA will help develop new materials and resources to capitalize on the upcoming conclusions of a new messaging research project. We are a fully remote organization — the only requirements are that you are eligible to work in the US, that your location is in the US, and that you have a workspace that allows you to complete the demands of the position. Verified Voting’s official operating hours are 9am-5pm Eastern Time, but we work together to accommodate team members’ various time zones, circumstances, and work styles. Occasional in-person meetings and travel opportunities are possible. Salary: $85,000–$90,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Temporary Elections Staff Attorney, Public Rights Project— Public Rights Project (PRP) is a public interest legal nonprofit, headquartered in Oakland, with a remote team based throughout the United States. Our mission is to close the gap between the promise of our laws and the lived reality of our most vulnerable communities. Since 2017, we have been working at the intersection of community organizing and state and local government enforcement to build a scalable, equitable community-based enforcement model to protect civil rights and advance economic justice. In the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, PRP is launching its Elections Hub to stand with progressive state and local governments, especially local elections officials, as they fight to protect the voting rights of their residents and secure safe and fair elections. PRP is building a rapid response litigation hub to support up to 200 election officials across 12 or more states. The goal of the hub is to provide training, technical assistance, and legal backup to election administrators to enable them to respond to election threats quickly and effectively. Public Rights Project seeks to hire a Temporary Staff Attorney to join the new Elections Hub. The Temporary Staff Attorney will staff PRP’s in-house efforts to represent and advise state, local, and tribal governments and elected officials in support of election administration and the expansion of voting rights.  Although this position does not incorporate formal supervisory responsibilities, the Temporary Staff Attorney will sometimes lead case teams and may review the work of other attorneys, alongside more independent work or work as a contributor to other case teams. This position reports to the Senior Staff Attorney and 2024 Election Hub Program  Manager. This position will also work closely with the Chief Programs Officer and the Legal Director. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Training and Education Coordinator, Pima County, Arizona— Researches, coordinates and develops materials for use in training staff and educating clients on procedures, rules, regulations, forms, requirements and equipment for area of assignment; Assists management in the identification of training needs for staff and education for clients; Collects, compiles, prepares, updates and assembles training and presentation materials and manuals; Designs new training and education materials and/or updates materials on a regular basis; Conducts initial training/orientation for newly hired staff to increase understanding of procedures and position responsibilities; Delivers training to classes and individuals through lectures, demonstrations, exercises and workshops; Conducts continuing education to comply with changes in federal, state and local regulations, policies and procedures, and to resolve specific performance deficiencies; Coordinates and investigates compliance with federal, state and/or local policies, laws and regulations and conducts quality control audits and reports on findings; Participates in the review of productivity levels for activities and staff, analyzes problem areas, identifies training needs and recommends solutions to management; Assesses implementation of policies and/or procedures and makes recommendations to management regarding changes and/or supplemental training; Provides additional training as needed, under management direction; Serves as the technical advisor for interpreting federal, state, and County policies, laws, rules and/or regulations governing are of assignment; Compiles statistical data and prepares reports for area of assignment for presentation to management and the Board of Supervisors. Develops and evaluates student surveys/assessments on training/education provided; Coordinates and maintains training/education materials, audio-visual equipment, laptops, tablets and supplies utilized for training and education; Maintains manual and computer based documentation on training and/or education conducted, competency checklists and assessment files. Salary: Hiring Range: $54,863 – $65,836. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Training Manager, Charleston County, South Carolina— Are you passionate about democracy and coaching people to their fullest potential? Join us as a Training Manager at the Board of Elections and play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth and efficient elections!  Welcome to the Board of Voter Registration and Elections, where we are not just an agency, but a dynamic force committed to excellence in democracy. As an award-winning organization, we pride ourselves on our relentless pursuit of improvement to better serve the voters in our community. A major way this is done is through the training of those who serve as poll managers. At the heart of our mission is an unyielding dedication to organizing elections with precision, fairness, and strict adherence to the law. Responsibilities include: Comprehensive training development, training coordination, community engagement, year-round training program, performance tracking, new hire training, continuous improvement, collaboration with precinct manager.  Salary: $64,209 – $84,146. 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 Registration Coordinator, Denton County, Texas – The Voter Registration Coordinator performs administrative work to ensure that all activities in the Voter Registration Division of the Elections Administration Department are carried out properly. This position is responsible for directing daily voter registration operations and plans, directing special projects, and delegating, coordinating, and assessing activities within deadlines. Supervises activities of voting and voter registration; ensures staff work is in compliance with established policies and procedures. Downloads and uploads reports from Secretary of State as necessary. Acts as liaison and primary voter registration contact person for the Elections Administration office with computer software companies, voters, vendors, and representatives of other county’s Voter Registration offices and other Denton County Departments. Performs duties as database administrator for the Voter Registration Database. Oversees the content and timely processing of all reports to the Secretary of State’s Office regarding Voter Registration. Prioritizes and delegates all voter registration tasks. Maintains all voter registration files including hard copy and computerized files. Sets and prioritizes performance goals for voter registration staff and monitors progress toward completion thereof. Trains and supervises all persons utilizing the voter registration computer system. Composes uniform policies regarding performance of voter registration tasks and uniform documentation of all voter registration processes. Designs and supervises modifications and upgrades to the voter registration computer software. Verifies and writes voting precinct descriptions. Posts and reconciles postage for postage accounts. Regular and punctual attendance is required. Performs other related duties as required. Salary: $50,388.00 – $58,450.00 Annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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