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Election News This Week

2024 Primaries: Several more states held primary elections this week including Georgia, Idaho Kentucky and Oregon. It was a relatively quiet day “at the polls” everywhere with few problems reported.  In Idaho, Secretary of State Phil McGrane said there were initially some minor issues with getting results from local elections offices, but all results were eventually obtained. “Part of the process is just uploading the results,” McGrane said. “Part of our election security measures is that the equipment that we use to tabulate results is never connected to the internet, and so there is a process to go through to get the results uploaded to share with the public. And it was part of that upload process where we ran into a couple of errors in Bonneville County.” In Georgia, Secretary of State Brad Rafensperger said elections were running smoothly statewide, with an average wait time of just two minutes reported at polling stations. He expressed satisfaction with the preparations made by county election officials and the state office, highlighting the absence of major issues. “Virtually none, nothing I really can report on. So it’s been very, very quiet. So we’re pleased with that,” Raffensperger said. “The counties understand how important this year is and how highly scrutinized it is by the focal center for elections in America. But Georgia does lead in elections. We’ve shown that we have the cleanest voter rolls and the shortest lines because we put it into state law. But we’ve worked with the counties to make sure that counties had the resources to keep those lines short. We understand how important it is.” The My Voter Page went offline for about an hour during the primary Tuesday afternoon, leaving voters unable to check their precinct locations, find registration information and view sample ballots. Voting at precincts wasn’t affected. And as with every election, there were some isolated issues at polling places. In Troup County, a polling place had to be relocated due to a traffic accident in front of the polling place. Georgia College and State University students helped run some of the polling precincts in Milledgeville. This is part of an internship that gives these students the opportunity to receive an election administration certificate.  These students say they’re happy to serve the community and educate them on their right to vote. Lauren Trinkwalder is an upcoming senior at Georgia College. “It feels important to be a part of a civic process like this,” Trinkwalder said. Turnout for this week’s primary in Kentucky was only about 13%, which Secretary of State Michael Adams says was bolstered by early voting. The number of early voters has increased every year since being introduced in 2020. Adams says turnout would likely have been lower without the three-day early voting period. Adams says he’s expecting the presidential contest to increase state turnout to around 60% this fall. He added his office will work to increase polling locations and awareness about early voting over the next several months. Attorney General Russell Coleman said his office’s Election Integrity Command Center received one possible report of vote buying or selling among calls it took Tuesday morning.  Coleman reported that in the first few hours of voting in Tuesday’s primary, the center received 11 complaints from Barren, Boone, Boyd and Fayette counties. “When the polls close and the winners are announced, I hope every Kentuckians can feel confident that our election is secure and our constitutional order has worked,” Coleman said. In Logan County, longtime poll worker Bobbie Jean Burnett, who has been on the job since the 60s, said she has seen countless changes when it comes to elections such as changes in how elections are done and the results of those elections. Her commitment to a fair voting process has never wavered. “I know that I can count on her. I know that if I needed to call her to fill in a spot during early voting, I could,” said Stacy Watkins, Logan County Clerk. “She volunteers for everything and she’s just wonderful to have on our team.” In all vote-by-mail Oregon, the results were really the biggest news on Tuesday. But for Multnomah County, it was the procrastinators that made the headlines. At the close of business Monday, the half-million-plus registered voters in Oregon’s most populous county had gotten only about 105,000 ballots to the county elections office. But 93,600 or so ballots poured in through in-person drop-offs Tuesday or via the mail Tuesday and Wednesday, said county spokesperson Denis Theriault. In Eugene, Oregon, voters said no to a ballot measure that would have implemented the STAR voting system. And Democrat Tobian Reed will face Republican Dennis Linthicum in the secretary of state’s race in November. 

Voting on Voting: Ballot measures that would implement elections-related laws are in several stages in a number of states. In Arizona, lawmakers have placed a measure on the November ballot that would severely restrict direct democracy by imposing strict geographic requirements on where organizers must gather signatures. Right now, petitioners need to pass just one statewide test to qualify a measure: They need to gather more signatures than a minimum number defined in the state constitution, regardless of where the signatures come from. (The threshold is 10 or 15 percent of all votes cast in the most recent governor’s race, depending on whether the proposal would amend the constitution.) If the new measure passes, it would create 30 separate tests instead: Initiatives would need to meet that same threshold of signatures in each and every one of Arizona’s 30 legislative districts. In the District of Columbia, circulators are collecting signatures for I-83, a proposed ballot measure that would allow about 74,000 people registered as “unaffiliated” to vote in D.C.’s primary elections starting in 2026. II-83, would also implement a ranked-choice balloting system in which voters could rank candidates for an office in order of preference. In Missouri legislators approved a resolution to put a measure opposing ranked choice voting on the November ballot.  The resolution states that under no circumstances “shall a voter be permitted to cast a ballot in a manner that results in the ranking of candidates for a particular office.” Despite this ban, the resolution also has a carve out for St. Louis, which implemented an approval voting system in 2020 for its municipal elections. In Eugene, Oregon this week, voters rejected a proposal for a new rating-based election system. If the measure had passed, the city would have adopted the STAR voting system in 2026 in races for city council, mayor and the city’s water and electric board starting in 2026. Under the system, the public would rate multiple candidates on a scale of zero to five. The two highest scorers would then advance to an automatic run-off election. In South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson’s office said that it has certified a proposed constitutional amendment for the November ballot, that if approved, would move the state to a top two primary system. The South Dakota Open Primaries group submitted the necessary petition signatures earlier this month. The state’s candidates in gubernatorial, congressional, legislative and county races currently compete in partisan primaries. If voters approve it, the amendment would have them compete in a unified primary instead. “Today, almost 150,000 South Dakotans who are independent or unaffiliated voters have almost no say and are shut out of taxpayer-funded primary elections. It’s just flat wrong,” sponsor Joe Kirby said in a statement. “That’s why we’re so excited to be bringing forward this simple reform to make sure all registered voters have a voice in who leads our state. We need to let all voters vote,” Kirby said. South Dakota’s GOP chairman, state Sen. John Wiik, has been opposed, saying he sees “no good coming out of it for the Republican Party.” Democratic Party Executive Director Dan Ahlers has said the party hasn’t taken a position, but already allows “no party affiliation” and independent voters to participate in its primary, along with registered Democrats. 

Podcast News: Since we last posted, the team at High Turnout Wide Margins have posted two new podcasts. In the May 9 episode hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon spoke with Derek Bowens, the Elections Director in Durham County, North Carolina about crafting narratives to help election administrators share and showcase the need for local investment in elections and about the importance of having election administrators that represent and reflect the voters they serve. In the May 22 episode Fey and Lennon speak with Aaron Ockerman, the Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials. They spoke about the importance – and power – of state associations, how having a non-election administrator in charge can strengthen an association, as well as the role a state association can play in better preparing election officials, both old and new, for the increasingly complex nature of their jobs. In the latest two episodes of The Voting Booth podcast from The American Enterprise Institute, hosts John Fortier and Donald Palmer speak with Doug Lews about HAVA and the beginning of the Election Assistance Commission. In another episode they talk with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Rafensperger about fortifying voter trust and confidence in elections. On a recent Political Scene Podcast from The New Yorker host David Remnick, Brad Raffensperger, who holds the usually low-profile office of secretary of state in Georgia, became famous after he recorded a phone call with Donald Trump. Shortly after the 2020 election, Trump demanded that Georgia officials “find 11,780 votes” so that he could win the state. The recorded phone conversation is a linchpin in the Fulton County racketeering case against Trump. Refusing that demand, Raffensperger—a lifelong Republican—received death threats from enraged Trumpists, and the State Senate still wants to investigate him for it. But the politician tells Remnick that he hasn’t lost faith in his party. He believes he can convince election deniers of the fairness of Georgia’s methods. And, by the way, that story line on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” about the Georgia crime of giving a person water while they wait in line to vote? Raffensperger has a suggestion for Larry David.

Sticker News: Congratulations to Willard East Elementary 4th grader Rylie Kimborough who won Greene County, Missouri’s “I Voted” sticker contest. Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller surprised Kimbrough with the news that she had won the county’s “I voted” sticker design contest. Greene County students from kindergarten through fifth grade participated in the competition. A panel of high school art students reviewed all the submissions and then selected five finalists to go to a public vote. “I didn’t think I would win, but I thought at least I would try,” said Kimbrough. “I really wanted to win because I wanted to see it actually as a sticker because then people would see my sticker. I just hope they like it.” In Coconino County, Arizona Northern Arizona University’s own Karen Javalera, a graphic design student, won the ‘I Voted’ sticker that shouts out Coconino County’s landmarks and linguistic variety, integrating English, Navajo, Hopi, and Spanish to celebrate the region’s rich cultural tapestry.  The “Future Voter” sticker, designed by native Flagstaffian Mary Corcoran, targets the youth with an artistic edge all about inclusivity, surrounded by vibrant decoration and topped with a font that screams fun and accessibility. Eslir Musta, the county’s Elections Director, praised the significant impact of the EAC Help America Vote College Program grant in making the contest a reality, “This initiative not only deepened our partnership with Northern Arizona University but also motivated NAU students to join us at the polls, spreading these stickers far and wide.”

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation:: A. House bill to require proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections could have unintended consequences for North Dakota, the only state that does not require voter registration. U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-ND, said he’s working on an amendment to the House bill that would exempt the measure from applying to North Dakota, and that he’s successfully introduced similar amendments to other voting-related bills in the past.  “Without that amendment, the way I read it … North Dakotans would have to prove citizenship before the primary and before the general election every two years, or they would force us into voter registration,” Armstrong told the North Dakota Monitor. Armstrong said he supports the premise of the House bill, but that he would vote no if the exemption is not adopted. The amendment would mirror an exemption already provided to North Dakota under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which sought to regulate and streamline how states register voters. Five other states — Wyoming, Wisconsin, Idaho, New Hampshire and Minnesota — are also exempt from the act. North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe said that while he was not familiar with the specifics of the House bill, the state already has adequate protections against noncitizens casting votes.

Arizona: Senators advanced changes in election laws and procedures on May 16 that officials who run those elections said actually could disenfranchise some voters. The heart of HCR 2056 is an effort to get final election results in a more timely fashion. It proposes to do that by requiring that ballots be counted at each polling location and restricting when and where Arizonans can drop off their early ballots if they haven’t put them in the mail. All that is designed to avoid a process that now can take weeks, and not just because ballots have to be transported to a central counting location. What also can delay results in verifying the signatures on those early ballot envelopes is that they can be delivered by voters to polling places right up to 7 p.m. on Election Day. What’s in the measure still would allow Arizonans to bring their early ballots to polling places on Election Day. But the could not be simply dropped off, as is now the practice. Instead, the individual would have to first stand in line to present identification. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes told members of the Senate Elections Committee there are a series of problems with the proposal, ranging from insufficient funding to purchase all those tabulators that will now be needed at each polling location — actually, two at each site — to what he said is less convenience for some individuals who will lose their ability to drop off their early ballots at vote centers on Saturday, Sunday or Monday before the election.

Minnesota: Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed an omnibus bill into law May 17 with multiple provisions that will benefit voters, including one that establishes a Minnesota Voting Rights Act. “Democracy thrives when everyone’s voice is heard. Today, we’re ensuring a strong democracy by prioritizing accessibility and voter protections,” Walz said in a release. “With this bill we are breaking barriers that stand in the way of voting, protecting fair democratic processes, and paving the way for Minnesota to continue to lead the nation in voter turnout.” The state’s new Voting Rights Act will prohibit voter suppression and vote dilution, so that no one is allowed to deny someone else the right to vote or make it so that their vote does not have the same weight as another person’s. Specifically, someone can claim this act has been violated if someone else’s action “results in a disparate burden” on a minority group and the burden is “related to social and historical conditions affecting members of the protected class.” The law also states that voters do not have to prove that someone acted with a discriminatory intent when passing a law or policy or committing an action to find that it’s a violation of the Minnesota Voting Rights Act. The attorney general, a county attorney or any individual or entity affected by a violation of this act can file an action in the district court for the county where the potential violation occurred. The law also ends prison gerrymandering, which means that Minnesota will alter its census counting so that incarcerated individuals will be counted at their last address, and not where they are currently incarcerated. The legislation will make it easier for college students to vote, reimbursing cities and counties that create polling locations on college campuses. It also requires many universities to provide voter registration forms to students during the fall and spring of each year. To combat the threat that artificial intelligence poses to the security of elections, a section of this law details the consequences for people using a deep fake to influence the election. Deep fakes are images, video and audio often generated by artificial intelligence technologies that reflect an event that never actually happened, but they look and sound realistic.

Missouri: In the final hours of the legislative session on May 17, the House approved a noncitizen voting provision as part of a Senate bill which will put a question before Missouri voters seeking to ban ranked choice voting, or ranking candidates in order of preference. Members of the Missouri House voted 97-43 Friday to pass the resolution. It has already passed the Senate and does not need the approval of Gov. Mike Parson. The resolution states that under no circumstances “shall a voter be permitted to cast a ballot in a manner that results in the ranking of candidates for a particular office.” Despite this ban, the resolution also has a carve out for St. Louis, which implemented an approval voting system in 2020 for its municipal elections. Through this system, voters can select as many candidates as they want in a primary. The top two candidates then go to a runoff election. The proposed constitutional amendment would not affect St. Louis’ system. In addition to the ban on ranked choice voting, the resolution also states that the candidate that receives the most votes in a political party primary will be the only candidate on the ballot for November for that party. The resolution also states that all elections will be by paper ballot or by “any mechanical method prescribed by law.” Also included within the proposed resolution is language stating that only U.S. citizens who are 18 or older, residents of Missouri and are residents of the political subdivision they vote in are entitled to vote in elections. That language does not make any changes to existing law. Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, sponsored the House version of the resolution. He said he was not in favor of the exception for St. Louis. “I’m not okay with it, but this is where we’re at with this language of what we can get done in the body. I think it’s still a big step in the right direction,” Baker said. In speaking against the resolution, Rep. Eric Woods, D-Kansas City, said it was unnecessary and not the way to reassure people about election results. “There are other ways, other systems, other ideas that we can adopt to keep our democracy or our republic, whichever word you want to prefer to use, vibrant,” Woods said.

New Hampshire: The Senate passed a bill May 16 that would require voters to produce evidence they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote, and tighten voter identification requirements on Election Day.  In a party-line, 13-10 vote, the chamber passed House Bill 1569, which Republicans said would better ensure that voters are eligible to vote before casting ballots, and which Democrats warned would lead to disenfranchisement of people who can’t quickly access those documents.  The bill has not left the Senate yet; it was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, and will come back to the Senate floor for a final vote before heading back to the House. Gov. Chris Sununu indicated he doesn’t support the bill, but has stopped short of committing to vetoing it. “I’m really not looking to make any significant changes,” Sununu said Wednesday in response to a question about the bill. “So any bill that got to my desk would have to be fulfilling a clear need of the system. Overall our election system in New Hampshire works really, really well.” The bill requires voters to produce a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers to demonstrate that they are a U.S. citizen before being allowed to register to vote. And it eliminates voters’ current ability to cast a ballot without having identifying documents on Election Day if they fill out a legally binding affidavit swearing to their identity.  While Senate Republicans voted their approval, they also passed an amendment that would pare back the House version of the bill. And they indicated they may seek further changes.  The House version had required that voters present citizenship documents every time they moved to a new polling area within the state and re-registered. The Senate-amended bill requires that voters produce the documents only the first time they register to vote in the state.

Legal Updates

Alabama: The attorney general’s office this week asked a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to block a new law criminalizing some forms of ballot assistance.  In a 52-page filing in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the attorney general’s office argued the new law does not violate existing rights and that it did not make it harder to vote.  “It is easy for a voter who is eligible to vote absentee to request an application, and the recent reforms ensure that the process is driven by voters, not unduly influenced by interested parties,” the brief argued. SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, makes it a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, for a person to receive a payment or gift “distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining or delivering” an application. It would be a Class B felony, up to 20 years in prison, for a person to knowingly pay or provide a gift for a “third party to distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, complete, obtain or deliver.”  Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill in March. Republican supporters of the measure said they were trying to prevent “ballot harvesting,” which they defined as third parties collecting and submitting absentee ballots. Evidence of ballot harvesting was not presented in the House or Senate. Democratic opponents said it would make it much harder for people with disabilities in rural areas to vote. Civil rights groups, including the ACLU of Alabama and the Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, filed suit seeking to block the law on April 4. The complaint cited Alabama’s history of voter suppression and said that volunteers helping people with absentee ballots could be punished.

Arkansas: The Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s ruling and dismissed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of four election-related laws approved by the state Legislature in 2021.  The League of Women Voters of Arkansas filed the suit in Pulaski County Circuit Court against Secretary of State John Thurston and the Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners over Act 249, 728, 736 and 973 of 2021. The laws require voters who cast a provisional ballot to provide a photo ID by the Monday following an election for their vote to be counted, prohibit people from standing within 100 feet of a polling location, require county clerks to verify the voter’s signature on an absentee ballot application with the voter’s registration application, and shorten the deadline for in-person absentee ballot delivery. According to the order, the League of Women Voters argued the acts violated various provisions of the state Constitution and would make it more difficult for eligible voters to cast a ballot. The state argued the laws were enacted to protect election integrity and promote public confidence in election security.  After the circuit court held the laws unconstitutional and permanently enjoined their enforcement, the defendants appealed to the state’s high court, which overturned the ruling. Writing for the majority, Associate Justice Cody Hiland said, “We hold that the Acts are not clearly incompatible with the sections of the Arkansas Constitution as alleged by the Appellee; thus, we reverse and dismiss.”

California: Three registered Republican voters in Orange County are alleging in a lawsuit recently filed against OC Registrar of Voters Bob Page and the five members of the OC Board of Supervisors, Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Gov. Gavin Newsom that the convenience of having multiple choices of locations that open for days ahead to cast a ballot breaks California election law. A 2016 law passed by the state legislature opened up the opportunity for counties to allow voters to cast a ballot at any vote center within their county, versus assigning people to traditional neighborhood polling places. Orange County was an early adopter in the state, and made the change to vote centers in 2020. Called the Voter’s Choice Act, the measure also allows counties to mail every registered voter a ballot, expand in-person early voting and provide secure ballot drop off locations throughout the county, according to the secretary of state’s website. The issue being raised by the lawsuit is with the electronic poll books that verify voter eligibility and whether a voter has already voted. The plaintiffs, who are all also current or former candidates for elected office in Orange County — argue connecting the electronic poll books at vote centers to the internet is in violation of a state election code that says “no part of the voting system shall be connected to the internet at any time” and that “no part of the voting system shall electronically receive or transmit election data through an exterior communication network” or “receive or transmit wireless communications or wireless data transfers.”

Superior Court Judge Stephen Baker criticized the woman who filed a lawsuit against Shasta County’s former registrar of voters for letting the suit languish after it was filed in early April. Laura Hobbs, who lost in the March 5 primary election to represent District 2 on the county Board of Supervisors, asked a judge to “find moot the nomination of Allen Long as winner” of the election. The lawsuit further asked that if a judge finds substantial errors in how the election was conducted to either demand a new election or qualify Hobbs for a runoff election against Long. Hobbs also suggested a vote recount under guidelines that she established. Baker said he asked for the court hearing because Hobbs had not followed up on her court initial filing. She had also incorrectly named former registrar of voters Cathy Darling Allen as a defendant. Baker also said Hobbs had not properly notified Darling Allen and Long that they had been sued. Baker said he considered dismissing the lawsuit due to the problems with the lawsuit. The judge said he requested Monday’s hearing to have Hobbs properly file the lawsuit and serve notice to defendants.

Colorado: U.S. District Court Judge Nina Y. Wang threw out an attempt by former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters to end an alleged criminal investigation of her for conduct related to election equipment tampering. Peters is set to face a criminal trial in state court in July. The charges center on Peters’ alleged actions as clerk to grant an unauthorized person access to an upgrade of the county’s voting equipment, resulting in videos and confidential passwords later being posted online. In January, Wang dismissed Peters’ attempt to halt those proceedings. However, Peters separately sought Wang’s intervention into an alleged U.S. Department of Justice investigation for her potential violations of federal law. No charges are pending against Peters from that investigation. In a May 20 order, Wang similarly declined to intervene in the alleged federal proceedings against Peters. She noted Peters’ own arguments were confused, cited evidence that did not support Peters’ position or were otherwise unpersuasive.

Florida: U.S. District Chief Judge Mark Walker has declared unconstitutional a state law banning noncitizens from helping to register voters and ordered Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Attorney General Ashley Mood not to enforce it. Walker ruled that the law discriminated against noncitizens based on their status. He cited the harm the law inflicted on Veronica Herrera-Lucha and Norka Martínez, two of the plaintiffs in the case. Here, the record is clear that individuals like Ms. Herrera-Lucha and Ms. Martínez either can no longer work as paid canvassers or have had the terms of their employment substantially changed for fear of running afoul of the citizenship requirement. And defendant Moody has the authority to enforce the citizenship requirement,” Walker wrote in a 12-page ruling. “Here plaintiffs have suffered — and continue to suffer — irreparable injuries. Indeed, the individual members in this case have been unconstitutionally discriminated against based on their non-citizenship status,” he added. “This discrimination has prevented plaintiffs from registering new voters — a lost opportunity that cannot be remedied with monetary damages. The public has no interest in enforcing an unconstitutional law — especially one that facially discriminates based on alienage. On the other side of the ledger sits the individual plaintiffs’ rights to equal protection under the law. There is no comparison. Plaintiffs are entitled to an injunction,” Walker concluded.

Georgia: The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit claiming DeKalb County violated state open records laws by failing to turn over documents related to its acceptance of an election grant. Last year the county accepted a $2 million grant from the Alliance for Election Excellence, a nonprofit group. Republicans say the grant violates a 2021 Georgia law that prohibited local election officials from accepting outside assistance. In a lawsuit filed Friday in DeKalb County Superior Court, the RNC says it sought communications and other documents related to the grant and the county’s membership in the alliance in a series of records requests in November and December. The lawsuit says the county repeatedly delayed disclosing the information and ultimately did not disclose all relevant documents. The lawsuit says DeKalb violated the Georgia Open Records Act, naming Election Director Keisha Smith and other county officials as defendants. “Ensuring illegal money is not influencing our election process is critical in Georgia and beyond,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement announcing the lawsuit Friday. “This lawsuit is necessary to obtain the full record regarding DeKalb County’s receipt of election-related funds and hold the county accountable.” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond issued a statement blasting the lawsuit. “This frivolous lawsuit is another thinly-veiled attempt by the MAGA-backed RNC to undermine confidence in our democracy,” Thurmond said. “The RNC’s goal is to create a pretext to pedal baseless conspiracy theories about the upcoming November 2024 election, like the ones it pedaled in 2020.”

Maryland: A challenge to Maryland’s election administration will now go before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after groups appealed the dismissal of their case.  On May 8, just in time for the state’s May 14 primary election, a federal judge dismissed a longshot case seeking to upend election administration in Maryland. Filed on behalf of Maryland Election Integrity and United Sovereign Americans — a group that identifies itself as trying to “get answers to clear questions about election fraud” — the case challenges the state’s voter roll maintenance policies and use of voting machines.  The lawsuit goes as far as requesting that the court prevent the Maryland Board of Elections from certifying any election until the groups’ claims of irregularities and other perceived violations were remedied. The district court declined that request, so now the right-wing plaintiffs are asking the 4th Circuit to consider their case.  In the dismissal of the challenge, the district court judge found that the plaintiffs lacked the ability to bring their lawsuit and failed to show that the groups would be harmed by the state’s election procedures. “Here, the mere hypothetical possibility of a past, speculative injury,” the judge wrote of the groups’ claims, “does not give rise to a certainly impending injury.” 

Michigan: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has denied a motion to reopen a lawsuit challenging Michigan’s 2020 election results. The court denied an appeal filed by attorneys Gregory J. Rohl, Brandon Johnson, Howard Kleinhendler, Sidney Powell, Julia Haller, and Scott Hagerstrom, according to a news release. The attorneys are also barred from filing further complaints unless approved by the court.  “Any attorney who knowingly makes false claims in court undermines the rule of law,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “The attorneys involved in this meritless election lawsuit betrayed their professional obligations, and this stunt is just their latest attempt to evade sanctions they owe the State of Michigan. I’m glad the Court rejected this frivolous attempt to skirt justice.” Nessel said her office will pursue payment of the sanctions that the attorneys owe to the state. This comes after U.S. District Court Judge Linda Parker granted the sanctions in August 2021, ruling that the attorneys abused the court system by challenging the state’s election results in favor of President Biden. In June 2023, a panel of the Sixth Circuit upheld the sanction imposed by Parker. Additionally, the Supreme Court denied a rehearing of the sanctions in April 2024.

Nevada: Robert Beadles, a conservative activist who embraced unproven election fraud claims has lost an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court in his bid to oust a top county election official and others. The high court upheld a lower-court judge’s earlier dismissal of Beadles’ lawsuit, which claimed that Washoe County’s registrar of voters, the county manager and a county commissioner violated the state constitution by failing to respond to his complaints of fraud. “Taking all the factual allegations in the complaint as true and drawing every inference in favor of Beadles, he can prove no set facts that would entitle him to relief as pleaded,” the Supreme Court ruled. Beadles lost an earlier lawsuit in state court in 2022 that sought heightened observation of Washoe County’s vote-counting process. He has helped lead attempts to recall or otherwise oust numerous county officials since he moved to Reno from California in 2019. The Supreme Court’s ruling said Beadles misapplied a section of the Nevada Constitution guaranteeing the right to assemble and petition the Legislature in his most recent lawsuit, which sought the removal of Jamie Rodriguez, then-Washoe County registrar of voters; Eric Brown, county manager; and Alexis Hill, county commission chairwoman. “There are no set of facts that could prove a violation of that constitutional right based on respondents’ failure to respond directly to Beadles’ allegations,” Chief Justice Lidia Stiglich wrote in the five-page ruling. The ruling said state law permits a voter to file a complaint with the secretary of state’s office about election practices, but “these laws do not establish that respondents had a duty to respond to Beadles’ allegations.”

Oregon: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from plaintiffs, including state Sen. Dennis Linthicum, the leading Republican candidate for secretary of state, in a case that sought to overturn the method Oregon voters have used to vote in every election for decades.  The Supreme Court didn’t give a reason for declining to hear the case, Thielman v. Fagan. Marc Thielman, a former school superintendent who captured 8% of the vote in his sixth-place finish in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary, led several other Republicans in suing then-Secretary of State Shemia Fagan in October 2022.  Current Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade, appointed after Fagan’s 2023 resignation, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision in a statement to the Capital Chronicle. “Both the rulings from the District Court and the Ninth Circuit got it right: Oregon’s vote by mail system is the gold standard with no widespread voter fraud to speak of,” she said. “I’m very pleased to see the Supreme Court leave the lower courts’ ruling in place.” The lawsuit claimed – without providing any evidence – that Oregon voters have been disenfranchised by “voting anomalies.” The bulk of the suit rested on “2,000 Mules,” a 2022 film from far-right commentator Dinesh D’Souza that purported to show that people in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin delivered multiple ballots to drop boxes. The film doesn’t include Oregon, and election experts have debunked its claims.  They sought injunctions blocking Oregon from using mail voting and preventing ballots from being counted by tabulation machines, which are faster and more reliable than hand counting. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman dismissed the suit last summer, writing that “generalized grievances” about the state’s election system didn’t give Thielman, Linthicum and others standing to sue. A three-judge panel on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Beckerman’s ruling in December. 

Wisconsin: On May 21, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to take up a case that centers on whether voters can discard their previously submitted absentee ballots and cast a new one — a process known as ballot “spoiling.” Instead, the case will first be reviewed by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, after which the state Supreme Court may decide to take up an appeal of the suit in the future. At this time, it remains uncertain as to whether the court of appeals will hear the case and issue a ruling before the state’s Aug. 13 primary elections or Nov. 5 general election. From 2014 up until October 2022, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) on multiple occasions issued guidance that authorized an absentee voter who had already returned their ballot to contact a local election clerk, request the ballot back, spoil the old ballot and subsequently cast a new one.  In a set of guidance promulgated ahead of the state’s August 2022 partisan primary, WEC noted that it would allow for the spoiling of absentee ballots in light of an uptick in requests from voters to cast new ballots after changing their minds or making an error. Under WEC’s guidance, absentee voters who cast ballots in the state’s primary election for a candidate who dropped out of a race before Election Day could spoil their ballots and cast a new one for an active candidate.  However, following a lawsuit brought by the conservative legal group known as Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections, in a March 2024 ruling, the judge permanently invalidated the guidance, holding that it violated Wisconsin election law and concluding that voters are only permitted to spoil their absentee ballots in cases of ballots that are damaged or improperly certified.

Marinette County Judge James Morrison has granted a temporary injunction barring the Elections Commission from requiring clerks to use a new agency-approved envelope that continues to double as a voter’s official request for an absentee ballot. Morrison will now hear further arguments on whether to permanently bar the agency from requiring the use of the envelopes.  While the previous version of the envelope also doubled as the written request for an absentee ballot, the revised one includes an explicit declaration, “I requested this ballot and this is the original or a copy of that request.” The suit, filed in February, seeks a declaration that all absentee ballots requested through the Elections Commission’s MyVote website must be accompanied by a copy of the signed request to receive it before the vote can be counted. It also seeks to invalidate the use of the redesigned envelope. The motion for a temporary injunction argued voters who certify on the envelope that it serves as their written request for an absentee ballot are violating the law. The suit argues such a request must be its own separate document, and anyone voting with the new envelopes risks having their vote invalidated. Morrison, who granted the temporary injunction on May 17, has motion hearings scheduled on May 30 and June 5 in the case. That’s three weeks ahead of the June 27 deadline for absentee ballots in the August primary to start going to voters who have a request on file with their local clerks.

Analysis and Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Voting rights, II | Poll workers, II | November election | Democracy | Vote by mail | Ex-felon voting rights | Election integrity | Noncitizen voting | Artificial Intelligence

Alabama: Ranked choice voting, II  

Florida: Ex-felon voting rights 

Maryland: Poll workers   

Maine: Ranked choice voting 

Michigan: Automatic voter registration 

Nevada: Voter ID; Election reform 

New York: Voting equipment

North Carolina: Voter ID  

Ohio: Noncitizen voting

South Carolina: Election reform | Poll workers 

Texas: Ranked choice voting

U.S. Virgin Islands: Election reform 

Wisconsin: Milwaukee elections | Drop boxes 

Upcoming Events

Resisting Minority Rule; The fight for a true multiracial democracy: A governing majority in the United States has never required an actual majority of the voting population. And the tactics of minority control are always shifting. A minority of Americans are now set on thwarting the will of the people through voter suppression, gerrymandering, and even election subversion. In his new book, Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People — and the Fight to Resist It, voting rights reporter Ari Berman charts the rise of this antidemocracy movement in the face of the country’s significant demographic and political shifts. Join us for a virtual discussion with Berman and former West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant about how reactionary conservatives have capitalized on structural inequalities in our institutions, like the Senate and the Supreme Court, to entrench their power, as well as the pro-democracy movement striving against these regressive efforts. When: May 30, 3pm Eastern. Where: Online

A Real Discussion About Election Integrity: It’s time to get real! With the November 2024 Election looming on the horizon and debate by many over the integrity of our voting system – including voter registration misinformation, questions over the reliability of tabulation equipment, delays in reporting, the quality of early voting, false claims about the 2020 Election and more – The Integrity Project is please to present this special conversation by a panel of experts with decades of experience in the genre. The event is co-hosted by the University of Wisconsin’s Elections Research Center. Dr. Barry Burden – Moderator Speakers: Dr. Nate Persily, Sec. Kim Wyman, Sec. Trey Grayson and Tammy Patrick. When: May 31, 1pm Eastern. Where: Online

Election Official Media Training 101: Election officials throughout the country have been required to publicly communicate more and more, frequently via the media. How can election officials best seize these opportunities to counter misinformation, proactively inform the public, and build trust with voters? Join the Election Official Legal Defense Network and the communications specialists at CGCN to learn how to handle and maximize media opportunities. CGCN has played a role in many EOLDN success stories, helping election offices across the country build up their resources for the coming year. EOLDN is delighted to partner with CGCN to not only share knowledge but also to provide free communications assistance tailored to an office’s needs and goals. When: June 13, 2pm Eastern. Where: Online

Voter Confidence: What Can Move the Needle: It’s full steam ahead to 2024’s general election. What are lawmakers and election administrators thinking about now to prepare? Find out in this four-part series, hosted  by the National Conference of State Legislatures in partnership with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. We’ll focus on the elections workforce; counting and recounts and more post-voting work; the voters’ perspectives and voter confidence.  Voter confidence is top of mind for elections stakeholders this cycle. In the final part of NCSL’s spring webinar series, U.S. Election Assistance Commissioner Christy McCormick will delve into state policies that can increase voter confidence. Perfecting processes and procedures comes first: clarifying all policies before the first vote is cast; cleaning voter lists; adopting strong chain-of-custody procedures for ballots and equipment; updating emergency plans; using pre- and post-election audits; and more. The next job is to ensure all that good technical work is transparent and communicated well to voters and the public. When: June 14, 2pm Eastern. Where: Online.

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.

Cybersecurity Junior Analyst, Palm Beach County, Florida– The Cybersecurity Junior Analyst is responsible for monitoring the organization’s log aggregation tools and triage suspicious activity or detection alerts generated by the security controls implemented within the Supervisor of Elections Office network environment. Additionally, this position will serve as the first line of defense and response for identified security events in accordance with the Information Security Policy, and cybersecurity procedures. Candidate must be organized and personable with a great attitude, be able to work well in a team environment, calmly respond to identified security incidents, and meet deadlines under pressure. Excellent work ethic, including consistent performance, integrity, reliability, and attendance, is a must. Candidate must be detail-oriented and understand the importance of security and safety for all. Must be available 24/7 365, be able to handle simultaneous projects, be a self-starter, and remain informed on emerging threats and technologies. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Departmental Technician, Elections Helpdesk Unit, Michigan Dept. of State– This departmental technician primarily serves as a help desk customer service representative, providing procedural information about campaign finance, disclosure, notarial acts and election law to candidates, committees, election administrators, notary providers and to the general public. This incumbent will be responsible for tier 1 support and triage for inbound calls and communication to the Bureau of Elections to either resolve or route to the appropriate advanced level support. The incumbent provides additional support for bureau wide project activities and initiatives. Incumbent coordinates the staff that provides coverage for the Bureau of Elections front desk that support in person appointments or customer questions. Salary: $44,678.40 – $61,360.00 Annually. Deadline: June 1. 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. Responsibilities of the Election Protection Hotline Specialist include but are not limited to: Support the Election Protection contact center, ensuring top-notch assistance to voters using the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline. Organize schedules and workflows for numerous legal volunteers, ensuring exceptional assistance and collecting essential data. Craft volunteer communications such as newsletters and emails, and promptly respond to volunteer inquiries. Maintain proper staffing levels based on anticipated call volumes and direct volunteers to necessary resources. Aid volunteers with technical queries related to Twilio, Rocket Chat, Okta, and troubleshoot connectivity and login issues. Collaborate on updating voting rights reference materials and conduct volunteer training. Conduct research to enhance resources addressing caller questions and update volunteer references.Monitor interactions in the Election Protection database to ensure information accuracy and identify trends. Create daily reports summarizing call data to inform Election Protection coalition activities.Identify and engage volunteers for leadership roles and assist in post-election analysis. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Election & Registration Services Supervisor, Virginia Dept. of Elections–The Elections & Registration Services Supervisor manages Election and Registration Services staff, regular communications with local election officials, and election administration activities. Provides project management and process analysis in the area of election administration and systems. Ensures compliance with agency and Board policies, regulations and governing laws for the administration of elections in the Commonwealth. Manages and provides support to localities for election administration processes and questions. Develops, coordinates, delivers and maintains current user documentation to ensure the uniformity, fairness, openness and legality of elections in Virginia. Salary:Hiring Range: Up to $95,000. Deadline: May 31. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections and Democracy Fellow, Center for Democracy & Technology– The Elections and Democracy Fellow will contribute to the organization’s work across these issues, particularly focusing on threats to the online information environment. The position requires a combination of research and advocacy skills to respond to emerging issues. Responsibilities: Conducting research on key issues impacting the information environment around elections, in order to raise awareness about vulnerabilities, highlight best practices, and develop/disseminate recommendations for generative AI companies, social media platforms, election officials, political campaigns, and other actors. Authoring policy papers, reports, blog posts, and similar materials. Engaging directly with technology companies to develop best practices and policy recommendations. Serving as a resource to federal and state governments and political campaigns as they enact new policies and practices on the use of generative AI in political advertising and campaigning. Coordinating advocacy efforts with other civil society organizations that have a shared interest in elections and democracy and the online information environment. Assisting with tracking and analyzing federal and state proposals to regulate generative AI and other elections-related legislation. Convening and engaging with technical experts, election vendors, election officials, voting and democracy advocates, academics and other stakeholders working on issues within the project’s scope. Supporting research, preparation, and operationalization of trainings for election officials and other stakeholders. Collaborating with CDT’s teams focused on free expression/online platform governance; technology & disability rights; AI governance, and consumer privacy; as well as CDT’s Research team and non-resident Research Fellows. Salary $65K-$105K. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections & Recording Manager, Lane County, Oregon– In Lane County, the County Clerk serves as the County’s Chief Election and Recording Official. As the Elections and Recording Manager, under the direction of the County Clerk, you will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of both the Election and Recording offices. This role involves planning and administering all federal, state, and local elections for 300,000 registered voters in Lane County, Oregon, where all elections are conducted by mail. Key Responsibilities: Manage the day-to-day operations of the County Clerk’s Office, including: Administering all Federal, State, and local elections. Maintaining the voter registration of 300,000 active Lane County voters. Recording real property records, including indexing and document retention. Issuing marriage licenses and domestic partnerships. Coordinating civil ceremonies. Overseeing the Property Value Appeals Board process. Administering the Archives Program. Developing, administering, and monitoring the Clerk’s Office budget. Providing expert guidance to other departments, the general public, and other agencies. Salary: $78,312.00 – $115,128.00 Annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Elections & Recording Supervisor, Lane County, Oregon– Lane County is hiring a Program Supervisor to work in the County Clerk’s office. The County Clerk’s office conducts local, state, and federal elections, maintains the voter registration database for Lane County electors, issues marriage licenses and domestic partnerships, records real property and other documents, and supports the Property Value Appeals Board. The ideal candidate will be a confident team leader who possesses a proven track record of integrity and a commitment to excellence. If you have exceptional communication skills and strong attention to detail, we encourage you to apply! This is a fully performing professional level in the assigned field or discipline requiring specialized technical skills and a solid knowledge of principles and practices in the program area. Incumbents have professional responsibility for coordinating program activities; serving as a liaison and/or advocate to internal/external customers; and assisting in program policy and procedure development, ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines, and/or contract management. Incumbents may have formal supervisory responsibilities over professional, technical and/or support staff. The successful candidate is expected to be or become a subject matter expert in voter registration and the conduct of elections and Deeds & Records. Salary: $72,176.00 – $106,184.00 Annually. Deadline: May 27. 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: $19.92 – $31.72 Hourly. Deadline: June 20. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Emerging Topics Specialist, Michigan Dept. of State– This position serves as the Election Administration Emerging Topics Specialist providing specialized support to the Bureau of Election’s (BOE) Security and Standards Section, providing expert advice regarding emerging or special topics requiring new solutions statewide or at the municipal or county level. Incumbent serves as BOE liaison with national, state, county, and local election administration experts regarding best practices surrounding election day voting, early voting, absentee voting, , and election administration duties at the local and county level; identifies opportunities for improvement in statewide procedures, and supports individual jurisdictions with special or emerging issues requiring expert support and resolution. Salary: $61,526.40 – $91,832.00 Annually. Deadline: June 3. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Field Operations Coordinator, Hays County, Texas– Reporting directly to Election Network Engineer, responsible for overseeing the inventory, distribution, maintenance, warehouse storage, and logistics of all equipment, voting ballots, and department assets for Hays County Elections Department. Responsible for identifying and reserving polling sites including overseeing the coordination of all polling site compliance and usage. Ensures polling locations follow the Texas Election Code for early voting and election day. Oversees the day-to-day tasks of the election technicians’ program. Salary: $46,378 – $50,678. Annually Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Information Technology Security Analyst, Illinois State Board of Elections– The Information Technology Security Analyst reports directly to the Manager of Cyber Operations and Infrastructure. Supports the administration, implementation, review, and improvement of endpoint, network, hardware, application, and data security practices. Implements, supports, and monitors the agency’s information security services and applications, including email and web gateways, endpoint security, network firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, SIEM, data loss prevention, multi-factor authentication, CASB, EDR, threat intelligence resources, etc. Monitors system dashboards and logs for threat indicators. Analyzes data and performs necessary incident response procedures. Assists with the continuous improvement of SOAR capabilities. Conducts network, system, and application vulnerability assessments. Implements and documents compliance to NIST CSF and the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Controls frameworks. Analyzes agency threat landscape. Utilizes CIS benchmark configurations and work with agency stakeholders to help drive system and application hardening efforts. Evaluates agency processes and implements and/or makes recommendations to enhance security and reduce risk.  Reviews and responds to information received concerning threat events from end users, federal, state, county and local agencies as well as external entities such as the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), trusted security vendors, law enforcement agencies, and public information sources. Consults with SBE staff on security issues.  Provides a high level of customer service to agency staff, state, county, and local election officials. Ensures service desk queues and incidents are handled in an appropriate and timely manner. Service desk ticket resolutions are thoroughly documented and knowledge base articles are maintained. Develops, maintains, monitors and supports the agency’s security awareness program including training modules, assessments, phishing and remedial training. Continuously reviews emerging information received from federal, state, county, local agencies, and trusted cybersecurity vendors to ensure awareness content aligns with agency needs. Continues education by attending training sessions, seminars, and conferences to increase familiarity with and maintain current knowledge of security products, vendors, techniques, and procedures. Research security enhancements and make recommendations to management. Participates in cybersecurity-focused organizations.  Monitors on-line information security related websites, blogs, articles, reports as well as other security intelligence sources to keep up-to-date on the latest threats, IOCs and trends.  Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above. Provides off-hours support as required. Salary: $5,417. – $10,713.  Deadline: May 31. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

IT Assistant Manager, Palm Beach County, Florida– The Assistant IT Manager plays a supportive role in the smooth operation of the IT department, ensuring that both the technical infrastructure and the team are aligned with the organization’s goals. This position involves collaborating closely with the Election Technology Director to oversee the implementation of technology solutions that meet the needs of the organization. The Assistant IT Manager helps maintain an efficient and effective IT environment. Oversee daily operations of the IT department, including help desk operations and performance, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring efficient workflow. Hold department meetings and provide weekly performance summary. Manage IT projects under the direction of the Election Technology Director, ensuring timely completion, budget requirements, and organizational needs. Enforce IT policies and procedures to ensure data security, network access, and system availability. Assist in the management of IT staff by developing skills, coaching, and communicating job expectations. Coordinate vendor renewals, assist with IT budget development, and manage grant applications. Evaluate and assist in maintaining the organization’s disaster recovery and business continuity plans for IT. Assist with IT Public Records requests research and fulfilment. Assist the Election Technology Director in all facets of IT operations. Lead projects and mentor team members. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

List Maintenance Data Quality Analyst, Virginia Dept. of Elections– The List Maintenance Data Quality Analyst is responsible for measuring the validity, completeness, accuracy, and reliability of data sources used for voter registration list maintenance. The Analyst will develop, define, and document standard measures to assess the quality of ELECT data sources. The Analyst will utilize advanced data analysis tools and methodologies to evaluate data sources used for list maintenance against those measures and present findings in narrative reports, presentations, and data visualizations. The Analyst will coordinate with internal stakeholders and external data partners to proactively identify, quantify, document, and remediate data quality concerns in a timely manner. The Analyst will serve as the lead coordinator within ELECT IT of list maintenance activities involving other states. The Analyst will contribute to an annual review of all Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with ELECT’s data partners and summarize data quality findings in the Annual List Maintenance Report. The Analyst will assist in the development of policies, standards, and procedures related to list maintenance data sources, as well as data analysis and data profiling practices at ELECT. Lastly, the Analyst will serve as the backup for the List Maintenance Programmer Data Analyst. Salary: Hiring Range: Up to $110,000. Deadline: May 27. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Organizing Manager, Advocacy, Center for Tech and Civic Life–When you think about elections, you might think about popular candidates, “I voted” stickers, and all sorts of paperwork and deadlines. But behind the scenes are thousands of people in state and local governments who are working hard to make sure accurate election information is published, ballots are counted, and voices are heard. We are seeking a dedicated and experienced community organizer and advocate to help foster valuable and lasting relationships with local elections offices across the country. As CTCL’s Organizing Manager, you will implement CTCL’s nonpartisan advocacy strategy to support elections officials in administering inclusive and secure elections. The ideal candidate thrives in social environments and is eager to get out from behind a screen and into the field. You will visit small towns and major cities across the country to connect with local election administrators and their staff at association meetings, recruit and cultivate partnerships with state and national nonprofit organizations, and build relationships with government agencies to better understand how to connect elections offices with helpful information and public resources. You’ll report to the Advocacy Director and work in collaboration with other members of the CTCL team. This is a new role in a growing department that is focused on the resiliency of election infrastructure and securing public funding for local election offices. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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

Physical Security Specialist, Palm Beach County, Florida– This position is responsible for administration of the physical security programs in a manner consistent with Supervisor of Elections Office policies, procedures, quality standards, and applicable local, state, and federal regulations. These programs include conducting facility security risk assessments, assisting with access control, monitoring alarms and CCTV systems, and providing security related training. Must be organized and personable with a great attitude, be able to work well in a team environment, and meet deadlines under pressure. Excellent work ethic, including consistent performance, integrity, reliability, and attendance, is a must. Candidate must be detail-oriented and understand the importance of security and safety for all. Must be available 24/7 365, be able to handle simultaneous projects, and be a self-starter. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Registrar of Voters, San Bernardino County, California– The county of San Bernardino is seeking a visionary new registrar of voters to oversee the critical activities of the Registrar’s office with a large scope of oversight including 50+ members and an annual budget of $20M+. 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: $153,504-$218,004. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Counsel, Voting Rights Program, The Brennan Center– The Brennan Center’s Voting Rights Program seeks a talented attorney to join our team working to build a robust, participatory, and inclusive democracy. Reporting to the Director of the Voting Rights Program, the attorney’s focus will be to combat voter suppression and advance pro-voter reforms at the state and federal levels. Our Voting Rights Program advocates for free, fair, and accessible elections, with special focus on the ways systemic barriers impede electoral participation by communities of color. The past ten years have seen a renewed brazen and widespread assault on the right to vote. Elected officials at the highest levels have deployed disinformation and misinformation to scapegoat communities trying to assert their rightful place in the electorate. And the Capitol attack made plain that some are even prepared to reject the use of elections as the arena to contest political differences. We meet these challenges, and others, head on. We do so with partners ranging from community-based organizations to election administrators to pro bono counsel. The Brennan Center’s methods include legal and empirical research and writing, litigation, legislative and policy advocacy, media and communications, and public education. Salary:  $145,100 – $185,800. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Director, Election Law Program, William & Mary–The Election Law Program (ELP), a joint initiative of the William and Mary Law School and the National Center for State Courts, has a mission to provide resources for judges deciding election disputes. This vacancy is for an experienced attorney to serve in the role of Senior Director of the Election Law Program. The Senior Director will be an attorney with experience in election law. Reporting to the ELP Co-Directors, the portfolio of responsibilities will include, but not be limited to: Developing resources for judges deciding election cases; Supporting projects that enhance understanding of federal and state election laws and the role of courts in resolving election disputes; Sharing research findings and legal resources through a variety of mechanisms such as publications and educational programs (e.g., webinars, presentations, and conferences); Overseeing ELP project implementation; Identifying and capturing trends in election litigation; Engaging in collaborative projects with trusted partners; Supervising student research; and Participating in fundraising efforts to support existing and future ELP initiatives as required. NOTE: If interested, an opportunity for appointment as an adjunct professor to teach a relevant course within the field of election law is available. Salary: $110,000 to $125,000, commensurate with experience. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Program Associate, The Carter Center– Support the U.S. Election Project within the Democracy Program, including design and implementation of multi-faceted activities related to election reform and election observation, including partnership building, training development and implementation, budget management, fundraising, and monitoring, evaluation and learning. May conduct applied research, manage program publications, supervise consultants and interns, and other project(s) responsibilities as assigned. The Senior Program Associate will report to the Associate Director of the Democracy Program or her designee. Due to travel requirements, Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) may be required. Formal Job Description: Designs, implements, coordinates operational facets of a specific program and its related activities. Manages work plans that are designed to accomplish program goals and objectives, and implements changes for improvement and efficiency. Makes decisions on behalf of the program based on critical analyses of operational/statistical reports, financial data and budget forecasts, and outside trends and factors related to the program. May plan, administer or monitor the program’s budget, financial management, and/or grants. Takes a leadership role on program-related committees and teams. May develop fund raising initiatives, including researching and identifying funding sources and writing and submitting grant proposals. Conducts program research and ensures that mandatory operational and statistical reports are fact-based and comply with regulations. Serves as liaison with other groups and organizations participating in the program or seeking knowledge of the program, and may write and give speeches/presentations at conferences, university functions, or before various boards. May supervise staff. Ensures that complete and accurate program records are kept and maintained. Performs related responsibilities as required. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Senior Regional Engagements Specialist (Remote), EI-ISAC– CIS is in search of a proven, capable, confident, competent, and dynamic self-starter who is passionate about working collaboratively to achieve meaningful and lasting impacts on the security maturity of State, Local, Tribal and Territorial (SLTT) government agencies and entities, including public sector education. This position is within the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), a division of CIS. The ideal candidate will be comfortable building and supporting relationships within an assigned region of the United States; interfacing with State Chief Information Officers (CIOs), State Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), executive level staff, as well as technical staff and US DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) partners. This position will provide exceptional service to SLTTs while expertly informing on the solutions and services that can protect their technology. The Center for Internet Security (CIS) makes the connected world a safer place for people, businesses, and governments through our core competencies of collaboration and innovation. We are a community-driven nonprofit responsible for industry leading best practices for securing IT systems and data. We lead a global community of IT professionals to continuously evolve these standards and provide products and services to proactively safeguard against emerging threats. Salary Range: $69,100 – $104,600. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Support System Analyst, Virginia Dept. of Elections– The Systems Support Analyst ensures the integrity of the electoral process through providing tier two technical support services for all agency systems to election administration officials and agency staff. Assists the agency in the creation and maintenance of system user documentation and training. Develops knowledge and functional area expertise of agency business processes. Oversees the agency tier one vendor. Reviews monthly reports from the vendor, ensures tickets are transferred from the vendor to the agency on a timely basis. Ensures agency tickets are assigned to appropriate staff for resolution. Reports to management on ticket statistics for both tier one and tier two tickets. Works to increase the ability for the tier one vendor to resolve more tickets during the first contact by the customer, reducing the number of tier two tickets. Participates in teams and maintains positive, professional relationships with colleagues and customers. Demonstrates initiative, timeliness, self-professional development and strong oral and written communication skills. Salary: Hiring Range: Up to $85,000. Deadline: May 27. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

Marketplace

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