electionline Weekly

2023 Clearie Award Winners

Elections programs recognized for excellence in election administration
U.S. Election Assistance Commission Announces Winners of 8th Annual Clearinghouse Awards

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) this week  announced the 32 winners of the Clearinghouse Awards, recognizing best practices in election administration.

Also known as the “Clearies,” the awards program celebrates the hard work of election offices across the country for programs that took place in 2023. Winning jurisdictions range from counties with 25,000 registered voters to states with over 7 million.

“We’re in the middle of a busy election year, but 2023 was an opportunity for election officials to implement new programs and test their effectiveness before the increased turnout of the presidential election. We hope these winning programs inspire election officials to replicate them in their jurisdiction, and we want to recognize all the winners and those who applied across the country,” said EAC Chairman Ben Hovland, Vice Chair Donald Palmer, Commissioner Thomas Hicks, and Commissioner Christy McCormick in a joint statement. “With the rise of artificial intelligence and the increased need for reliable election information, we are pleased to introduce the Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives award category for small and large jurisdictions. Effective and innovative communications is critical, and we hope the winners in this new category can provide useful best practices for 2024 and beyond.”

The Clearies play an essential role in fulfilling the EAC’s mission to serve as a clearinghouse for election administration information under the Help America Vote Act. Submissions were judged on innovation, sustainability, outreach, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and the generation of positive results. This year’s award categories and winners include: 

• Outstanding Use of HAVA Grants in Elections Modernization
  • Lake County Board of Elections and Registration, Indiana – Election Education and Quick Guide
  • North Carolina State Board of Elections – Attack Response Kits (ARKs)

• Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives – Large Jurisdictions
  • Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials, California – Coalition of Bay Area Election Officials
  • Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, Florida – The VoteHillsborough Video Series
  • Office of the Iowa Secretary of State – Carrie Chapman Catt Award Program
  • Maricopa County Elections and Department of the Board of Supervisors, Arizona – Voter Education and Communications Program
  • Snohomish County Elections, A Division of the Auditor’s Office, Washington – Unleashing the Storytelling Power of Comic Book Art to Engage and Inform Voters

• Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives – Small/Medium Jurisdictions
  • Alexander County Board of Elections, North Carolina – Inside Election Administration Article Series
  • Beaufort County Board of Elections, North Carolina – Bringing Local Government to Your Classroom
  • Brunswick County Board of Elections, North Carolina – Election Education Series
  • Jefferson County, Colorado – Building Bridges, Igniting Votes: A Collaborative Campaign for Increased Turnout
  • Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Office, Florida – Early Voting and Election Day Mass Text Messages to Voters

• Improving Accessibility for Voters with Disabilities
  • Knox County Clerk, Indiana – Electronic Sample Ballots
  • Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Elections – American Sign Language (ASL) Video Project

• Outstanding Innovations in Election Cybersecurity and Technology
  • Arizona Secretary of State – AI TTX
  • Knox County Clerk, Indiana – ePoll Book Encoder Stabilizer Bracket

• Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Large Jurisdictions
  • Pierce County Elections, Washington – Cure Envelope Redesign
  • Pierce County Elections, Washington – Drop Box Observer Program
  • Salt Lake County Clerk Elections Division, Utah – Stick It To ‘Em: Reconciliation Log Stickers for Ballot Batches

• Outstanding Innovations in Elections – Small/Medium Jurisdictions
  • City of Minneapolis, Elections & Voter Services, Minnesota – Leveraging Pop-Up Voting to Expand Ballot Access
  • Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Office, Florida – Precinct Management App
  • Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Office, Florida– Website Chatbot

• Best Practices in Recruiting, Retaining, and Training Poll Workers
  • Hamilton County Elections, Ohio – Online Training Video Library
  • Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections, Florida –VoteHillsborough Training Labs
  • Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Office, Florida – ROAR: Recruitment, Orientation, Assignment, Retention
  • Salt Lake County Clerk Elections Division, Utah – Custom Dynamic Poll Worker Database
  • Solano County Registrar of Voters, California – Poll Worker Electronic Self-Scheduling for Election Day
  • Wake County Board of Elections, North Carolina – Interactive Manual Flipbook

• Outstanding Election Official State Association Program
  • Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) – ISAC State Election Administration Training

• Creative and Original “I Voted” Stickers
  • Denver Elections Division, Colorado – Artful Civic Engagement: “I Voted” Sticker Design Competition in Denver Jails
  • Pierce County Elections, Washington – The Mountain of Democracy
  • Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office, New Mexico – “Future Voter” and “First-Time Voter” Sticker Design Contests

In addition to the Clearie winners, 20 election offices were recognized with Clearie Honorable Mention awards.

 Winners were selected by independent panels of current and former election officials, EAC Commissioners, and members of the EAC’s advisory boards. Judges were not eligible to score any entries from their own jurisdictions.

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Election Security Updates

Swatting: This week, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released Swatting Prevention and Response Guidance for Election Workers and Law Enforcement, a comprehensive document to combat swatting threats. Swatting, a dangerous criminal tactic involving false emergency reports, has posed significant risks to targeted individuals and law enforcement, diverting crucial responses from genuine emergencies. In response to this growing threat, DHS, CISA, and the FBI developed a thorough guidance document offering insights into swatting, its risks to election workers, and strategies for prevention and response. The guidance document is available at Swatting Prevention and Response Guidance for Election Workers and Law Enforcement | CISA on CISA.gov. To learn more, visit #Protect2024.

Election News This Week

2024 Elections: Voting continued this week in Texas. For some Texans this marked the fith time they had gone to the polls since November 2023. With only 50,000 voters showing up for the most recent election Harris County Clerk Tenisha Hudspeth expressed concerns about voter fatigue. “In terms of why there is such a low percentage of voters, there could be various reasons why. Next month there will be six elections Harris County has conducted, six elections since last November, back-to-back-to-back-to-back,” said Hudspeth. “November, December, March primary, May 4th special, now the runoff, and then another runoff in June.” Hudspeth said she would be interested in hearing conversations about minimizing the days of elections and what’s on the ballot at the same time. In addition to voter fatigue, some voters were impacted by severe weather. Severe storms knocked out power in at least 76 polling places in Dallas, Kaufman, Ellis and Tarrant counties. Nicholas Solorzano, a communications manager at the Dallas County Elections Department, told the Texas Tribune tornado sirens wailed early Tuesday morning. Many election and poll workers, including himself, were caught in the brunt of this morning’s storm around 5 a.m. heading into work. Dallas County had planned to open 281 polling locations at 7 a.m. Tuesday, but Solorzano said that the storm created widespread outages impacting polling locations across the county. When thunderstorms rolled through the Houston area Tuesday afternoon, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said more than 10 voting centers lost power during the primary runoff elections. In Denton County, numerous polling places were without power when polls were scheduled to open.  In Brazos County’, Election Administrator Trudy Hancock said the rainy weather actually helps with turnout. “Lots of time rain brings people out. I don’t know why,” Hancock said. Hancock said the day went smoothly, which she attributed to poll workers. “We have a lot of really seasoned judges that really know what they’re doing and just being sure they’re in key locations to get up and going plus we have staff members from my team that go out and we touch base with every location before we start,” Hancock said.

Certification: In what could be a precursor to November, election certification recently became an issue in local elections in two states. Julie Adams, a Republican who joined the Fulton County, Georgia Board of Registration & Elections in February has refused to certify the May 21 primary election and instead sued the county’s board of elections and elections director claiming she’s prevented from performing her board duties. Adams wants access to “essential election materials and processes” and a ruling that her duties – including certification of election results – are discretionary, not mandatory. Adams said she voted against the certification of results in the March 12 presidential preference primary because her requests for data were stymied by the board chair and county elections director. Adams said they continue to refuse to give her access to key information from the more recent primary, and so she is “unable to fulfill her oath of office.” The board certified the May 21 election results during a special meeting on Tuesday; Adams abstained. Before the vote, Adams said the county “must correct the way we do our elections.” In Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel were forced to issue a reminder to county canvassing boards of their obligation to certify election results. The reminder came after a delay by the Delta County Board of Canvassers to certify the county’s May 7 recall election after the two Republican members  cited, without evidence, irregularities in the vote totals. Following a letter from State Elections Director Jonathan Brater, the two dissenting members relented and voted to certify.

Hand Counts: This week, the South Dakota state Board of Elections did not approve petitions from activists who want to move the state toward hand-counting ballots. According to the South Dakota Searchlight, a Republican state Senate candidate, Rick Weible, petitioned the board for declaratory rulings. The petitions asked the board to take several actions, including deeming certain election tabulating software non-compliant with state law and de-certifying its use. The board did not grant the requests. Board member Scott McGregor told the Searchlight afterward that Weible and his supporters routinely attend board meetings to pursue their agenda. “It’s all about going back to hand-counting our elections,” McGregor said. He added that Weible and others in attendance are misguided: The appointed board serves an administrative function and does not make law. “They need to talk to the Legislature,” McGregor said. Meanwhile, voters in three counties– Gregory, Haakon and Tripp–will see a ballot measure during the June 4 primary asking if they should ban the use of tabulator machines in future local elections. If the measures pass, the auditor’s offices in each county would have to hand-count ballots in the Nov. 5 general election and thereafter. 

Salary Review: The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) recently released a dataset on the compensation for election workers.The data was compiled from electionlineWeekly job postings dating back to 2011. Researchers used OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 to process the dataset, extracting information on compensation and determining which jobs belong to chief election officials.”We look forward to seeing what researchers are able to glean from this dataset,” wrote William T. Adler. “In particular, we invite researchers adept at natural language processing to analyze the text in these job descriptions. Are there any trends in which responsibilities are commonly listed over the years? Are certain responsibilities associated with higher pay? Are some responsibilities more common to smaller jurisdictions?” The decentralization of election administration in the U.S. makes it challenging to fully understand the election workforce. “We know little about how election officials are recruited, what qualities they are recruited for, and how compensation varies across the field.” Adler wrote. “We hope that this dataset is a useful resource for researchers aiming to better understand these critical questions.”

Sticker News: Wow…voters in Bernalillo County, New Mexico will get one of 12 (12!!) custom “I Voted” sticker designs. Clerk Linda Stover had hoped to launch the design contest back in 2020 but the pandemic derailed that. “I’ve eagerly awaited the opportunity to initiate this project, and I’m thrilled that it’s finally happening,” Stover said. More than 280 students submitted sticker designs to Stover’s office. The clerk and her staff sifted through the designs and eventually whittled to 12 (!!) the number of stickers to be handed out to voters come November. “When I heard there were students all across Bernalillo County that entered, I thought it was really cool that there’s so many designs out there,” 11th-grader Aubrey Vanderlip told the Albuquerque Journal. “I thought mine was really eye-catching and simple, and I was hoping that I would be one of the top finalists.” Congratulations to Addison, a fourth grader at South Mountain Elementary School, was voted the winner of the Wausau Wisconsin “I Voted” sticker contest for their patriotic eagle design. Facebook users cast votes in the ‘I Voted’ Sticker Design Contest by “liking” their favorite photo posted on the City’s Facebook page. The sticker design with the most likes between May 22 – May 27, was declared the winner. Eight youth in second through fifth grades submitted their own artwork to be printed as a round sticker. The winning design will be printed and made available for voters in the August 13 Partisan Primary and the Nov. 5, Presidential Election.

Legislative Updates

Federal Legislation: For the second time in as many years, the U.S. House voted on a bipartisan basis to block D.C. from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections in the nation’s capital. Fifty-two Democrats joined Republicans in the vote — an uptick from the 42 who voted to strike down the D.C. law last year — and the bill passed by a vote of 262 to 143, just days before D.C.’s June 4 primary election. “I find it inconceivable that the Washington city council would intentionally dilute the voting power of their constituents,” said Rep. August Pfluger (R-Tex.), the bill’s sponsor. By D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s count, the noncitizen bill is one of 22 pieces of legislation Republicans have introduced this Congress to change D.C. election laws. The vote mirrored last year’s attempt to block noncitizen voting, when the House passed a resolution blocking D.C.’s Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. But that resolution didn’t go anywhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate, suggesting that this bill likely won’t either. On Tuesday, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) attempted to seek unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass his legislation blocking noncitizen voting in D.C., but the effort failed because of an objection from Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), dimming chances for further success. “My view is the elected representatives [of D.C.] have the right and responsibility to pass laws that go with being a self-governing city council,” Welch said.

Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-California) has introduced the High School Empowerment Act that would require states to designate public high schools as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration act, instruct schools to conduct voter registration drives for their students, allow high schools to work with state election officials to use voting machines to conduct student council or other student government elections, and direct the Secretary of Education to make grants to reimburse schools for the cost of carrying out a voter registration drive.

Michigan: A pair of bills looking to reform the way Michigan elections can be investigated passed through a state House Committee. Senate Bills 603 and 604 would specify that county canvassers would not investigate allegations of election fraud. House Elections Committee member Jay DeBoyer, a Republican from St. Clair County’s Clay Township had an exchange with one of the bill’s authors, Democratic state Senator Stephanie Chang of Detroit. “Removal of the ability of the Board of Canvassers to do an investigation,” DeJoyer said. “Why do we want to remove that right?” “In our conversations with Republican and Democratic county clerks, it became very clear that they don’t investigate and that they’re not trained to investigate. And they’re not doing their job. I trust our county clerk to know best how this should be handled,” Chang said. That, according to the legislation, is to refer any suspicion of election irregularities to prosecutors. Both bills passed the House Elections Committee on party line votes of six to two, Democrats in favor, Republicans against.

Montana: Last week the State Administration and Veterans Affairs Committee heard public comments on a proposal to allow Montanans to register online to vote. During public comment a representative for the nonprofit Secure Democracy USA advocated the committee advance a draft bill allowing Montana citizens to register to vote online, which they say can be done via a secure portal. Democrats on the committee say this is a simple change that could increase participation in elections. “The world is online. And when I speak to young people at the door, they are shocked that they can’t register online. Because everything is online. We’ve heard it’s secure, we’ve heard they do it in 42 states,” said State Rep. Ed Stafman (D-Bozeman). Stafman made a motion to advance a bill draft to provide for online voter registration but withdrew it after other committee members, including State Sen. Janet Ellis (D-Helena), said they’d like to learn more before advancing any proposals. One Republican legislator expressed concern about security, saying they are staunchly against it. The committee will seek more information on the matter, including from the Secretary of State’s office, prior to their next meeting in July. At that time, the Committee will also continue discussing whether and how to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in elections.

New Hampshire: New Hampshire Republicans advanced legislation last week that would eliminate all exceptions to the state’s voter ID law. Gov. Chris Sununu could soon be facing a decision on whether to make a big change to voting procedures in a presidential election year. House Bill 1569 would require anyone who shows up to register to vote on Election Day to provide proof of citizenship through documents such as a birth certificate or a passport. Currently, New Hampshire uses an affidavit ballot for people who show up at the polls without ID. That system, signed into law just two years ago, allows for the affidavit ballot to be subtracted from the final tally of votes if the voter does not return with proof of identification within seven days. Some local election officials are balking at the bill’s implementation date, which would come before this year’s state primary. “The filing period for those elections is less than two weeks away,” said Nashua City Clerk Dan Healey. “It’s not the time for drastic election law changes, and I see some trouble implementing this.” The office of Secretary of State David Scanlan told News 9 that he’s not weighing in on the legislation. When and if Scanlan does take a position, it could be very influential with Sununu, who has said previously he’s not looking to make major changes to election law. “Secretary of State Scanlan and I work very, very well together,” Sununu said. “They’re the real experts in this, and if there’s a need – I don’t want to say I’ll completely defer to them, but I really lean on their expertise in this area.”

Vermont: Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has allowed a bill into law without his signature that would make so-called “ghost guns” illegal in an effort to close loopholes around firearm background checks. The law, which goes into effect in March 2025, will make it illegal to own a firearm without a serial number. A late addition to the bill at the backend of the legislative session also makes it illegal to bring a firearm to a polling site. That aspect of the bill is effective immediately. “Polling stations need to be a sacred place in Vermont where voters can go exercise their constitutional right without any fear of intimidation,” said Conor Casey, the executive director of GunSense Vt. Sen. Phil Baruth, the Senate President Pro Tem, echoed Casey’s statement and said the ban at polling sites will help protect key aspects of democracy. “We were looking at other places where democracy is vulnerable and some of those places are attacks on election workers, canvassing boards, but also just normal polling places,” Baruth said.

Legal Updates

Alaska: Superior Court Judge Christina Rankin is weighing whether state election officials acted properly when they allowed sponsors of a measure aimed at repealing Alaska’s ranked choice voting system to fix mistakes with dozens of petition booklets after they were already turned in. The Division of Elections followed an “established interpretation” of the law, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Flynn told Rankin. Rankin heard arguments this week in Anchorage in a lawsuit filed by three voters that alleges the division has no authority to allow sponsors to fix errors in a filed initiative petition on a rolling or piecemeal basis and asking her to disqualify the measure from the November ballot. Rankin did not immediately rule. The two sides disagree on the interpretation of provisions of state law and regulation dealing with petition reviews. Attorneys for the state in court records said the division found problems with more than 60 petition booklets — most involving a person whose notary commission had expired — and began notifying the initiative sponsors of the problems on Jan. 18, six days after the petition was turned in. The sponsors began returning corrected booklets on Feb. 12, and returned 62 corrected booklets before the division completed its signature count on March 8, Flynn and fellow attorney Lael Harrison wrote. No additional signatures were gathered during that time, they said. “To say that what the division did is contrary to the regulation is not right,” Flynn said this week. But attorneys for the plaintiffs have countered that there is no law or regulation allowing the division to give select booklets back to the sponsors for fixes while the division’s verification process for the remaining booklets is underway. 

Arizona; Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joan Sinclair told Maricopa County to pause its ongoing ballot preparation process for the July 30 primary election as she considers a lawsuit by Republicans trying to add a new candidate to the ballot. Republicans in Legislative District 29 voted to add James Taylor to the ballot to replace Rep. Austin Smith (R-Wittman), who withdrew from the race. State law allows local political parties to replace withdrawn candidates but it says they must do so before the county prints ballots. Rosa Aguilar, an attorney for Maricopa County, told Sinclair that the county started the printing process on May 13, days before LD29 Republicans attempted to submit Taylor’s nomination to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office. “The county then began the ballot-printing process and actually began printing the ballots in order to prove them on May 16,” Aguilar said. Aguilar said that if the county is forced to add Taylor to the ballot now, it would negate 15 days of ballot preparations, which could result in errors on ballots and missed deadlines. “And so there would be great harm in pausing that process in terms of the state and federal deadlines for mailing the ballots to early voters and active military and overseas voters,” she said. June 15 is the last day for the county to mail ballots to overseas and military voters. But Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale), an attorney representing the Maricopa County Republican Committee, accused Maricopa County of political gamesmanship. Kolodin asked Sinclair to stop Maricopa County’s ballot-printing process until she can hold a hearing to consider the request to place Taylor on the ballot. Aguilar objected to that request, saying the county is on a tight deadline to print ballots in time for the election. Sinclair disagreed, saying the temporary restraining order was necessary until she can make a final decision about whether to order the county to place Taylor’s name on the ballot. She scheduled a hearing to consider all evidence in the case for Wednesday morning.

California: Shasta County Superior Court Judge Stephen Baker said he wants to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the outcome of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors District 2 primary election. Baker said the lawsuit filed against the winner in the election, Allen Long, and the county registrar of voters, was vague and not timely. The lawsuit “clearly does not spell out sufficient grounds for an election contest,” Baker said. He also said the lawsuit was left to languish without the person who filed the suit not taking prompt action to move the case forward. He further added that defendants in the lawsuit were not given timely notice of the lawsuit against them. “I think there was a lack of diligence in getting the parties served in this election contest,” Baker said. Laura Hobbs, who came in second in the primary election, sued Long and retired Registrar of Voters Cathy Darling Allen, claiming election fraud. Hobbs has long been a critic of local elections. She has been a regular speaker at Board of Supervisors meetings, bringing with her graphs that she says show elections irregularities.

Nevada: The Nevada Supreme Court ruled in favor of a ballot initiative that, if approved, would require the state’s citizens to provide photo identification to vote, bringing the effort one step closer to appearing on the November ballot. All seven justices voted to uphold a District Court ruling that determined the initiative did not contain an unfunded mandate and that the initiative’s description of effect was sufficient.  In December, with the help of Democratic-linked attorneys, Nevada voter Jennifer Fleischmann with Make the Road Nevada filed a complaint aiming to block the initiative, arguing that the initiative was vague, would require an unfunded government expenditure and that each of the forms of ID that Gibbs lists in the petition would generally require the payment of a fee to a government entity. Justices found that her argument is a substantive challenge, which the court cannot consider at the pre-election stage, leaving the door open to litigation after the election, if it passes. They also determined the description of the initiative’s effect is legally sufficient. “Indeed, the description of effect addresses the primary objective of the Initiative and its intended effects — an amendment to the Nevada Constitution to require voters to present valid identification when voting in person at the polls,” the justices determined.

Washoe County prosecutors have sued the United States Postal Service, asking a federal court to halt its plan to move key mail processing operations from Reno to Sacramento and accusing the agency of circumventing federal law. In a lawsuit filed this week in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, the Washoe County’s District Attorney’s Office said that parts of the Postal Service’s 10-year plan to transform its operations — which includes the Reno to Sacramento move — violate federal law because the agency did not seek an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission, which oversees the agency. Such opinions are required when a Postal Service proposal would “affect service on a nationwide or substantially nationwide basis.” Prosecutors specifically argued that the Postal Service must receive an advisory opinion on the aspect of the 10-year plan that calls for nationwide changes to processing facilities — including those in Tallahassee and Portland — because it would “create a mail delay across the United States.” The lawsuit seeks to halt any further action until the agency seeks an advisory opinion from the commission.  The lawsuit, which Washoe County commissioners approved filing, is the latest effort by the chorus of state and federal politicians to delay or stop the move — including members of Nevada’s congressional delegation, the Washoe County Commission, secretary of state’s office and governor — over its potential effects on the region’s economy and mail ballots.

New Hampshire: New Hampshire authorities indicted the Democratic political operative Steve Kramer for his role in creating and distributing an AI-generated robocall that impersonated President Joe Biden and urged the state’s voters to not cast their ballots in January’s primary election.  Kramer, who has admitted to being behind the creation of the robocall, was indicted on 13 counts of felony voter suppression and 13 misdemeanor counts of impersonating a political candidate.  New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said he believes the charges “send a strong deterrent signal to anyone who might consider interfering with elections, whether through the use of artificial intelligence or otherwise.” “New Hampshire remains committed to ensuring that our elections remain free from unlawful interference and our investigation into this matter remains ongoing,” Formella added. The charges, which were first reported by CNN, were filed in Rockingham County, Belknap County, Grafton County and Merrimack County, where 13 different New Hampshire residents received versions of the call in January. In conjunction with the New Hampshire indictment, the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday proposed fining Kramer $6 million for spoofing the phone number of a former state Democratic party official as part of the scheme. That official, Kathy Sullivan, headed up a super PAC that was running a write-in campaign for Biden, and residents who received the robocall warning them not to vote were directed to her number for more information.

North Carolina: The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled unanimously last week that voters who were falsely accused of voting fraud cannot sue attorneys who provided false information to their accuser. The plaintiffs, four voters who were accused of committing voter fraud, will not be allowed to sue those attorneys for libel, the court decided. The plaintiffs claimed that they were defamed and subjected to national media attention and public embarrassment after Gov. Pat McCrory’s camp encouraged a local voter to file an election protest saying they had either voted in multiple states or were prohibited from voting by felony status.  A lower court initially ruled that while the voter who submitted the election protests was shielded from liability, defendants who provided information but did not file the reports themselves could be sued, because they were not actively participating in a “quasi-judicial election protest proceeding.”  In his opinion, Chief Justice Paul Newby said that absolute privilege “broadly protects” individuals involved in an election protest from defamation claims, and the participation requirement established by the state appeals court was baseless.  “The public has an interest in judicial and quasi-judicial bodies arriving at the truth in matters brought before them and in the ‘due administration of justice.’ … To that end, the absolute privilege must apply broadly to anyone involved in any aspect of an election protest, even if they did not actually ‘participate’ as a party, counsel, witness or the like at a subsequent proceeding,” Newby wrote, describing the attorney defendants as “inextricably intertwined” in the process of filing the election protests.  The broad application of absolute privilege protection is “critical,” Newby said, in fast-paced proceedings like election protests, where the Board of Elections is trying to rapidly report all votes on a timeline that “does not lend itself to exhaustive discovery and absolute precision.”

Ohio: Voting rights advocates asked a federal judge to strike down restrictions contained in Ohio’s sweeping 2023 election law that they say restrict a host of trusted individuals from helping voters with disabilities cast absentee ballots. The motion for summary judgment came in a lawsuit filed in December under the Americans with Disabilities Act by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and voter Jennifer Kucera, who was born with a form of muscular dystrophy, against Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. The plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU of Ohio, American Civil Liberties Union and law firm of Covington & Burling. The filing in the U.S. District Court in Cleveland argues that the law prohibits all but a short list of qualifying family members from helping those with disabilities deliver their ballots, excluding potential helpers such as professional caregivers, roommates, in-laws and grandchildren. The law, which went into effect in April 2023, makes it a felony for anyone who isn’t an election official or mail carrier to possess or return the absentee ballot of a voter with a disability, unless the person assisting them falls within a prescribed list of close relatives. Republicans who advanced the law argued that its provisions were designed to protect election integrity and restore voter confidence at a time of great doubt. Voting rights advocates say many voters with disabilities are unable to travel to their polling place and many are unable to access their mailbox or ballot dropbox.

Pennsylvania: A group of voting rights organizations are suing state and county officials in an effort to overturn a law that prevents undated and incorrectly dated mail-in ballots from being counted. The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and Public Interest Law Center filed a lawsuit in Pennsylvania Commonwealth court this week on behalf of nine voting rights groups across the state. Filed against Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt and the boards of elections in Philadelphia and Allegheny counties, the groups argue that rejecting mail-in ballots for miswritten or blank dates violates the Pennsylvania Constitution, which mandates free and equal elections. “Our state constitution is clear: every vote matters in Pennsylvania,” Ben Geffen, senior attorney at the Public Interest Law Center, said in a news release. “Procedures that needlessly block even a single eligible voter from exercising that most fundamental right are suspect. This pointless handwritten date requirement — which every year causes thousands of eligible voters’ ballots to be rejected for harmless clerical errors — cannot continue in Pennsylvania.” State and county officials have sought to limit mail-in ballot rejections since 2020, when mail-in voter turnout first skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. “In the years of litigation over this issue, it has become irrefutably clear that the handwritten date serves no function in the administration of Pennsylvania’s election,” said Ellen Lyon, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State. “As a result, the Department has consistently argued in court that voters should not be disenfranchised for failing to write or incorrectly writing a date that serves no function.” Under the law, though, the department’s hands remain tied, Lyon added. “Given existing court rulings and pending any further legal developments, our guidance on undated and incorrectly dated ballots remains unchanged: all voters must sign and date their declaration envelope in order to have their vote counted.”

Centre County Judge Julia Rater has dismissed a challenge on whether close to 100 mail-in ballots, from last month’s primary election, should be counted as valid votes. Rater has ruled the appeal not to count the ballots was filed too late. The group challenging the 95 ballots claimed they weren’t valid due to problems with how they were dated, or not dated, and that didn’t follow the state’s guidelines for mail-in ballots. Initially, the ballots were flagged for possible problems during the primary election count on April 23rd, but Centre County’s election board eventually decided to include them in the final vote count, which sparked the legal challenge.

Rhode Island: The city of Pawtucket will provide Spanish-speaking voters with election assistance and materials in their native language in time for the Sept. 10 primary under an agreement to settle a voting rights lawsuit, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced last week. A consent agreement filed in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island on Thursday responds to  allegations that Pawtucket election officials failed to give assistance in Spanish to voters with limited English proficiency. City officials dispute the allegations. Under the federal Voting Rights Act, bilingual ballots are required in any voting jurisdiction where residents with limited English proficiency account for more than 5% of the voting population. As of January 2024, the DOJ said Pawtucket had 45,254 total active registered voters, of whom 9,961 — 22% — had Spanish surnames. Federal officials had also alleged that Pawtucket election officials refused to allow voters who were qualified to cast a provisional ballot to do so, adding that workers were not trained over these requirements. “The right to vote is the right on which all others depend,” U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Zachary Cunha said in a statement. “This office will remain vigilant in enforcing our civil rights laws to ensure that illegal barriers to access do not keep Americans from casting their ballots.” The DOJ alerted the city about its investigation in February, said Rhode Island Board of Elections spokesperson Chris Hunter. Federal officials previously monitored Pawtucket’s elections during the 2023 special primary and general elections to make sure the state follows the Voting Rights Act.

South Carolina: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Republicans did not discriminate against Black voters when redrawing the First Congressional District along South Carolina’s coast. The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision, split along ideological lines, could have significant implications for future redistricting efforts nationwide. The conservative majority determined that civil rights groups did not provide enough evidence to prove that race was a primary factor in the redrawing of South Carolina’s congressional map. The case revolved around the Charleston-area district represented by Republican Nancy Mace. Civil rights groups argued that more than 30,000 Black voters were removed from this district, making it harder for Democrats to compete and easier for Republicans to win. The decision comes months after a lower court ruled that lawmakers violated the Constitution by discriminating against Black voters.  The Supreme Court’s ruling affirms the argument made by Republican state officials, who say that their goal was solely to bolster Republican strength in the district.  Brenda Murphy, president of the South Carolina NAACP, reacted to the decision, expressing disappointment. “Today, the Supreme Court has failed the American people,” Murphy said. “Voting rights have taken another gut punch, and the future of democracy in South Carolina is dangling by a thread.”

Analysis and Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Ranked choice voting | Misinformation | U.S. Supreme Court | Voter suppression | Threats | Election security

Alaska: Ranked choice voting 

Arizona: Vet the Vote | Ballot measure | Secretary of state  

Colorado: Automatic voter registration, II

Florida: Manatee County | Rigged elections

Idaho: Election infrastructure

Indiana: Secretary of state 

Iowa: Trusted information 

Kansas: Election funding 

Nevada: GOTV

North Carolina: Voter ID | Runoffs 

Virginia GOTV | Election officials 

Upcoming Events

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.

Customer Success Contractor, Voting Works– The Customer Success Contractor will work under the Head of Customer Success to ensure the success of all VotingWorks customers by providing remote and in-person support and product feedback to the hardware and software teams. If you consider yourself a solution-driven or process person with strong election administration experience, and a desire to support election officials, this position is for you. The ideal candidate will have a strong election administration background and an interest in supporting election officials. They will be able to build trust with customers. To succeed in this role you’re ready to wear multiple hats. Work will shift between remote audit support, responding to general customer inquiries, and peak election support, both remotely and in-person. You know how to roll up your sleeves and get things done – whether it’s a job responsibility you were expecting or an emergency that suddenly materializes from a customer call or email. You are detail-oriented, self-driven, and good at multitasking. You can work autonomously with little direction and a fair amount of ambiguity but also know when to ask for help or clarification. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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.

Deputy City Clerk, North Las Vegas, Nevada— Under general supervision, performs specialized administrative and technical work related to the operation of the Office of the City Clerk. Prepares, processes and distributes City Council Regular, Special and Redevelopment agendas: publishes, mails, and posts agendas as required by the Open Meeting Law. Maintains agenda mailing list. Maintains invocation log and schedules for the City Council meetings. Prepares correspondence including memos to department directors and letters to applicants, representatives and property owners describing the action taken at the various City meetings. Confirms documentation needed on all contracts approved by the City Council and advises  contractors of the requirements. Obtains City signatures as necessary. Follows-up on contract expiration dates and notifies appropriate department staff. Attends bid openings. Prepares and distributes meeting minutes, action reports, and summary minutes of public meetings. Publishes, mails, and posts public hearing notices as required by the Open Meeting Law. Prepares City Council Regular, Special and Redevelopment meeting follow-up letters, memos and final action notices; provides administrative support for City Council, commissions, committees, and boards. Performs all related duties in compliance with Nevada Revised Statutes, Nevada Administrative Code and North Las Vegas Municipal Code. Responds to inquiries from the public regarding procedures, activities and other matters that require knowledge of the department’s operations. Ordinance follow-up and log maintenance. Administers agreements which do not need to be approved by City Council. Processes vacations of streets and rights-of-way and annexations; processes bonds, both financial and construction. Responsible for preparing daily, monthly, and annual statistical reporting. Assists in producing election and election related brochures and materials in all necessary languages, including requirements, important dates, methods and means of voting opportunities and necessary documentary evidence required by federal law; acts as filing officer for candidate filing, applications and expense reports. Receives payment from the public in the form of cash, check or money orders; utilizes appropriate cashiering procedures for accepting money, safeguarding the received money and accurately balancing at the end of each day. Performs other related duties as assigned. Salary: $27.01- $42.59/hr  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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Regional Coordinator – Observe New Mexico Elections –Observe New Mexico Elections, funded by The Carter Center, is a nonpartisan election observation effort designed to increase trust and transparency in elections. The effort is led by and for New Mexicans. Observers will be trained about relevant laws, procedures, and safeguards in New Mexico’s electoral process and will verify that those procedures are followed consistently. Nonpartisan election observers represent all voters, do not interfere in the election process, and report what they see. Observers’ findings throughout the state will be aggregated to assess the quality of elections in New Mexico. The Carter Center has led similar efforts internationally for decades and is now engaging in related efforts here at home. We are honored New Mexico was among the handful of states they selected to participate this year. Observe New Mexico Elections, a project of the Carter Center, is seeking a detail-oriented Regional Coordinator. 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.

Voter Services Manager, Arapahoe County, Colorado–The Voter Service Manager position has direct responsibility and supervision of the entire Voter Service Team. This position will assist with complex administrative and supervisory work in directing daily activities. The Voter Service Manager supports the Elections Deputy Director, Chief Deputy Director and the Clerk and Recorder with issues concerning all operations of Elections. The following statements are illustrative of the essential function of the job. Salary: $73,441.94 – $117,316.94. Deadline: June 13. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.

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