electionline Weekly

Voter Education Week

Empower Voters with Ease 
Partner with NVEW to Enhance Your Voter Education Efforts

Election officials are the backbone of our democracy, ensuring that voters across the country have the information they need to cast their ballots confidently and accurately. With the ever-changing landscape of voting laws, heightened scrutiny, and the ongoing challenge of misinformation, we recognize the immense demands you face. That’s why we’re inviting you to join National Voter Education Week (NVEW)— an open-source, nonpartisan campaign designed to equip voters with the information they need to bridge the gap between registering to vote and casting a ballot.

NVEW offers a comprehensive toolkit of pre-designed social media content, graphics, and communication templates that are perfect for the fast-paced and busy reality of election officials. By partnering with NVEW, you gain access to a week’s worth of high-quality educational materials that can be shared directly with your community. This saves you time and effort, allowing you to focus on other critical tasks while ensuring the information you provide is accurate, nonpartisan, and aligned with national standards. 

One of NVEW’s core calls to action is “Understand the Process,” a day dedicated to explaining the process of casting and counting votes — which we know is essential to combating misinformation and building trust. Who better to guide voters through each step than you, the experts who make elections possible? With NVEW’s resources, you can help voters navigate changes in voting laws by directing them to credible sources. This approach not only enhances voter education but also complements initiatives like the #TrustedInfo2024 campaign, reinforcing your role as the primary source of reliable election information. 

Your role as a trusted messenger has never been more important. Research shows that people are more likely to vote when they receive information from a credible source. By partnering with NVEW, you can leverage this trust to encourage participation and build confidence in the electoral process. Your involvement can also help counteract voter disillusionment, reminding citizens that every vote counts—not just in presidential races but in local elections that shape their communities.

Joining National Voter Education Week, happening October 7-11, is quick and easy—it takes just a few minutes. Simply visit nationalvotereducationweek.org/join to learn more and sign up as a partner. By participating in NVEW, you’ll become part of a national movement that includes hundreds of diverse organizations, election officials, businesses, campuses, and more—all working together to reach potential voters across the country. With NVEW, you’re not just receiving a toolkit; you’re gaining a dedicated partner to support your voter outreach and education efforts. We hope you’ll join us!

An Update From San Benito County

San Benito County, California Honored with Freedom Award
Election Center award presented for  groundbreaking Ride-Along Program

By Francisco Diaz, County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters
San Benito County

It is a tremendous honor to have been recognized with the prestigious 2024 Freedom Award by the Elections Center for San Benito County’s Ride-Along Program. This award celebrates our commitment to fostering transparency and trust in the electoral process. Being acknowledged on a national stage is both humbling and motivating as we continue our work to ensure the integrity of our elections and build stronger relationships with the public.

The Ride-Along Program, the first of its kind in the country, allows members of the public to accompany election officials as they collect ballots. In a time where election processes are scrutinized more than ever, this program opens a window into the behind-the-scenes operations of election management. Its primary goal is to build trust by providing an opportunity for even the most stringent critics of the election system to witness the process firsthand, fostering transparency and creating a platform for open dialogue between election officials and the public.

A member of the public participating in the ride-along.

Since the program’s inception, we have seen remarkable results. It has been a powerful tool in bridging the gap between election administrators and concerned citizens. By allowing public participation in such a critical aspect of the electoral process, the program has helped alleviate tension, making interactions more civil and approachable. Participants, many of whom came into the program with strong reservations or doubts, have walked away with a deeper understanding of the system and increased confidence in the election process.

One of the most significant impacts we’ve observed is a dramatic decrease in direct conflicts between election officials and community members. Simply put, when people are given the chance to engage with the process in a transparent and meaningful way, misconceptions diminish, and trust grows. This has contributed to a healthier, more productive dialogue about elections, reducing hostility and suspicion.

As we look to the future, the Ride-Along Program is entering an exciting new phase. We are thrilled to announce that we will be extending the program to include high school students. By involving younger generations, we aim to spark an early interest in civic engagement and foster a deeper understanding of how our democracy functions. We believe that by showing students the inner workings of the electoral system, we can cultivate informed citizens who are empowered to participate in future elections with confidence.

To make this expansion possible, we are partnering with the San Benito County Probation Department, which has generously agreed to lend us vans for transporting students during the ride-alongs. This collaboration will allow us to enhance the program’s reach and impact, giving more young people the opportunity to engage directly with election officials and gain invaluable experience in democratic processes.

We are excited to see where this next chapter will take the Ride-Along Program, and we are deeply grateful for the recognition we’ve received from the Elections Center. This award validates the hard work and dedication of our election officials and the community members who have participated. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of continued innovation and transparency in the electoral process.

As we move forward, we remain committed to building trust, fostering transparency, and encouraging civic engagement. The success of the Ride-Along Program demonstrates that when we work together with openness and respect, we can strengthen the foundations of our democracy for generations to come.

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Election News This Week

Weather Alert: Sometime after press time, Hurricane Helene is poised to strike Florida’s Big Bend area as a Category 3 or 4 storm. From there the fast moving storm is expected to bring winds and heavy rains as far away as southern Appalachia, which could experience catastrophic flooding. All this, while elections officials are busy with final preparations for November 5 including sending out mail ballots.  Volusia County in Florida delayed the mailing for their mail ballots, originally scheduled to drop today, by about a week. Because Florida law gives Lewis the option of mailing the first domestic ballots between 40 and 33 days before the Nov. 5 election, Lewis said she is now planning to mail them on Oct. 2. She remembers 2016, when Hurricane Matthew arrived on the fourth day after the first vote-by-mail ballots were sent. Mail got wet or blown away, Lewis said at the time. At least 2,500 vote-by-mail ballots and an equal number of return envelopes had to be replaced in Volusia County that year. Lewis is trying to prevent that from happening in 2024. Nassau County Supervisor of Elections Janet H. Adkins changed their mail dates as well. “Adjusting the mail date for our vote by mail ballots until after the storm passes will help ensure ballot security for the 2024 General Election,” Adkins said. The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office announced that their offices will close on Thursday, September 26. “It is our plan to be open on Friday, September 27, unless it is determined that it is unsafe to do so based on conditions on the ground and after consulting with county- and state-level partners,” the county said in a statement.  And while this year’s Atlantic hurricane season has been quieter than predicted, there are still 36 days in the hurricane season and 40 days till Election Day. 

Power in Numbers: Election officials from across Idaho gathered on the front steps of the state capitol this week to publicly pledge that elections are secure and encourage Idahoans to vote in the Nov. 5 general election. During the event, Secretary of State Phil McGrane unveiled a letter to voters signed by all 44 county clerks pledging to make voting in Idaho easy, secure and accurate. “As the elected leaders responsible for conducting elections in every corner of our great state, we are united in a shared commitment to ensuring the accessibility, integrity and security of Idaho’s elections,” the letter states. “While each county in Idaho may differ in size, geography and population, one thing remains constant: your right to a secure and transparent elections process.” About 25 county clerks attended the gathering on the Statehouse steps, where elections officials highlighted steps they take to secure Idaho elections, including testing the accuracy of vote tabulation equipment before Election Day, the use of paper ballots, ensuring equipment that is used to count the ballots is not connected to the internet and post-election audits. “Something that I was surprised to find that most people don’t know is prior to every single election there is logic and accuracy testing of those machines – prior to every single election – to make sure that the machines that have been vetted and tested are still working accurately,” Bannock County Clerk Jason Dixon said.

Workplace Organizing: With increasing workloads and threats, election workers in Chicago are looking to unionize and according to them the board of elections’ lawyers have resisted the effort. Chicago Board of Elections workers filed cards with the Illinois State Labor Board in July asserting their intention to join SEIU Local 73. Since then, attorneys for the city have attempted to block the workers in their legal right to unionize according to the workers. According to The Chicago Tribune, attorneys representing the Board of Elections have argued the election workers are prohibited from union membership because the state’s election code bars them from participating in “political activity.”  The local has proposed recognition of a union that would include between 80 and 90 elections workers including clerks, polling place investigators and equipment specialists, among other roles. Last month, attorneys for the body responded in a legal filing urging the Illinois Labor Relations Board not to recognize the workers’ union, saying union membership would constitute “political activity” that elections workers are prohibited from taking part in by the election code. “Membership and participation by Board employees in the Union clearly constitutes participation in the type of activity barred under the Election Code. The Union has, in part, an undeniable political purpose,” outside counsel for the Board of Elections wrote. A union organizer spoke this week at a Chicago Board of Elections meeting about the “legal holding pattern” they find themselves in. “Sadly, the board has responded [to the unionizing effort] by filing frivolous objections, withholding crucial overtime pay and creating an atmosphere of fear and retaliation,” SEIU Local 73 organizer Nicole Deming told the board. Low pay is the biggest concern for Geneva Morris, a clerk at the Board of Elections, where she’s worked for over 20 years. Morris and another employee said their wage scale tops out in the mid-$60,000. “There are people who came before me. To see people work hard and their pensions look like pennies – you can barely live on it,” Morris told the Sun-Times during a break from an election judges class she was teaching. SEIU Local 73 currently represents 63 workers at Cook County Board of Elections.

Podcast News: In this special edition of Both Sides of the Aisle from Utah Public Radio, Natalie Gochnour is joined by Shireen Ghorbani, former Salt Lake County Council member, and Lannie Chapman, Salt Lake County clerk. They discuss Chapman’s background, her predecessor, what a county clerk does, and accessibility to the ballot. They also discuss the vote tallying process, info packets, election audits, uncounted votes, signatures, and the transition of power. For this episode of Trump’s Trials, NPR voting rights correspondent Hansi Lo Wang  takes a look at the U.S. Postal Service’s ability to deliver mail-ballots on time for November’s election.

Sticker News: First time voters in Portage, Michigan will get their very own “I Voted” sticker. The sticker was designed by Alexia Faison, a 5th grader from 12th Street Elementary School. U.S. residents become eligible to vote at age 18. “I feel really proud and also excited that people will be wearing my sticker design,” Faison said. After reading about the contest, Faison said she drew three different pictures by hand before picking her favorite. She hopes that kids her age will believe in themselves when they share their artwork with others. The Portage Youth Advisory Council selected Faison’s design in a meeting on Sept. 16. Congratulations to Cosmo Bell, winner of this year’s statewide “I Voted” digital sticker contest in Colorado. Bell is a ninth-grader at Compass Community Collaborative School in Fort Collin. Her design features rocks inspired by the Garden of the Gods and native plants from the arid regions of Colorado. In the right of the image, you can see Bell’s artist signature: Harold. The new digital sticker will be sent to voters enrolled in BallotTrax once their general election mail ballot has been returned and counted. “I’m so excited to have my artwork chosen,” Bell said. “A family friend let me know about the competition and encouraged me to participate. I thought it would be fun, so I entered!” Congratulations to Eli Hogan, a Mountain View High School senior winning the 2024 Deschutes County, Oregon “I Voted” sticker contest. The digitally designed image is red, white, and blue and highlights the mountains and wilderness of Deschutes County. Hogan was presented with a framed, color copy of the Deschutes County Voters’ Pamphlet with his “I Voted” sticker on the front. Hogan turns 18 in October, meaning the Nov. 5 election will be the first in which he’s eligible to vote. He registered to vote while receiving his award this week. Congratulations to Brailey Harman, a 7th grader at Allen Academy for winning the Grimes County, Texas “I Voted” sticker contest. There were more than 300 entrants to the competition. Brailey says she’s been drawing for 10 years now, but she was still shocked to learn her design won. “My stepdad heard it on the radio and he thought I should do it and I just came up with an idea and I turned it in and I really wasn’t expecting to win but they just kept calling the names and I was first,” said Harman.

Personnel News: Charles B. Pelkie Jr. has been appointed interim Will County, Illinois clerk. Matthew Fleming has been appointed Democratic elections commissioner in Oswego County, New York. Glenn Johnson is the new chair of the Cherokee County, Georgia board of elections. New Hope, Minnesota City Clerk Valerie Leone will retire after 35 years and she’s busy training her replacement, Andrea Phinney. Angela Padgett-Espiritu has been named the Fountain Hills, Arizona town clerk. Washoe County, Nevada interim Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess will be taking a leave of absence ahead of the November general election after experiencing “stress related health issues.” Congratulations to Kennebunk, Maine Town Clerk Merton Brown who received the Ethelyn Stuart Marthia Award for exemplary service last week. According to the Maine Town and City Clerks’ Association, Brown was recognized for his “outstanding service, leadership, and dedication to the Kennebunk community.”

New Reports, Research and Resources

Public Opinion:  As the 2024 election approaches, a new survey from Issue One conducted by GQR and Redbud Consulting (N=1,500; fielded September 3-9, 2024) reveals sharp divides among Americans regarding trust in elections, with gaps in trust along partisan, gender, and educational measures. The results suggest widespread skepticism about election results particularly among Trump supporters, which poses significant concerns for election integrity and legitimacy.

The survey highlights several key concerns:

• Gender and Partisan Gaps: While 57% of Americans are satisfied with how the electoral system works, only 52% of women express satisfaction, compared to 67% of men. White women show even lower satisfaction, with only 48% approving of the system. Republicans (52%) and Independents (49%) are far less likely than Democrats (74%) to express satisfaction with how democracy works in the U.S.
• Trust in Election Results: Only 37% of Americans say they will have a lot of trust in the results of the 2024 election regardless of who wins, with Republicans (23%) and Trump supporters (21%) showing the least confidence. Trust further declines when asked if they would trust the results if their preferred candidate loses, with just 31% of Americans saying they would trust the outcome a lot.
• Concerns Over Social Media: Over half of Americans (54%) are extremely or very concerned about foreign interference via social media, and 58% are similarly worried about the potential for social media to incite violence after the election. Alarmingly, a majority of respondents do not trust social platforms to prevent the spread of false information.

Dr. Carah Ong Whaley, director of election protection at Issue One, emphasized the critical need to address these issues, stating: “The erosion of trust in elections is a direct threat to democracy. We must take urgent action to restore public confidence in the integrity of our elections. The findings underscore the urgent need for public education about the people from our communities who are working tirelessly to ensure safe and secure elections, and the need for public education about the counting, canvassing and certification of elections. Findings also demonstrate that political candidates and elected officials must commit to accepting the results of the election, regardless of who wins, and committing to the peaceful transfer of power, which are essential for ensuring stability in governance, confidence in social, economic and political institutions.” The survey underscores the significant challenges facing election officials, lawmakers, and advocates who seek to rebuild trust in American democracy. The findings reveal an electorate divided not only by political beliefs but also by fundamental confidence in the system itself, raising concerns about the long-term health of U.S. democratic institutions.

Ballot Measure, Legislation & Rulemaking Updates

Federal Legislation: Democrats in the House have introduced voting rights legislation aimed at making it easier for voters to cast ballots, including same-day registration. Democratic leaders said the Voter Empowerment Act of 2024 will draw attention to the increasing number of states adopting laws they say restrict voting rights. Democrats and voting rights activists had warned that some states would enact such laws after a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminated a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. “People were not sure that what we were saying held water. Now they know what we’ve been saying is very real,’’ South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, a Democrat, said Monday in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY before he reintroduced the bill. “This is a good time for people to focus on this legislation. I’m not crazy by any means. I know full well the bill is not going to pass in the House. But it should be on the mind of everybody as to who is suppressing the vote. All these people who say they believe in democracy, who say they believe in the democratic form of government need to be called out.” In addition to requiring states to allow same-day registration for federal elections, the legislation would also allow online registration and automatic registration of people whose information comes from another state or a federal agency. It would ban officials from removing voters from registration lists because mail sent to them had been returned. It would also reauthorize the federal Election Assistance Commission which, among other things, serves as an information clearinghouse for election officials. 

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) is joining Rep. Chris Deluzio (D–Pennsylvania) in introducing the Freedom from Intimidation in Elections Act, which they said aims to protect voters and election workers from threats and intimidation at polling places. The proposed federal legislation would limit people’s ability to bring visible firearms to locations where voting occurs or where election workers do their jobs. Twelve states, including California — as well as Washington, D.C. — already prohibit firearms at polling places, and nine additional states have limited restrictions on guns that apply to these sites. “Today we’re saying something simple: In no place in America should a fear of violence prevent somebody from being able to cast their vote,” Padilla said during a press conference on Capitol Hill. “And no election worker should have to fear for their safety or for their life in helping us administer the fundamental process of democracy that we call elections.”

California: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has signed AB3184. Under AB 3184, counties are required to wait 28 days before certifying their election results. Lawmakers behind the bill say the extra time will give voters more time to correct mismatching or missing signatures on the ballot making sure their vote is accepted. According to the bill’s author, in the state’s last general election nearly half of rejected vote-by-mail ballots in California were for either a missing or non-matching signature, however in Butte County, Denlay said it’s not really an issue, adding that they’ve been able to certify results as soon as possible, by Thanksgiving or by 17 days after the election. “All counties could do as early as 17 days or as late as 30 so there used to be some flexibility involved when the results were done, they were done…,” Denlay said. “I think that local offices the first week of December, it would be beneficial for them to know the results as soon as possible, maybe if there needs to be a recount for a local office where those races tend to be really close, we’re gonna have to wait to get those results. Not all local elections officials are happy about the new law. “We’re basically going to be sitting on our hands for the last 11 days waiting to put our stamp on it,” Keaton Denlay,Butte County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters said.

Newsom also signed the PEACE Act, which makes California the first state in the nation to state explicitly that openly carrying a gun in or near a polling place constitutes illegal harassment. Sean Morales-Doyle, director of the Voting Rights Program for the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice, said the measure is important. “It represents some really commonsense principles. All voters, all election workers, should be able to participate and run our democracy free from intimidation. And visible guns around our elections are intimidating,” he said. 

Newsom vetoed a bill that would have helped people receive voting materials in their first language. Voting advocates said the bill, if passed, would have dismantled language barriers that many communities face, expanding language requirements outlined by federal and state law. Access to translated ballots has come a long way since the National Voting Rights Act passed in 1965. That law said there should be translations at the polls, but it only applied to Spanish, Asian, Native American and Native Alaskan languages. California has since built on the national law to include more languages. In San Diego, voter materials come in 10 languages. But for six of those languages, the translated voting materials aren’t on the actual ballots. Instead, they are on reference ballots, also called facsimile ballots. The bill aimed to replace the facsimile ballots with voteable ballots for languages required by the state. Abdi said that could have made a huge difference for the communities she works with. But election officials expressed concerns, including the California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials. “We’ll likely double the amount of languages we would have to be able to provide,” Jesse Salinas, president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials, said. “And one of the true challenges that we would have is translation.” Salinas said technology, vendors and funding couldn’t meet the bill’s new requirements. For example, he said, they calculated that in Los Angeles it would cost more than $25 million.

Georgia Rulemaking: In a 3-2 decision the Georgia State Board of Elections voted to require a hand count of all ballots after polls close on election night, a new requirement that could delay results of the presidential race. The rule requires a count of the number of ballots cast, not a count of which candidate received more votes. Vote totals are reported separately. It’s unknown how long the count would take, especially in large precincts with many voters. Some counties already hand count the number of ballots, but it’s not a requirement. State Election Board member Janelle King acknowledged that counting ballots would take more time. “I don’t want to set a precedent where we’re OK with speed over accuracy,” said King, a Republican appointee to the board. “I can guarantee you as a voter that I would rather wait another hour to ensure the count is accurate. What we’re doing is creating more stability in our election process.” County election directors universally opposed the eleventh-hour counting mandate, saying it would undermine voter confidence in the election results. They said results will come in more slowly, ballot box seals would be broken and manual counts could be inaccurate.

Montclair, New Jersey: The Montclair Town Council passed a symbolic resolution in favor of ranked choice voting in municipal and school board elections at their meeting this week. The resolution supports a proposed state law, S-1622/A-4042, which would allow towns and cities in New Jersey to make ranked choice voting available for local elections if they choose to do so (read the full resolution online here). Montclair’s resolution also “supports the commitment of state resources to increase awareness of ranked choice voting and public education as to the ranked choice voting process.” Third Ward Councilman Rahum Williams provided the only “no” vote. Voter Choice NJ praised the Montclair town council for taking a stand for ranked choice voting, noting that other towns that have show support with resolutions include Hoboken, Jersey City, Red Bank, Princeton, Maplewood and South Orange.

Legal Updates

Alabama: U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor blocked a portion of Alabama’s law criminalizing some forms of ballot assistance, saying it burdened blind, disabled and illiterate voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Proctor wrote that the law violated Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, added to the 1965 law in 1982 that allows blind, illiterate or disabled people to accept assistance “by a person of the voter’s choice.”  “The court easily concludes, after reviewing its language, that SB 1 unduly burdens the rights of Section 208 voters to make a choice about who may assist them in obtaining and returning an absentee ballot,” wrote the judge, appointed by former President George W. Bush. Proctor allowed the rest of the law to go into effect. The law, sponsored by Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman and signed by Gov. Kay Ivey this spring, makes it a Class C felony (punishable up to 10 years in prison) for a person to knowingly receive payment for “distributing, ordering, requesting, collecting, completing, prefilling, obtaining or delivering” an absentee ballot application. A Class B felony (punishable up to 20 years in prison) would be if a person knowingly pays or provides a gift to a “third party to distribute, order, request, collect, prefill, complete, obtain or deliver.” Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill in March. Republican supporters said they were trying to stop “ballot harvesting.” Democratic opponents said it impedes voting among disabled voters in rural areas. The Alabama Attorney General has said that he will appeal. 

Arizona: The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on September 20 that the 98,000 Arizona voters whose eligibility has been in limbo because of a system error that was discovered earlier this month will be allowed to vote a full ballot in November. These voters had been erroneously marked in the state’s system as having provided documented proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote, when in reality, it is unclear whether they did so. Arizona requires such documentation in order to vote in state and local elections. Voters who are unable to provide it are added to a separate roll of “federal only” voters, and can cast ballots only in presidential and congressional races. The error had been occurring for roughly two decades before Maricopa County election officials flagged the problem earlier this month. The affected voters are all longtime residents of the state, and many have been on the rolls for years. Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, and Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, a Republican, asked the Arizona Supreme Court on Sept. 17 to determine whether the voters affected by the glitch should be permitted to vote a full ballot in this year’s election, or one with only federal races. The Arizona Supreme Court moved quickly. Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer wrote that, because it was unclear whether the voters had provided proof of citizenship in the past, counties could not legally remove them from the voter rolls. The court was especially reluctant to do so, she wrote, because of how close it is to Election Day. “We are unwilling on these facts to disenfranchise voters en masse from participating in state contests,” Timmer wrote. “Doing so is not authorized by state law and would violate principles of due process.”

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Frank Moskowitz said that a ballot proposition to end partisan primaries in Arizona will have votes cast for it counted after all.  The ruling is the latest development in the ongoing saga around Proposition 140, which would amend the Arizona Constitution to create an open primary system in elections, though it won’t be the final word.  Partisan opponents of the ballot measure will appeal the matter to the state Supreme Court, which last month took the unprecedented step of allowing the challenge to Prop. 140’s place on the ballot to continue past the deadline for ballots to be printed. The proposal, known as the Make Arizona Elections Fair Act, would allow all registered voters to choose from all the candidates in the primary, regardless of their party affiliation, and the top vote-getters would advance to the general election, even if they don’t represent different parties. Moskowitz declined to consider the evidence of the duplicate signatures, citing a lack of time to evaluate them prior to the ballot-printing deadline. But the day before that deadline, the Arizona Supreme Court ordered him to reopen the case and determine whether there were enough duplicate signatures to disqualify Prop. 140.  The Arizona Supreme Court in that same ruling said that, if the trial court determines that Make Elections Fair did not collect enough signatures, Moskowitz should order elections officials not to count the votes for Prop. 140. In his ruling, Moskowitz agreed with Make Elections Fair, whose attorneys argued that an injunction against counting votes for Prop. 140 would be “moot,” considering the challenge is going well past the ballot printing deadline of Aug. 23. Previous rulings cited by the proponents showed that, despite there being no statutory requirement to resolve challenges before the deadline, many courts have erred on making sure to promptly decide cases due to that deadline.

Arkansas: A lawsuit filed last week claims Crittenden County election officials have failed to prepare early voting in West Memphis despite having established polling sites. Filed Sept. 19 in circuit court on behalf of two West Memphis residents who intend to vote early, Shirley Brown and Lavonda Taylor, the lawsuit alleges the three members of the Crittenden County Board of Election Commissioners are not seeking poll workers, preparing election materials and conducting other duties to facilitate early voting. The petition claims election commissioners have determined there should be no early voting in West Memphis, despite two sites the plaintiffs argue should be active: One at First Baptist Church because it served as a polling site two years ago and one at the Seventh Street Church of Christ because the county clerk designated it as such. West Memphis is Crittenden County’s largest city with approximately 23,000 residents, about 48% of the county’s total population. Without a polling site, West Memphis residents would have to travel about five miles to the county’s only guaranteed early voting site in Marion.Circuit Judge Chris Thyer heard testimony in Craighead County on Monday because of scheduling conflicts in Crittenden County. A second hearing is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in Marion. The case is being heard at an expedited pace because of its potential impact on the Nov. 5 election. The lawsuit seeks early voting access at the two churches in West Memphis, which county election officials would organize. The petition also asks the judge to “declare that the Crittenden County Board of Election Commissioners’ determination that no early voting will be held in West Memphis is unlawful.” Crittenden County Circuit Court Judge Chris Thyer, in closing statements to attorneys on both sides of a case arguing whether election officials should be required to offer early voting in West Memphis, asked that one or both of the lawyers submit an appeal and take the case to the state’s highest court. “Take this thing up so the Supreme Court can tell us what these statutes mean, because Lord knows I can’t tell exactly what they mean,” Thyer said.

Florida: The Florida Supreme Court will  consider whether a statewide prosecutor can pursue charges against an individual arrested by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ election police force. Following a split opinion at the appellate court level, the Florida Supreme Court agreed to take up an appeal. A court order deemed the question of whether a statewide prosecutor can prosecute voter fraud cases if a ballot is cast in a statewide election is a matter of “great public importance.” In 2022, an election police force arrested 20 individuals under investigation by a new Office of Election Crimes. The arrests drew criticism as many individuals claimed to believe their right to vote had been restored after voters approved a constitutional amendment automatically allowing ex-felons to register after the completion of their sentences and once any financial obligations with the state were met.

Georgia: The Georgia State Conference of the NAACP and the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda filed suit in federal court, arguing that a law passed earlier this year by lawmakers unfairly discriminates against homeless people and voters registered at nonresidential addresses. State Senate Ethics Committee Max Burns, a Republican from Sylvania, said he’s confident Senate Bill 189, which partly took effect in July, will hold up in court. “The legal challenges to SB 189 were anticipated. It was crafted with the intent to withstand any such challenges, and we are confident that the state’s position will prevail, ensuring SB 189 remains the law of the land,” Burns, who sponsored the law, said in a statement. Part of the law lets people file legal challenges to the eligibility of voters registered at nonresidential addresses. County election boards decide whether to reject the challenge or uphold it. Supporters of the law argue many people are incorrectly registered at business addresses or even in empty lots instead of where they live. That means someone may be voting in the wrong precinct and the wrong local government and state legislative elections. 

State Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes of Duluth; Randal Mangham, a former state representative now running for the Senate; and Cathy Woolard, a former chair of the Fulton County Board of Elections filed a lawsuit to force Gov. Brian Kemp to order a hearing on allegations that three Republican members of the State Election Board violated the law. The lawsuit claims the three “rogue” SEB members have pushed through a series of controversial changes in election rules that will let local election officials delay or refuse to certify election results. The Democrats say that could sow chaos and uncertainty following the Nov. 5 elections and let former President Donald Trump capture Georgia’s 16 electoral votes, even if Vice President Kamala Harris has won more of the state’s popular vote. The lawsuit filed Wednesday came two days after those same board members voted to instruct SEB Executive Director Mike Coan to investigate allegations that local election boards in eight mostly Democrat-led counties, including Athens-Clarke and Chatham, are thwarting citizen activists’ challenges of thousands of voter registrations, and one day after civil rights groups filed a suit challenging a new state law making it easier to mount such challenges.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia has settled with the Cobb County Board of Elections to improve accessibility at polling sites. The agreement follows an eight-year review, from 2016 to 2024, which identified physical barriers at many voting locations that made it difficult for people with disabilities to vote in person. Officials did not release the settlement amount, but as part of the agreement, Cobb County has agreed to make temporary improvements to ensure polling sites are accessible by the November 2024 general election.  According to a release, the Board of Elections will also conduct a thorough review of all current polling locations to ensure they comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Additionally, the Board of Elections will work to ensure that any future polling places are fully ADA-compliant. “Voting is a fundamental right and a key part of our democracy. Every person, including those with disabilities, should have an equal opportunity to vote in person on Election Day,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan emphasized. Cobb County has committed to training poll workers to assist voters with disabilities and use temporary measures to improve access on Election Day. 

Mississippi: A panel of federal judges heard arguments this week in a case that could upend the rules for counting a sliver of mail ballots in Mississippi just weeks before Election Day, with possible ramifications for all states. At issue is a Mississippi law that allows mail ballots to be counted if they arrive up to five days after Election Day and are postmarked by Election Day or earlier. Seventeen other states and Washington, D.C., have laws allowing postmarked mail ballots to be counted if they arrive after Election Day, according to the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures. Mississippi is a reliably Republican state that will not sway the presidential election. But the challenge to its law could ultimately make its way to the Supreme Court for a decision that affects the options available to all states. Such a ruling would have significant implications for the presidential race, as well as some closely fought congressional contests. The RNC brought its lawsuit over the Mississippi law in January, arguing elections must be completed by Election Day because Congress has set a specific day for the election. A district court upheld Mississippi’s law in July, finding that Congress has not regulated mail ballots and has left states with “the authority and the constitutional charge to establish their lawful time, place, and manner boundaries.” The RNC, joined by the Libertarian Party of Mississippi, appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. The three judges who heard arguments Tuesday — all appointed by former president Donald Trump — asked probing questions about the history of voting laws and the definitions of “Election Day” and “casting” ballots.

Nevada: A conservative organization filed a lawsuit in Carson City against two Nevada counties that it alleges failed to process the organization’s challenges of registered voters believed to have moved from the counties. Citizen Outreach Foundation, a libertarian-leaning grassroots organization based in Las Vegas, filed lawsuits against Carson City and Storey County clerks and is asking the court to instruct them to process challenges of suspected ineligible voters. “This was a last resort action we’ve worked hard to avoid,” Chuck Muth, president of the Citizen Outreach Foundation, said in a statement. “We’ve done everything by the book and according to the law, but the Clerks got caught between a rock and a hard place.” The lawsuit filed September 20 is the start of what the organization expects will be multiple lawsuits filed this week in other counties — including Clark and Washoe. The secretary of state’s office declined to comment but pointed to a Sept. 11 press release in which Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar explained counties’ list maintenance efforts, which resulted in clerks canceling registrations of nearly 140,000 inactive voters during the maintenance period. “County election officials have worked hard to update and clean the voter rolls, a process that is ongoing and crucial to Nevada’s safe and secure elections,” Aguilar said in the release.

New York: A jury has acquitted three Rensselaer County officials accused of committing ballot fraud during the 2021 election cycle. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Richard Crist, James Gordon and Leslie Wallace were acquitted Wednesday on all charges after a 13-day trial. The three were indicted last year, accused of conspiring to violate the rights of Rensselaer County voters. Prosecutors alleged that during local elections, the defendants “conspired to use their official positions, and actual and apparent authority over Rensselaer County employees, to obtain absentee ballots in voters’ names through fraud and intimidation.” Gordon was also found not guilty of witness tampering while Wallace was found not guilty of making false statements.

North Carolina: Wake County Superior Judge Keith Gregory denied the North Carolina Republican Party’s request for a temporary restraining order aimed at blocking UNC-Chapel Hill students from using a school-issued digital photo ID for voting. Students and employees at UNC-Chapel Hill use the school’s One Card to pay for meals, obtain school supplies and for campus-building access. Increasingly, the university is moving away from issuing its One Card in physical form and getting students to store the photo-bearing ID in digital form on their phones. Accordingly, the university asked the North Carolina State Board of Elections to approve the mobile One Card as a form of voter photo ID. Last month, the elections board’s Democratic majority — over the objections of its two Republican members — concluded the digital ID satisfied the statutory criteria for valid photo ID. Then, last week, the North Carolina GOP, along with the National Republican Committee, sued, claiming the elections board violated the state’s voter ID law, which lists several types of cards, such as a North Carolina Driver’s License, among the acceptable forms of ID. Gregory sided with the elections board and said he wasn’t going to get in the way of duly registered voters presenting valid IDs to cast their ballots. Gregory said that if an appellate court wants to overrule him, then so be it. But to him, it is clear that if a person is not registered to vote in North Carolina, then they can’t vote, even with a mobile One Card.

Pennsylvania: The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center are trying again to get the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to conclusively decide whether voters need to date their mail ballot return envelope in order for their vote to be counted, likely the last chance to settle the question before the November election. After the court rebuffed the plaintiffs on jurisdictional grounds in a decision earlier this month, plaintiffs asked the high court to exercise its authority to bypass the lower courts to directly address pressing legal matters. Because the court previously did not rule on the merits of the case, the organizations, suing on behalf of a coalition of voting rights groups, are again arguing that the dating requirement violates the state constitution. “The refusal to count timely mail ballots submitted by eligible voters because of an inconsequential error violates the fundamental right to vote recognized in the Free and Equal Elections clause,” the suit says. “The imminent threat of mass disenfranchisement warrants this Court’s exercise of its King’s Bench authority.” According to Votebeat, it is unclear if the court will use its discretionary power to take up the case, but at least three of the court’s seven judges indicated they were open to such a move.

In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the Commonwealth Court agreed with a lower court judge that Washington County erred when it adopted a policy to reject mail ballots without telling voters and had a duty to inform them of their errors. “The current policy emasculates the Election Code’s guarantees by depriving voters … the opportunity to contest their disqualification or to avail themselves of the statutory failsafe of casting a provisional ballot,” Judge Michael Wojcik wrote for the majority. The decision applies to Washington County and does not set a statewide legal precedent, but county attorneys are likely to take note of the court’s opinion when advising their boards of elections about how to handle mail ballots with errors. The decision can be appealed to the state Supreme Court, where a ruling would have statewide effect. The case was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Public Interest Law Center on behalf of voting rights groups and voters whose ballots were rejected under the policy.

The Republican Party is asking the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to find it illegal for county boards of elections to alert voters to defective mail-in ballots and give them the chance to correct errors. Voters’ rights groups called the petition filed Wednesday by the Republican National Committee and state Republican Party “a brazen voter suppression lawsuit.” “This effort is a very dangerous attempt to needlessly disenfranchise tens of thousands of eligible voters in the upcoming election,” Witold “Vic” Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, said September 19. But the petitioners wholly disagreed. “The idea that widely supported election integrity safeguards somehow constitute ‘voter suppression’ is a far-left conspiracy theory.” said Gates McGavick, senior advisor to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley. The GOP filed the petition against Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt and all 67 county boards of elections. It asks the high court to exercise its King’s Bench authority and take the case immediately, bypassing lower courts. Doing so, the Republicans said, would ensure clarity and uniformity across the battleground state just 47 days before Pennsylvanians are expected to play an outsize role in the presidential election. The Republicans allege that the way mail-in ballots are handled in Pennsylvania is “causing confusion for electors and threaten(s) to unleash disuniformity, uncertainty, chaos and an erosion of public confidence in the imminent 2024 general election.”

The Republican National Committee (RNC) filed a lawsuit on September 20 against election officials in Montgomery County accusing the county of starting their election process without fully testing voting equipment. Per state law, each Pennsylvania county is required to conduct logic and accuracy testing before every election begins. That includes ensuring that all the election and voting equipment function as they should and can accurately count votes, as they’re supposed to be marked. Pennsylvania law requires every county board to certify to the secretary of state when logic and accuracy testing has been completed, at least 15 days before the election. According to the lawsuit, the RNC claims that, as of Sept. 13, Montgomery County officials hadn’t yet certified their logic and accuracy testing of the county’s voting machines. On Sept. 16, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt (D) finalized the names that will appear on the November general election ballot, officially certifying the ballot and effectively kicking the election process into motion. And on Sept. 17, Montgomery County election officials began mailing out ballots. But the RNC claims that Montgomery County’s logic and accuracy testing wasn’t completed by that time, violating state law.  In a motion for a preliminary injunction, the RNC is asking a district court to halt Montgomery County from sending out any ballots until logic and accuracy testing is complete. They’re also asking the court to order the county to separate and hand count all ballots that were sent out before testing.

Philip C. Pulley of Huntingdon Valley pleaded guilty to falsely registering to vote, double voting and election fraud. He faces a maximum of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $10,000 to $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Federal prosecutors said Pulley registered to vote in Broward County, Florida, in 2018 while he was already registered in Montgomery County. Then, in 2020, Pulley used a false Philadelphia address and Social Security number to register to vote in Philadelphia County while he was still registered in Montgomery and Broward. Federal prosecutors said that in 2020, Pulley requested a mail-in ballot in Philadelphia and voted in Montgomery and Broward. Pulley also pleaded guilty to voting in Montgomery and Philadelphia counties in the 2022 general election.

Utah: The Utah Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling stating that certain election materials can not be obtained via government records requests. In an opinion published September 19, the court sided with a district court ruling that dismissed a lawsuit filed against Utah, Juab, and Millard Counties, as well as figures such as Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson. The case began in December 2021 when two Utahns submitted Government Records Access and Management Act requests to the three counties asking for “Cast Vote Records,” “Project Backup Databases,” “Ballot Images,” and “Tabulator Tapes.” In their GRAMA requests, they stated their intentions to share the documents publicly to the media, local officials and “several advocacy organizations.” The counties denied the requests, either directly, or by simply not responding, which is considered a denial under GRAMA. The ones that issued a denial stated the requested records were either sealed or not public. After the counties didn’t respond to subsequent appeals, the two Utahns filed a joint complaint, seeking a review of the denials and a preliminary injunction to “prevent destruction of the documents during the pendency of litigation.” The crux of their argument was that since Utah law did not restricts the documents by name, they were presumed to be public and therefore subject to GRAMA requests. The Lieutenant Governor’s office then filed a motion to intervene citing the Lieutenant Governor’s role as the “chief election officer of the State of Utah.” In the ruling, Judge Ryan Tenney outlined how ballots are processed in accordance with the Election Code. Ballots are tallied by election judges, a process that is open to the public at counting centers and may be observed by a voter who registers as a “watcher.” Votes are then canvassed, where they’ve been made official at county and state levels. This process is also held in public.

Virginia: A panel of judges in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond appeared sympathetic to the plaintiffs in a case challenging Virginia’s disenfranchisement of people with felony convictions.  After a federal district judge allowed the challenge to move forward earlier this year, alleging that Virginia has been out of compliance with a Reconstruction-era federal law, the 4th Circuit had a hearing on the state’s attempt to toss the case.  Deputy Solicitor General Kevin Gallagher, in defense of the state, said the “unique” and old federal statute “is not something that people are trying to enforce.”  Defendants include Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the Secretary of the Commonwealth — who was Kay Coles James when the suit was first filed — and several election officials. Tuesday’s hearing was part of their interlocutory appeal limited to whether Virginia is entitled to sovereign immunity — basically, whether or not the state and its agents can be found to have done wrong or not.  An interlocutory appeal is a type of appeal that can be filed while a case is active and before a final judgment. Neither the interlocutory appeal nor the Readmission Act case have been ruled on yet. And though the appeal was the point of Tuesday’s meeting, discussion veered into the Readmission case. “Our claim is that essentially, Virginia made a promise when it was brought back into the United States Congress. It’s now time to keep that promise and to abide by the Virginia Readmission Act,” said ACLU attorney Vishal Agraharkar in a call with The Mercury on Monday.  Meanwhile, the defendants’ filing argues that Congress lacks the power to prohibit states from disenfranchising people with felony convictions under the Fourteenth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution and that states could choose to permanently disenfranchise people with felonies of all types, not just those in common law.

Wisconsin:  The U.S. Department of Justice sued two Wisconsin towns for allegedly not having accessible voting equipment in the April election, seeking additional action against one of the towns as it appeared poised not to use that equipment in the November election, either. The Justice Department’s action came after officials in two Rusk County towns, Thornapple and Lawrence, voiced distrust of electronic voting equipment and later decided to ban the machines. The department additionally sued the state, which is subject to the requirements of a federal law requiring voting equipment that’s accessible to voters with disabilities in every polling place. “By failing to offer accessible voting systems, Thornapple and Lawrence shirked their responsibilities under the Help America Vote Act to provide equal access to the ballot for all voters,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. Officials in Lawrence, a town of 300, reached an agreement with the Justice Department, pledging to provide accessible voting equipment in future elections. But Thornapple, whom the Justice Department additionally accuses of not using voting machines in the August election, either, reached no such agreement with the department. As a result, the department requested an additional court order from a federal court in western Wisconsin to require Thornapple to have accessible voting equipment in the upcoming election, which is less than seven weeks away.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: Democracy | Last-minute election changes, II | Election night | Voter fraud myth | Swing state officials | Voting rights | Election lawyers | Misinformation | Noncitizen voting | Certification | Campus voting | U.S. Postal Service

Alaska: Ranked choice voting 

California: Ex-felon voting rights | Ranked choice voting

Colorado: Ranked choice voting 

Connecticut: Absentee voting 

Florida: St. Lucie County 

Georgia: Rulemaking, II 

Idaho: Disinformation | Ballot measure

Minnesota: Democracy 

Nevada: Democracy | Ranked choice voting | Voter ID

New Hampshire: Voter ID 

North Carolina: Absentee voting 

Ohio: Get out the vote 

Oregon: Automatic voter registration | Secretary of state

Pennsylvania: Drop boxes 

Texas: Voter fraud | Tarrant County | Election litigation | Noncitizens 

Utah: Native American voting rights

Upcoming Events

Working Together: Supporting the 2024 Elections through Federal Partnerships: Join the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for “Working Together: Supporting the 2024 Elections through Federal Partnerships” in the agency’s hearing room.  During this event, representatives from key federal agencies will discuss the ways they are working together to support local and state election officials as they prepare for the 2024 elections. This event will be held in person and live streamed on the EAC’s YouTube channel. When: September 26, 1pm-4pm Eastern. Where: Washington, DC and Online. 

Democracy Beyond Elections: Join New America’s Political Reform program, Columbia World Projects, and FIDE – North America on September 26th from 11 am to 12 pm EST for a panel discussion with international practitioners who have designed and implemented citizens’ assemblies at the local, regional, and national levels. This webinar will explore the unique promise and potential challenges of implementing citizens’ assemblies in the United States, exploring questions of how to amplify the voices and preferences of citizens in ways that go beyond the opportunities presented by elections and our current representative institutions. We will hear from Iain Walker, Executive Director at the newDemocracy Foundation; Kenza Occansey, Vice President of Citizen Participation at the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) in France; and Jonathan Moskovic, Advisor at Democratic Innovations. They will share their experiences using citizens’ assemblies as a tool to deepen democracy and strengthen citizen engagement across Europe and Australia. The discussion will be moderated by Hollie Russon Gilman, Senior Fellow at the Political Reform Program. When: September 26, 11am Eastern. Where: Online.

Managing Physical Safety, Operational Security and Conflict: Join The Elections Group at noon ET on Thursday, October 3 for a webinar focused on managing physical safety, operational security, and conflict. Join us as panelists share tips, tools and resources your office can implement today. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions and collect important information. When: October 3, 12pm Eastern. Where: Online. 

By the People, for the People: Election Integrity and the Conservative Legal Movement: Join The Heritage Foundation and the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy for a symposium on election law and the conservative legal movement. This symposium will bring together leading practitioners, academics, and public officials to discuss lawfare, election integrity, and the future of the conservative legal movement in this area. Throughout a day of engaging panels, these experts will dissect the most consequential legal issues shaping this election and the conservative movement. When: October 3. Where: Online

National Voter Education Week: National Voter Education Week (NVEW) is an open-source and nonpartisan campaign to help voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot. During this week of interactive education, voters have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and inspire others to get involved. NVEW strives to help voters overcome common barriers to become confident voters and ambassadors of voting in their own communities for every election. When: Oct. 7-11. Where: Everywhere. 

Finding Common Ground in Election Law: As we prepare for another fall semester, we’re excited to bring you a robust series of events on the 2024 Elections, Election Law, and the risks facing democracy in the U.S. Co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean, UCLA Law, this webinar will feature: Lisa Manheim (University of Washington School of Law), Derek T. Muller (Notre Dame Law School), and Richard L. Hasen (Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project, moderator). When: October 9, 3:15 pm Eastern. Where: Online. 

AI, Social Media, the Information Environment, and the 2024 Elections: As we prepare for another fall semester, we’re excited to bring you a robust series of events on the 2024 Elections, Election Law, and the risks facing democracy in the U.S.  Co-sponsored by the Institute for Technology, Law & Policy, UCLA Law, this webinar will feature: Danielle Citron (University of Virginia Law School), Brendan Nyhan (Dartmouth), Nate Persily (Stanford Law School). When: October 21, 3:15 pm Eastern. Where: Online

Vote Early Day: Vote Early Day is a nonpartisan movement of media companies, businesses, nonprofits, election administrators, and creatives working to ensure all Americans have the tools to vote early. Vote Early Day was founded by MTV as a new civic holiday focused on helping every voter know how, where, and when they can vote early. Launched in the midst of a global pandemic, Vote Early Day became a critical resource to ensure no voter had to choose between their health and casting their ballot. In its first celebration, Vote Early Day attracted 134 premier partners and 2,700 general partners from every state in the nation. Over 3,000,000 voters cast their ballots on Vote Early Day alone. When: October 29. Where: In states that allow early voting

Election Hero Day: Election Hero Day recognizes the important work and contributions of poll workers, election administrators, and clerks to ensure efficient and secure elections. Join business leaders, elected officials, nonprofit leaders, and citizens from around the country the day before Election Day to celebrate these heroes of our democracy. When: November 4. Where: Everywhere.

2024 Elections Summit: In an electoral landscape unlike any other, how can we harness this period of rapid change to support the Americans at the front lines of our democracy and build a more resilient electoral system for generations to come? Register and join BPC at our 2024 Elections Summit on Wednesday, December 4, to reflect on the state of U.S. elections with experts from across the country. Hear from practitioners, policymakers, thought leaders, and journalists, who will share lessons learned from 2024 and advance ideas to further strengthen and secure our democracy. This event is co-hosted by BPC and BPC Action and has been designed to meet Congressional Ethics guidelines for a widely attended event. When: December 4, 8am to 5pm Eastern. Where: Online and Washington, DC. 

Job Postings This Week

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

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. 

Deputy Elections Administrator, Yellowstone County, Montana – Specialized and responsible administrative work in the Yellowstone County Election office which provides and maintains election reporting management system, ensures polling places meet ADA requirements, maintains voting and tabulating machines, recruits, trains and certifies Election Judges, and assists in organizing and conducting elections in Yellowstone County to comply with State election laws and statutes, to include absentee, mail-in, and advance voting programs, assists with management and direction of voter registration activities, assists with obtaining private, Federal and State grants for ADA compliance needs, assists the Elections Administrator in ballot preparation; does related duties as required. Examples of Duties: Assist with traditional and social media updates, interviews and provide access to certain areas of the Election Management process; Test and maintain voting machines to insure reliable results on Election Day; Recruit, train & certify Election Judges; Coordinate and conduct in person and online training sessions for Chief and Provisional Judges; and Coordinate and conduct in person and online training sessions for Polling Place Managers. Salary: $49,645.44 – $58,406.40 Annually. 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 fulfillment. 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

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, Washoe County, Nevada– Under general direction of the County Manager, plans, organizes, directs and manages the operations of the Registrar of Voters Department; and performs related work as required. The Registrar of Voters plans, organizes, directs and manages the operations of the Registrar of Voters Department; plans, organizes and coordinates elections which includes hiring and training election staff, arranging for voting and training facilities, developing the election database, ensuring accuracy of data, printing ballots, purchasing, maintaining and repairing voting system hardware, ordering, preparing and distributing supplies, and performing all work required by election law. The Registrar of Voters serves as the face of the office and is frequently asked for media interviews and will provide updates and presentations to the Board of County Commissioners. Manages the day-to-day operations of the department; monitors all administrative functions to ensure policies and procedures are being adhered to, and that accurate records and files are maintained. Supervises and directs the maintenance of voter registration records in compliance with federal and state law. The Registrar of Voters works across many County Departments to secure election workers, coordinate technology, and secure adequate facilities. Supervise assigned staff, including interviewing and selecting staff; providing staff training in proper work methods and techniques; assigning and reviewing work; conducting performance evaluations. Develop and administer the department budget to include projecting future budget needs to maintain service requirements and meet changing statutory mandates; develop and implement Department policies and procedures and ensure compliance with Department and County policies and procedures. This is an Open Competitive/Countywide Promotional recruitment being conducted to fill a current full-time vacancy with the Registrar of Voters department. The list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur. Salary: $144,393.60 – $202,176.00 Annually.  Deadline: October 2. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Registrar of Voters, Juris Doctorate, Washoe County, Nevada — Under general direction of the County Manager, monitors changes in voting and elections at the state and federal level; plans, organizes, directs and manages the operations of the Registrar of Voters Department; and performs related work as required. The Registrar of Voters Juris Doctorate position  plans, organizes, directs and manages the operations of the Registrar of Voters Department; stays  informed of federal, state and local laws including changes related to elections and the voting process, changes at the Nevada Legislature; drafting and review of bill draft requests related to election process and voting and best practices; testifies  at the legislature on behalf of the county and on a national level; works with the Secretary of State’s Office and the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office to determine impact of changes to Washoe County and works with staff on the implementation process of the changes to ensure county compliance.  The Registrar of Voters Juris Doctorate serves as the face of the office and is frequently asked for media interviews and will provide updates and presentations to the Board of County Commissioners.  Manages requests for confidential election related records and equipment in the County’s custody and navigating complex public records requests from local and national media. Assist with identification, preparation, and response to potential AI threats. The Registrar of Voters works across many County Departments to secure election workers, coordinate technology, and secure adequate facilities. This is an Open Competitive/Countywide Promotional recruitment being conducted to fill a current full-time vacancy with the Registrar of Voters department. The list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur. Salary: $169,852.80 – $237,785.60 Annually. Deadline: October 2. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

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