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Election News This Week

Boston Election Administration: Following a problem-plagued 2024 election, Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin has ordered Boston to “overhaul” its election practices. The order also included findings from his office’s investigation into the reported shortages. Beyond the apparent ballot shortfalls, investigators said the city did not communicate clearly with workers in polling stations, which led to disenfranchising some voters. “A major problem that was evident was the inability of the Boston Election Department to directly communicate, in real time, with each voting precinct in order to determine and prioritize those locations that had run out of ballots or had an immediate need for additional ballots,” investigators wrote in the report. Boston election officials have said “human error” led to the shortfalls, which affected at least 14 polling locations during the November election according to a WBUR analysis. They also said they plan to send all ballots to the polling locations moving forward, rather than keeping some in reserve.

Galvin’s order outlined several areas to address, including:

1. Boston polling locations must be given “a number of ballots equal to the number of registered voters for that polling place,” before polls open for the day.
2. A plan to make sure city election workers and poll workers can communicate in real time during Election Day.
3. Designate a team of election officials to contact every polling location and collect information on “voter turnout, ballot supply status, voting machine issues and any other significant matters affecting the election.” That may include going to a polling location if workers can’t be reached otherwise.
4. Develop training for precinct wardens and poll workers.
5. Develop plans “concerning pre-election preparation, election day administration and post-election day issues.”

Galvin will also assign someone to review the city’s plan and monitor its implementation. That monitor will remain in place until the 2026 state elections, and could be extended if needed. Mayor Michelle Wu said the city will work with the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s plan to overhaul the city’s election department.

E-poll Book Certification: the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) announced the first federally certified electronic poll book during the agency’s public hearing on election technology. KNOWiNK’s Poll Pad 3.6 is the first to complete the EAC’s Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Program. The program was launched in 2024 to evaluate and test the security, accessibility, and usability of electronic poll books across the country and is part of the EAC’s Election Supporting Technology Evaluation Program (ESTEP). Electronic poll books, designed to replace paper poll lists accessing digital voter registration records on a laptop or tablet, are a significant shift in how election officials serve their voters with 84% of jurisdictions across the country now utilizing electronic poll books. Chairman Ben Hovland, Vice Chair Donald Palmer, Commissioner Thomas Hicks, and Commissioner Christy McCormick issued the following joint statement: “After years of working with election officials, manufacturers, and test laboratories to develop the Voluntary Electronic Poll Book Certification Program, it is a significant achievement to announce the first federally certified electronic poll book. The demand for national testing of election supporting technology has been repeatedly affirmed by numerous stakeholders, including the Congress, which highlighted the necessity for modern, secure, and reliable election systems. We hope manufacturers and states will participate in the certification program and implement these standards. This is an important moment for the EAC and for the evolving future of election technology.” The EAC issued this certification on February 18, the day before the agency’s public meeting, “Case Studies on the New Initiatives in the EAC’s Election Technology Division.” KNOWiNK Chief Strategy Officer Steele Shippy was at the meeting to discuss the manufacturer’s experience going through the certification program. He was joined on a panel by Mike Santos, Voting System Test Lab Director of SLI Compliance, and Elizabeth Beatrice, an EAC Election Technology Specialist who leads the electronic poll book testing efforts under ESTEP Director Jay Phelps.

Automatic For the People: This week, Oregon’s Motor Vehicle Services Division once again began automatically registering people to vote. The program had been paused since October after state officials learned more than 1,600 people who might not have been U.S. citizens were wrongly registered to vote. According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, since 2016, the state Motor Vehicle Services Division has sent information to the Secretary of State’s Office each time someone with a U.S. passport or birth certificate gets or renews a driver’s license or state ID so that person can be registered to vote. Gov. Tina Kotek ordered a temporary stop to that program in October, after learning that DMV errors led to people who presented foreign birth certificates or passports wrongly being registered to vote. Another error involved about 300 people from the U.S. territories of American Samoa and Swains Island, who have U.S. passports but are not U.S. citizens and can’t vote in most elections. Following monthly reviews showing no further errors at the DMV since November and the release of a data integrity report from the audit firm Deloitte, Kotek decided to resume automatic voter registration.  “Oregon’s electoral system is one of the most secure, effective, and accessible in the nation. Even so, any error that undermines that system or Oregonians’ confidence in that system must be taken incredibly seriously and urgently addressed,” Kotek said. “After reforms at the DMV and multiple months showing a good bill of data health, it is time to restart Oregon’s Motor Voter program.”

Data Sharing: The voter registration data of Louisiana residents will be shared with officials in Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi as part of an agreement to search for duplicate registrations on the voter rolls. Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry, a Republican, announced the data sharing agreement this week as a way to keep the state’s voter list up-to-date. “Election integrity is my highest priority as Louisiana’s Secretary of State,” Landry said. “These agreements underscore how focused my office is on maintaining safe and secure elections, while also safeguarding voters’ sensitive data.” According to the Lousiana Illuminator, Landry’s office now has a patchwork of similar agreements with only Republican states to try to replace the voter roll checks that were previously done under ERIC. Louisiana withdrew from ERIC in 2022 as part of an election-denial campaign that grew from President Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.

Personnel News: Melissa Augustine has joined the Medina County, Ohio board of elections. Billy Cloud has been chosen to serve as the new Cochise County, Arizona recorder. Northborough, Massachusetts Town Clerk Andy Dowd is retiring after 21 years on the job. Former West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner now leads the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights division. Alabama Auditor Andrew Sorrell announced he is running for secretary of state in the 2026 election. Juneau, Alaska City Clerk Beth McEwen announced she is retiring after a nearly 30-year career with the city. Christine Boyle has joined the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania board of elections.

New Research and Recources

Foreign Information Manipulation:  US adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran are refining their information tools and tactics to better target individuals and exacerbate divisions within the United States to destabilize the country at home and weaken it on the world stage. These nation states are increasingly exploiting domestic actors to launder and manipulate content that originates in Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran and ultimately reaches American audiences who have no way of knowing they are on the receiving end of foreign information operations. They are also experimenting with generative artificial intelligence (AI), which, according to the US intelligence community, has allowed nation-state actors to “improve and accelerate” their operations, potentially enabling them to reach more Americans with more targeted content. Adversaries understand that state and local governments and communities are foundational to the strength of American democracy, so it is no surprise that they have targeted individuals and issues at the local level. In some cases, adversarial nations seek favorable outcomes around local policy issues; in others, they use local debates as Trojan horses to advance their broader geopolitical agendas. In others still, they attempt to influence views on the integrity of US elections and institutions or disenfranchise American citizens in specific communities to destabilize and erode trust in American democracy. But in all cases, American democratic discourse and the country’s information space—messy as they can sometimes be—are being used as primary vectors to advance foreign interests. If Americans lack that understanding, their communities—and the country—are left vulnerable. The State(s)of Foreign Information Operations: A State-by-State Look at Foreign Information Manipulation in the United States from the Alliance for Securing Democracy outlines an example of a foreign information operation targeting each of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia. Each case study indicates the foreign threat actor (if known) and explains the tools, tactics, and motivations for targeting Americans at the state and local level.

Ballot Measures, Legislation & Rulemaking

Florida: Rep. Michele Rayner (D-Tampa Bay) has introduced HB 727, titled the “Public Resource Election Neutrality Act,” would ban any state department or agency from producing, disseminating, or funding any public service announcement (PSA) related to a statewide ballot initiative. The Florida Commission on Ethics “may” investigate complaints of violations of the law. All state agencies would also have to maintain records of PSAs produced or funded during the 12 months preceding a general election and make the records available to the public. Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appears intent on pushing legislation that would make it harder for citizen-led initiatives to get on the statewide ballot by placing restrictions on how the signature petition process works. The Florida Department of State produced a report last fall alleging that the group behind Amendment 4, Floridians Protecting Freedom, was guilty of “widespread election fraud,” and was slapped with a $328,000 fine that the group ultimately paid. “The petition fraud, and making sure that that is reformed so that this process doesn’t run amok, is something that’s very important,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Tallahassee on Wednesday. “I absolutely think you’ll see the speaker and the president of the senate work towards enacting really strong reforms in that respect, I do think that that’s something that’s very important. We gotta get that done.” Meanwhile, Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) also filed a bill on Wednesday that would reduce the threshold to pass constitutional amendments in Florida from 60% to 50%.

Bradenton Beach, Florida: City com­missioners have approved a resolution urging the Florida Legislature to provide a public records exemption protecting the personal information of municipal clerks and employees who perform election work. “This is being asked of all the cities to adopt by the Institute of Municipal Clerks,” City Clerk Terri Sanclemente said at a Feb. 20 city commission meeting. “There have been too many attacks on clerks and others who have to deal with elec­tions. And that is why they’re asking each city in Florida to adopt this resolution so that they can take it to the Legislature and ask for changes.” Commissioner Deborah Scaccianoce clarified that the exemption protects clerks’ personal information such as addresses and telephone numbers. “Public officials are very often attacked and they’re attacked at their homes and this protects them, their home, their children and fam­ily members from being physically attacked and emotionally attacked and harassed,” Scaccianoce said. “Just like police officers and firemen. They just want to add clerks to that and election workers.” The resolution will go into effect if the Legislature passes a parallel law.

Idaho: A bill that sought to end no-excuse absentee voting for most Idahoans failed to advance out of the Idaho Legislature’s House State Affairs Committee this week. House Bill 139 isn’t officially dead.  But the bill failed to advance after separate motions – one to advance the bill and another to hold the bill –  both failed on rare tie votes. Idaho currently allows no-excuse absentee voting, which means any registered voter can request and cast an absentee ballot for any reason. About 15% of Idaho voters vote by absentee ballot, Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane said. During the most recent 2024 general election, 182,000 Idahoans voted by absentee ballot, McGrane said. Under House Bill 139, Idahoans would only be able to vote by absentee ballot if they were 65 or older, serving in the armed forces, serving a religious mission, have an illness, disability or hospitalization, have to work or attend university, are occupying a second home outside of the county where they are registered to vote, or if they live in a precinct that only allows mailed ballots. Rep. Joe Alfieri, R-Coeur d’Alene, sponsored the bill.

Indiana: Senators killed two election proposals and significantly scaled back a third after letting the trio languish on the chamber’s daily calendar for more than two weeks. Legislation slashing early in-person voting days and closing primary elections to unaffiliated voters garnered mixed committee testimony in early February before moving to the Senate for consideration. But both died quietly on Wednesday when their authors declined to call them down before a key deadline. Numerous amendments had been filed on both of the bills. Hoosier voters can currently cast ballots in person for 28 days ahead of elections. Sen. Gary Byrne’s Senate Bill 284 would’ve cut that timeframe to two weeks. Senate Bill 201 would have added text to voter registration forms asking Hoosiers to choose their political parties and warning that affiliation is required to vote in a primary election. It also would’ve required county election officials to affiliate registered voters with either the Democratic or Republican Party based on their last primary election votes, and would’ve created a way for voters to change their affiliations. Legislation moving municipal elections to the same even-numbered years as presidential elections got major edits Wednesday. Senators accepted an amendment limiting Senate Bill 355‘s changes to towns — minus the 200-person town of Vernon. Legislative bodies for towns of more than 10,000 residents could vote to opt out and keep their elections on odd-numbered years, while city councils could vote to opt into the change.

Kansas: Lawmakers are considering a bill that would consolidate special elections, requiring all of them to be held on the first Tuesday in March. The aim is to reduce costs and simplify scheduling. Senate Bill 273, currently under consideration, has garnered support from local officials, including Sedgwick County Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater, who says consolidating elections would save both time and money. If passed, the bill would eliminate the need for separate special elections throughout the year and instead set a single date for all future special elections. Opponents of the bill argue that consolidating elections could limit local control, particularly for school districts and municipalities, by forcing them to wait for the next available election date if urgent issues arise. Supporters believe the bill will reduce election-related expenses and create a more predictable voting schedule, but the debate continues as the bill moves through the legislature. SB 273 could take effect next year if passed.

Michigan Ballot Measure: A new ballot initiative is in the works to bring ranked-choice voting to Michigan., The grassroots group, which labels itself nonpartisan, plans to start circulating petitions in May, aiming to collect over 611,000 signatures in 180 days to put a constitutional amendment before Michigan voters in 2026. Exact details haven’t been released yet, but the proposal is expected to make the state switch to using ranked-choice voting for various state and federal offices and let municipalities implement ranked-choice voting locally if they want for local races, Christian Potts, an organizer with Rank MI Vote said. “Five cities in the state of Michigan have already passed ranked-choice voting reforms: Ann Arbor, Royal Oak, East Lansing, Kalamazoo and Ferndale,” he said. “Ferndale has had it on the books for 21 years now, hasn’t been able to use it. Our amendment immediately will allow those cities to start using it, and then any other city that wants to use it as well.” Rank MI Vote is expected to announce more details about its initiative in the coming weeks, but Potts said in general they’re looking to apply ranked-choice voting to races such as state House and Senate, governor, secretary of state, attorney general, Congress and president. 

Minnesota: Rep. Jim Nash (R-Waconia) is sponsoring HF931, which would require a statement on any mailing sent on behalf of a committee or private organization that includes an absentee ballot application or a sample ballot. The statement must clarify that it’s not an official government communication, that the application or sample ballot hasn’t been included at the request of a government official and that a sample ballot isn’t an official ballot that can be cast by the voter. The House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee approved the bill on a voice vote Wednesday and sent it to the House Floor. The different mailings often result in confusion and sometimes anger among voters, according to Michael Stalberger, the elections administrator for Blue Earth County. County election workers are often overwhelmed with calls and questions during elections – their busiest time of the year. “This is really rooted in the idea of making it very, very clear that the thing you’re getting in the mail is just a request from an organization that can send these out to make sure you’re getting your absentee ballot,” Nash said.

Missouri: Sen. Jamie Burger, R-Benton has introduced a bill that would create the offense of tampering with an election official. Tampering includes such things as harassment, intimidation, attempting to influence or pressure, and spreading personal information of the election official or their family. Burger said his bill is about protecting poll workers. “I think that we have to make sure that poll workers are protected,” he told Missourinet. “There’s so many people that get aggravated when they come to vote at a certain precinct or polling place and find out that the polling place has been moved. They no longer can vote there, and they just get agitated.” Burger said that he’s heard from county clerks concerned about poll worker retention. Under the bill, being charged with tampering with an election official could land suspects up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Nebraska: About 50 percent of Douglas County voters choose to vote by mail, and on average, 75 percent of all ballots are returned in secure drop boxes located across the county. Election Commissioner Brian Kruse told members of the Douglas County Board that, if passed, LB 541 would change the way Nebraskans vote, eliminating online voter registration, restricting registration by mail, and requiring voters to give a reason for voting early. “There’s only three state in the nation where you have to have an excuse [to vote early]: Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire,” Kruse said. “And Mississippi has some legislation now to eliminate that. I also think it’s worth pointing out that both major candidates from both political parties for president not only embraces early voting, but ran campaigns that they spent millions on to get their voters out to vote early across the nation.” Kruse also mentioned that reducing the number of early voting days like LB 541 suggests is basically an unfunded mandate. “If we were to move from 35 [days] to 22, you have to do the same amount of work in a lot less days,” Kruse said. “We estimate that for last fall’s election, we would have had to hire 22 additional employees. It would have been in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.” Other provisions in the bill would require hand-counting of ballots to combat voter fraud, which Kruse says is not a serious problem in Nebraska. “I think the bottom-line to this bill is what problems we are solving, and I don’t think there’s any question that its taking a lot of rights away from voters,” Kruse said.

Nevada: A proposal being considered in the Nevada Legislature that calls for election workers to be charged with a felony for failing to perform tasks in a timely manner has received pushback from those staffers tasked with running elections. Senate Bill 100 comes from state Sen. Skip Daly, a Washoe County Democrat, who told the Sun he was working with counties and city clerks to answer concerns they expressed during a hearing late Tuesday for the proposal. The feedback, he says, could be used in retooling the bill. “They weren’t really coming in and saying, ‘This is 100% horrible, and it’s just a power grab’ and all that stuff,” Daly told the Sun. “They’re saying, ‘Hey, if you’re going to do this, these are our concerns, and can we clear some of those issues up?’ So, we want to work with them on that bill.” Nevada law mandates that any officer or other person tasked with election responsibilities who “willfully neglects” their duty or “willfully performs” it in a way that works against state laws is guilty of a category E felony and eligible for one to four years in prison. Daly’s legislation would expand that definition and make it so that a person with election responsibilities who fails to perform their tasks “in a timely manner by the applicable deadline” is also eligible for a felony charge. Daly called his legislation “an accountability measure,” inspired by two instances in Washoe County where he said the county was at risk of not timely processing the necessary steps to complete the 2024 election. The proposal calls for county or city election officials to notify the secretary of state and attorney general if they cannot perform their obligation by mandated deadlines. The bill would allow for the individual to be relieved from their duties if the secretary of state chooses to petition the district court.

Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D-Las Vegas) is proposing a bill to add ballot drop boxes across the state between the end of early voting and Election Day — a three-day period during which most other voting opportunities available to Nevadans are unavailable. The proposal, expected to be formally introduced this week, would require the addition of at least 10 drop boxes in Clark County and five in Washoe County, as well as give rural counties the opportunity to add, but not mandate, additional ballot drop boxes after the end of the state’s two-week early voting period. In a statement, Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar told The Indy that he supported the legislation for its potential to decrease the logjam of ballots received on Election Day.

New Jersey: The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill to extend in-person early voting from three days to seven days of voting. State Sen. Brian P. Stack (D-Union City), an early-voting aficionado, sponsored the legislation.  Early voting in New Jersey took off in 2024, with 1,172,842 early votes cast at polling locations before Election Day; 27% of all votes cast were early, in-person. That number eclipsed the 860,586 vote-by-mail ballots. New Jerseyans cast 50.3% of the votes on November 5 in an election that produced a 64.7% turnout. The bill appropriates $6 million to extend early voting. An earlier version of the bill would have extended early voting to 10 days, but it was amended Feb. 20.

New Mexico: A proposed amendment to the New Mexico Constitution that would extend the right to vote to people incarcerated in state prisons passed its first legislative hurdle on Wednesday. The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee voted 5-3 along party lines in favor of House Joint Resolution 10, with Republicans in opposition. HJR 10 would ask New Mexico voters to amend the State Constitution to remove criminal conviction for a felony as a constitutional restriction on eligibility to register to vote. Sponsor Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Albuquerque) said HJR10 would affirm New Mexicans’ right to participate in democracy. Her expert witness, Selinda Guerrero with Millions for Prisoners New Mexico, said HJR 10 would fulfill the promise of the 15th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color or previous condition of servitude.

North Dakota: Two bills that would have reshaped how candidates get on the North Dakota ballot failed in the House this week. House Bill 1446, sponsored by Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, would have eliminated the option of getting on the ballot through a political endorsement. Instead, candidates for statewide and legislative offices would be required to gather signatures to get on the primary or general election ballot.  Currently, candidates can get on the ballot through either a political endorsement or by gathering signatures. However, several incumbent lawmakers skipped district endorsing conventions last year, citing concerns about the process. And two candidates endorsed at the Republican Party state convention went on to lose in the primary. Under the proposal, legislative candidates would be required to obtain signatures for 1% of the district’s total population, about 167, while statewide office holders would need to acquire 2,000 signatures. Nathe’s bill failed on a 58-32 vote. House Bill 1424, sponsored by Koppelman, would have required candidates to obtain a political party’s endorsement. Candidates who submit signatures to get on the ballot could not have a political party next to their name. Koppelman’s bill failed on an 86-3 vote. Senate Bill 2252, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Walen, R-New Town, also would have prohibited ballot access to the primary election for candidates not endorsed by a political party. Walen’s bill failed on the Senate floor Monday on a 41-6 vote.

Ohio: The latest version of House Bill 54, the biennial transportation budget includes a provision making voter registration at Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices more stringent by requiring proof of U.S. citizenship. Ohio residents can register to vote in-person at BMV registrars—in addition to county boards of elections, public libraries and other public agency offices. In 2023, BMVs statewide registered more than 190,000 new voters, according to agency data. Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) said Wednesday he would back the idea because he believes “even one case of voter fraud is too many.” Voting rights advocates, alongside some Democrats, have been opponents before of similar proof of citizenship mandates that started materializing last year. As amended, HB 54 proposes requiring further data sharing between the BMV and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, too, so LaRose’s office could check the voter rolls with BMV statewide statistics monthly rather than annually for noncitizens. Voter fraud is rare, and in Ohio, noncitizens can’t vote legally. Ohioans reaffirmed that in 2022 when they ratified Issue 2, a statewide ballot measure that codified a ban on noncitizen participation in local elections. The House Finance Committee voted unanimously this week to forward the spending plan for maintaining what Ohio has and building out what it does not to the full House. The unanimous vote reflected, in part, the removal of controversial language that would have required Bureau of Motor Vehicles registrars to demand proof of citizenship of their customers before offering them the chance to register to vote. Instead, the language simply prohibits registrars from making that offer when they can see in their own records that the customer is not a citizen.

Oklahoma: A series of bills that would alter voting procedures have advanced in Oklahoma’s legislative process. Since the start of the legislative session on Feb. 3, the House Elections and Ethics Committee has taken action on various bills, moving them onto oversight committees. House Bill 1515, by Rep. Molly Jenkins, R-Coyle, eked out of the committee by a 4-3 vote. If passed into law, it would require voters casting their ballots through the mail to state a reason why they could not vote in person, whether that be during early voting or on election day. House Bill 1010, also by Jenkins, advanced out of the committee by a vote of 5-1. The bill seeks to dissuade state party delegates from selecting a presidential candidate other than the winner of the state’s primary election. If passed, it would require the Secretary of the State Election Board to calculate the cost of including the primary-winning candidate on the ballot and then charge that amount to a state party that did not nominate said candidate. House Bill 1007, by Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, passed the Government Oversight Committee on a 5-1 vote. It bars the use of student IDs as identification when voting. When introducing his bill to the committee, Olsen said university students can obtain IDs without being U.S. citizens. He worries that allowing the use of school IDs to vote would lead to noncitizen voting. He said that he wasn’t aware of any prior instances of voter fraud related to student IDs but that he feels Oklahomans would welcome measures designed to prevent this from happening in the future. House Bill 2191 by Reps. Max Wolfley, R-OKC, and Eric Roberts, R-OKC, also sailed through the committee on a 5-1 vote. It would require notaries who have been approved to notarize more than 20 mail-in ballots for any given election to submit their logs for those elections. It would charge a $500 fine to those who did not, as well as suspend their notary appointment for eight years. The same penalties would apply to notaries who exceeded the ballot limit. Although the limit on notarizing mail-in ballots has been in place for over a decade, notaries have not been required to turn in logs before. House Bill 2106, by Reps. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond, and Dell Kirbs, R-Shawnee, would alter Oklahoma’s election schedule so that there are only five elections in any given year. For the 2025 calendar year, Oklahoma currently has one election scheduled per month, a total of twelve. The bill once again passed through the committee on a 5-1 vote.

South Carolina: Rep. Weston Newton (R- District 120) has introduced election reform legislation. Under Newton’s bill, the State Election Commission would be in charge of managing third-party voter registration groups and would have the ability to fine organizations if they do not follow proper voter registration deadlines and rules. The bill also increases the penalties for someone being dishonest and filling out another person’s voter registration form. The punishment is currently a misdemeanor with a maximum of three years in prison. “Would this make it tougher or potentially discourage those civically engaged 18- and 19-year-old citizens we have that may be in a fraternity or sorority on their college campus from actually getting excited about. .. pushing their colleagues in college to vote and is in is that a good or a bad thing if it discourages,” Rep. Justin Bamberg (D- District 90) said. 

South Dakota: Senate Bill 164 targets a narrow class of deepfakes, a term tied to phony images, audio or video of a person that are manipulated, typically with artificial intelligence programs, to appear real. The bill would require labels on deepfakes depicting candidates that appear within 90 days of an election “with the intent to injure” the depicted candidate. People who disseminate or contract with another to disseminate such an unlabeled deepfake within the 90-day window would be subject to a class one misdemeanor, which carries up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. They could also be subject to civil liability.  The law would apply to the person or people who make deepfakes to deceive. It wouldn’t apply to satire deepfakes, or to broadcasters and websites paid to run deepfakes, or to internet service providers that might host them. The bill’s sponsor, Sioux Falls Democratic Sen. Liz Larson, told the Senate State Affairs Committee that political deepfakes created with artificial intelligence “can erode public trust in the information that circulates about our democracy.” Support for the bill came from Stephen Gemar of Attorney General Marty Jackley’s office, as well as from Zebadiah Johnson of the Voter Defense Association. “Our system of electoral democracy depends on having a shared reality,” Johnson said, adding, “deepfakes pose a real and substantial threat to that shared reality.”

Utah: A bill that originally would have drastically restricted voting by mail in Utah got a makeover after House and Senate legislative leaders struck a compromise — then it quickly cleared another major legislative hurdle.  The House voted 57-15 to pass a revamped HB300. It now goes to the Senate for further consideration.  Now, under a new version of the bill adopted right before the House’s vote, HB300 would require Utah voters to write the last four digits of their government-issued identification card (like a driver license or another state ID) on their ballot’s return envelope. Currently, Utah automatically sends all active registered voters ballots through the mail. The previous version of HB300 would have limited that dramatically by requiring voters to apply for permission to vote by mail. Unless they received that permission, most voters would have been required to drop their ballots off in-person at a polling place or at a drop box manned by at least two poll workers — where they would need to show their ID.  Now, HB300 does not include those requirements for ballots to be dropped off in person. Instead, the bill requires clerks to use state ID numbers to confirm identities of voters who vote using a by-mail ballot — in addition to signature verification, which clerks currently use to verify by-mail voter identities. The bill now also takes a slower approach to moving away from automatically allowing all registered voters to receive by-mail ballots. The new version of HB300 would require voters to opt in to receiving a ballot by mail — but not until Jan. 1, 2028. But after they opt in, they would be able to continue receiving by-mail ballots for eight years, as long as they continue to be an active voter. The new version of HB300 now also allows voters to opt in to voting by mail while applying for or renewing their driver’s license or state ID card. The new bill would also allow Utahns who are older than 18, have not been issued a Utah driver license, and are “indigent” to receive a state ID card free of charge if they’re eligible to register to vote.  There are still some provisions of the previous version of HB300 in the bill, including tightening up which by-mail ballots clerks would be able to count in the election. Currently, Utah law requires by-mail ballots to be counted as long as they’re postmarked the day before Election Day and received before the canvass. But if HB300 passes, it would require ballots to be received by an election officer on or before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Lawmakers made it harder for political candidates to use a nickname on a ballot after Lucifer “Justin Case” Everylove qualified as a presidential candidate on last year’s state ballot. SB54 requires candidates to jump through some extra hoops if they want to use a middle name or a nickname on a ballot to ensure the candidate actually goes by the name. It passed the Utah House 65-2 and awaits action from the governor. The bill requires county clerks to include a candidate’s legal first name followed by their surname. It allows nicknames before or after a candidate’s legal first name or middle name or in place of their first name, but only if the candidate submits a signed affidavit, under penalty of perjury, that “the candidate is generally known by acquaintances in the candidate’s county of residence by the nickname … and is not using the nickname to gain an advantage on the ballot.” The candidate must also submit a similar affidavit sworn to by five residents of the candidate’s county, saying they do go by the nickname. A nickname can only be added to the ballot if election officials determine it: Does not imply that the candidate is an individual other than the candidate, regardless of whether the individual is living or deceased.; Does not constitute a slogan; Does not associate the candidate with an economic, religious, political or other group, issue or opinion; is not offensive, profane or spurious; and is not a title, rank, degree, certification, job description or similar designation.” Candidates would not need to go through the same affidavit process if the nickname they hope to use is a common derivative of their legal first or middle name.

Washington: Senate Bill 5014 seeks to bolster the security of Washington’s electoral process by expanding the Secretary of State’s oversight of election equipment and platforms. If passed, the bill would also mandate the disclosure of security breaches and set cybersecurity requirements for county election officers. “These changes are crucial to ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our electoral process,” Boehnke said. Washington already has several election-security measures in place, including voter-verification laws and post-election audits. Boehnke described the bill as a bipartisan effort to provide counties with more resources and state-level oversight to combat threats and ensure election accuracy. “This is a good bipartisan bill that shows a strong collaborative effort,” Boehnke stated. The legislation passed with a 49-0 vote in the Senate and now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

West Virginia: The House of Delegates is trying once again to prevent potential abuse of absentee ballots by making it illegal to distribute more than 10 applications for absentee ballots with a specific request by a voter or voters. And a bill to prohibit ranked choice voting began its committee journey this week. This year’s attempt is HB 2400, approved in a divided voice vote on Monday morning by the Judiciary Committee and sent to the House floor. The revised version the committee approved wasn’t available to view on Monday afternoon, but the committee attorney said it reflected the 2022 version, which was HB 4293, that passed out of the House and died in the Senate. HB 4293 said that any election official who knowingly and intentionally mailed or delivered an application for an absentee ballot to any voter without the specific request of that voter would face a misdemeanor charge, subject to fine and jail time upon conviction. It also said that any person who is not an election official knowingly and intentionally mailed or delivered more than 10 applications for an absentee ballot to a group of voters without the specific request of those voters would also face a misdemeanor charge, subject to fine and jail time upon conviction. HB 2400 adds that applications shall be available in either physical form at the clerk’s office or online.

Judiciary’s Legal Services Subcommittee took a first look at HB 2683, to prohibit ranked choice voting. It gives a ling definition: “Ranked choice voting is defined as a method for casting and tabulating votes in which voters rank candidates for an office in order of preference, and then tabulation occurs in rounds, with each round dropping the candidate with the least support and then reallocating the first-place votes from the eliminated candidate to the second choice candidates.” The bill makes this illegal for any local state or federal election, and any such election conducted in this manner would be invalid. It does not apply to internal party processes.

Wyoming: The Legislature approved the final version of a bill this week that will more clearly delineate non-U.S. Citizen status on Wyoming driver’s licenses and IDs by printing notifications on the back of the cards. Senate File 33 creates a new driver’s license and state ID for those who are in the country legally but are not a U.S. citizen. The current disclaimer on state ID cards and licenses reads “NR” for non-resident and is listed on the front of the cards. The new cards, if approved by Gov. Mark Gordon, will state “Not A U.S. citizen.” The purpose of the bill is to make it abundantly clear to election judges when a non-U.S. citizen is attempting to vote and for law enforcement officers when they encounter one of these individuals. It’s one of a dozen bills brought in this year’s Legislature as an attempt to curb illegal immigration. SF 33 adds a much larger disclaimer to Wyoming’s non-citizen IDs that the person on the cards is not a U.S. citizen. Kolb’s irritation is that this disclaimer, at least initially, will be located on the back of the cards. Taylor Rossetti, deputy director and support services administrator for the Wyoming Department of Transportation, said although it wouldn’t be impossible to put this disclaimer on the front of the cards, the most logical place for it to go would be on the back so it’s clear for all election officials and not hidden by other text. The bill does not state that WYDOT has to put the disclaimer on the front of the cards or in color. A total of $67,000 has been budgeted to create the new cards.

Legal Updates

Arizona: The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that two Arizona laws that restrict voting by people who don’t prove their U.S. citizenship are “unlawful measures of voter suppression.…” The appeals court on Feb. 25 upheld a 2023 decision from the U.S. District Court of Arizona that found many provisions of two 2022 Republican-backed laws unconstitutional. That includes one provision that prohibits voters who don’t prove citizenship from voting for president, and another that prohibits them from voting by mail. The judges also found that the state must allow voters who don’t prove citizenship to vote in federal elections even if they use a state voter registration form. The U.S. Supreme Court in August had granted an emergency stay requiring the opposite, pending a final ruling from the 9th Circuit. That meant that election officials were outright rejecting state registration forms without proof of citizenship in the crucial period leading up to the November presidential election. According to Votebeat, the ruling is a win for voting rights groups, which banded together to challenge the laws after then-Gov. Doug Ducey signed them, arguing that they discriminated against minority and student voters. The case was heard by a three-judge panel — Kim McLane Wardlaw and Ronald M. Gould, both appointed by President Bill Clinton, and Patrick J. Bumatay, appointed by President Donald Trump. Bumatay dissented, and favored upholding substantial portions of the law, including the ones requiring proof of citizenship to vote in presidential elections and by mail. The court also rejected parts that require voters to provide documents proving that they live in Arizona in order to vote in federal elections.

California: A three-judge appellate panel kicked Huntington Beach’s voter identification case back down to the Orange County Superior Court, calling the lower court’s decision that the case was not ripe for decision “problematic.” Last November, Judge Nico Dourbetas dismissed the state’s challenge of the constitutionality of the city’s voter ID law, Measure A. The measure was approved by Surf City voters last year and altered the city charter to allow for voter ID beginning in 2026. The city has not detailed plans to implement such a law for next year’s election, and the language of the measure stated that it “may” implement voter ID, not that it will. But the California Fourth District Court of Appeal panel asked Dourbetas to modify his order, granting the city’s motion to dismiss the case, within 10 days. If that doesn’t happen, the appellate court would take over and invite both parties to file briefs by March 10. Specifically, the court is asking the city to reveal if it intends to conduct voter ID checks beyond those required by state and federal law. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber filed a writ of mandate on Feb. 13, asking the appellate judges to decide the merits of the case. “We are grateful for, and encouraged by, the appellate court’s prompt action,” said Bonta said in a statement. “Our priority remains the same: making sure that Huntington Beach’s Measure A is struck down as quickly as possible.” Last week’s order, written by Judge Kathleen O’Leary, states that Huntington Beach’s city charter is now at odds with Elections Code section 10005. Outgoing Huntington Beach City Atty. Michael Gates has argued that the state constitution renders the elections code unconstitutional in regards to charter cities. The order, however, calls Huntington Beach’s argument that it has a constitutional right to regulate its own municipal elections free from state interference problematic. It notes that municipal elections are consolidated with statewide elections, which takes the local elections outside of the home rule doctrine.

Connecticut: Five people including prominent Democratic political operatives in Connecticut’s largest city were arrested Feb. 21 on allegations of absentee ballot tampering during a 2023 local election, including accusations that led to a court-ordered rerun of a mayoral election and helped fuel skepticism about voting security in the U.S. The charges generally allege that the defendants in the Bridgeport case illegally possessed absentee ballots of others, were illegally present when voters filled in their ballots and misrepresented absentee ballot rules to voters. Complaints previously filed with state elections enforcement officials said some voters were pressured into picking certain candidates when they filled out their ballots. Among those arrested were Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee Vice Chairperson Wanda Geter-Pataky, and Bridgeport Democratic City Council Members Alfredo Castillo, Maria Pereira and Jazmarie Melendez, according to the chief state’s attorney’s office. A Stratford woman was also arrested but contact information for her could not be found and it’s unclear if she has an attorney who can speak on her behalf.

Florida: With the Florida Supreme Court preparing to take up a similar case, an appeals court upheld the dismissal of a charge against one of 20 people accused by Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state officials in 2022 of registering and voting when they were ineligible. A three-judge panel of the 6th District Court of Appeal sided with defendant Peter Washington Jr., conflicting with the conclusions of the 3rd District Court of Appeal and 4th District Court of Appeal in similar cases. The Supreme Court in January agreed to take up an appeal by defendant Terry Hubbard in the 4th District Court of Appeal case. Orange County Circuit Judge Jennifer Harris in 2023 dismissed the charge against Washington, finding that the statewide prosecutor did not have authority. The state appealed, contending, at least in part, that the alleged crime happened in more than one circuit because Washington’s voter information was transmitted from Orange County to the Department of State in Leon County. Orange County is in the 9th Circuit, while Leon County is in the 2nd Circuit. But the appeals-court panel agreed with Harris that Washington’s alleged crime only happened in one circuit. “However we formulate the elements of this crime, there is only one act — voting,” said the 30-page opinion, written by Judge Roger Gannam and joined by Judges Carrie Ann Wozniak and Tesha Ballou. “The rest of the elements comprise knowledge and intent. Thus, the sole act constituting Washington’s alleged crime of unauthorized voting was his voting, and it occurred solely in Orange County. No act constituting the offense occurred in Leon County or anywhere else.”

Georgia: According to court documents filed in federal court this week, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has “fully satisfied” the $148 million judgment against him, The judgment against Giuliani was tied to two Fulton County election workers he defamed following the 2020 election, falsely claiming they helped steal the election from Donald Trump. According to the document, the judge said it was “fully satisfied” on Feb. 21 and the judge signed a satisfaction of judgement on Feb.24. The document does not say what terms have been met with the settlement. Giuliani was found liable for defamation and ordered to pay $148 million in 2023 to two Georgia election workers for accusing them of ballot tampering as he pushed then-President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud. The women said they faced death threats after Giuliani accused them of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times, and tampering with voting machines. Even after the $148 million judgment against him, Giuliani has continued to falsely accuse the workers. The U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., has permanently barred him from making any statements that suggest the women engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with the 2020 presidential election.

The Georgia State Election Board voted to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to enforce a subpoena against a conservative group that was unable to produce evidence to support its claims of ballot stuffing in the state. True the Vote in 2021 filed complaints with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, including one in which it said it had obtained “a detailed account of coordinated efforts to collect and deposit ballots in drop boxes across metro Atlanta” during the November 2020 election and a crucial runoff election for two U.S. Senate seats in January 2021. Investigators with the secretary’s office looked into the group’s complaints and in April 2022 subpoenaed True the Vote for evidence supporting its allegations. A lawyer for the group wrote to a state attorney in May 2023 that a complete response would require it to identify people to whom it had pledged confidentiality and said it was withdrawing its complaints. A Fulton County judge in November 2023 ordered True the Vote to provide evidence it had collected, including the names of people it said had provided information. The organization said in a subsequent court filing it had no names, contact information or other documentary evidence to provide. The case was administratively closed in January 2024. Election Board member Janice Johnston on Wednesday proposed dismissing the lawsuit, withdrawing the subpoena and dismissing the group’s complaint. She said it is apparent that an alleged whistleblower whom True the Vote said it was relying on for evidence “will not be identified or cannot be identified” and that the investigation was unlikely to be successful as a result.

Maine: Two eastern European men have been charged with federal crimes in connection with the swatting attempts on Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Bellows and her family received threats of violence in December of 2023 after she tried to take Donald Trump off Maine’s ballot. She said her personal information had been shared on the dark web, known as doxing. “State and federal law enforcement working together apprehended the perpetrators of that swatting. It turns out that they were foreign nationals, and I’m impressed that Dept. of Justice worked so hard to bring the perpetrators to justice and are now moving forward to hold them accountable,” Bellows said. The Secretary of State said we cannot live in fear and let online trolls undermine democracy. “Now is the time for relationship building and finding community to join together and do the right thing. There are no simple solutions in a democracy for the problems before us. I think standing up for democracy starts with each one of us,” she said. The Department of Justice said Bellows was one of about 100 U.S. officials targeted with swatting.

Nevada: The Democratic National Committee (DNC) asked a federal appeals court to deny an appeal filed in a nearly year long legal case brought by state and national Republicans seeking to end Nevada’s practice of accepting mail ballots as many as four days after an election, as long as they were postmarked by Election Day.  In May, the Nevada Republican Party, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit alleging that Nevada’s practice of accepting those mail ballots violates federal election law. That lawsuit was dismissed in July by U.S. District Court judge Miranda Du, on the grounds that the plaintiffs lacked standing. The Republican National Committee then appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  The DNC’s filing, shared exclusively with The Nevada Independent, argues that a ruling in the Republicans’ favor would disrupt decades of election administration precedent and upend voting laws not just in Nevada. Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia allow ballots to arrive after Election Day so long as they are postmarked in time, and several other states allow some late-arriving ballots for certain groups such as voters abroad and members of the military. The DNC’s motion comes in the wake of Republicans prevailing in a similar case, when the conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in October that a Mississippi law allowing election officials to count late-arriving ballots was unconstitutional. The judge in that case did not grant an injunction; meaning that the ruling was not in effect for Election Day in 2024, but it could impact states down the line — Republicans cited that ruling in their Ninth Circuit appeal.

North Carolina: The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that it won’t fast-track the lawsuit by the Republican candidate for a Supreme Court seat who’s trying to throw out the ballots of more than 60,000 voters in an attempt to reverse the 2024 election results. Republican Jefferson Griffin received 734 fewer votes than Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, recounts show. But the race hasn’t been certified as Griffin challenges the eligibility of tens of thousands of voters whom he says shouldn’t have been allowed to vote in the first place. Griffin’s legal arguments were rejected by the State Board of Elections and again by a trial court judge in Wake County. He says data inconsistencies made it impossible for the state to verify the identities of the voters he’s challenging. Griffin is also challenging several thousand overseas voters, saying some should have been required to present photo identification and alleging others weren’t eligible to vote because they never lived in the state. After his loss at trial this month Griffin appealed to the Court of Appeals, where he’s currently a judge. But the Board of Elections then asked the Supreme Court to speed up the case by allowing it to skip the Court of Appeals and head directly to the Supreme Court. Riggs supported that strategy as well. The justices shot down that request in a 4-2 vote, allowing it to take the slower path through the Court of Appeals that Griffin sought.

Opinions This Week

National Opinions: SAVE Act, II, III, IV | Trans voting rights | Election administration | U.S. Postal Service; Voting Rights Act | Early voting 

Alabama: Election security 

Arizona: Election legislation 

California: Election dates | Voter ID 

Florida: Vote by mail 

Indiana: Election legislation, II  

Kansas: Election legislation | SAVE Act

Maine: Election systems

Maryland: Democracy 

Massachusetts: Ranked choice voting 

Nebraska: Voting rights

North Carolina: Signature verification  

Tennessee: Ex-felon voting rights 

Utah: Election legislation 

Wisconsin: Voting rights 

Upcoming Events

What Do Documentary Proof of Citizenship Requirements for Voter Registration Accomplish?: The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA promotes research, collaboration, and advocacy under the leadership of UCLA Law Professor Richard L. Hasen; one of the nation’s leading election scholars. The Safeguarding Democracy Project is built upon the premise that tackling issues of the U.S. election integrity must be collaborative: across ideologies, across scholarly disciplines, and as a bridge between theory and practice. This session will feature: Adrian Fontes, Arizona Secretary of State, Walter Olson, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, and Nina Perales, Vice President of Litigation, MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) and be moderated by Richard L. Hasen, (Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project, UCLA). When: March 4, 3:15pm Eastern. Where: Online and Los Angeles

Combating False Election Information Lessons from 2024 and a Look to the Future: The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA promotes research, collaboration, and advocacy under the leadership of UCLA Law Professor Richard L. Hasen; one of the nation’s leading election scholars. The Safeguarding Democracy Project is built upon the premise that tackling issues of the U.S. election integrity must be collaborative: across ideologies, across scholarly disciplines, and as a bridge between theory and practice. This session will feature speakers: Alice Marwick, Director of Research, Data & Society, UNC Chapel Hill, Kate Starbird, University of Washington, and Joshua Tucker, NYU and moderator Richard L. Hasen, (Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project, UCLA). When: March 31 3:15pm Eastern. Where: Online.

Partisan Primaries, Polarization, and the Risks of Extremism: The Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA promotes research, collaboration, and advocacy under the leadership of UCLA Law Professor Richard L. Hasen; one of the nation’s leading election scholars. The Safeguarding Democracy Project is built upon the premise that tackling issues of the U.S. election integrity must be collaborative: across ideologies, across scholarly disciplines, and as a bridge between theory and practice. This session will feature speakers: Julia Azari, Marquette University, Ned Foley, The University of Ohio, Moritz College of Law, Seth Masket, Denver University, and Rick Pildes, NYU Law School and moderator Richard L. Hasen, (Director, Safeguarding Democracy Project, UCLA). When: April 10, 3:15pm Eastern. Where: Online

Election Center April Special Workshop: The Election Center April Special Workshop will be held in Pittsburgh. The conference will run April 23-25 and CERA courses will be offered April 26 and 27. The CERA courses offered will be: Course 9 (History III, 1965 to present); Course 10 (Constitutional Law of Elections); and Renewal Course 38 (Leadership in Election Administration). More information available as soon as the new Election Center website goes live. When: April 23-27. Where: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Election Center Annual Conference: The Election Center Annual Conference will be held in Salt Lake City. The conference will run August 20-22 and CERA courses will be offered August 23 and 24. The CERA courses offered will be: Course 5 (Ethics); Course 6 (Communications & Public Relations); and Two renewal courses to be announced. More information available as soon as the new Election Center website goes live. When: August 20 to 24. Where: Salt Lake City.

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.

Ballot Processing Supervisor, King County, Washington–This is an amazing opportunity to be engaged in the election process! The Department of Elections is searching for energetic and resourceful professionals who like to “get stuff done”. The Ballot Processing Supervisor position in the Elections Department combines an exciting, fast paced environment with the opportunity to cultivate talents and apply a variety of skills. The ideal candidate will thrive in an innovative and fast-paced environment and will not hesitate to roll up both sleeves, work hard, have fun, and get the job done. This position reports to the Ballot Processing Manager and provides support for the Ballot Processing program, including Ballot Opening and Inspection, Scanning, and Ballot Review as well as supervising results tabulation and posting to the web. This position is also responsible for planning and executing tabulation system Logic & Accuracy tests, audits, system upgrades and recount activities as well as assisting the Ballot Processing Manager with the Observer Program.  The person in this role will supervise between 3 full time staff and up to 200 temporary staff depending on the size of the election or recount. Salary:$40.24 – $51.00 Hourly.  Deadline: March 12. Application: For the complete listing and to apply, click here. 

Campaign Finance Analyst, Michigan Dept. of State– This position serves as the Campaign Finance Analyst with the Filing, Disclosure, and Compliance Division within the Bureau of Elections, Michigan Department of State. The Division is responsible for administering the Michigan Campaign Finance Act, Lobby Registration Act, Casino Registration Act and Michigan Election Law. The Analyst will support the Division’s functions through research and analysis of disclosure reports, campaign statements and ballot-access filings, with emphasis on working cooperatively to address deficiencies and correct noncompliant filings; developing and updating training materials and user manuals; and providing training to the regulated community. Salary: $2,008.00 – $3,146.40 Biweekly. Deadline: March 5. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Candidate Services Coordinator, Seminole County, Florida – The Candidate Services Coordinator is a key member of the Supervisor of Elections Office, responsible for ensuring smooth administrative operations with a focus on candidate services and assists with accounting functions and payroll processing. This position requires attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to effectively handle multiple responsibilities while maintaining confidentiality and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. This position is responsible for managing the candidate qualifying process, serving as primary point of contact for candidates, maintaining accurate records related to candidate filings, financial disclosures, and other required documentation, and coordinating candidate workshops and providing training on election procedures and campaign finance rules. Salary: $36,000 – $46,000 Annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

County Clerk, Lane County, Oregon– Lane County is seeking an experienced and dynamic leader to serve as County Clerk and Election & Recording Principal Manager, overseeing critical functions that uphold the integrity of our democratic processes and public records. This pivotal role leads a dedicated team committed to excellence, accuracy, and service to our community. As County Clerk, you will: Plan, organize, and conduct all federal, state, and local elections; Oversee voter registration, property tax appeals, and permanent real property records; Manage marriage licensing, domestic partnership registrations, and archived records; Ensure compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws governing elections and records; Lead a team of 14 full-time employees, ensuring exceptional service and operational efficiency; and Prepare and analyze data, manage budgets, and oversee technology solutions that support Clerk operations. This is a fast-paced, high-impact role where you’ll serve as Lane County’s Clerk and Election & Recording Principal Manager, working under the direction of the Director of Operations to deliver services that affect all residents. Why Lane County? Lane County, the fourth most populous county in Oregon, offers a rich and diverse landscape stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Cascade Mountains. Our county seat, Eugene, is a vibrant community with ample opportunities for living, working, and recreation. We are proud to offer an excellent benefits package and the chance to make a meaningful impact in public service. Salary: $90,625.60 – $133,286.40 Annually. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Customer Support Consultant, Hart InterCivic– A Customer Support Center Consultant Level 1 (CSC 1) responds to requests for assistance from Hart InterCivic customers for all Hart InterCivic products. The CSC I’s primary responsibilities are to: Answer, resolve and route customer queries; Maintain professionalism and “customer first” approach in stressful situations; Acquire, demonstrate, and maintain depth of knowledge with all Hart products and product documentation to best support Hart customers; Acquire and maintain functional support-level knowledge of unique customer requirements and their implementation in Hart products; Provide data tracking, reporting, and analytics for CSC projects; Manage and maintain the security of Hart’s assets and customer information; and Serve as a backup/overflow resource Technical Services Workstation deployment and RMA management. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Deputy Elections Administrator, Collin County, Texas– Collin County is seeking candidates for the position of Deputy Elections Administrator. This position manages and supervises the department by handling the election process and election personnel, assisting with administrative and clerical support, preparing contracts and cost records, assisting in hiring and firing decisions and requisition approval. Related duties include submitting actual cost records for payment, tabulating and reporting votes, supervising early voting coordinators, voter registration coordinators, and other clerical personnel, and acting as the state funds management liaison. Performs related duties as required. Work is performed under the direction of the Elections Administrator. Candidates must possess a broad knowledge, normally acquired through four years of college resulting in a Bachelor’s degree. At least two years of related experience are required. Must possess and maintain a valid Texas Class C Driver’s License and have the ability to read election codes and documents. Starting Salary: $86,701. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Election Specialist, Candidate Services, Palm Beach County, Florida– This position is responsible for the management and execution of services provided to candidates, political committees, electioneering communication organizations, political parties, community development districts, and special taxing districts. This includes establishing and maintaining an organized system for managing the required forms and records associated with filing and qualifying for office, candidate petitions, campaign finance reporting, financial disclosures, initiative petitions, and other related activities. Candidate Services staff 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. Must be detail-oriented, be able to handle simultaneous projects, and be a self-starter. Salary: $21.63 – $24.04. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Manager, Douglas County, Nebraska– Incumbent works under the direction of the Election Commissioner or designee, providing direction in the management of commission staff and the administration of elections in adherence to Federal, State and Local statutes. Essential Functions: Manage office and field operations (e.g. voter registration, voter education and outreach, community communications, election mapping, computer systems, election databases, candidate filings, ballot preparation, absentee voting, poll worker recruitment and training, polling place management, election day logistics, vote tabulation and reporting, payroll, and purchasing). Establish and maintain effective work relationships with clients, supervisors, County employees, elected officials, attorneys, law enforcement, judges, other agencies, and the public. Comply with Civil Service policies and regulations, collective bargaining agreements, County policies, department policies and laws to create a cooperative, safe, respectful and quality work environment. Supervise assigned staff (e.g. hiring, orienting, training, monitoring, evaluating, recommending personnel actions). Assist in planning, implementation, administration and evaluation of Election Commission plans, policies and procedures. Monitor federal and state legislation related to the election process and recommend changes in practices and procedures. Implement and ensure adherence to federal government regulations governing voter registration and election processes as defined in the Help America Vote Act. Assist in preparing and managing the Election Commission budget. Coordinate Election Commission functions with other departments, outside agencies and private contractors. Use GIS and mapping software, proofing election boundaries and precincts. Promote a safe working environment for employees. Plan and organize a personal work schedule, set priorities and meet deadlines. Oversee counting and canvass boards. Perform special projects. Prepare and maintain various records, reports, correspondence, and other departmental documents. Safely operate a motor vehicle when required to travel on County business. Report to work at assigned work location with regular, consistent attendance. Perform other related duties as assigned and directed. Salary: $6,963.93 – $11,143.93 Monthly. Deadline: March 2. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections & Recording Manager, Marion County, Oregon– The County Clerk’s Office is responsible for conducting elections, issuing marriage licenses, recording specified documents, maintaining official records and coordinating the Board of Property Tax Appeal as required by law. The Elections and Recording Manager is responsible for managing the technical and administrative activities of licensing and recording, elections, maintenance of official records, and coordinating the Board of Property Tax Appeals. This individual also serves as the County’s Records Officer’s designee and ensures that recording activities comply with federal, state and local statutes, regulations and rules. Specific functions include records storage, microfilming and digital imaging operations, retention and disposition scheduling, archival storage and information management. This individual works closely and cooperatively with the County Clerk to ensure the County Clerk remains informed of all critical issues. This individual may also represent the County Clerk in public meetings and presentations. Salary: $89,481.60 – $119,870.40 Annually. Deadline: March 4. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Technician, Marion County, Oregon– Marion County is seeking a motivated individual to serve as an Election Technician. In this critical role, you will oversee the daily management and administration of voter registration files. As an Election Technician, you will play a key role in facilitating voter access, maintaining election integrity, and ensuring smooth election operations. If you are passionate about elections and public service, we encourage you to apply and join our team in making a meaningful impact. Provides assistance to the Elections and Recording Manager. Assumes primary responsibility for specific technical and operational functions of the elections process for Marion County. Manages multiple tasks in compliance with state and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Does related work as required. Salary: $22.81 – $30.56 Hourly. Deadline: March 4. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Elections Warehouse Manager, Dallas County, Texas—Manages warehouse staff and functions, to include, equipment maintenance and repair, and supply inventory. Management Scope: Manages approximately twenty (20) warehouse personnel. Responsibilities: 1. Supervises all personnel assigned to the elections warehouse, to include hiring, directing, evaluating, disciplining and terminating employees. 2. Provides systems training to warehouse personnel and governmental entities that rent equipment from Dallas County. 3. Manages the maintenance of current systems and schedules maintenance calls for election day. 4. Coordinates the early voting process, ensuring equipment is assigned to appropriate locations. 5. Assist with budget preparation. 6. Performs other duties as assigned. Salary Range: $4666-$7279. Deadline: Feb. 27. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Harris Regional Services Technician, Hart InterCivic – A Harris Regional Services Technician responds to all customer requests ranging from training requests to phone support requests, to onsite repair of voting equipment requests. This individual is one of the local customer support routes. The position requires residency in Harris County, Texas. The Regional Service Technician handles all Return Material Authorization (RMA) requests for external customers for all Hart InterCivic Verity products within his/her region and provides on-site customer support and troubleshooting on an as-needed basis. This position will adhere to the Proprietary Information and Intellectual Property Agreement as it defines and communicates this position’s responsibilities to protect the Company’s information and information security. This responsibility extends outside the organization’s premises and outside normal working hours, e.g., in the case of work-from-home. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Information Technology Manager, Sarasota County, Florida– The Information Technology (IT) manager plays a crucial role in overseeing and managing the technological infrastructure essential for conducting secure, efficient and accurate elections. The IT manager is responsible for the general management of the IT department staff and engages in technical, administrative and supervisory work, including interaction with directors, other managers and departments, vendors and county and state agencies. The manager must maintain knowledge of all IT and technical systems used to support the operations of the elections office. Salary Range: $67,912 – $115,460. 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.

Language Access & Outreach Coordinator, King County, Washington–This is an amazing opportunity to be engaged in the election process!  The Department of Elections is searching for energetic and resourceful professionals who like to “get stuff done”. The Language Access and Outreach Coordinator position in the Elections Department combines an exciting, fast paced environment with the opportunity to cultivate talents and apply a variety of skills. The ideal candidate will thrive in a collaborative, innovative, and fast-paced environment and will not hesitate to roll up both sleeves, work hard, have fun, and get the job done. The Language Services and Community Engagement Team at King County Elections provides language access work for the whole Elections Department, translating election materials into six languages (Chinese, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese). In addition, the Team works collaboratively across Department and with community to identify and remove barriers to voting. These communities include those who are disabled, experiencing houselessness, immigrants, youth, and those with limited mobility. This team is recruiting a Language Access and Outreach Coordinator who will support the program for the Chinese language. This position provides bilingual assistance, translation, and community outreach support. This individual must be able to read, write, understand, and speak Chinese at the language proficiency testing level used by the Department. In addition, as part of the community engagement program, this individual will participate in voter registration and voter education activities with community partners and provide support to our Voter Education Fund partners. This position will provide language access assistance to our communications team and administrative support to other election work groups as needed. Salary: $38.37 – $48.64 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Manager, Professional Services, HartIntercivic– Project Managers at Hart InterCivic are highly motivated “self-starters” who are enthusiastic about providing exceptional customer service.  Working with other members of the Professional Services and Operations teams, the Project Manager directs activity, solves problems, and develops lasting and strong relationships with our customers.  Hart InterCivic’s unique and industry-known culture of innovation, transparency, and customer-centric focus creates an environment where team members will continually grow and be challenged to develop their careers. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Online Voting System Product Owner, Free Democracy Foundation – The Free Democracy Foundation seeks to increase trust in democracy by supporting new, innovative ways to help all eligible voters access a ballot safely and know their vote counts. Free Democracy is furthering this mission by: Supporting technology solutions to make voting more convenient, accessible and verifiable, including by supporting the development of an open source cryptographic protocol to facilitate end-to-end verifiable mobile voting; Making the technology solutions available, including by providing the enabling technology to third-party vendors to develop, market, and implement for use in public elections; and Educating democratic stakeholders to be informed users of end-to-end verifiable internet voting technology. About the Role: We are seeking an experienced and innovative Online Voting System Product Owner to work with independent vendors to design and develop accessible, usable, and scalable online voting solutions using the open source cryptographic protocol we are currently developing. As the Product Owner under contract, you will play a pivotal role in bringing systems to market to facilitate secure, end-to-end verifiable mobile voting that makes voting more accessible, transparent, and verifiable. As a key public-facing technical leader, you will work alongside the CEO and Board to champion our technology through clear communication, technical expertise, and thoughtful engagement with the election technology community. Your role combines product and technical leadership with public advocacy, helping to drive adoption and acceptance of secure mobile voting solutions through both technical excellence and effective stakeholder engagement. 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.

Senior Elections Supervisor, Placer County, California– The Placer County Clerk-Recorder-Elections Office has a current vacancy for a Senior Elections Supervisor. The Office is looking for someone with experience in the development, supervision, and administration of elections programs. The ideal candidate will have supervised in an elections office or similar agency that emphasizes cooperation, accountability and transparency and has the ability to communicate effectively with management, staff, other county departments, jurisdictions and the voters of Placer County. To learn more about the Elections Division of the Clerk-Recorder-Elections Office please click here. In addition to the minimum education and experience, the ideal candidate will possess experience and vision in the following areas: State and federal election laws; Voting systems; General operating policies and functions of the California Secretary of State’s Office; Best practices and current trends in successful election administration, community education and outreach programs; Principles and techniques of effective employee supervision and development, training, management practices and public administration. Salary: $69,056.00 – $86,195.20/year. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Voter Registration Compliance Officer, Maricopa County, Arizona–If you thrive in a dynamic environment where your keen eye for detail and ability to adapt can be utilized to your full potential, then the Voter Registration Compliance Officer position is for you! In this position you will be responsible for proactively auditing the division’s policies, procedures, and practices for compliance with federal, state, and local laws. Additionally, you will be in charge of creating and maintaining the divisions’ written policies/procedures. You will also help develop training materials, educate staff on new legislative changes, and take lead roles in researching reports or inquiries related to potential violations of laws/policies. Salary: Anticipated Hiring Range: $62,000 – $82,250. Deadline: March 7. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Voter Services Clerk, Seminole County, Florida – The Voter Services Clerk serves as the primary customer service representative for the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Office. This position is responsible for the accurate maintenance and entry of voter registration information, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of voter data, and providing essential assistance to voters, including answering inquiries and processing voter-related documents. The Clerk will also be involved in various clerical and administrative tasks associated with voter services, ensuring compliance with applicable state and federal election laws. Responsibilities include processing new voter registrations, updates or changes to existing registrations, vote-by-mail ballot requests, and returns, as well as petition verifications and other voter record-related tasks, providing accurate voter registration and election information to the public in person, by phone, or via mail, in accordance with Florida state laws, regulations, and procedures, conducting research to resolve issues related to voter registration records, utilizing sources both within the voter database and external government websites or online resources, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of voter registration records by verifying information, validating signatures on candidate and initiative petitions, maintaining and update street maintenance files to ensure an up-to-date and accurate residential address database for Seminole County. Salary: $17 – $22 Hourly. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Voter Services Manager, Douglas County, Colorado– The Voter Services Manager is responsible for the management and coordination of elections administrative operations, customer service, voter registration, mapping for voting districts and precincts, addressing library, and execution of voter service and polling centers. This position performs a variety of functions and diverse leadership roles on a routine basis, including training, coaching, supervision and performance management for a team of Election Specialists. This is a highly visible position requiring exceptional leadership, organizational, and communication skills. Additionally, the Voter Services Manager is responsible for creation and enforcement of policies, procedures, adherence to state and federal statutes and regulations; creation and execution of strategic and tactical plans for operating successful elections. Salary: $76,990 – 115,484. Deadline: March 7. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

Voter Services Supervisor, King County, Washington– The Department of Elections is searching for energetic and resourceful professionals who like to “get stuff done”. The Voter Services Supervisor position in the Elections Department combines an exciting, fast paced environment with the opportunity to cultivate talents and apply a variety of skills. The ideal candidate will thrive in an innovative and fast-paced environment and will not hesitate to roll up both sleeves, work hard, have fun, and get the job done. This position reports to the Voter Services Manager and provides support for the Voter Services program. The person who fills this role will oversee the check-in process for building visitors, processing incoming mail, in-person customer service, signature verification for petitions, voting centers, and voter registration maintenance and support for paper registrations, online voter registrations, and registrations received through the Department of Licensing. Salary: $40.24 – $51.00 Hourly. Deadline: March 20. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here. 

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