June 21, 2018
I. In Focus This Week
A site grows in Brooklyn
The Voting Information Project moves to Democracy Works, Inc.
By M. Mindy Moretti
Electionline.org
This week, following a months-long process, The Pew Charitable Trusts and Democracy Works, Inc. announced that Democracy Works will be the new organizational home of the Voting Information Project (VIP). The transition was effective Monday, June 18.
“We are honored to follow The Pew Charitable Trusts as the new stewards of this important program, and excited to build on the work that’s been done for the past 10 years,” said Maria Bianchi. Bianchi previously served as the project manager for VIP within Democracy Works, she will now serve as the program director. “
Democracy Works has been working on VIP since 2014, and Bianchi said Democracy Works is committed to preserving the great partnerships that have been established with states. The experience for participating states will not change. Additionally, the data will continue to be a free resource available through the Civic API.
“In the four years that we have managed the project’s data and technology components, Democracy Works has embraced VIP’s future as our own,” Bianchi said.
Founded in 2008 as a joint effort of state and local officials, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and Google, VIP uses an open format to make election data available and accessible to a variety of platforms, bringing cutting edge technology to ensure that all eligible Americans have the information they need to cast a ballot.
“When we launched VIP in 2008, our goal was that every American would be able to use simple technology to find out voting information,” says Doug Chapin who directs the Program for Excellence in Election Administration at the University of Minnesota and help found the project while at Pew. “And today, they can.”
Since its inception, VIP has hit numerous milestones:
- In 2016, VIP received more than 120 million impressions from voters looking for election information.
- 10 states now use the customizable, embeddable VIP tool.
- In 2017 alone, VIP covered 165 elections at the state and local level.
- The VIP embeddable tool is offered in 17 languages, including, English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Oromo, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese.
“We are excited to support the next chapter of the Voting Information Project and are thrilled to be working closely with Democracy Works,” said Megan Ryskamp, who leads civic partnerships for Google. “We believe that making the world’s election information accessible and useful is important for democracy, and have been excited to contribute over the last decade.”
While VIP is now available in 46 states and the District of Columbia, some folks weren’t so sure about it when it first launched a decade ago.
“At first, I was unsure of how useful the VIP could be,” said Pasco County, Florida Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley. “I had this ridiculous belief that voters in my jurisdiction would primarily utilize my own website for voting information. I then realized that contrary to my ego, voters were a tad more likely to use Google to find voting information. This of course is in addition to GetToThePolls.org and the Civic API. Bottom line, it helps voters get invaluable information in an efficient in a convenient manner and helping their most important stakeholder (aka The Voters) is the primary goal of any and all in the elections administration arena.”
Corley was a member of the VIP Planning Group to help determine what the next steps for VIP should be as Pew was phasing out its elections work.
“One of the primary concerns of the Planning Group was finding a stable and established organization that could not only sustain the VIP but take it to a higher level. Clearly, Democracy Works is that organization and I’m confident they will take the VIP and make it even better. I’m excited to see where they take it,” Corley said.
So what’s next for VIP and how might it change Democracy Works? It will cost Democracy Works about $2 million a year to keep VIP up and running and Bianchi said that will be core to both the organizations regular fundraising efforts and a dedicated fundraising push to create a strategic group of foundations and tech companies that can advise and support the work in the years to come.
Bianchi said Democracy Works is looking forward to growing VIP over the coming years, especially at the local level.
“I’m especially passionate about expanding our support for local elections. Our vision is that voters should be able to find this information for every election they’re eligible to vote in,” Bianchi said.
II. Federal-State Updates
This week, the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules & Administration held a hearing on preparations for the 2018 midterm elections. A number of state and local elections officials testified about what their states and counties are doing to prepare for November. Those testifying included Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos, Minnesota Secretary of State Scott Simon and Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. The full hearing may be viewed here.
Sens. James Lankford, (R-Oklahoma), and Amy Klobuchar, (D-Minnesota) failed to get parts of their bill, the Secure Elections Act, included in the National Defense Authorization Act. The bill would have made it easier for state elections officials to get the security clearances necessary to briefed on cyber threats.
“I’m disappointed that the NDAA did not include provisions from the Secure Elections Act,” Lankford told CyberScoop. “However, I will continue to work with my colleagues to have revised election security legislation enacted into law.”
III. Primary Updates
Voters in the District of Columbia went to the polls this week and the only real news to report, administratively, was the low turnout, just around 18 percent.
Since there wasn’t really any news from the District (this is a good thing), we thought we’d review some lingering issues from other recent primaries.
Iowa: The June 5 primary saw the first statewide roll out of the new voter ID law. According to the Sioux City Journal, while hundreds of voters chose to sign an affidavit rather than present the required photo ID, the numbers were relatively small compared to overall turnout. Some counties did not track the numbers but others found signed affidavits to represent less than 1 percent of turnout. “We did have some upset voters,” Travis Weipert, the Johnson County auditor and president of the Iowa State Association of County Auditors told the paper. “A lot of people continued to say, ‘It’s my constitutional right to vote. I shouldn’t have to show my ID and answer a lot of questions.’” Weipert also noted that the new requirement slowed the voting process.
Maine: More than a week after the election, the results of Maines first-ever statewide ranked choice voting election are finally in. While officials had hoped to have those results on Tuesday, a memory stick issue delayed the count. Once counting finally began, it took four rounds of ranked choice to determine the Democratic gubernatorial candidate and one round of ranked choice to determine a Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional District.
Nevada: Due to an error by poll workers, at least 43 voters may have cast ballots twice in a Clark County race that currently has a razor-thin margin of victory—four votes. “Because the number of discrepancies is higher than the difference in the candidates’ totals, (the registrar) is unable to certify the results of this race and is calling for a special election to resolve the contest,” county spokesman Dan Kulin wrote in a statement. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria and the county board all agree that a new election is necessary. In a redo election, every registered Republican who voted during the primary would receive a mail ballot by July 3. The ballots would be due by 7 p.m. on July 17 and could be mailed in or dropped off in person. The election will cost an estimated $135,000, Gloria told the paper.
South Dakota: South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs told the State Board of Elections that they have until August 15 to come up with a plan to ensure that problems with e-poll books that arose during the primary don’t happen in November. Part of the plan should include paper copies of voter registration lists. At the meeting with the SBOE, Krebs had the e-poll book vendor on hand to explain what happened and to apologize for the primary problems. According to the Rapid City Journal, the state board also recommended legislation for the 2019 session Monday that would require paper backups at vote centers, places where any registered voter from a county can vote.
Virginia: What happens if you throw an election and no one bothers to show up? It certainly makes for a very long and boring day for poll workers and that’s exactly what happened in one precinct in Virginia during the state’s June 12th primary. Montgomery County’s F-3 precinct, which is on the Virginia Tech campus saw no in-person voters on election day. Registrar Connie Viar said that’s the first time that’s happened in at least 20 years. Four people did vote absentee. The F-3 precinct is one of two on the Virginia Tech campus. The other precinct has 11 people vote in-person and six absentee. Viar chalks the lack of voters up to the fact that students are not currently on campus at Tech and she anticipates a greater turnout in the fall. It cost the county $1250 to run the two polling places.
IV. Election News This Week
According to an internal memo obtained by the New York Post, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has ordered parole officers to provide voter registration forms to their former-inmate clients during office and home visits. The paper says the memo requires that parole officers must provide formerly incarcerated individuals “with voter registration forms, related complementary documents and assistance with the registration process….” “The Parole Officer must be prepared to assist the parolee with filling out the registration form and the Parole Officer is responsible for providing information regarding the location of the local Board of Elections,’’ the memo states. The move follows an April executive order to reinstate voting rights to all released felons even if they are still serving parole or probation.
Follow simple instructions. The 2018 primary in Colorado marks the first time independents will be able to cast a ballot in the previously closed primary system. Every independent voter in the state received a Democrat and Republican ballot in the mail with instructions to only cast one. Well, seems that some folks aren’t following the enclosed instructions and are returning both a Democratic and Republican ballot. Overall, the numbers have been fairly low. In Larimer County, at least 159 people have returned two ballots which invalidates them both. In Freemont County, 33 people have returned both ballots. In Boulder County so far 85 people have returned both ballots. In Denver, the ballots of 215 (3.4 percent) of voters have been rejected. However, in El Paso County, almost 600 independent voters have turned in both ballots to-date. Officials have been doing their best to remind voters just to vote one ballot. Earlier this week, two staff members from the secretary of state’s office climbed one of Colorado’s 14’ers with message to just vote one!
Millennials in Philadelphia are trying to prove their detractors wrong. For the third-straight election, Millennial voters have out-paced voters in every other generation, which have actually seen decreased turnout. “The numbers are remarkable, that this is the third time in a row that this has happened,” City Commissioner Al Schmidt told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Voter turnout shot up 29 percent among those between the ages of 18 and 34, according to data released by Schmidt’s office. For those aged 35 to 49, participation dropped by 5 percent. It fell 21 percent for voters between the ages of 50 and 64, and sunk 12 percent for those aged 65 and up. To be clear, Millennial voter turnout is still the lowest of all the generations, but it is on the increase.
Speaking of turnout, the City of Los Angeles held an election this week to determine whether or not to create a second neighborhood council in Koreatown. According to LAist, some people reported waiting more than three hours to vote. City elections officials said. more than 19,000 people turned out to vote. “We have not seen anything like this before,” Tom Reindel, public services administrator for the Los Angeles City Clerk-Election Division told LAist. “There weren’t any seats being filled. This was simply a vote about dividing an existing neighborhood council into two.” Although there are still almost 2,000 provisional ballots to count, the residents voted 98.53 percent to 1.47 percent not to create a second council.
Personnel News: Congratulations to Belmont Town Clerk Ellen O’Brien Cushman who was named the Massachusetts Town Clerk of the Year. Judy Mays, the clerk of Bear Creek Township, Michigan for 30 years will be retiring at the end of the month.
V. Legislative Updates
Federal Legislation: Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) have introduced a bill that will amend the National Voter Registration Act to clarify that a state may not use someone’s failure to vote or respond to a state notice as a reason to remove them from active voter rolls.
Michigan: Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation into law that will require ballot secrecy sleeves to include the addition of the Libertarian Party, as well as changing ballot voting instructions due to new voting machines.
New Jersey: Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney (R-Bergen) has introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of schools as polling places. Rooney introduced the bill after a poll worker was arrested for possession of heroin during the June 5 primary. “This incident underscores the vulnerability of our schools when used as polling places,” Rooney told the Parsippany Focus. “We don’t need to take unnecessary risks by leaving our doors wide open. This bill is a reasonable and necessary security measure to help protect our students and staff.”
North Carolina: Following party line votes in the House (61-40) and Senate (23-11) a bill that altered early voting schedules, eliminating a popular half-day of voting on the Saturday before an election, was approved by the General Assembly on Friday, less than 48 hours after it was unveiled.
Also in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoed Senate Bill 486 that would have required background checks on state and county election workers, set parameters for vendors of e-poll books and barred losing primary candidates from switching parties and running as a third-party candidate in the general election. On Wednesday, by a 74-42 vote, the House voted to override Cooper’s veto.
VI. Legal Updates
California: A San Luis Obispo County superior court judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the county clerk’s office at the behest of a candidate for county supervisor. Attorneys for Lynn Compton accused the clerk’s office of violating elections code by accepting corrections of vote-by-mail ballot envelopes after the deadline. The judge ultimately denied the challenge and lifted the restraining order.
Florida: Lawyers for Gov. Rick Scott’s administration are asking the federal court to step aside in a suit filed by the League of Women Voters over early voting on college campuses. The state’s lawyers argue the case should be heard in state court. “A state court, interpreting state law, can decide the case on narrow, statutory interpretation grounds and, perhaps, avoid any constitutional issues,” the state’s brief said.
Indiana: According to The Associated Press, the city of Anderson and its former mayor will pay $30,000 to a former city worker who filed a lawsuit alleging she was arrested for trying to deliver her mother’s absentee ballot.
Kansas: In a 118-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson has struck down the state’s proof-of-citizenship law saying that it violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. According to the Lawrence Journal-World, Robinson ordered Kobach’s office not to enforce the law against any voter registration applications in Kansas. And citing what she called Kobach’s “well-documented history of avoiding this Court’s Orders,” she spelled out specific steps the Secretary of State’s office must carry out to ensure that all voters are registered in the same way, regardless of whether they have shown proof of citizenship. In addition, Robinson ordered Kobach to attend at least six hours of continuing legal education courses focusing on civil rules of procedure and evidence. Kobach has said he will appeal the ruling.
Also in Kansas, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed a class action lawsuit against Kobach over the Crosscheck program that put the personal data of more than 900 voters at risk.
Minnesota: The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down Minnesota’s ban on wearing political apparel at polling places. In a 7-2 ruling, the court said the state’s limits on political clothing violate the free speech clause of the First Amendment. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that “if a state wishes to set its polling places apart as areas free of partisan discord, it must employ a more discernible approach than the one Minnesota has offered here,” adding that Minnesota “has not supported its good intentions with a law capable of reasoned application.”
Texas: Miguel Hernandez, 28 has pleaded guilty to a single count of using an unlawful method of returning a marked ballot. According to CBS DFW, he was accused of visiting a woman in April and collecting her blank absentee ballot, then filling it out and forging her signature before mailing it to the county. Dozens of senior citizens in West Dallas and Grand Prairie filed complaints about receiving mail-in ballots they had not requested.
VII. Tech Thursday
California: Los Angeles County has engaged IBM Security Services to conduct and independent review and evaluation of the systems and procedures used in the production and printing of the voter rolls for the June 5 primary when more than 118, 000 voters were let off the rolls. According to SCVTV, IBM will work with the county’s Chief Information Officer and Auditor-Controller to determine the root cause of the printing error and make recommendations for corrective action.
VIII. Opinions This Week
National Opinions: Ohio SCOTUS ruling, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII | Ranked-choice voting | Minnesota SCOTUS ruling, II, III, IV | Voting rights, II | Obstacles to vote
Alabama: Ohio SCOTUS ruling
California: Top-two primary, II | Vote count, II | Election security | Nevada County
Florida: Election security
Georgia: Secretary of state race
Idaho: Ranked-choice voting | Voter purge
Indiana: Student voters
Kansas: Proof-of-citizenship, II | Kris Kobach, II, III
Maine: Ranked-choice voting, II, III
Maryland: Early voting
Michigan: Voting age
Minnesota: SCOTUS ruling
Missouri: Ohio SCOTUS ruling | Voter fraud
New York: Primary reform | Voter accessibility
North Carolina: Voter ID, II, III, IV, V, VI | Election laws | Early voting | Ohio SCOTUS ruling
Ohio: Voter purges | College-aged voters | SCOTUS ruling, II
Oregon: Voting rights, II, III | Turnout
Pennsylvania: Voter registration audit | Voter purges | Voting machines
Rhode Island: Ranked-choice voting
South Carolina: Voting machines
South Dakota: Paper records | Voting snafus
U.S. Virgin Islands: Election board, II
IX. Upcoming Events
Cybersecurity Online Training Series — The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) is partnering with the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) to deliver a new cybersecurity training series designed for election officials this July. The series will include 3 courses that will empower your election office to manage cyber threats and communicate with the public about cybersecurity. After completing the series, you’ll have more confidence to safeguard against and respond to cyber threats in your election office. When: July 10, July 24 and July 31. Where: Online.
Election Data Summit — The U.S. Election Assistance Commission and Pennsylvania Department of State will host an Election Data Summit at the Community College of Philadelphia. The gathering will take place prior to the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) summer conferences in Philadelphia. This unique summit will bring together some of the nation’s most respected election data experts to examine ways election officials can use all types of data to improve processes and inform decision making. Each of the summit’s four panels will focus on a distinct aspect of the election cycle and explore different sources for election data, including voter registration databases, electronic poll books, voting equipment, and post-election audits. This event is open to the public and the media. RSVPs are required and space is limited. Additional information regarding speakers is forthcoming. When: July 12. Where: Philadelphia
NASS 2018 Summer Conference — Mark your calendars now for the National Association of Secretaries of State 2018 summer conference in the City of Brotherly Love. Check back soon for more information about the agenda. When: July 13-16. Where: Philadelphia.
2018 NASED Summer Meeting — Mark your calendars now for the National Association of State Election Directors’ 2018 summer meeting in the City of Brotherly Love. Check back soon for more information about the agenda. When: July 13-16. Where: Philadelphia.
NACo Annual Conference and Exposition — Mark your calendars now for the National Association of Counties Annual Conference and Exposition in Music City. Check back soon for more information about the agenda. When: July 13-16. Where: Nashville, Tennessee.
2018 iGo Annual Conference — Mark your calendars now for the International Association of Government Officials 2018 Annual Conference in The Biggest Little City in the World! Check back soon for more information about the agenda. When: July 16-21. Where: Reno, Nevada.
Election Sciences Reform and Administration (ESRA) — The conference brings together political scientists and other experts in election administration to develop rigorous empirical approaches to the study of how law and administrative procedures affect the quality of elections in the United States. Participants will identify major questions in the field, share new insights, foster collaboration between election administrators and election scientists, and connect senior and junior scholars. When: July 26 and 27. Where: University of Wisconsin-Madison.
National Election Security Summit — National, state and local election authorities will join officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Elections Infrastructure — Information Sharing and Analysis Center, security professionals, election experts, and other industry leaders to learn and share tangible best practices. These security discussions will provide attendees useable steps to mitigate threats and vulnerabilities as election authorities gear up for the 2018 mid-term elections. This is an event designed for election officials and is not open to the public and space is limited. When: September 10-11. Where: St. Louis, Missouri.
X. 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.
Civic Data Research Fellow, Center for Technology and Civic Life — “What’s on my ballot?” is the number one question that voters look for online – but the answer to that question is harder to find than you might think. With nearly 8,000 offices responsible for running elections in America, the basic information that voters need to participate in elections is often poorly formatted and hard to find – if it’s online at all. At the Center for Technology and Civic Life, we think all voters should be able to find this information online, and we need your help! In 2016, our ballot data reached between one-third and one-half of all voters in the country, and we expect 2018 to be even bigger. We’re looking for a set of 2018 Civic Data Fellows to help us standardize the nation’s ballot information, so that all Americans can find information about what will be on their ballot in November. Civic Data Fellows will work closely with our Research Associates and Director of Civic Data to collect and standardize information about candidates and referenda from across the country. If you love democracy, researching obscure facts, and turning chaos into order, this is the job for you! Salary: $48,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Data Analysis & Outreach Fellow, Center for Technology and Civic Life— CTCL has conducted extensive research on the demographics of power in the United States through its partnership with the Reflective Democracy Campaign. Our groundbreaking analyses of the race and gender of elected officials and candidates across the country has been featured in national news and has shaped the way we talk about representation in the US. We’re looking to add a full-time Fellow to help make our data even more useful, so that the information and insights it contains can better be used to make our government more modern and reflective. Working with the Director of Civic Data and our external partners, the Data Analysis & Outreach Fellow will focus on improving, analyzing, and growing the use of our Reflective Democracy dataset. Examples of responsibilities include: Data research & analysis, data visualization and reporting, and organizing and outreach. Salary: $50,000-$60,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Data Quality Assurance Fellow, Center for Technology and Civic Life — CTCL’s Civic Data team creates and maintains nationwide datasets of candidate and elected officials, working with partners to ensure that everyone in America can answer basic questions about our democracy. Creating the datasets that power some of the most powerful civic information tools available is hard work. Consistently ensuring that these datasets are the best they can be is even harder. We’re looking for someone with a love of democracy (and a borderline-scary eye for detail) to help maintain and improve the civic information we and our partners provide to the public. Working with the Director of Civic Data, the Data Quality Assurance Fellow will work with our own data and with our partners to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the civic information available online. Examples of responsibilities include: Verifying civic information; sourcing political geographies; and implementing internal quality control systems. Salary: $50,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Operations Manager, Douglas County, Colorado— the Elections Operations Manager plans and conducts all functions associated with the operations of the Elections Division of the Clerk and Recorder’s Office in collaboration with the Deputy of Elections, including: oversight of responsibilities within the elections office and Voter Service and Polling Centers, coaching and supervision of staff; creation and enforcement of policies, procedures, and state and federal statutes and regulations ; creation and execution of strategic and tactical plans for operating successful elections; coordination of election functions with entities participating in a County election or conducting their own election; managing election assets; and. Coordinates with and assists other Clerk & Recorder Divisions as needed. Salary: $5,266-$7,899/month. Deadline: June 24. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Trainer, Ada County Clerk’s Office, Idaho— the Elections Trainer is responsible for recruiting and training poll workers. This position works closely with universities, non-profit an other organizations to support elections. The trainer will develop and update Election Day materials and assist in coordination of the voting process to ensure all processes and procedures are appropriately followed. Deadline: June 25. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Embedded System Software Engineer, Clear Ballot — Clear Ballot is looking for a talented Software Engineer who wants to bring their technical skills to bear on a hugely consequential problem. The successful candidate will build and enhance full software stack of highly available applications using primarily Python that interface with front-end web applications implemented in JavaScript and HTML5. The application software deploys on OEM based hardware, with optical scanner, battery backup, and full touchscreen UI, running a custom configured version of Linux OS. The ideal candidate should have strong technical skills, solid understanding of developing for embedded systems, a good working knowledge of the Linux architecture, and software integration with OEM hardware devices. You will be working with a small team of highly skilled individuals to build and enhance a platform that is changing the elections industry. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Field Sales Director, Hart InterCivic — the Field Sales Director works primarily on the road and from a home office when he/she is not on business travel. The Field Sales Director is responsible for creating news sales with prospects and existing clients in a defined region. Today, this role is a single contributor and does not directly manage people. This position will report to the VP of Sales. Application: For the complete job listing an to apply, click here.
Full Stack Principal Software Engineer, Clear Ballot— Clear Ballot is looking for an accomplished Principal Software Engineer who wants to bring their technical and leadership skills to bear on a hugely consequential problem: Bringing transparency to democratic elections. The successful candidate will have the ability to look at the bigger picture and deal with complex and competing requirements to design effective solutions. Extensive knowledge of and experience with large data structures and algorithms will be key. The backend implemented in Python and uses a SQL data base. The front end is implemented in JavaScript, Node.js and HTML5. The ideal candidate should have strong technical and leadership skills and a good working knowledge of the latest concepts in security, performance, and resilience. You will be working with a small team of highly skilled individuals to build and enhance a platform that is changing the elections industry. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Full Stack Software Developer, Clear Ballot— Clear Ballot is looking for a talented Software Engineer who wants to bring their technical skills to bear on a hugely consequential problem. The successful candidate will build and enhance enterprise-level, highly available applications using primarily Python and MySQL that interface with frontend web applications implemented in JavaScript, Node.js and HTML5. The ideal candidate should have strong technical skills and a good working knowledge of the latest concepts in performance, security and resilience. One of the hallmarks of our system is its emphasis on new visualization techniques made possible by sophisticated data structures that enable high-performance in a multi-user environment. You will be working with a small team of highly skilled individuals to build and enhance a platform that is changing the elections industry. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Full-Stack Software Engineer, Clear Ballot — Clear Ballot is looking for a talented Software Engineer who wants to bring their technical skills to bear on a hugely consequential problem – to modernize America’s voting systems and to bring transparency to democratic elections. The successful candidate will build and enhance enterprise-level, highly available applications using primarily Python and MySQL that interface with frontend web applications implemented in JavaScript, Node.js and HTML5. The ideal candidate should have strong technical skills and a good working knowledge of the latest concepts in performance, security and resilience. One of the hallmarks of our system is its emphasis on new visualization techniques made possible by sophisticated data structures that enable high-performance in a multi-user environment. You will be working with a small team of highly skilled individuals to build and enhance a platform that is changing the elections industry. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Hardware Engineer (Toronto, ON) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a an experienced Hardware Engineer to join our team in Toronto, Ontario! This position will work in a fast paced engineering, design, development and technical support environment with many variables and challenges. This position will be accountable for provisioning of electronics and providing software and mechanical engineering support to new product development, manufacturing and field support teams. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Inside Sales Representative, Runbeck — to support our desired growth and market expansion, we continue to hire outstanding talent in multiple departments. We are looking for highly motivated, dedicated and talented individuals who will be able to contribute significantly to the success of the company while receiving great opportunities for professional growth and financial benefits. Responsibilities include: Contact potential or existing customers to inform them about a product or service; ability to present solution and its value to a prospect over the phone; answer questions about products or the company; ask questions to understand customer requirements and close sales; enter and update customer information in the database; keep records of calls and sale and note useful information in the CRM; process orders in an accurate manner; and go the “extra mile” to meet sales quota and facilitate future sales. Application: In order to apply, please send a resume to Tammy White: twhite@runbeck.net.
Python Developer, Clear Ballot — Clear Ballot seeks a talented python developer in the Boston area to assume responsibility for an existing suite of python scripts to create files for use with ClearVote(TM) digital voting system. Job responsibilities: Maintain and enhance existing python scripts that read PDF formatted ballot styles and produce the files needed by ClearVote (TM) digital voting system to tabulate said ballot; Run existing python scripts to generate marked test ballots for use in testing ClearVote(TM); Develop and execute test plans to guarantee ClearVote tabulates marked ballots correctly; Expand PDF parsing capabilities as new customer’s ballot styles are introduced; Leverage analytics you gather to improve performance through script and/or hardware changes; Must perform these duties within aggressive timelines that often require working outside of normal business hours. Application: For the complete listing and to apply, click here.
Registrar of Voters, Sacramento County, California— The County of Sacramento is seeking a dynamic individual with an extensive background in election services as well as a proven ability to establish and maintain collaborative, professional relationships with external and internal agency officials and elections staff. Ideal candidates are hands-on, strategic managers who have proven leadership ability to effectively manage an established team to achieve set goals. The County is looking for a self-driven and enthusiastic leader with solid experience as Director of Elections. The Director must be personable and approachable and work well with individuals at all levels of the organization. Ideal candidates are experienced leaders who can hold staff accountable while promoting teamwork and cultivating an environment of mutual respect. Successful candidates will exemplify personal integrity and dedication to public service as well as to the integrity of the elections process. Additionally, successful candidates will have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. The Registrar of Voters will be a non-partisan, self-directed and result-oriented leader with extensive experience managing elections processes. Highly qualified candidates will have extensive, in-depth management experience working with local agencies on consolidated elections and coordinating external elections officials to broadcast and roll out new major law requirements. Salary: $138,928 – $153,171. Deadline: July 20. Application. For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Senior Elections Online Training Specialist, Michigan Secretary of State’s Office — this position serves as the Bureau of Elections (BOE) recognized resource overseeing and leading activities related to the planning, development, implementation, maintenance, communication and tracking of online training programs and other online references and resources. This position is responsible for overseeing and planning all aspects of the online Elections eLearning Center, which serves close to 3,000 election officials statewide. Duties include development of the overall online training curriculum and required components of Michigan’s mandated Continuing Education program for election officials; developing and maintaining the overall online training web portal; developing online course material covering complex topics related to election administration, utilizing specialized software; managing the system components related to enrolling, assigning, and tracking election officials’ completion of online coursework to ensure required training elements are completed timely; developing complex online data collection instruments; managing contracts with outside service providers; and coordinating, managing and implementing continual updates and improvements to all BOE web resources. The position also provides technical assistance to Michigan election officials and BOE staff, develops training manuals and other reference material; leads and participates on special projects; and acts as a state- and national-level liaison for BOE related to our online training programs. Salary: $48,651-$71,156. Deadline: July 2. Application. For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Senior Software Developer, Runbeck— Runbeck Election Services is looking for full stack enthusiasts who are comfortable tackling end-to-end and enjoy building products that solve big problems and delight customers. We’re a collaborative team who knows how to get things done (Lone Rangers need not apply). We believe that small teams focused on shipping software move the fastest and make the most impact. The ideal candidate for this position has extensive back end skills (C#, MVC, ASP.Net, SQL Server) paired with solid web and desktop skills (IIS, JavaScript, HTML 5, CSS, jQuery, WPF, Win Forms). Must have a solid grasp of our basic toolset (Jira, Visual Studio). Willing to learn new plug-ins and IDE enhancements in order to boost your productivity and are excited to introduce us to new tooling experiences that have worked for you in the past. You bring discipline and care about implementation practices. You are familiar with Agile/Scrum processes, practice common design patterns, embrace clean coding principles, and employ many other techniques in an effort to bring a high level of software craftsmanship to your finished product. Application: In order to apply, please send a resume to Tammy White: twhite@runbeck.net.
Software Product Specialist (Chicago, IL) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a data-savvy and passionate Software Product Specialist to join our team in Chicago, IL! This position is responsible for the precise data entry and formatting of election information for our customers in order to style, proof, and finalize ballots which are utilized in elections. This position requires a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail as well as experience with Microsoft Excel including formulas and macros. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
State Election Technology Associate, Clear Ballot— our growing team has an immediate need for a new member to manage testing, approval and certification campaigns of election technology in new states. This position works directly with State Government to test and approve voting systems. Certification and approval is key to success in the election systems domain. Diplomacy and empathy alongside professional and tactful communications are key contributors to smooth state certification campaigns of new election technology. All voting system components (ballot layout, in-person voting, absentee voting, results reporting and audit) and their associated documentation are certified by state agencies; evaluation is performed by demanding government laboratories. Requirements vary across the States; and these requirements are found in statute, Rule, by written and oral tradition, and sometimes are ambiguous and even unwritten. Attention to detail is paramount to success. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Systems Engineer, Clear Ballot — We are looking for a talented Systems Engineer who has both a technical and services/support background which enables them to quickly assess customer needs and offer value to Clear Ballot’s customers. The Systems Engineer will gain a deep understanding of how Clear Ballot’s products operate and their optimal configuration to build a streamlined installation process of the Clear Vote election system. The ideal candidate for this position can prioritize mission critical tasks and coordinate the implementation and expansion of our systems. They will be able to work directly with customers, display innovation, think conceptually and act tactically to build consensus around system installation and enhancement and meet deadlines. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Systems Manager (Chicago, IL) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a tech-savvy, customer focused Systems Manager to join our team in Chicago, IL! This position will be responsible for the readiness of Dominion’s voting systems to perform properly in the assigned jurisdictions which includes defining the functionality of the D-Suite system, monitoring the development of the system in accordance with the required functionality, and managing its testing and preparation for delivery to the market. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Systems Specialist – Advanced Field Support (Toronto, ON) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking an experienced & passionate Systems Specialist – Advanced Field Support to join our team in Toronto, Ontario! This position provides highly skilled and technical support in the testing, implementing and triaging of election systems both pre and post deployment. This includes providing functionality requirements of the system, monitoring the development of the system in accordance with the required functionality, and participating in its testing and preparation for delivery to the market. Salary: Negotiable base + bonus & benefits. Deadline: Open until filled. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
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