In Focus This Week
Outlook for state election legislation 2019
More than 2,000 election-related bills may be introduced this year
By Katy Owens Hubler, Democracy Research
On behalf of the National Conference of State Legislatures
Welcome to the 2019 legislative session!
Whether you view this time of year as exciting or approach it with trepidation (what is the legislature going to do this year?!?) it’s helpful to have an idea of what may be coming. As of writing, legislative sessions have begun in 43 states and the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) is tracking several hundred election bills.
As much as we would like a crystal ball sometimes, it’s impossible to predict what legislation will be introduced and what will pass. But, we know that legislation is sometimes reactive so we will probably see a lot of bills introduced in response to headlines stemming from the 2018 election. These may fall lower in the list of priorities as time goes on and the headlines fade in people’s memories.
Then there’s the age-old cliché of legislation being like sausage-making (by the way – see this article for legislators meeting for actual sausage-making prior to session) so much of what we see introduced at the beginning of the year will be substantially different before sessions draw to a close.
Going into 2019, there is the additional dynamic of one-party control of both chambers in all but one state legislature (Minnesota). A total of 36 states have a “trifecta” where one party controls both chambers in the legislature as well as the governorship. Whether this will translate into more bills being enacted remains to be seen.
What can we expect? If history is a guide, then something over 2,000 election-related bills will be introduced in the 50 states this year. Of those, perhaps 10 percent will be enacted. Those odds are disappointing for those who are looking for change, or potentially a relief, for those who prefer a steady state.
With those caveats aside, here are the topics of interest in election legislation so far in 2019.
Absentee voting and vote-by-mail
Voting by mail ballot will be a big topic in 2019, both from the perspective of expansion in some states and from the security angle—how do states verify the ballot came from the intended voter and was not tampered with in the process?
Three states mail ballots to all eligible voters (Colorado, Oregon and Washington) and Utah and California and are in the process of moving in that direction. Illinois (SB 195, HB 257), Nebraska (LB 163), New Jersey (AB 1797), New York (AB 778), South Carolina (HB 3179), Virginia (HB 1658) and Wyoming (HB 36) all have bills to establish all-mail elections in those states.
In many states that aren’t “all-mail” election officials have seen an increase in the number of voters opting to vote absentee. According to the latest Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS), “The total number of voters who voted early, absentee or by mail more than doubled from 24.9 million in 2004 to 57.2 million in 2016, representing an increase from one in five of all ballots cast to two in five of all ballots cast.”
More will have the opportunity, if new legislation passes. Last year Michigan voters approved a ballot measure that included (amongst other things) no-excuse absentee voting, leaving just twelve states that do not have pre-election day voting options for all voters (either early voting or no-excuse absentee voting or both).
In a particularly fast-moving “suite” of bills this week both chambers of the New York legislature passed a bill to establish early voting (SB 1102). Another bill (SB 1049) proposing a constitutional amendment to eliminate excuses for absentee voting also passed, though in New York proposed constitutional amendments have to pass the legislature twice and then be put to voters, so this change won’t be implemented for a while yet.
Many of the states that don’t currently offer pre-election day options are considering them this year. In Connecticut (HJR 10), Indiana (SB 86, SB 261), Missouri (HB 209, HB 368, HJR 5), New Hampshire (CACR 6), Pennsylvania (SB 33), Texas (HB 325, SB 164), and Virginia (HB 1641, HB 1794, HB 1959, SB 114, SB 602, SB 1035, SB 1672) bills have been introduced to remove excuses for voting absentee. And early voting is being considered in Connecticut (SB 23), Kentucky (SB 63), Missouri (HJR 5), Mississippi (SB 2026), South Carolina (HB 3040, HB 3266, SB 142) and Virginia (SB 1075).
Another area of focus, though, will be on how to prevent a situation like the one in North Carolina in 2018 where absentee voters entrusted their ballots to individuals who may have tampered with their votes along the way. So, the return of absentee ballots on behalf of other voters is on the minds of legislators. Sometimes known as ballot collecting or ballot harvesting, this practice was banned entirely in Montana last year via a legislative referendum. There’s a fine line that legislators have to navigate between permitting this practice, especially for populations that have difficulty returning absentee ballots via other means, and regulating it to address a situation like the one in North Carolina.
What has been introduced on this topic so far? A bill in California (AB 17) would prohibit an employer from asking an employee to bring his or her mail ballot to work or from voting it at work. A bill in South Carolina (SB 331) would prohibit a person from knowingly collecting voted or unvoted absentee ballots. Both come with penalties.
Legislators may also be looking at requiring absentee voters to submit identification with absentee ballots. States that receive all (or the majority) of ballots through the mail or drop boxes have developed detailed procedures for verifying the identity of voters returning these ballots (usually through signature verification) and allowing voters to come in and “cure” their ballot if a discrepancy is discovered. States that are moving in this direction or that are seeing an increase in absentee ballots are taking a deeper look at their processes.
The ballot measure that passed in Arkansas last year enshrining its voter ID requirement in the state constitution included a provision that absentee voters must enclose a copy of valid photographic identification with his or her ballot.
Other absentee voting measures: changing the timing of when absentee ballots can be processed in order to more quickly produce results (South Carolina SB 141), permitting absentee ballots postmarked by the day of the election to be counted even if they were not received by the close of polls (Connecticut HB 5268) and prepaid postage (Washington SB 5063).
Registration
Since 2010 the biggest topic in voter registration has been the expansion of online voter registration. Now that 38 states and the District of Columbia have enacted this option, we’ve seen a slowdown in legislation, although the year is yet young.
The new hot topic is automatic voter registration, which has been enacted or implemented administratively in sixteen states now. The latest to join the club are Michigan and Nevada, where ballot measures were approved during the 2018 election. So far in 2019 bills have been introduced in Arkansas (HB 1004), Connecticut (SB 24), Georgia (HB 18), Indiana (SB 349), Minnesota (HB 45), Mississippi (HB 423), Missouri (HJR 5), South Carolina (HB 3041), Texas (HB 79, HB 140/SB 103) and Virginia (HB 2390, SB 1063).
Same-day registration, which allows voters to register and vote in one stop at a polling location, has been around in some states since the 1970s and has seen a rise in recent years. There are now seventeen states with same day or election day voter registration, and bills have been introduced in Indiana (SB 32, HB 1256), Kentucky (HB 7), South Carolina (HB 3040), Texas (SB 102) and Virginia (HB 1904). A bill in Connecticut (HB 5205) seeks to eliminate the option in that state.
Ranked Choice Voting
Now that Maine has taken the plunge and conducted its 2018 statewide election using ranked choice voting (RCV), interest in other states is on the rise. Although Maine was the first to enact and implement RCV on the state level, municipalities in several states have long conducted elections this way. States considering dipping their toes in the RCV waters are considering authorizing RCV for local jurisdictions. In 2018 the Utah legislature enacted a pilot project (HB 35) to allow municipalities to try out RCV in 2019 and reports are that five cities in the state are considering doing just that. So far in 2019 RCV legislation has been introduced in Connecticut (HB 5036) for primary elections, Indiana (SB 306) for municipal elections, Maryland (HB 26) for primary elections in Baltimore, Missouri (HB 27 for state and federal offices and HB 28 for all local elections), New York (SB 796) for the city of New York, Virginia (HB 2097) for local and constitutional office (by choice of the local governing body), and Wyoming (SF 65) for all primary and general elections with at least two candidates.
Audits and Voting Equipment
Audits have been a hot topic among election geeks lately, but does this translate to interest in legislatures? In 2018 the number of post-election audit bills introduced in legislatures nearly doubled when compared to previous years. It’s a good bet that 2019 will be similar. Bills to establish post-election audits have been introduced in Indiana (HB 1315), Missouri (HB 543, SB 113), South Carolina (SB 140, SB 202), and Texas (SB 277). Two other bills in Indiana (SB 405 and SB 570) would require risk-limiting audits.
And, to conduct audits states need voting equipment that is able to produce an audit trail. Bills in Indiana (HB 1315, SB 570), Missouri (HB 543, SB 113), Mississippi (HB 28), New York (SB 308), South Carolina (HB 3304, HB 3043, HB 3302, SB 182, SB 183, SB 140), Texas (SB 277, HB 22) all deal with the phasing out of paperless voting machines or requiring a paper trail for new equipment, and in some cases include an appropriation. New Hampshire HB 345 would require new ballot counting equipment to be acquired at regular intervals, and bills in Texas (HB 362) and Wyoming (HB 21) would create grant funds to assist local governments with purchasing new voting equipment.
The upcoming presidential election
In the year preceding a presidential election there are always bills that address the process. This is when states shift the dates of their primary elections to be relevant in choosing presidential candidates. It is also the time when states look at the presidential nominating process, so we expect to see legislation on the electoral college, joining or withdrawing from the National Popular Vote Compact, and putting penalties on faithless electors.
After the 2016 presidential election another issue cropped up in state legislation – requiring presidential candidates to disclose income tax returns in order to appear on the ballot. Many bills were introduced in 2017 (with no enactments) and a new crop of bills have been introduced this year already (see California SB 27, Mississippi HB 24, New Hampshire HB 440 and HB 202). This is the year when we may also see some changes in primary types, whether a state’s primary is open to all voters or limited to political party members.
To track bills throughout the year take a look at NCSL’s Election Legislation Database and (to steal a line from Doug Chapin) stay tuned!
Election News This Week
The shutdown of the federal government has touched many aspects of American life and not just for those who work in the affected agencies. And now it’s impacting Montgomery County, Pennsylvania’s ability to purchase new voting equipment. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer the county is getting ready to purchase new equipment as part of state mandate, but the equipment they want to purchase has not received its final federal certification because the U.S. Election Assistance Commission is part of the shutdown. If the government doesn’t reopen soon and the system get its certification, the county will have to find an alternative. “We’re essentially preparing to have two different systems ready to go, with the hope that it’s the new one,” Lee Soltysiak, the county’s chief operating officer and clerk of its election board told the Inquirer.
Every vote really does count. Two seats on the Fairmont, West Virginia city council are changing hands after additional ballots were counted last week. In mid-December it was discovered that 57 ballots from one voting machine in the 36th precinct. Judge Patrick Wilson approved a petition to recount the ballots including the 57 previously uncounted ballots. In one race, that was initially decided by a coin toss because it ended in a tie Josh Rice, who lost the coin toss, ended up winning by six votes. In the second race, which also ended in a tie, following the addition of the 57 ballots Barry Bledsoe ended up winning by three votes. “Regardless of what the outcome would have been, I have full faith in our system, like Randy Elliot said I believe we have about 280 machines and this is the first time that this has happen to my knowledge in the 18 years of using them.” Bledsoe told WBOY.
The Maricopa County, Arizona Board of Supervisors has voted to establish a working group of county employees to look to review how the county conducts elections and what changes can be made to improve the process for 2020 and beyond. According to The Arizona Republic, the working group established will be comprised of county employees from the auditing team, human resources department, recorder’s office and other relevant areas. The supervisors allotted up to $50,000 for the group. One change the working group will consider is splitting up the elections duties—as allowed by Arizona law—between the county’s recorder and the board itself. “We’re stepping in an area that I don’t think has ever been done before, where we’re looking long-term at elections,” Supervisor Steve Gallardo told the paper.
Personnel News: David Maeda has been appointed the Minnesota director of elections. Raymond Williams has been appointed chairman of the U.S. Virgin Islands Board of Elections. Fritz Schoen has been appointed to the Lucas County, Ohio board of elections. Jimi Williams-Cox has been appointed Saline County, Illinois clerk. David Kennedy has joined the Hall County, Georgia elections board. Yvonne Pearson has retired as the Greenlee County, Arizona director of elections. Carolyn Weston has joined the Marion County, Ohio board of elections. Adam Booth has resigned as the Columbiana County, Ohio board of elections director. And a special shout out to our former colleague Sam Derheimer who has been hired as the director of government affairs for Hart InterCivic.
Research and Report Summaries
The National Conference of State Legislatures released a web-report on election security last month: Election Security: What Legislators (and Others) Need to Know. The report summarizes key issues in election security, aggregates existing resources on the topic, and outlines steps that state legislators can take to support voter confidence and strengthen election infrastructure.
Connecticut released a report on adopting vote by mail on January 12. Former Governor Daniel Malloy commissioned the study by executive order in February 2018. The report was prepared with assistance from the National Vote at Home Institute. The report examines considerations for adopting vote by mail in Connecticut, including the modes of vote by mail in use around the country, common election security issues faced with vote by mail, steps for implementation, and statutory changes that would be needed for adoption.
(Research and Report Summaries are written by David Kuennen.)
Legislative Updates
Delaware: House Bill 38 would allow voters to cast their ballots at designated polling sites up to 10 days ahead of any general, primary or special election, including the weekend before election day.
Two other pieces of proposed legislation would allow for election day registration and would combine the state’s presidential and state primaries.
Florida: The Cape Coral city council voted 7-1 to move the dates of municipal elections to coincide with larger races on even-numbered years.
Illinois: More than four decades after the DuPage county clerk’s office was stripped of its elections duties, elections will once again fall under the purview of the office. The county board vote 11-7 to dissolve the DuPage Election Commission and transfer its functions back to the county clerk’s office immediately. The seven Democrats voting against the dissolution had wanted to wait until after the April election to make the move.
Iowa: Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) is proposing a constitutional amendment that would restore the voting rights to ex-felons upon the completion of their sentence instead of waiting on the governor to restore their voting rights.
New Hampshire: HB 106 amends the general statutory definitions of “resident or inhabitant” and “residence or residency” to include an intent to maintain a principal place of physical presence for the indefinite future. The bill restores language removed from the law in 2018 by HB 1264.
HB 105-FN, relative to domicile residency, voter registration, and investigation of voter verification letters, would effectively repeal SB3, which is still being argued in the courts because of a lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire.
The House Election Law Committee recently held hearings on two constitutional amendments. In one, 17-year-olds would be allowed to vote in primaries if they turn 18 by the date of the general election and the other would make absentee ballots available to all voters.
New York: This week, the General Assembly approved a sweeping package of legislation that will dramatically change elections in the Empire State. Included in the package of bills was the creation of one week of early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, pre-registration of 16-year-olds and election day registration, although that will take an additional constitutional amendment.
North Dakota: House Bill 1270 would require county commissioners to get the consent of a majority of legislative district party chairmen before designating or changing polling places. The bill also would require the county commission to consult with legislators in the districts affected before establishing or altering precinct boundaries. According to the Grand Forks Herald, Burleigh County Auditor Kevin Glatt said the proposal appears to be an effort to pre-empt the county from establishing vote centers.
South Dakota: House Bill 1027, filed at the request of the State Board of Elections would require county auditors to provide paper voter-registration lists and bound paper poll books as backups at polling places were electronic poll books are used.
The Senate has tabled a bill that would have allowed political attire to be worn at polling places.
Tennessee: Sen. Brenda Gilmore (D-Nashville) has introduced a bill that would automatically restore the voting rights of those convicted of a felony upon the completion of the terms of their sentence.
Virginia: The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, by an 8 to 6 vote, voted down a proposal that would have restored an ex-felon’s right to vote automatically upon completion of the terms of their sentence.
Washington: Sen. John McCoy (D-Tulalip) has pre-filed SB 5079, The Native American Voting Rights Act of Washington which would modify the minimum information required for voter registration under state law, to allow for “unmarked homes” and “a nontraditional residential address may be used when a voter resides on an Indian reservation or on Indian lands.”
West Virginia: The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to mandate a runoff for state Supreme Court elections where no candidate earns a clear majority vote. It also OK’d a bill to ensure people unable to leave their homes to vote can receive an emergency absentee ballot.
Wyoming: Sen. Bo Biteman (R-Ranchester) has introduced Senate File 32 that would stop voters from changing parties less than 10 weeks before a primary election.
Also in Wyoming, HB36 that would have allowed county commissioners to choose to run state and federal elections entirely by mail failed by a 4-3 vote in the House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee.
Legal Updates
U.S. Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a New York case and decide whether a civil lawsuit that was the result of a 2009 Rensselaer County election may continue. According to the Times Union, The court agreed to hear an argument over a legal question that will decide whether Democratic Rensselaer County election commissioner Edward G. McDonough was too late filing an $8 million federal civil rights lawsuit against former special prosecutor Trey Smith. McDonough was accused of committing 74 felonies as part of a scheme in the 2009 primary election to forge more than 50 absentee ballots to benefit Democratic candidates in city council races. He was acquitted twice of forgery and possession of a forged instrument charges, with the second acquittal coming on Dec. 21, 2012.
Alabama: Elbert Melton, mayor of Gordon, has been found guilty of two counts of voter fraud. Last September, a grand jury returned indictments against Melton on three charges of absentee ballot fraud and one charge of second-degree theft of property.
Georgia: A Cobb County judge will hold a hearing this week in a lawsuit challenging the election of Lt. Gov.-elect Geoff Duncan. The case alleges that a drop-off in votes for lieutenant governor indicates the election between Duncan, a Republican, and Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico was flawed and should be redone. Duncan won by more than 123,000 votes.
Hawaii: According to the Honolulu Civil Beat, details over how the U.S. Postal Service and the Honolulu City Clerk’s office handled late-arriving mail ballots Nov. 6 may be a deciding factor in how the state Supreme Court rules in a challenge of Councilman Trevor Ozawa’s apparent victory over challenger Tommy Waters.
Iowa: Joseph P. Hentzel, 40, of Iowa City, has been arrested and charged with voter misconduct for providing a false residential address on an absentee ballot request form for the November 2108 election.
Minnesota: The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled that a District Court judge was correct in dismissing a petition to put a ballot measure to move municipal elections to even-numbered years for lack of proper signatures.
New Jersey: William Rojas, 68, of Hoboken has been indicted on the charge of promoting a voter bribery scheme by use of the U.S. Mail in 2015. Rojas is charged with violation of the federal Travel Act for causing the mails to be used in aid of voter bribery contrary to New Jersey state law.
North Carolina: Lawyers for Republican legislators have filed a motion in federal to intervene in a lawsuit challenging the state’s new voter ID law. The suit argues that because the governor did not support the law that his administration cannot properly defend it in court.
South Carolina: U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs has said she will rule within the next 10 days on a lawsuit asking for federal oversight of the state’s purchase of new voting machines. Childs could dismiss the lawsuit, which asks for a court order requiring the S.C. Election Commission to buy new, high-security voting machines. Or she could let the suit proceed.
Tennessee: Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin has dismissed a lawsuit by several prospective Memphis city council candidates that sought to deem instant runoff voting legal in Tennessee.
Texas: Marites Canete Curry has been indicted on one count of illegal voting. Curry is a not a U.S. citizen and is alleged to have voted in Navarro County in November 2016.
Wisconsin: The League of Women Voters, Disability Rights Wisconsin, Black Leaders Organizing for Communities and three Wisconsin voters filed a lawsuit in Dane County court alleging the new laws, including the shortening of early voting, should be voided because lawmakers illegally convened a legislative session to take up the Republican-authored bills.
Tech Thursday
Georgia: The Secure, Accessible & Fair Elections (SAFE) Committee voted 13-3 to recommend a voting system with touchscreens and printers as Georgia’s next statewide voting system. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, except for election officials and lobbyists, every voter who made public comments supported hand-marked paper ballots. County election supervisors backed ballot-marking devices, saying they’re similar to the touchscreens that voters are accustomed to.
Opinions This Week
National Opinions: Congress | Voting is easy | Voting problems;
Arizona: Vote-by-mail
Connecticut: Voter access
Florida: Ex-felon voting rights, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII | Voting rights
Georgia: Voting rights | Election reform | Election security;
Indiana: Porter County | Election laws | Local elections turnout
Iowa: Ex-felon voting rights
Maine: Ranked choice voting
Missouri: Boone County
New Jersey: Early voting
New York: Ranked choice voting | Election reform, II
North Carolina: Election fraud, II
Pennsylvania: Voting process | Voting equipment | Same-day registration;
Utah: Ranked choice voting
Upcoming Events
A Practical Guide to Risk-Limiting Audits — With the spotlight on election security, election administrators need tools to provide voters with confidence in all stages of our electoral system. Join election officials, cybersecurity experts, policy makers, and others for a practical overview of cutting-edge post-election audits, which provide statistical confidence in election outcomes. As election officials across the country continue to look for opportunities to make their systems and procedures more secure before the 2020 election, what should election officials know about risk-limiting audits? What are they? What tools are necessary? How do they work in states with different voting systems? How much do they cost? We’ll tackle these topics and more. Sponsored by Microsoft, Brennan Center For Justice, Common Cause, National Election Defense Coalition, and Verified Voting. Where: Washington, DC. When: January 31.
National Association of State Election Directors — The NASED Winter Conference will be held in Washington DC, February 1-4, 2019. Sessions on the agenda include: Engaging White Hat Hackers, Beyond Risk Limiting Audits, Engaging Minority Populations, Voter Registration Modernization and updates from Congress and the EAC. Where: Washington, DC. When: February 1-4.
National Association of Secretaries of State — The NASS Winter Conference will be held in Washington, DC, February 1-4, 2019. Sessions on the agenda include: Election Reform in the 116th Congress, 2019 State Legislative Trends for Election Reform, and Signature Verification and Processing Absentee Ballots: Methods, Postmarks, Processing and Tabulating Timetables. Where: Washington, DC. When: February 1-4.
The Voting Experience: 2018 and the Future— Please save the date as the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Democracy Fund analyze key moments in election administration during the 2018 midterm elections, and look ahead to what steps can be taken to improve the voting experience for all Americans in 2020. Where: Washington, DC. When: February 14.
Election Center Special Workshop — The Election Center will hold a special workshop that will include: Course 7 (Facilitating Voter Participation); Course 8 (Implementation of New Programs); and Renewal Course 31 (Election Storytelling ). Where: Birmingham, Alabama. When: February 25-26.
Election Center Special Workshop —The Election Center will hold a special workshop that will include: Course 9 (Enfranchisement, Enhancement, Enforcement ); Course 10 (Constitution, Courts & Cases to 1965); and Renewal Course 14 (Crisis Management). Where: Virginia Beach. When: April 24-28.
International Association of Government Officials — IGO’s 2019 Annual Conference will be held in Houston, Texas, July 11-17. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
National Association of Counties — NACo’s 2019 Annual Conference will be held in Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada July 11-15, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
National Association of State Election Directors — The NASED Summer Conference will be held in Austin, Texas, July 14-16, 2019. Watch this space for more details about agendas and registration.
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.brinkdev.com. 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.
Administrative Assistant, Center for Election Innovation & Research— the Administrative Assistant will work full-time and play a critical role in managing the day-to-day effectiveness of CEIR, including our program operations, finance, and human resources functions. This person will collaborate in developing and implementing systems that increase the effectiveness and efficiency of our work, supporting our ability to grow and expand our impact. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated and detail-oriented individual who wants to make a substantial impact while gaining a broad set of experiences relevant to nonprofit leadership. The Administrative Assistant will work in the Washington, DC Metro Area, usually in CEIR’s office, although sometimes working from home may be possible. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Administrative Specialist III (Ballot Collection Lead), King County, Washington — King County Elections is recruiting for an Administrative Specialist III (Ballot Collection Lead) position. This position will provide logistical support for ballot collection, fleet, and warehouse tasks as well as lead processes, projects and temporary staff. With over 60 ballot drop box locations throughout King County, this is a work group that continues to grow and evolve. The workweek is typically 35 hours per week, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This is a great opportunity for a detail oriented person with warehouse/receiving experience, data entry and strong interpersonal skills. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Administrative Specialist III (Elections Specialist Lead), King County, Washington — King County Elections is recruiting for two Administrative Specialist III (Elections Specialist Lead) positions in Ballot Processing and Voter Services. These positions will lead processes, projects, and people which will include leading, coaching, mentoring, and training temporary and regular staff. Leads may also provide assistance and/or participate in long-term cross-training in multiple work areas to meet organizational agile efforts. The workweek is typically 35 hours per week, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This is a great opportunity for a customer service oriented person with strong communication and interpersonal skills. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Assistant Registrar, Richmond, Va.— the purpose of the class is to assist citizens in registering to vote and to assist in the election process by providing clerical assistance and customer service. The class is responsible for maintaining accurate voter registration records and for providing election information and services to candidates and the general public. The class works within a general outline of work to be performed according to set procedures under direct supervision. Salary: $24,108-$39,076. Deadline: January 20. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Campus Outreach Lead, Democracy Works— As campus outreach lead, you will sustain and grow the TurboVote higher education partnerships program. You will be responsible for renewing contracts with existing higher education partners and bringing on new partners by generating leads, carrying those leads through necessary follow up tasks, and formalizing partnerships with signed contracts. In this role, you will build relationships with key stakeholders at colleges and universities, as well as with fellow nonprofit organizations that support civic engagement at colleges and universities. You’ll become an expert in the world of higher education and cultivate a passion for promoting civic engagement. Also, you will persistently navigate the bureaucracy of external organizations. Salary: $50,000 to $65,000. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Certification Manager (Denver, CO) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a Certification Manager to join our team in Denver, CO! This position is a cross -functional leader playing a key role in managing certification efforts for Dominion Voting products. In this role, you will act as a representative of the company with State and Federal certification officials, test labs, and other key internal and external stakeholders throughout the certification process. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Chief Departmental Operations, San Diego County Registrar of Voters, Voter Services Division — The County of San Diego, Registrar of Voters (ROV) invites résumés from qualified candidates for Chief, Departmental Operations to fill a vacancy in the Voter Services Division. The Chief, Departmental Operations is an unclassified management classification reporting directly to executive management and oversees a major functional area or several small programs including creating program policy and supervision of staff. This position provides leadership and oversight over the functions and activities of the Department’s Voter Services Division. The primary responsibilities are to direct the processing of voter registration affidavits; maintenance of voter registration records; verification of State and local petitions (i.e. initiative, referendum, recall and nomination); organization of call center functions; management of mail ballot program and mail ballot voter records, including preparation, mailing, verification, and processing of mail ballots; coordination with external organizations including United States Postal Service and ballot printing and mailing contractor; ensuring State and federal reporting requirements are completed; and coordination of San Diego County Employee Retirement Association Board Member Elections. The Chief, Department Operations provides leadership, supervision, and management of staff responsible for voter service activities. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
City Clerk, Prior Lake, Minnesota — carry out the statutory functions of the position and oversee the administration of council meetings, elections and municipal licensing. Process Data Requests and maintain records. Work involves City Council and public interaction. Responsible for all election activities including: Hiring, training and scheduling election judges; Perform required ballot and equipment testing before every election, maintain election equipment and supplies; Prepare and file all required agenda reports and legal notices related to elections; Prepare state and county documents required for precinct boundary changes and polling location changes. Ensure all polling locations are available, coordinate set up and take down of election polling place equipment for each election; Conduct required public accuracy testing; Coordinate all election day activities including supply pick up, election judge meal deliveries, troubleshoot polling place issues that come up, drop off of post- election supplies, ensure all election results have been transmitted; Administer candidate filing affidavits, campaign finance report filings, and certification of filing. Deadline: Jan. 31. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Clerk of the Board/Elections Director, Santa Cruz County, Arizona — Under the direction of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and guidance from the Santa Cruz County Manager, performs statutory duties of the Clerk of the Board pursuant to ARS 11-241 and other statutory duties, to include preparing, publishing and posting the agenda for the Board of Supervisor meetings. Under limited supervision, performs work of considerable difficulty to plan, organize, coordinate, direct and manage all activities of the Santa Cruz County Elections Department in compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. This is an at-will position. Plans, organizes, coordinates, directs and manages all activities of the Santa Cruz County Elections Department in compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations; oversees daily operations and programing; develops and administers departmental budget and oversees expenditures, develops and administers training and education for election staff and volunteers. Develops and implements procedural and technical improvements as they relate to elections; ensures quality control of all aspects of election from ballot production to public information; manages projects, coordinates with other county/state departments and outside vendors. Salary: $69,186. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Deputy Director, Center for Election Innovation & Research — the Deputy Director will report to the Executive Director and have a broad range of responsibilities designed to support CEIR’s mission. In this position, the Deputy Director will play an integral role in the development and execution of CEIR’s programming, strategic communications, and continued growth as an organization. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and highly motivated individual who wants to make a substantial, positive, nonpartisan impact on elections and American democracy. The Deputy Director’s primary workplace will be CEIR’s Washington, DC office. The Deputy Director also must be available for business travel as needed. CEIR believes that working alongside and understanding the diverse mix of people who are affected by elections and American democracy is key to achieving our mission. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse, non-discriminatory work environment. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Elections Technician Supervisor, San Joaquin County, California — The San Joaquin County Registrar of Voter’s Office is looking to fill two vital Elections Technician Supervisor positions within the department and to create an eligible list which may be used to fill future vacancies. This is a fast-paced elections office with a vibrant staff and diverse electorate. In 2019 we anticipate installing a new voting system and upgrading many of our operations. There are three areas the Elections Technician Supervisor may be assigned: Precinct Operations, Voter Registration and Candidate Filing & Campaign Services. 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 and to apply, click here.
Full Stack Architect / Senior Software Engineer, Clear Ballot— Clear Ballot is looking for an accomplished, Boston MA based Architect/Senior 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 implement new products and features under tight deadlines. You will be using primarily Python and MySQL that interface with front-end web applications implemented in JavaScript 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 — 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 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.
IT Security Administrator (Denver) – Dominion Voting is looking for an IT Security Administrator to join our IT team in Denver, Colorado! We are looking for a security minded individual who can perform both day-to-day technical management and maintenance of IT security programs, and who can also strategically assess and enhance the overall IT security enterprise-wide. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Project Manager (Austin, TX) – Hart InterCivic — Hart InterCivic is looking for a project manager to work with our Professional Services Team. The project manager oversees the deployment of voting systems and training to both existing and new Hart customers. The ideal candidate has experience in the elections industry, is PMP certified, and is motivated to achieve success for our customers with initiative. Travel up to 80 percent. Reports to the Manager of Professional Services. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Regional Sales Manager, Clear Ballot— The Regional Sales Manager (RSM) position will represent Clear Ballot in a designated territory to engage prospective customers, educate them on the value of partnering with Clear Ballot, and close New Business. This position is a Hunter. The RSM will be responsible for managing and growing their assigned territory and meeting quarterly and annual sales goals. Previous sales experience in high growth organizations is a plus. RSM’s will be responsible for understanding the Clear Ballot portfolio and effectively communicating the value we bring to the market. Measures of success include: high levels of sales activity, regular and consistent reporting and communication of progress, progress toward quarterly and annual quota attainment, and overcoming obstacles to get the job done. We currently have open positions in Florida and Boston. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Sales Engineer, Clear Ballot — Our Sales and Marketing team is looking for a seasoned, hardworking and energetic Sales Engineer with proven experience and a passion for selling technology solutions. This role is responsible for being the primary technical resource for our sales force while also actively driving and managing the technology evaluation stage of the sales process. You will be required to have an in-depth technical knowledge of Clear Ballot’s Clear Vote suite and demonstrating the product capabilities to prospective customers. The ideal candidate must also be able to identify and provide reliable solutions for all technical issues to assure complete customer satisfaction. Measures of success include new customer acquisition rates, renewal rates, upselling, cross-selling, customer satisfaction and contribution to overall sales team and new customer success Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Senior Software Developer (Toronto) – Dominion Voting is searching for an experienced and passionate Senior Software Developer to join our team in Toronto! These positions will be responsible for providing high-level technical expertise in design development, coding, testing and debugging new software or significant enhancements to existing software for our customers. You will work on a variety of our product lines and you may act as team leader on less complex projects and assists in training/mentoring less experienced software development staff. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Software Developer III (Toronto) – Dominion Voting is searching for an experienced and passionate Software Developer III to join our team in Toronto! These positions will be responsible for providing high-level technical expertise in design development, coding, testing and debugging new software or significant enhancements to existing software for our customers. You will work on a variety of our product lines and you may act as team leader on less complex projects and assists in training/mentoring less experienced software development staff. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Software Product Specialist II (Phoenix, AZ) – Dominion Voting Systems — Dominion Voting Systems is seeking a Software Product Specialist II to join our team in Phoenix, AZ! This position will be responsible for delivering a wide variety of technical and non-technical customer support services related to the implementation, operation, repair, maintenance and upgrades of Dominion Voting Systems technology products. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
System and Data Specialist, ERIC — Using independent judgment and delegated decision-making authority, the Systems and Data Specialist performs analysis, project management, trouble shooting, problem resolution, quality assurance, and documentation concerning mission-critical ERIC functions: 1) uploading of state data and data from secondary sources to ERIC; 2) delivery of timely and accurate reports to ERIC members; 3) hosting and maintenance of ERIC data; and 4) providing consistently high quality service and support to ERIC members. This position actively participates in business continuity planning, risk assessments, security reviews, and other efforts to protect ERIC’s system and data. Salary: $80K-$95K. Deadline: January 28, 2019. 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.
Technology Support Specialist, Durham County, North Carolina — Evaluates and recommends ways to streamline and automate routine office functions for the Board of Elections; Researches technological enhancements to Board of Elections systems and processes; Creates custom reports, data visualizations, conducts research and performs data analysis as instructed by supervisory staff; Develops and maintains databases using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) or other coding systems to enhance and automate processes; Assists in auditing and maintaining the Board of Elections geocode and jurisdictional assignments database in conjunction with City/County GIS; Performs troubleshooting of office equipment, software and systems with the advice and support of the Information Systems & Technology (IS&T) department; Maintains Durham County Board of Elections databases and systems in conjunction with the State Board of Elections and Information Systems & Technology and department; Programs and performs logic and accuracy testing on Board of Elections equipment; Responsible for maintaining custody, security, troubleshooting, and maintenance of voting equipment and corresponding software; Responsible for assisting with ballot configuration, programming, and coding as it relates voting system preparation; Performs audits of voting systems to ensure functionality and accuracy; Performs reconciliation and tabulation activities; Ensures the proper creation, preparation, and distribution of electronic poll books systems used by the Durham County Board of Elections; Performs other administrative tasks as assigned by supervisory staff. Deadline: Jan. 31. Salary: $47,916-$86,248. Application: For the complete job listing and to apply, click here.
Marketplace
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Ballot Scanners
Ballot readers. $500. Buyer will be responsible for pick and shipping to buyer’s location. Contact Wilfred Cochico, purchasing officer City of Lakewood: 562-866-9771 ext. 2640 or via email: WCochico@lakewoodcity.org.
King County Elections also has 17 Photoscribe DRS PS960 image-based high volume scan machines including cases, extender trays, end guides and some extra parts available, free of charge. More information about these units can be found here: If you are interested, contact Nate Valderas at nathan.valderas@kingcounty.gov by January 18, 2019. Shipping costs at the expense of recipient.
Voting Booths
Each aluminum briefcase contains the following: aluminum legs, privacy shield, writing base, light assembly. All units are in great shape dimensions are 22”x 18”x 3“. MFG: ESL. Election supplies Limited, Napa California. Quantity: 400 Price per unit is $50. Contact Greg Larson 408.569.1004
Voting Machines
King County Elections has approximately 150 Diebold TSx units that are available free of charge. Each DRE unit has a touchscreen, base with folding legs, printer component, and keypad. All units are in working condition. Includes additional parts such as privacy doors and leg brackets. If you are interested, contact Kortney Kinzer at kortney.kinzer@kingcounty.gov by January 18, 2019.