Joint Election Officials Liaison Committee

Arlington, VA

2018 Conference Presentations

Special Workshop

San Antonio, TX 2018

Security, New Systems And Models Of Election Service Delivery

Our San Antonio 2018 Special Workshop addressed an assortment of themes with new systems and models of election service delivery and election security with presentation from the following agencies, offices and institutions: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Auburn University, Bipartisan Policy Center, Marion County Supervisor of Election, Boulder County Clerk/Recorder, Boulder, CO, Federal Voting Assistance Program, U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Maricopa County Recorder, Ranked Choice Voting, Texas State Election Director, Henrico County General Registrar, USPS and Democracy Fund. Presentation topics included:

IT Security and Me Why every election administrator has a role in IT security

Investing in Elections: Costs, Resources and Types of Voters/Professional Measurement Project

Data Integrity Protocols for protecting data while being transparent

and data driven

Security of Military and Overseas Voting

Election Administration Professionalism Index What it means

and why it matters

Security Report from the EAC

New Voting Models Service delivery, voter choices and voting options

Implementation, Promotion and Education Making sure everyone is prepared and aware of what’s ahead

USPS Initiatives New services for election administrators

2018 Professional Practice Program Submission

Submission Deadline June 8, 2018

It is that time of year again. The Professional Practices Program is an opportunity in which election officials can publicly share their successful practices. So, now is the time to put your best onto paper and share it with your colleagues. It is our hope that you will make time to help this program grow and to enrich our profession further. In order to evaluate and select winners and to prepare for the presentations at the National Conference, we have set a deadline of June 8, 2017 for submission of all papers.

Download and review the 2018 Professional Practice Program Flyer for more information.

Registration information will be posted as each event approaches.

Whitepaper from the EAC Starting Point: U.S. Election Systems As Critical Infrastructure

June 13, 2017

(EAC) On January 6, 2017, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson designated U.S. election systems as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, a decision that was later affirmed by current DHS Secretary John Kelly. Since the designation was announced, state and local election officials across the country have raised questions about the day-to-day impact of the designation and how it will benefit their work to conduct accessible, accurate and secure elections. This document details DHS’s critical infrastructure designation and what election administrators can expect moving forward. It also provides a glossary of terms frequently used in conjunction with correspondence and discussions about the critical infrastructure designation.

Read The Whitepaper Today...

The Election Center is pleased to announce the Palgrave Macmillan publication of Administering Elections: How American Elections Work written by three of our esteemed CERA faculty at Auburn University; Kathleen Hale, Robert Montjoy, & Mitchell Brown.

White Paper

2020 Vision: Election Security in the Age of Committed Foreign Threats

Sponsored by: Cook County Clerk David Orr

Authored by: Noah Praetz, Director of Elections

January 22, 2018

The entire national security establishment admonishes that threats to our election infrastructure are

real. Foreign governments, foreign non-state actors, and domestic troublemakers have the capacity and desire to corrode the essential public belief that our election outcomes are true and reliable. To very different degrees this threat applies to both preliminary returns announced on election night and to official, final results.

JEOLC 2018 addressed an assortment of themes in election administration and election security with presentation from the following agencies, offices and institutions: Auburn University, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), Center for Internet Security (CIS), Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC), United States Postal Service (USPS), Salter Mitchell PR, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), and University of South Florida.

Presentation topics included:

Report from the Election Assistance Commission 2017 in Review

Cyber Security

Investing in Elections: Costs, Resources and Types of Voters/Professional Measurement Project

United States Postal Service Report

State Voter Registration and Elections Legislation

Crisis Management/Media Training

U.S. Government Accountability Office Update on Election Work

The 2018 Election Cycle: Unlikely to be Politics as Usual

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Election Center.

White Paper

Voter Education is Changing

Hart InterCivic Inc.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions expressed by the authors and those providing comments on this paper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Election Center.

February 1, 2018

Election officials are increasingly creative in serving their jurisdictions and a busy electorate. Beyond the obvious charge to hold fair and transparent elections, they support turnout through voter education on everything from election dates and voting locations to sample ballots and how to operate new voting equipment.

It is well understood that voter engagement is good for democracy and that informed voters are more likely to cast ballots. This white paper takes a closer look at some of the approaches that election managers across the U.S. are using to connect with their voters.

SPECIAL WORKSHOP

Preparing for the Unexpected in the Voter Registration and Election Office

April 25-29, 2018

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Hyatt Regency

In addition to the topics covered in the Special Workshop, the following core curriculum in election administration and voter registration being offered during the conference include:

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Planning and Budgeting for Elections and Voter Registration.

Election and Voter Registration Information Management and Technology

Election Assessment: Tracking Performance Across the Election Administration System

Note: any of the core courses listed above can be applied toward your certification as a Certified Elections Registration Administrator, a Certified Elections Vendor Administrator or a Certified Elections Monitor. Anyone participating in these courses is eligible to receive CEUs (continuing education units) and certificates upon successful completion.

Conference Brochure

Coming Soon

The Investing in Elections Working Group will be meeting on Wednesday, April 25th from 3:00-5:00 pm in the Crystal Room, all members welcome.

Conference Program

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM - SPECIAL SESSION

May 7-12, 2018

Auburn, Alabama

Auburn Hotel & Dixon Conference Center

Coming Soon

The Election Center's Professional Education Program is a course of study designed to instill the highest level of professional knowledge and expert skill in election administration and voter registration management practices. Our professional educators and specialist have been paired with skilled, seasoned elections and registration practitioners so that the course work offered during our Professional Education Program conferences are related directly to your professional needs. Our continuing education program is designed and organized to have more substance and information directly related to your profession, than other groups and associations.

During May's Special Session the following core curriculum in election administration and voter registration offered include:

10.

11.

12.

Enfranchisement, Enhancement & Enforcement - Modern Federal Election Law and Regulation: 1965-Present

Constitutions, Courts and Cases to 1965 - Early America to 1965 with focus on State and U.S. Constitutions

History I: Ancients to 17891

History II: 1781 to Modern Era

Research Reports

MAIL BALLOT PILOT STUDY

A Report of the Professional Measurement Project

Auburn University and the Election Center

December 2017

Mitchell Brown, PhD, Kathleen Hale, JD, PhD, Robert Montjoy, PhD, Mary Afton Day, MPA

(PMP) The Mail Ballot Pilot Study was conceived by faculty from Auburn University and members of the Election Center as an initiative of the Professional Measurement Project. The Professional Measurement Project is a collaborative research effort between Auburn faculty and the Election Center that utilizes systematic measurement of organizational practice and policy to develop information and tools that improve the practice of election administration.

The use of mail ballots in election administration has grown significantly over the past 20 years, a practice fueled particularly by several recent changes in the election administration landscape. A few states have establish ed methods of election operations that rely primarily on mail balloting.

Despite the rising popularity of the use of mail ballots, conclusions about mail ballot practices are difficult to draw. This is due principally to the remarkable complexity of the US election system and the historic influence of local custom. In fact, there is no single “system” but rather a collection of national, state, and local systems which operate with considerable local nuance. This report focuses on those complexities to highlight important similarities and differences, and also provides general guidance that can be applied by jurisdictions within the constraints of differing state election law. Read the entire report...

GRADUATION DATE

URGENT DEADLINE — JUNE 1, 2018

Graduation Application Deadline:

For those who have completed the requirements and all core course work of The Election Center's Professional Education Program the time is now to take that final step in culminating your hard work and professional achievement. Depending on your course of study please apply now for graduation and receive your much deserved professional certification in election administration and voter registration. There are three different programs with their corresponding certifications:

Certified Elections Registration Administrator

Certified Elections Registration Vendor

Certified Elections Monitor

Your completed Application for Graduation and payment must be received by the Election Center Office in Katy, TX by June 1, 2018 in order to graduate in August 2018 from the CERA, CERV or CEM Program. Please complete your Application For Graduation Form today!

So be sure to use this application form whether you are applying for Certified Elections Registration Administrator, Certified Elections Registration Vendor or Certified Elections Monitor.

July 7-14, 2018

Fort Myers, Florida

Sanibel Harbour Hotel

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM - SUMMER SESSION

Coming Soon

During July's Summer Session the following core curriculum in election administration and voter registration are offered. For this session, you may choose from one to five courses to attend at a reduced price for the Election Center’s Professional Education Program.

Communications in Elections and Voter Registration Administration

Instructor: Dr. Kelly Krawczyk

Saturday July 7

9:00am - 4:30pm

Sunday July 8

9:00am - 12:00pm

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Facilitating Voter Participation

Instructor: Dr. Bridgett King

Sunday July 8

1:30pm - 4:30pm

Monday July 9

9:00am - 4:30pm

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Implementation of New Programs in Election Administration

Instructor: Dr. Mitchell Brown

Tuesday July 10

9:00am - 4:30pm

Wednesday July 11

9:00am - 12:00pm

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Enfranchisement, Enhancement & Enforcement Modern Federal Election Law and Regulation: 1965-Present

Instructor: Dr. Robert Montjoy

Thursday July 12

9:00am - 4:30pm

Friday July 13

9:00am - 12:00pm

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10.

Constitutions, Courts and Cases to 1965 - early America to 1965 with focus on State and US Constitutions

Instructor: Dr. Kathleen Hale

Friday July 13

1:30pm - 4:30pm

Saturday July 14

8:00am - 3:30pm

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Hyatt Hotel in Orange County California, The Location of The Election Center 33rd Annual National Conference

2017 Professional Practice Papers 33rd Annual National Conference Garden Grove, CA

Our Annual National Conference showcased the contributions of election officials from many jurisdiction throughout the country. The professional ingenuity, innovation and excellence exhibited by our colleagues in election administration was demonstrated and shared to the election community with the publication of our most recent professional practice papers. The use of technology, partnering as well as time and cost saving measures are just some of the lessons learned and topics covered in this years presentations. Be sure to review the award winners as well as the abundance of examples offered in the papers of merit.

33rd Annual National Conference Presentations Garden Grove, CA

33rd Naitonal Conference Presentation Title pages

This year's National Annual Conference presentations exhibit a vast array of topics comprising: Election Security and Critical Infrastructure, Tracking Troubleshooters on Election Day, Utilizing Local Partnerships to increase voting Accessibility, Ordering Replacement Ballots via phone or internet, as well as the Management of Polling Place Lines.

Individual presentations from the following agencies, offices and institutions included: Cook County Clerk's Office, The Los Angeles Registrar/County Clerk, The United States Election Assistance Commission, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), The Director of Multnomah County Elections, and The El Paso County Colorado Clerk & Recorder.

Election Security: Risk Assessment, Defense And Disaster Recovery Aspects

The Election Center: Elections Security Checklist©

the election professional through the process of identifying the elements in your inventory of critical election systems. Next the Elections Security Checklist© steps the user through multiple risk assessments for each system followed by the physical, network, and application defensive measure assessments. The final stage of the evaluation addresses the various aspects of physical, network and application disaster recovery. What was formerly available to our members only, is now available to the entire election community with sincere compliments from The Election Center.

Help America Vote Act (2002) 15 Years Later

October 30, 2017

Why Don't Americans Vote? Causes and Consequences by Bridgett A. King and Kathleen Hale, Editors

How do socialization, mobilization, and legal structures help—or hinder—participation in the political process?

Once again, The Election Center is pleased to announce the ABC-CLIO publication of Why Don't Americans Vote?: Causes and Consequences by two of our esteemed CERA faculty at Auburn University:

Bridgett A. King, and Kathleen Hale.

"Elections not only determine who will fill an office; they have a lot to say about how the democratic process works—or doesn't work—in 21st-century America. This fascinating book sheds light on that question by focusing on factors that currently shape elections and political participation in the United States. It covers issues that are consistently in the media, such as gerrymandering; voter ID; and rules pertaining to when, where, and how Americans register and vote.

But it also goes beyond the obvious to consider issues that are often overlooked—civic education and engagement, citizen apathy, and political alienation, for example." - Publishers Website

Hard cover autographed copies signed by both authors will be for sale at The Election Center's 33rd Annual National Conference in Orange County, California, August 19-23, 2017. This is indispensable reading for election professionals. Be sure to pick up your copy.

Author Information:

Bridgett A. King, PhD, is assistant professor of political science at Auburn University, Auburn, AL, and an instructor in the Election Center's Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) program.

Kathleen Hale, JD, PhD, is associate professor of political science and director of the MPA program at Auburn University, Auburn, AL. She is a board member of the Election Center and an instructor in the Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) program.

June 7, 2017

(TAMPA BAY TIMES) For those of you who read only headlines, you may have been misled. There was no "vote hack." The sub-headline adds detail: "At least five elections offices received emails meant to compromise systems."

Are we vulnerable? Of course we are. But vulnerability isn't news to us, and it probably isn't news to anyone who works or uses a computer. So let's take a breath and look at what we know.

I spent 35 years in law enforcement — nobody has to convince me that there are bad actors in the world...

Craig Latimer, the writer is Hillsborough County supervisor of elections.

Download The News Release Today

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