Standards of Conduct
Freedom can best be maintained and nurtured through the democratic process. The success of the democratic process requires fair and open elections which accurately reflect the will of the electorate.”
In 2004, these words from the Election Center’s Task Force on Election Reform introduced the Principles of Election/Registration Officials and its companion Standards of Conduct for Election/Registration Officials, developed by the nation’s election administrators and voter registrars as the ethical standard for the field.
In 2021, in response to concerns about public trust in elections raised during the 2020 election, these documents were revisited to ensure that they address the current challenges facing the field. The Standards of Conduct, developed by Election Center members and enhanced by the Election Center’s cross-partisan Committee on Ethics in Practice and The Institute for Election Administration Research & Practice, help to bridge these principles with action. They are a tool for election officials to clearly communicate with the public about their work, and what it means to administer elections with transparency, honesty, and integrity.
The principles and actions outlined in the Standards are nothing new for election officials. What is new is our national effort to share these Standards publicly and increase engagement with the public about election officials’ work. We encourage individuals and election offices nationwide to join us.
For more information on adopting the Standards of Conduct or any questions, please contact [email protected]
