Neutral Election Governance

Solution at a Glance

Neutral election governance helps ensure that elections are administered fairly, professionally, and free from partisan influence. ERN supports reforms that strengthen public confidence by reducing conflicts of interest, promoting impartial election administration, and establishing clear standards for the officials responsible for overseeing our elections.

The Problem:

Brief summary here of the fundamental problem of partisanship in election governance. More words here. Yada yada yada Yada yada yada. It can be about this long. ​

Priority Solutions:
  • Nonpartisan election of county clerks​
  • State conflict of interest laws for secretaries of state​
  • Third one​
Key Data:

Brief summary here of the fundamental problem of partisanship in election governance. More words here. Yada yada yada Yada yada yada. It can be about this long. ​

  • 26 secretaries of state “running while running” in 2026 (seeking office while overseeing their own election). ​
  • XX% of US voters distrust elections overseen by election officials of the opposite party. ​
Learn more:
  • Issue Overview
  • Ethics report
  • Something else

“Addressing partisan election administration is the unfinished business of election reform.”​

— Dan Tokaji, Dean, University of Wisconsin Law School

“Addressing partisan election administration is the unfinished business of election reform.”​

— Dan Tokaji, Dean, University of Wisconsin Law School

July 28, 2026
News

ERN's Kevin Johnson Discusses Nonpartisan Clerk Elections on Sutherland Institute Podcast

ERN Executive Director Kevin Johnson recently sat down with the Sutherland Institute, a Utah-based conservative think tank, to discuss a critical question of election governance: should county clerks be chosen in partisan elections?

July 21, 2026
Brief

Reform Options for County Clerk Elections

Across the U.S., 31 states require the chief local election official to be elected. Of those, 25 use partisan elections (with party labels on the ballot), while six employ nonpartisan elections (no party labels). This brief examines reform options to make these posts less partisan.

Additional Resources

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