Secretaries of state, county clerks, and other election officials rise above the partisan affiliations attached to their names and administer elections fairly and impartially, voluntarily adhering to norms of ethical behavior. But norms are not laws. Less ethical newcomers to the field are winning election posts and effectively promising voters to help their side win. This new reality, coupled with diminishing trust in elections by some voters, points to the need for reforms that enshrine the standards of professionalism and impartiality we all expect in the heart of our democracy. ERN has led the development of model election ethics legislation for this new era of American elections.
We must remove partisanship from election administration, say voters of all political stripes in a national poll commissioned by Election Reformers Network. The survey asked people’s views on our election system and on changes aimed at bolstering voter trust; 71% believe candidates for election official positions should be required to have experience running elections.
In this hyper-partisan era, states must take steps to ensure that: a) current officials are protected from threats and intimidation; b) future election officials will act impartially; and c) voters are confident that election administrators are doing their jobs without partisan bias. This ERN policy brief addresses how, including model legislation.
Although most secretaries of state perform exemplary public service, party allegiances built into these positions make the United States a global outlier in election administration and create risks that need to be addressed.
This groundbreaking Ropes & Gray legal landscape study of U.S states found that few, if any, have adequate legal provisions to constrain partisan endorsements, fundraising or related actions by election officials.
Model Election Ethics Legislation: A bill to create impartiality, conduct, and disclosure requirements for senior U.S. election officials.
Voters need to know that the election system protects them from rogue behavior. Even modest changes in law and practice could go a long way.
This collection of model legislation offers a starting point for state lawmakers and advocates interested in drafting reforms to strengthen elections and democratic institutions. Models feature ethics legislation, qualification thresholds for senior election officials, and a task force study bill.
As election administration comes under increasing scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum, an increasing number of researchers, scholars, lawyers, organizations, writers, and editorial boards have come out in favor of the concept of "impartial election administration."
Though implications for the abortion ballot initiative in November have dominated news coverage of August’s Issue 1, the leadership failure atop the state’s election system should not be ignored. Ohio elections need neutral referees just as much as sports do.
The election certification process was thrown into the partisan fray in 2020 and 2022. ERN has conducted twin studies aimed at comparing the certification process domestically and abroad so that we can glean best practices and keep this important process neutral.
In the 2022 cycle, 28 states held elections to select their chief election official (usually the secretary of state). At least 33 candidates for these statewide offices ran while questioning or denying the results of the 2020 presidential election — raising questions about whether they would conduct their work impartially if elected.
This op-ed by ERN Executive Director Kevin Johnson originally appeared in TPM. With attention focused on the battle for control of Congress, some of the signs went under the radar. But last weeks results offered evidence for an encouraging takeaway: that voters understand the threat posed by our party-driven system of election management in today's hyper-partisan...
This joint report by ERN and the Bipartisan Policy Center examines why partisanship has been a long-standing issue in U.S. election administration, how the issue is getting worse with shifting political dynamics, and which solutions can reverse these trends.
Former White House Counsel and Law Professor Larry Schwartztol cited ERN research in his opinion piece on impartial elections for The Atlantic. The article explains that nonpartisan, professionalized election administration is the norm in many other democracies; the American system of allowing partisan politicians to run elections is an outlier.
This model bill provides a template for states to create a task force to research and make recommendations regarding expanded capacity, professional independence in election administration, and dispute resolution.
"Americans deserve election officials who, in all aspects of the job, act as unbiased public servants, not partisans, who simply serve the voting public." -- Op-Ed by ERN team members Heather Balas and Amber McReynolds for TalkingPointsMemo.
In the last three years, election administration and election officials have been pulled into the political fray. Most election systems are designed to be led by nonpartisan experts with the best interests of all voters in mind. But today, these systems and experts must contend with growing partisan polarization, political vitriol, and misinformation.
The Carter Center joins with ERN to release this joint report on how proven models for impartiality in redistricting and the judicial system can be used to ensure that our election leaders are independent, professional, and accountable.
Though Secretaries of State are the chief election official in most states, the actual duties assigned to them in state constitutions and state electoral code vary widely. With these positions drawing hyper-partisan attention, its reasonable to assume that at some point a secretary of state may attempt to influence, or even subvert, an election.