Washington, D.C. — As the midterm election draws near, a new analysis from the Center for American Progress continues to underscore the urgency to protect election workers and officials from threats and harassment.
These constant attacks targeting election officials have led many to resign or decide not to run for office again. The remaining officials are again faced with an election worker shortage for the November election. Unfortunately, many of these threats have not been taken seriously by law enforcement, which has allowed threats to persist nearly two years after the onslaught began.
“Election workers are on the front lines of American democracy,” said Greta Bedekovics, associate director of Democracy Policy at CAP and author of the analysis. “They must be allowed to perform their jobs safely and effectively so voters can cast ballots in free and fair elections.”
The analysis makes several recommendations to help protect the safety of these election workers and officials leading up to Election Day:
- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security should continue making resources available for security improvements to both polling places and election facilities.
- Election jurisdictions should clearly communicate safety precautions and applicable laws to election workers, including laws covering election observers, firearms around election facilities, and voters’ rights.
- The U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, and state election offices should increase public awareness of resources available to election workers for assistance and reporting incidents.
- Election officials and workers must have a clear understanding of laws regulating poll workers, election observers, and voters to ensure they can spot efforts to interfere or subvert the election process and can safely and effectively report instances of threats and harassment.
The analysis also makes recommendations to help improve safety for election workers and officials ahead of the next federal election cycle.
Read the analysis: “Protecting Election Workers and Officials from Threats and Harassment During the Midterms” by Greta Bedekovics
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].