One-third of election officials resigned, retired since 2020 election

KARAH RUCKER: MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF TOP ELECTIONS OFFICIALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE RESIGNED OR RETIRED SINCE THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – ACCORDING TO A CBS NEWS INVESTIGATION. 

THIS UNPRECEDENTED TURNOVER RATE, THE HIGHEST IN OVER TWO DECADES, RAISES SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL IMPACTS AS WE APPROACH THE NEXT MAJOR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE ELECTION WORKER TURNOVER:

IN PENNSYLVANIA: LUZERNE COUNTY HAS SEEN FIVE DIFFERENT DIRECTORS OF ELECTIONS IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

IN MARYLAND: THE TURNOVER RATE IS A STAGGERING 46% AS OF JANUARY 2024, MEANING NEARLY HALF OF THE STATE’S ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE STARTED THEIR ROLES SINCE 2020.

IN TEXAS: 77 OUT OF 254 COUNTIES HAVE LOST AT LEAST ONE ELECTION OFFICIAL SINCE THE 2020 ELECTION.

NATIONALLY, THE TURNOVER RATE AMONG LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS HAS REACHED 36% BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2020 AND JANUARY 2024, ACCORDING TO THE BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER. THIS IS THE HIGHEST TURNOVER RATE SINCE THE EARLY 2000S, THOUGH THE DATA MIGHT NOT FULLY REFLECT RECENT CHANGES, AS IT ONLY EXTENDS THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

WHAT’S BEHIND THIS SURGE IN DEPARTURES? 

ELECTION INTEGRITY GROUPS TELL CBS NEWS THAT THREATS AND HARASSMENT ARE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS. 

ACCORDING TO THE BRENNAN CENTER, 40% OF LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIALS HAVE REPORTED FEELING THREATENED ON THE JOB.

“WE’RE TALKING ABOUT REAL PEOPLE RECEIVING THE MOST HORRIBLE, HATEFUL, GRAPHIC, SEXIST, VIOLENT, DEATH THREATS ON THE TELEPHONE.”

SOME OFFICIALS WORRY THAT THIS HIGH TURNOVER IS LEADING TO A LOSS OF VALUABLE EXPERIENCE, WITH SEASONED WORKERS RETIRING EARLY OR LEAVING AFTER DECADES OF SERVICE. 

THEY FEAR THAT THE INEXPERIENCE OF NEW SUPERVISORS COULD LEAD TO MORE MISTAKES, FURTHER ERODING TRUST IN THE ELECTION PROCESS.

HOWEVER, EDWARD PEREZ, WHO STUDIES VOTING TECHNOLOGY AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATION, ARGUES THAT MISTAKES ARE A NORMAL PART OF ELECTIONS AND SHOULD NOT UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM.

“FOR THE PAST MANY DECADES, MISTAKES HAPPEN IN ELECTIONS ALL THE TIME. AND THEY DON’T LEAD TO THE END OF THE WORLD AND THEY DON’T ROCK OUR DEMOCRACY. WHAT DOES ROCK OUR DEMOCRACY IS WHEN SIMPLE MISTAKES HAPPEN AND BAD FAITH ACTORS PUT THEM UNDER A MICROSCOPE AND SAY THIS IS THE END OF OUR DEMOCRACY.”

A NOTABLE EXAMPLE OCCURRED DURING THE 2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN LUZERNE COUNTY. SIXTEEN PRECINCTS RAN OUT OF THE CORRECT BALLOT PAPER, CAUSING DELAYS AND FRUSTRATIONS FOR VOTERS. THIS MISTAKE SPARKED BACKLASH FROM THE COMMUNITY AND LED TO AN INVESTIGATION BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WHO ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO A LACK OF TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE AMONG THE COUNTY’S ELECTION OFFICIALS.

AS WE APPROACH ELECTION DAY, THE CHALLENGE OF STAFFING, TRAINING, AND RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS REMAINS A CRITICAL CONCERN LESS THAN 60 DAYS AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.

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