Candidates from across the political spectrum have spent months working to earn the support of voters ahead of this year’s midterm elections. These voters deserve to know that our elections will be free, fair, and secure.
Our politics are more divided and polarized than at any other time in recent memory. Sadly, some candidates even tout partisan animus as a virtue of leadership. That’s why it’s important for us to remind voters that you can count on election officials and poll workers to continue to administer our free and fair elections in a rigorous and bipartisan manner.
As secretaries of state — Jim, a Vermont Democrat, and Brad, a Georgia Republican — we’re proud to say that bipartisan collaboration is a core part of how we lead and run our offices. It’s the way election and poll workers operate in all 10,000 voting jurisdictions across the country.
Unfortunately, in recent years, we’ve seen our democratic guardrails attacked by politicians who refuse to accept the results of legitimate elections, and public trust in our elections is declining at a time when we need it the most.
Election disinformation has also led to the harassment and intimidation of election workers — from elected officials and county clerks to poll workers and on-site volunteers.
What makes this discord even more frustrating is the fact that, until recently, election integrity was one of the few issues that could bring together people from both sides of the aisle. We all believe fair elections form the bedrock of a free and representative society. We all want elections to be administered without partisan influence. Yet disinformation has convinced millions of voters to question the process, as well as the neighbors who run our elections.
Election workers are members of our churches, temples, and PTAs. They’re the couple sitting next to us at a ballgame. They’re grilling hot dogs at our block parties and commiserating with us at the DMV. Election workers are our neighbors and classmates, friends and family members — and they’re public servants who swore an oath to uphold American democracy.
They must be able to do their jobs without facing harassment. And if people are worried about election fraud, they should talk to the election officials in their community. They can explain how ballots are counted, how voting machines work, how they keep elections secure, and so much more.
Trained election officials and poll workers should also be held accountable. If anyone involved in our electoral process goes along with bad faith efforts to undermine our democratic process, there should be consequences. For example, in Coffee County, Georgia, officials are under investigation for a security breach after individuals affiliated with former President Donald Trump’s attorney Sidney Powell were allowed into a secure location to gain access to sensitive voting equipment. There must be stiff consequences for such actions.
Because of groups like the National Association of Secretaries of State, which was founded in 1904 and continues to serve as the oldest nonpartisan professional organization for public officials in the country, the top election officials from nearly 40 states are able to engage in meaningful conversations to share ideas and practices for smooth and secure election administration. We set aside even our deepest differences to approach our work as colleagues, learning from one another the best ways to serve our states.
This collaboration has also given us the chance to get to know one another as individuals. Jim has shared his Greek heritage and photos of his grandchildren. Brad has talked about his engineering firm and his 42-year marriage to his wife, Tricia. In Zoom rooms and conference halls, we’ve learned that Deidre Henderson of Utah earned a bachelor’s degree while serving as lieutenant governor; that Jocelyn Benson, secretary of state in Michigan, has completed 25 marathons — one of them while eight months pregnant.
It may seem trite to point out the personal aspects of election leaders’ lives. But as distrust and tension intensify, it’s important to remember that our elections are conducted by people who live and work alongside us, and are committed to counting every eligible vote.
With the midterm elections looming and disinformation persisting, questions about election integrity will only increase. So each of us must take responsibility for contributing to the election process in safe and productive ways.
Candidates and election workers can use their platforms to promote civil discourse by assuaging constituents’ concerns, guiding them toward trusted resources, and speaking out against violence.
Concerned citizens can become more involved in their local elections by talking to election workers or attending county poll worker trainings to learn each security measure and step of the process firsthand. Or they can sign up to be poll workers themselves.
Most importantly, voters of all kinds can help determine their community’s future and strengthen our democracy by staying informed about their local elections and voting on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
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Brad Raffensperger is currently the secretary of state for Georgia. Jim Condos is currently the secretary of state for Vermont.
