From Scarcity to Safety: Mitigating Turnover Among Local Election Officials From Scarcity to Safety: Mitigating Turnover Among Local Election Officials

By Yuguo Liao, PhD, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Policy Administration, University of Missouri-St. Louis and David C. Kimball, PhD, Professor of Political Science, University of Missouri-St. Louis (SPECIAL FOR ELECTIONLINEWEEKLY)

Local election officials (LEOs) are vital to maintaining trust and efficiency in the democratic process. However, turnover intentions among LEOs are concerningly high, with environmental challenges like resource scarcity and safety concerns significantly influencing decisions to leave their positions.

In the work our University of Missouri-St. Louis team conducted in conjunction with the Elections & Voting Information Center (EVIC) and EVIC’s principal researchers Paul Gronke, PhD, (Reed College) and Paul Manson, PhD, (Center for Public Service at Portland State University), we studied resource scarcity and safety concerns and their impact on LEOs’ decisions about leaving their positions. The EVIC team helped facilitate our work by integrating some of our research questions into their 2024 EVIC Local Election Official Survey.

With regard to resource scarcity, our research has shown that limited funding affects nearly 30% of all LEOs of all sized jurisdictions, rising to over 40% in mid-sized jurisdictions, leading to work exhaustion and decreased job satisfaction.

In looking at LEO safety concerns, we found that more than 65% of LEOs report facing verbal or online harassment, and 30% have experienced direct threats.

In the face of these ongoing challenges, we wanted to understand: (1) how workplace conditions (resources and safety) influence LEOs’ turnover decisions, focusing on job satisfaction as the underlying mechanism, and (2) why some LEOs remain despite challenges, examining how psychological empowerment and public service motivation shape the impact of these challenges on LEOs’ job satisfaction and, ultimately, their turnover intentions.

Our findings show the following:

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NEW REPORT: Today’s Election Administration Landscape: Findings from the 2024 Elections & Voting Information Center Local Election Official Survey NEW REPORT: Today’s Election Administration Landscape: Findings from the 2024 Elections & Voting Information Center Local Election Official Survey

EVIC’s new report highlights the challenges and successes facing America’s election officials

(EVIC PRESS RELEASE) Portland, OR— February 6, 2025 Today, the Elections & Voting Information Center (EVIC) announced immediate availability of “Today’s Election Administration Landscape: Findings from the 2024 EVIC Local Election Official Survey” on the 2024 EVIC LEO Survey section of organization’s website at evic.reed.edu

Local Election Officials (LEOs) are “stewards of democracy,” positioned at the frontline of elections in the United States. They ensure fair, free, accessible, and secure elections. The annual EVIC Local Election Official (LEO) Survey captures the challenges and successes facing election officials each year. In 2024, EVIC heard from over 650 LEOs nationwide.

“LEOs continue to manage the new obstacles that come with each election,” said report co-author Paul Manson, PhD, EVIC Research Director and Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Public Service at Portland State University. “They have endured challenges from political forces, local finance and budget changes, and shifting state election policy – and as stewards of democracy, they continue to serve voters with dedication.”

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The Impact of Public Records Requests on Local Election Officials: Findings from the 2023 EVIC LEO Survey The Impact of Public Records Requests on Local Election Officials: Findings from the 2023 EVIC LEO Survey

By Paul Gronke and Paul Manson

Kyle Yoder and April Tan of the Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR) released a focus brief on the use and abuse of public records requests, how these requests have impacted local elections offices, and what legislative solutions have been shown to ease the burden placed on local election officials (LEOs).

The research team at the Elections & Voting Information Center (EVIC) has been tracking public records requests in our 2023 EVIC LEO Survey, part of a broader investigation into workloads, staffing, and administrative burdens. The survey provides additional evidence about the dramatic increase in workload resulting from public records requests, particularly in medium-sized and larger jurisdictions where these requests seem to be concentrated.

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