EVIC was proud to be invited to conduct the 2023 Oregon Election Officials Staffing Study. This six-month-long intensive research effort was designed to understand the changing landscape county clerks face in advance of the 2024 Presidential election year; how staffing and workforce challenges have evolved in the past decade; and what policy solutions can help to support local clerks and their staffs.
We spent 48 hours over three months, from December 2022-March 2023 interviewing 34 of 36 Oregon clerks, virtually and in person. In some cases, we were joined by their staff. We used a standardized interview protocol to ensure comparability across counties, and sessions were reviewed and coded by project staff. Clerks also provided us with FTE totals dedicated to elections and non-elections work, and some shared with us compensation and job classification studies produced by their counties.
We thank the clerks and their staff for taking the time to speak with us and help our research efforts. We could not have done it without you.
We found in the study, in brief:
- Staffing recruitment and retention are hampered by out-of-date job classifications, compensations, and perceptions of the work. Staffing today is at or below staffing levels from a decade ago.
- Public records requests are becoming increasingly burdensome, as false information is spread and distrust in elections systems continues to fuel more frequent and complicated requests for information.
- Local elections offices are experiencing retirements, resignations, and loss of expertise. Since 2020, 34% of county clerks have retired or resigned.
- Oregon’s funding model for county elections, dependent largely on fluctuations in interest rates and the real estate market, is inadequate for election needs. Counties are already laying off workers because of this outdated funding model.
- Elections officials and staff are subject to unacceptable levels of abuse, threats, and harassment, driving many of them to quit despite expressing their pride and passion for the work.
To do a deeper dive:
Read the Press release from the Office of Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade
Read the Joint written testimony from Paul Manson, PhD and Paul Gronke, PhD
View our Slide deck presented to the House Rules Committee
Watch a Video Recording of the hearing
And finally, see Baker County Clerk Stefanie Kirby,
Harney County Clerk Derrin “Dag” Robinson,
Dr. Paul Manson, and Dr. Paul Gronke enjoying a beautiful
day in Salem at the State Capitol!
