Introduction

These is the codebook for the 2023 Local Election Official (LEO) Survey, administered by the Elections & Voting Information Center (EVIC) at Reed College, under the direction of EVIC Director Paul Gronke, PhD and EVIC Research Director Paul Manson, PhD..

The 2023 LEO Survey was administered by EVIC at Reed College in collaboration with our survey partner, SSRS Inc, and was made possible by the generous support of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab (MEDSL) and the Election Trust Initiative. EVIC takes all responsibility for interpretations of these results.

The 2023 LEO Survey is the fifth survey of LEOs undertaken by EVIC. Previous surveys were conducted in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022 with generous support from Democracy Fund. These surveys are a resource for election officials, researchers, and others in the democracy and election spaces to access important and timely metrics of the state of the election administration profession at the local level across the United States.

The survey project was initiated in 2018 to amplify local election officials’ voices in national, regional, and state conversations about election administration, integrity, and conduct. The survey project has evolved to provide ongoing metrics on job satisfaction, retirements and replacement, and staffing and workforce retention; a barometer of attitudes and opinions about election integrity and reform; and new measures developed in response to emerging challenges, demands, and opportunities.

The 2023 LEO Survey was fielded from July 11, to August 16, 2023. A total of n=886 LEOs completed the survey.

We appreciate the thoughtful responses that we received from so many LEOs. More details on the 2023 survey, including survey methodology, questionnaires, and past surveys can be found at the Elections & Voting Information Center website at evic.reed.edu or by contacting EVIC directly.

Survey Weights

It is critical to use survey weights for this survey. Respondents were sampled with unequal probabilities proportionate to the number of registered voters in the jurisdiction. This was done to guarantee coverage of larger jurisdictions and to ensure that the sample did not over represent states with a comparatively large number of very small jurisdictions.

The sample weights were initially generated based on design weights from the sampling method, trimmed to ensure that small jurisdictions do not end up with too large a weight, and then post-stratified to ensure that the proportion of the jurisdiction categories within the survey match those proportions in the overall LEO population.

Methodological note: Codebook and crosstab data are weighted, so the n values have been rounded to whole numbers. In some cases, this may produce an artifact where n = 0 but the percentage is greater than 0. Statements about question response rates are unweighted.

Types of Items in the Codebook

Four types of questions are reported in this codebook:

  1. Single Choice: Items that provided one option for the respondent
  2. Multiple Choice: Items that provided multiple choices for the respondent. These items have been collapsed into a single table
  3. Open text responses: We have reported the top 9 responses for some open text items (e.g. TITLE, position title)
  4. Single choice “long”: Single choice items with many responses (e.g. CURPOS_LEN, length of time served in current position) we have either reported the top 9 responses for these items or provided tables with appropriate binning.

Opening Questions

Screening, Job Title

SCREENER. Are you the chief election official in your jurisdiction?

SCREENER n %
Yes, I am the chief local election official 773 87.2%
No, but my office has determined I am the right person to answer this survey 113 12.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TITLE. What is your title?

Open ended question; top 9 responses shown

TITLE_1 n %
Town, City, or Village Clerk 210 23.7%
Clerk or County Clerk 164 18.6%
Clerk/Treasurer 73 8.2%
Director 42 4.7%
Deputy Clerk 16 1.8%
Auditor 12 1.3%
Election Administrator 12 1.3%
Town Clerk/Registrar of Voters 10 1.1%
Supervisor of Elections 9 1.0%
All other responses 338 38.2%

885 out of 885 responding (100.0%)

Years of Experience: Current Position and in Elections

CURPOS_LEN. How many years have you been in your current positions?

Response set were originally individual years, these have been categorized

CURPOS_LEN_cat n %
Zero years 27 3.0%
1 year 95 10.7%
2 years 53 6.0%
3 years 88 9.9%
4 years 51 5.8%
5 years 66 7.5%
6 years 34 3.8%
7 years 65 7.3%
8-10 years 133 15.0%
11-15 years 93 10.5%
16-20 years 81 9.2%
21-30 years 63 7.1%
> 30 years 36 4.0%

The average years of experience in the current position is 9.427856 with a standard error of 0.593309.

The median years of experience in the current position is 7 with a standard error of 0.2547574.

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

POS_LEN. How many years have you worked in a paid capacity in the elections field, not including time as a volunteer or temporary worker?

POS_LEN placeholder

POS_LEN_cat n %
Zero years 42 4.7%
1 year 41 4.6%
2 years 34 3.8%
3 years 56 6.4%
4 years 35 3.9%
5 years 48 5.4%
6 years 25 2.9%
7 years 40 4.5%
8-10 years 114 12.9%
11-15 years 134 15.1%
16-20 years 131 14.8%
21-30 years 126 14.3%
> 30 years 59 6.6%

The average years in the elections field is 13.065575 with a standard error of 0.6777825.

The median years in the elections field is 11 with a standard error of 0.7642712.

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Turnover

CURPOS_TENORLESS. Including yourself, how many people have served as the chief election official in this jurisdiction over the past ten years?

CURPOS_TENORLESS placeholder
CURPOS_TENORLESS n %
1 39 7.1%
2 334 59.8%
3 96 17.3%
4 33 5.9%
5 4 0.7%
More than 5 20 3.7%
I don’t know 31 5.6%

596 out of 596 responding (100.0%)

Selection Method, Civil Service, Election Type

SELECTTYPE. Were you elected, appointed, or hired?

SELECTTYPE n %
Elected 433 48.9%
Appointed 293 33.1%
Hired 144 16.3%
Other (please specify) 15 1.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CIVSRVC. Does your position have civil service protection (or merited), or do you serve at the will of the individual or board who appointed you?

CIVSRVC n %
My position has civil service protection or is merited 26 5.9%
My position is an at will position 326 72.1%
Other (please specify) 38 8.3%
I don’t know 62 13.7%

527 out of 527 responding (100.0%)

ELECTTYPE. You indicated you were elected to your position, what type of election was that?

ELECTTYPE n %
Partisan election 223 51.5%
Non-partisan election 209 48.3%

359 out of 359 responding (100.0%)

ELECTCONTEST. You indicated you were elected to your position. Was your most recent election contested or were you unopposed (in the general election)?

ELECTCONTEST n %
Contested 60 13.8%
Unopposed 373 86.1%

359 out of 359 responding (100.0%)

FTPTCUR. Is your current position full-time or part-time?

FTPTCUR n %
Full-time 572 64.6%
Part-time 280 31.6%
Other (please specify) 34 3.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Career Trajectory

PREVIOUSJOB. We are interested in how people became engaged in election administration. What were you doing just before you were first employed in an elections office? Private business

PREVIOUSJOB n % of LEOs selecting
Private business 451 50.9%
Non-elections related local govt 172 19.5%
Other 80 9.1%
Elected Official 73 8.2%
Non-elections related state or federal govt 63 7.1%
Employed with a non-profit organization 44 4.9%
Volunteered or served in an unpaid capacity 28 3.1%
Employed in higher education 27 3.0%
Enrolled in high school, college, or graduate school 27 3.0%
Political campaign party, or organization 16 1.8%

STARTWORK. How were you first employed in election administration?

STARTWORK n %
I was hired to work in an election office or in some other office that also handled election administration 439 49.6%
I was elected as a chief local election official 132 14.9%
I was appointed as a chief local election official 152 17.2%
I was hired as a contractor to work with an elections office 5 0.6%
Other (please specify) 157 17.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Workload

Maximum Hours Worked (Election and Non Election Periods)

WORKLOAD. Which of the following best describes your job for the year 2023? Election related matters constitute:

WORKLOAD n %
All or almost all of my workload 161 18.1%
The majority of my workload, but I have other duties not related to elections as well 279 31.5%
Less than half of my workload 446 50.4%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

MAX_HOURS_ELECTION. Please enter your best estimate of the maximum number of hours per week you dedicate to election-related tasks during peak election periods.

MAX_HOURS_ELECTION_cat n %
0-20 hours 226 30.0%
21-30 hours 160 21.2%
31-40 hours 162 21.5%
41-60 hours 134 17.8%
> 60 hours 72 9.6%

The average hours worked in peak election period is 35.0742793 with a standard error of 1.1929494.

The median hours worked in peak election period is 30 with a standard error of 1.2736486.

MAX_HOURS_WEEKS. For how many weeks does this peak workload continue?

MAX_HOURS_WEEKS_cat n %
0-5 weeks 369 41.7%
6-10 weeks 236 26.6%
11-20 weeks 94 10.6%
> 20 weeks 27 3.1%
Don’t Know 160 18.0%

The average weeks in peak election period is 186.4949397 with a standard error of 25.5988061.

The median hours worked in peak election period is 6 with a standard error of 0.2547578.

MAX_HOURS_NONELECTION placeholder

MAX_HOURS_NONELECTION. Please enter your best estimate of the maximum number of hours per week you dedicate to election-related tasks during a non-elections period.

MAX_HOURS_NONELECTION_cat n %
0-10 hours 489 56.8%
11-20 hours 73 8.5%
21-40 hours 153 17.7%
> 40 29 3.4%
Don’t know 118 13.6%

The average hours worked in non-election period is 13.1894368 with a standard error of 0.7366989.

The median hours worked in non-election period is 5 with a standard error of 0.

Changes in Workload Over Time and by Task

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_a. Do the following items require more, less, or about the same amount of your time compared with 4 years ago:

Voter registration

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_a n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 155 17.5%
More time than 4 years ago 343 38.8%
No change from 4 years ago 313 35.3%
Less time than 4 years ago 20 2.3%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 14 1.6%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

866 out of 886 responding (97.7%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_b. Preparing for Election Day voting

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_b n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 341 38.5%
More time than 4 years ago 365 41.2%
No change from 4 years ago 137 15.5%
Less time than 4 years ago 9 1.1%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 4 0.5%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

873 out of 886 responding (98.5%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_c. Preparing for pre-Election Day voting

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_c n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 375 42.4%
More time than 4 years ago 315 35.6%
No change from 4 years ago 153 17.3%
Less time than 4 years ago 7 0.8%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 4 0.5%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

868 out of 886 responding (98.0%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_d. Signature matching

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_d n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 115 13.0%
More time than 4 years ago 209 23.6%
No change from 4 years ago 467 52.7%
Less time than 4 years ago 25 2.8%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 25 2.8%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

855 out of 886 responding (96.5%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_e. Ballot curing

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_e n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 114 12.9%
More time than 4 years ago 243 27.4%
No change from 4 years ago 435 49.1%
Less time than 4 years ago 28 3.2%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 16 1.8%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

852 out of 886 responding (96.2%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_f. Post-election audits

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_f n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 188 21.2%
More time than 4 years ago 305 34.4%
No change from 4 years ago 337 38.0%
Less time than 4 years ago 9 1.0%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 5 0.6%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

864 out of 886 responding (97.5%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_g. Citizen complaints

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_g n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 156 17.6%
More time than 4 years ago 277 31.3%
No change from 4 years ago 380 42.9%
Less time than 4 years ago 12 1.4%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 21 2.4%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

869 out of 886 responding (98.1%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_h. Public Records Requests

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_h n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 338 38.1%
More time than 4 years ago 313 35.3%
No change from 4 years ago 186 21.0%
Less time than 4 years ago 4 0.5%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 8 0.9%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

871 out of 886 responding (98.3%)

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_i. Media requests

WORKLOAD_CHANGE_i n %
A lot more time than a 4 years ago 132 14.9%
More time than 4 years ago 253 28.5%
No change from 4 years ago 421 47.5%
Less time than 4 years ago 13 1.5%
A lot less time than 4 years ago 19 2.1%
I don’t know 0 0.0%

864 out of 886 responding (97.5%)

Staff: Size and Hiring

Staff Size

FTE. Including yourself, how many permanent FTE (full-time equivalent) staff work in your office?

FTE n %
No full-time staff, including myself 285 32.2%
1 160 18.1%
2 to 5 354 40.0%
6 to 10 47 5.3%
11 to 20 23 2.6%
21 to 50 13 1.4%
More than 50 4 0.4%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

FTE_ELECTIONS. How many of these staff are fully dedicated to elections?

FTE_ELECTIONS n %
1 135 22.4%
2 to 5 112 18.6%
6 to 10 8 1.4%
11 to 20 6 0.9%
21 to 50 3 0.5%
More than 50 0 0.1%
All of my staff are fully dedicated to elections 121 20.2%
None of my staff are fully dedicated to elections 216 36.0%

827 out of 827 responding (100.0%)

Staff: Hiring Permanent

HIRED. Has your office hired new permanent staff or employees in the past two years?

HIRED n %
Yes 360 40.6%
No 526 59.3%

885 out of 886 responding (99.9%)

DIFFICULT. Was it more difficult, less difficult, or about the same level of difficulty to fill this position as in the past?

DIFFICULT n %
Much more difficult 64 17.6%
Somewhat more difficult 138 38.4%
About the same 144 40.1%
Somewhat less difficult 6 1.6%
Much less difficult 3 0.7%

519 out of 525 responding (98.9%)

Staff: Hiring Temporary and Pollworkers

TEMP_ELECTIONS. How many temporary election workers does your office expect to recruit for the November 2024 general election, such as for office support, election boards, and other elections duties, but excluding poll workers?

TEMP_ELECTIONS n %
None 296 33.4%
1 to 5 275 31.1%
6 to 10 126 14.3%
11 to 20 68 7.6%
21 to 50 48 5.4%
51 to 100 24 2.7%
100 to 250 17 2.0%
More than 250 9 1.0%
Don’t know 23 2.6%

885 out of 886 responding (99.9%)

DIFFICULT_TEMP. Do you expect it to be more difficult, less difficult, or about the same level of difficulty as it has been in the past to fill temporary positions (excluding poll workers) for the November 2024 elections?

DIFFICULT_TEMP n %
Much more difficult 105 17.8%
Somewhat more difficult 194 32.9%
About the same 241 40.8%
Somewhat less difficult 16 2.7%
Much less difficult 11 1.9%

TEMP_PW. How many poll workers does your office expect to recruit for the November 2024 general election?

TEMP_PW n %
None 26 2.9%
1 to 5 116 13.1%
6 to 10 160 18.1%
11 to 20 190 21.4%
21 to 50 143 16.1%
51 to 100 85 9.6%
100 to 250 76 8.6%
More than 250 56 6.3%
We do not have poll workers in our state 11 1.3%
Don’t know 23 2.6%

DIFFICULT_TEMP_PW. Do you expect it to be more difficult, less difficult, or about the same level of difficulty as it has been in the past to fill poll worker positions for the November 2024 election?

DIFFICULT_TEMP_PW n %
Much more difficult 176 20.7%
Somewhat more difficult 292 34.5%
About the same 332 39.1%
Somewhat less difficult 14 1.6%
Much less difficult 13 1.5%

Number of Elections This Year

ELECTIONCOUNT. How many elections will your office administer from January through December 2023?

ELECTIONCOUNT n %
2 or less 615 69.4%
3 135 15.2%
4 55 6.2%
5 8 0.9%
6 or more 29 3.2%
I don’t know 37 4.2%

Training: Sources, Evaluations

TRAINING_NEW. When you first became an election official, did you receive training to prepare you for your duties?

TRAINING_NEW n %
Yes 682 77.0%
No 203 23.0%

TRAININGNEW_SOURCE. You said you received training when you started your job., Which of the following sources did you receive training from, if any? State managed training program

TRAININGNEW_SOURCE n % of LEOs selecting
State mandated training program 440 64.6%
Informal / person to person training 327 48.0%
State Clerk or State Election Association 323 47.4%
Local manage training program 199 29.1%
Other 58 8.5%
University or college program 36 5.3%
None of the above 2 0.3%

TRAININGONGOING_SOURCE. Now thinking about ongoing training - which of the following sources do you receive ongoing training from?

TRAININGONGOING_SOURCE n % of LEOs selecting
State managed training program 576 65.0%
State Clerk or State Election Association 555 62.6%
Informal / person to person training 267 30.1%
Local manage training program 217 24.5%
Other 65 7.3%
University or college program 58 6.6%
None of the above 20 2.3%

Training: Evaluation

TRAINING_EVALUATION_a. Please indicate to what extent you agree or disagree with the following statements about elections training.

It important for a state to mandate initial training for elections officials

TRAINING_EVALUATION_a n %
Strongly agree 443 50.1%
Agree 312 35.2%
Neither agree nor disagree 97 10.9%
Disagree 15 1.7%
Strongly disagree 4 0.4%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_b. It is important for a state to mandate ongoing training for elections officials

TRAINING_EVALUATION_b n %
Strongly agree 425 48.0%
Agree 326 36.7%
Neither agree nor disagree 101 11.4%
Disagree 16 1.8%
Strongly disagree 3 0.3%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_c. I feel well informed about training opportunities available to election officials like me

TRAINING_EVALUATION_c n %
Strongly agree 288 32.5%
Agree 408 46.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 131 14.7%
Disagree 39 4.4%
Strongly disagree 3 0.4%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_d. Due to my office’s budget, I cannot afford professional development opportunities

TRAINING_EVALUATION_d n %
Strongly agree 79 8.9%
Agree 200 22.6%
Neither agree nor disagree 253 28.5%
Disagree 193 21.8%
Strongly disagree 146 16.5%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_e. I don’t think I need ongoing elections training

TRAINING_EVALUATION_e n %
Strongly agree 8 0.9%
Agree 4 0.5%
Neither agree nor disagree 128 14.5%
Disagree 314 35.4%
Strongly disagree 414 46.8%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_f. My job keeps me so busy that I never seem to have the time to pursue professional development.

TRAINING_EVALUATION_f n %
Strongly agree 37 4.2%
Agree 182 20.6%
Neither agree nor disagree 322 36.3%
Disagree 225 25.4%
Strongly disagree 104 11.8%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_g. It is hard to find elections training programs that are applicable to my jurisdiction’s specific needs

TRAINING_EVALUATION_g n %
Strongly agree 15 1.7%
Agree 135 15.2%
Neither agree nor disagree 293 33.0%
Disagree 270 30.4%
Strongly disagree 157 17.7%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_h. It is hard to find elections training programs that are applicable to my own specific professional needs

TRAINING_EVALUATION_h n %
Strongly agree 10 1.1%
Agree 122 13.8%
Neither agree nor disagree 311 35.2%
Disagree 280 31.6%
Strongly disagree 147 16.6%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_i. It is hard to find elections training programs that are free or low cost

TRAINING_EVALUATION_i n %
Strongly agree 60 6.8%
Agree 163 18.4%
Neither agree nor disagree 276 31.1%
Disagree 203 22.9%
Strongly disagree 168 19.0%

TRAINING_EVALUATION_j. I require my staff to attend ongoing elections training and professional development

TRAINING_EVALUATION_j n %
Strongly agree 250 28.2%
Agree 374 42.2%
Neither agree nor disagree 214 24.2%
Disagree 27 3.0%
Strongly disagree 6 0.7%

Training Topics: Importance and Satisfaction Matrix Items

In general, how important are the following types of training for your office to optimize your election operations?

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_a. Introductory Elections Topics (Elections 101)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_a n %
Extremely important 405 47.0%
Very important 166 19.3%
Important 223 25.9%
Somewhat important 38 4.4%
Not at all important 3 0.3%
Not applicable 25
Web blank 27 3.1%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_b. Voter Registration and List Maintenance

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_b n %
Extremely important 426 50.0%
Very important 186 21.8%
Important 189 22.1%
Somewhat important 22 2.6%
Not at all important 3 0.3%
Not applicable 33
Web blank 27 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_c. Administration: Election Day Polling Places

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_c n %
Extremely important 444 51.8%
Very important 172 20.1%
Important 195 22.8%
Somewhat important 16 1.8%
Not at all important 2 0.3%
Not applicable 29
Web blank 28 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_d. Administration: Early Voting and Vote Centers

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_d n %
Extremely important 412 48.4%
Very important 161 18.9%
Important 213 25.0%
Somewhat important 24 2.9%
Not at all important 14 1.6%
Not applicable 34
Web blank 27 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_e. Voting By Mail / Absentee Ballot Administration

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_e n %
Extremely important 450 51.1%
Very important 210 23.8%
Important 165 18.8%
Somewhat important 26 2.9%
Not at all important 0 0.0%
Not applicable 5
Web blank 30 3.4%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_f. Post-Election Canvassing and Certification

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_f n %
Extremely important 374 43.5%
Very important 175 20.3%
Important 204 23.7%
Somewhat important 63 7.3%
Not at all important 17 1.9%
Not applicable 26
Web blank 28 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_g. Physical Security

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_g n %
Extremely important 379 43.2%
Very important 182 20.8%
Important 222 25.3%
Somewhat important 59 6.8%
Not at all important 8 0.9%
Not applicable 9
Web blank 27 3.1%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_h. Cybersecurity

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_h n %
Extremely important 403 46.2%
Very important 166 19.1%
Important 203 23.3%
Somewhat important 70 8.0%
Not at all important 3 0.3%
Not applicable 15
Web blank 27 3.1%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_i. Continuity of Operations Planning

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_i n %
Extremely important 349 41.2%
Very important 178 21.0%
Important 242 28.6%
Somewhat important 50 5.9%
Not at all important 1 0.1%
Not applicable 39
Web blank 27 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_j. Communications

TRAINING_TOPICS_IMPORTANCE_j n %
Extremely important 378 43.5%
Very important 203 23.3%
Important 216 24.9%
Somewhat important 44 5.0%
Not at all important 1 0.1%
Not applicable 16
Web blank 28 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

In general, how satisfied have you been with the following types of training for your office?

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_a. Introductory Elections Topics (Elections 101)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_a n %
Extremely satisfied 160 18.0%
Very satisfied 203 22.9%
Satisfied 384 43.3%
Somewhat satisfied 63 7.1%
Not at all satisfied 15 1.6%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 46 5.2%
Web blank 17 1.9%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_b. Voter Registration and List Maintenance

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_b n %
Extremely satisfied 150 16.9%
Very satisfied 205 23.1%
Satisfied 357 40.2%
Somewhat satisfied 80 9.1%
Not at all satisfied 12 1.4%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 54 6.1%
Web blank 28 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_c. Administration: Election Day Polling Places

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_c n %
Extremely satisfied 146 16.4%
Very satisfied 224 25.3%
Satisfied 380 42.9%
Somewhat satisfied 70 7.9%
Not at all satisfied 9 1.0%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 42 4.7%
Web blank 16 1.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_d. Administration: Early Voting and Vote Centers

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_d n %
Extremely satisfied 126 14.3%
Very satisfied 198 22.3%
Satisfied 368 41.6%
Somewhat satisfied 79 8.9%
Not at all satisfied 13 1.5%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 86 9.7%
Web blank 16 1.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_e. Voting By Mail / Absentee Ballot Administration

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_e n %
Extremely satisfied 157 17.7%
Very satisfied 208 23.5%
Satisfied 392 44.3%
Somewhat satisfied 77 8.6%
Not at all satisfied 10 1.1%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 26 3.0%
Web blank 16 1.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_f. Post-Election Canvassing and Certification

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_f n %
Extremely satisfied 122 13.8%
Very satisfied 194 21.9%
Satisfied 358 40.5%
Somewhat satisfied 124 14.0%
Not at all satisfied 16 1.8%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 54 6.1%
Web blank 17 1.9%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_g. Physical Security

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_g n %
Extremely satisfied 121 13.7%
Very satisfied 186 20.9%
Satisfied 355 40.0%
Somewhat satisfied 121 13.7%
Not at all satisfied 25 2.8%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 61 6.9%
Web blank 17 1.9%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_h. Cybersecurity

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_h n %
Extremely satisfied 135 15.2%
Very satisfied 182 20.6%
Satisfied 373 42.1%
Somewhat satisfied 107 12.1%
Not at all satisfied 18 2.0%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 55 6.2%
Web blank 16 1.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_i. Continuity of Operations Planning

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_i n %
Extremely satisfied 103 11.7%
Very satisfied 177 20.0%
Satisfied 367 41.4%
Somewhat satisfied 107 12.1%
Not at all satisfied 33 3.7%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 84 9.4%
Web blank 16 1.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_j. Communications

TRAINING_TOPICS_SATISFIED_j n %
Extremely satisfied 127 14.3%
Very satisfied 169 19.0%
Satisfied 378 42.6%
Somewhat satisfied 100 11.3%
Not at all satisfied 30 3.3%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 62 7.0%
Web blank 21 2.4%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Training For Team: Importance and Satisfaction Matrix Items

Considering all topics in general, how important is it for the following team members to receive elections training?

TRAINING_TEAM_IMPORTANCE_a. Myself

TRAINING_TEAM_IMPORTANCE_a n %
Extremely important 625 70.5%
Very important 149 16.8%
Important 87 9.8%
Somewhat important 10 1.1%
Not at all important 0 0.0%
Not applicable 0
Web blank 15 1.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TEAM_IMPORTANCE_b. My regular/permanent staff

TRAINING_TEAM_IMPORTANCE_b n %
Extremely important 500 66.1%
Very important 148 19.6%
Important 71 9.4%
Somewhat important 13 1.7%
Not at all important 0 0.0%
Not applicable 129
Web blank 25 3.3%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TEAM_IMPORTANCE_c. My temporary staff, such as poll workers

TRAINING_TEAM_IMPORTANCE_c n %
Extremely important 454 52.0%
Very important 228 26.1%
Important 148 16.9%
Somewhat important 27 3.1%
Not at all important 1 0.1%
Not applicable 14
Web blank 16 1.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Considering all topics in general, how satisfied are you with the elections training for the following team members?

TRAINING_TEAM_SATISFIED_a. Myself

TRAINING_TEAM_SATISFIED_a n %
Extremely satisfied 198 22.3%
Very satisfied 256 28.9%
Satisfied 332 37.5%
Somewhat satisfied 62 7.1%
Not at all satisfied 11 1.3%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 11 1.2%
Web blank 15 1.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TEAM_SATISFIED_b. My regular/permanent staff

TRAINING_TEAM_SATISFIED_b n %
Extremely satisfied 140 15.8%
Very satisfied 200 22.6%
Satisfied 285 32.1%
Somewhat satisfied 62 7.0%
Not at all satisfied 14 1.6%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 160 18.1%
Web blank 25 2.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

TRAINING_TEAM_SATISFIED_c. My temporary staff, such as poll workers

TRAINING_TEAM_SATISFIED_c n %
Extremely satisfied 138 15.6%
Very satisfied 207 23.4%
Satisfied 326 36.7%
Somewhat satisfied 97 11.0%
Not at all satisfied 14 1.5%
Not applicable/No experience with this training 81 9.1%
Web blank 24 2.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Membership: Associations and Meeting Attendance

MEMBER. Are you a member of any of the following professional election organizations? International Association of Government Officials (iGO)

MEMBER n % of LEOs selecting
My state association of local election officials, clerks, or county officials 579 65.3%
I am not a member of any professional election organization 266 30.0%
Another association of election officials not listed here 114 12.9%
Election Center (National Association of Election Officials) 65 7.4%
International Association of Government Officials (iGO) 21 2.4%

MEETING_HOWMANY. How many professional election organization meetings have you traditionally attended, or would you plan to attend, in a normal year?

MEETING_HOWMANY n %
0 210 23.7%
1 183 20.6%
2 195 22.0%
3 117 13.2%
4 or more 166 18.7%
Web Blank 15 1.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

MEETING_WHY. Which of the following, if any, keep you from attending professional election organization meetings? There is insufficient budget to pay for meeting fees

MEETING_WHY n % of LEOs selecting
I cannot afford to take time away from office duties 255 28.8%
Travel and logistical challenges, aside from time and budget 244 27.6%
Not applicable 198 22.4%
None of the above 196 22.1%
There is insufficient budget to pay for meeting fees 193 21.8%
I don’t find these meetings helpful 25 2.8%
Some other reason 25 2.8%

Effectiveness of State Associations

Now we’d like you to think about your state association of election officials. How effective is your state association in the following areas?

STATE_ASSOCIATION_a. Influencing bills and policy changes proposed by the state legislature

STATE_ASSOCIATION_a n %
Very effective 290 32.7%
Somewhat effective 351 39.7%
Not very effective 111 12.5%
Not at all effective 39 4.4%
Not active in this area 65 7.4%
Web blank 30 3.4%

873 out of 886 responding (98.5%)

STATE_ASSOCIATION_b. Representing the interests of jurisdictions like mine

STATE_ASSOCIATION_b n %
Very effective 304 34.3%
Somewhat effective 322 36.4%
Not very effective 121 13.7%
Not at all effective 38 4.3%
Not active in this area 75 8.5%
Web blank 26 2.9%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

STATE_ASSOCIATION_c. Building a positive and supportive community among election administrators

STATE_ASSOCIATION_c n %
Very effective 432 48.8%
Somewhat effective 293 33.1%
Not very effective 57 6.4%
Not at all effective 22 2.5%
Not active in this area 52 5.9%
Web blank 30 3.3%

875 out of 886 responding (98.8%)

STATE_ASSOCIATION_d. Helping me recruit new members of my staff

STATE_ASSOCIATION_d n %
Very effective 100 11.3%
Somewhat effective 231 26.1%
Not very effective 193 21.8%
Not at all effective 82 9.3%
Not active in this area 253 28.5%
Web blank 27 3.0%

872 out of 886 responding (98.4%)

STATE_ASSOCIATION_e. Helping me develop and advance my skills as an effective administrator

STATE_ASSOCIATION_e n %
Very effective 361 40.8%
Somewhat effective 346 39.1%
Not very effective 69 7.8%
Not at all effective 10 1.1%
Not active in this area 70 7.8%
Web blank 30 3.4%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

STATE_ASSOCIATION_f. Helping my staff develop and advance their skills

STATE_ASSOCIATION_f n %
Very effective 293 33.0%
Somewhat effective 345 38.9%
Not very effective 85 9.6%
Not at all effective 15 1.7%
Not active in this area 118 13.3%
Web blank 31 3.5%

873 out of 886 responding (98.5%)

Retirements and Departures

Retirement: Intentions and Reasons

RETIREMENTELIG. Will you be eligible to retire from your work as a local election official any time prior to the November 2026 midterm election?

RETIREMENTELIG n %
Yes 301 34.0%
No 505 57.0%
I don’t know 74 8.3%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RETIREMENTPLAN. Are you considering retiring?

RETIREMENTPLAN n %
Yes, I am considering retirement before the November 2024 election 43 14.3%
Yes, I am considering retirement after the November 2024 election but before the November 2026 election 110 36.6%
No, I am not considering retirement 73 24.1%
Other (please specify) 5 1.7%
I don’t know 70 23.4%

275 out of 275 responding (100.0%)

RETIREMENTREASON. What factors are influencing your considerations of retirement? I can afford to retire earlier than expected

RETIREMENTREASON n % of LEOs selecting
Changes in how elections are administered made the work unsatisfying 88 39.4%
I have served long enough to retire now 75 33.5%
I do not enjoy the politcal environment 72 32.3%
I want to do something else with my time 57 25.5%
I no longer enjoy the position 49 21.9%
Personal, family, or other changes unrelated to my work environment 48 21.5%
My spouse or partner is retiring 32 14.3%
Other 21 9.5%
I want to do something else for work 19 8.7%
I can afford to retire earlier than expected 17 7.4%

Departures: Intentions and Reasons

LEAVELEO. Are you considering leaving your work as a local election official any time prior to the November 2024 presidential election?

LEAVELEO n %
Yes 27 4.7%
No 467 79.9%
Other (please specify) 2 0.4%
Depends on opportunities/other job 0 0.1%
Depends on political climate 0 0.0%
I don’t know 82 13.9%

611 out of 611 responding (100.0%)

LEAVEREASON. What reasons motivate you to consider leaving your work as a local election official? I want to do something else for work

LEAVEREASON n % of LEOs selecting
Changes in how elections are administered make the work unsatisfying 42 38.5%
I can earn more in another position or career 36 32.8%
I can move to another position where I can earn the same, but the workload is more balanced 36 33.4%
I no longer enjoy the position 31 28.8%
I do not enjoy the political environment 29 26.4%
Personal, family, or other changes unrelated to my work environment 23 21.3%
Other 22 20.5%
I want to do something else for work 13 12.3%
I want to do something else with my time 13 12.0%
I do not believe I will be re-appointed or re-elected 1 1.1%

Succession Planning

SUCCESSION_PLAN. Do you have a succession plan (formal or informal) for your position?

SUCCESSION_PLAN n %
Yes 295 33.3%
No 463 52.2%
Don’t know 115 13.0%

SUCCESSION_YES. What best describes your succession plan?

SUCCESSION_YES n %
I’m preparing my deputy or hand-picked successor to run for office to replace me 154 52.1%
I’m preparing our governing body to appoint my deputy or hand-picked successor to replace me 86 29.1%
I have another succession plan 49 16.7%

SUCCESSION_NO. Why do you not have a succession plan?

SUCCESSION_NO n %
It is too soon for me to prepare a succession plan 272 47.1%
It is not my role to prepare a succession plan 166 28.8%
I have not had time to prepare a succession plan 38 6.6%
I have not found an appropriate successor 97 16.8%

MANUALS. Does your office have written manuals and procedures for the various election related tasks in your office so that if a position were vacated, a replacement could easily fill or transition into the position?

MANUALS n %
Yes, we have hard copies of manuals and processes 255 28.8%
Yes, we have electronic copies of manuals and processes 71 8.1%
Yes, we have both hard copies and electronic copies of manuals and processes 412 46.5%
No, we do not have any documented manuals or processes 99 11.2%
I don’t know 28 3.1%

Staffing: Departures and Barriers to Recruitment

STAFF_DEPARTURES. How many staff members have left your office in the past 12 months?

STAFF_DEPARTURES_cat n %
Zero 310 52.3%
One 168 28.3%
Two 59 9.9%
3 to 5 48 8.2%
More than 5 8 1.3%

RECRUITMENT. Thinking about recent hirings, which items, if any, represent a barrier to good candidate application pools?

RECRUITMENT n % of LEOs selecting
Our office has not had any recent hires 337 38.0%
Little or no experience in election administration 228 25.7%
Lack of practical or applied skills important for these positions 191 21.6%
NA - applicants generally qualified 184 20.7%
Lack of time management or commitment 110 12.4%
Lack of social or interpersonal skills 107 12.0%
Don’t know 45 5.1%
Lack of appropriate certification 30 3.4%

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_a. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

Job classifications of positions in my office reduce interest from job applicants

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_a n %
Strongly agree 38 4.3%
Agree 133 15.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 493 55.7%
Disagree 166 18.7%
Strongly disagree 23 2.6%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_b. Job classifications of positions in my office limit pay scales that are competitive in my local job market

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_b n %
Strongly agree 128 14.4%
Agree 230 25.9%
Neither agree nor disagree 372 42.0%
Disagree 112 12.6%
Strongly disagree 11 1.2%

872 out of 886 responding (98.4%)

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_c. Potential job applicants perceive openings in my office as underpaid

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_c n %
Strongly agree 145 16.3%
Agree 267 30.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 340 38.3%
Disagree 89 10.0%
Strongly disagree 11 1.2%

870 out of 886 responding (98.2%)

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_d. Potential job applicants perceive the work in my office as too contentious or controversial with regards to election administration

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_d n %
Strongly agree 68 7.7%
Agree 189 21.3%
Neither agree nor disagree 443 50.0%
Disagree 122 13.8%
Strongly disagree 28 3.2%

868 out of 886 responding (98.0%)

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_e. Potential job applicants do not realize the value of benefits associated with jobs in my office

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_e n %
Strongly agree 45 5.0%
Agree 162 18.3%
Neither agree nor disagree 472 53.3%
Disagree 126 14.2%
Strongly disagree 46 5.2%

870 out of 886 responding (98.2%)

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_h. I lose employees to other parts of my jurisdiction due to the nature of work associated with elections

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_h n %
Strongly agree 31 3.5%
Agree 89 10.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 507 57.2%
Disagree 147 16.6%
Strongly disagree 78 8.8%

870 out of 886 responding (98.2%)

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_i. When compared to other positions in my jurisdiction, staff in my office are fairly compensated for the work they do

STAFFING_DYNAMICS_i n %
Strongly agree 36 4.0%
Agree 195 22.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 378 42.7%
Disagree 156 17.6%
Strongly disagree 87 9.8%

872 out of 886 responding (98.4%)

Staffing: Cross Training and Staff Sharing

CROSS_TRAINING. Does your office rely on cross-training non-elections staff to support your work during election seasons?

CROSS_TRAINING n %
Yes 481 54.3%
No 396 44.7%

882 out of 886 responding (99.5%)

STAFF_SHARING. Does your office rely on staff sharing from other offices in your jurisdiction to support your work during election seasons?

STAFF_SHARING n %
Yes 233 26.3%
No 632 71.4%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

Job Satisfaction Series

JS_a. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

My work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment

JS_a n %
Strongly agree 291 32.8%
Agree 476 53.7%
Neither agree nor disagree 73 8.2%
Disagree 14 1.5%
Strongly disagree 15 1.7%
Web blank 18 2.1%

877 out of 886 responding (99.0%)

JS_b. My workload is reasonable

JS_b n %
Strongly agree 72 8.1%
Agree 336 37.9%
Neither agree nor disagree 162 18.3%
Disagree 208 23.4%
Strongly disagree 88 9.9%
Web blank 21 2.4%

875 out of 886 responding (98.8%)

JS_d. My work is respected by other county or local officials

JS_d n %
Strongly agree 169 19.1%
Agree 400 45.2%
Neither agree nor disagree 180 20.3%
Disagree 83 9.4%
Strongly disagree 35 3.9%
Web blank 19 2.2%

876 out of 886 responding (98.9%)

JS_e. My work is respected by citizens

JS_e n %
Strongly agree 138 15.6%
Agree 470 53.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 152 17.2%
Disagree 85 9.6%
Strongly disagree 23 2.6%
Web blank 18 2.0%

878 out of 886 responding (99.1%)

JS_f. I am satisfied with my pay

JS_f n %
Strongly agree 66 7.4%
Agree 269 30.3%
Neither agree nor disagree 201 22.7%
Disagree 178 20.1%
Strongly disagree 151 17.0%
Web blank 22 2.5%

873 out of 886 responding (98.5%)

JS_g. A lack of sufficient funding often prevents me from doing my job well

JS_g n %
Strongly agree 20 2.3%
Agree 113 12.8%
Neither agree nor disagree 286 32.2%
Disagree 317 35.8%
Strongly disagree 123 13.9%
Web blank 26 3.0%

873 out of 886 responding (98.5%)

JS_h. I do not feel I can balance my work and home priorities

JS_h n %
Strongly agree 39 4.4%
Agree 115 13.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 277 31.3%
Disagree 324 36.6%
Strongly disagree 105 11.9%
Web blank 26 2.9%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

JS_i. I would encourage my own child to pursue a career in local election administration

JS_i n %
Strongly agree 48 5.4%
Agree 142 16.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 358 40.4%
Disagree 169 19.1%
Strongly disagree 129 14.6%
Web blank 40 4.5%

872 out of 886 responding (98.4%)

JS_j. My county or local government does not consult me on policy or budget decisions

JS_j n %
Strongly agree 50 5.6%
Agree 116 13.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 210 23.7%
Disagree 382 43.1%
Strongly disagree 103 11.6%
Web blank 25 2.8%

876 out of 886 responding (98.9%)

JS_k. My state legislature does not consult my community on election policy decisions

JS_k n %
Strongly agree 152 17.2%
Agree 288 32.5%
Neither agree nor disagree 275 31.0%
Disagree 115 13.0%
Strongly disagree 30 3.4%
Web blank 26 2.9%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

JS_l. In my job I am able to fully utilize my skills, abilities, and knowledge

JS_l n %
Strongly agree 175 19.8%
Agree 477 53.8%
Neither agree nor disagree 164 18.5%
Disagree 39 4.4%
Strongly disagree 5 0.6%
Web blank 27 3.0%

876 out of 886 responding (98.9%)

JS_m. I am proud to tell people that I work for my department

JS_m n %
Strongly agree 247 27.9%
Agree 469 52.9%
Neither agree nor disagree 113 12.8%
Disagree 13 1.5%
Strongly disagree 16 1.8%
Web blank 27 3.1%

875 out of 886 responding (98.8%)

JS_n. I am able to leave problems at work

JS_n n %
Strongly agree 57 6.4%
Agree 227 25.6%
Neither agree nor disagree 228 25.7%
Disagree 230 26.0%
Strongly disagree 118 13.3%
Web blank 27 3.0%

876 out of 886 responding (98.9%)

JS_o. Meaningful public service is very important to me

JS_o n %
Strongly agree 359 40.6%
Agree 390 44.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 109 12.3%
Disagree 5 0.6%
Strongly disagree 2 0.2%
Web blank 21 2.3%

876 out of 886 responding (98.9%)

JS_p. I believe in putting duty before self

JS_p n %
Strongly agree 168 18.9%
Agree 329 37.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 300 33.9%
Disagree 37 4.2%
Strongly disagree 29 3.3%
Web blank 23 2.6%

874 out of 886 responding (98.6%)

JS_q. My job provides the primary health care benefits for my household

JS_q n %
Strongly agree 215 24.3%
Agree 227 25.7%
Neither agree nor disagree 82 9.3%
Disagree 131 14.8%
Strongly disagree 205 23.2%
Web blank 24 2.7%

873 out of 886 responding (98.5%)

JS_r. My job provides the primary retirement savings for my household

JS_r n %
Strongly agree 175 19.8%
Agree 213 24.1%
Neither agree nor disagree 141 15.9%
Disagree 126 14.3%
Strongly disagree 207 23.4%
Web blank 23 2.6%

875 out of 886 responding (98.8%)

Job Satisfaction: Three Words Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction

JOB_SATISFIED. What three words come to mind when you think about what makes you satisfied with your job as a local election official?

JOB_DISSATISFIED. What three words come to mind when you think about what makes you dissatisfied with your job as a local election official?

Job Satisfaction: Overall Level

JS_OVERALL. All things considered, what is your level of overall satisfaction with your job?

JS_OVERALL n %
Very satisfied 224 25.3%
Satisfied 472 53.3%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied 114 12.9%
Dissatisfied 35 3.9%
Very dissatisfied 26 2.9%
Web Blank 15 1.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Threats and Harassment: Departures Due To Harassment

HARASS_LEAVE. Do you personally know of any local election officials or election workers who have left their jobs at least in part because of fear for their safety, increased threats, or intimidation?

HARASS_LEAVE n %
Yes, I know of one or two who have left their jobs because of concerns about their safety 237 26.8%
Yes, I know of many who have left their jobs because of concerns about their safety 38 4.3%
No, I don’t know of any who have left their jobs because of concerns about their safety 593 66.9%
Web blank 18 2.0%

878 out of 886 responding (99.1%)

HARASS_MYSELF. Have you considered leaving your job because of fear for your safety, increased threats, or intimidation?

HARASS_MYSELF n %
Yes 101 11.4%
No 776 87.6%
Web blank 9 1.0%

882 out of 886 responding (99.5%)

Election Reform, Voter Confidence

Opinions About Election Reforms

The following is a list of ideas people sometimes propose. Please indicate how much you support or oppose each of these ideas regardless of whether or not they are in place in your state.

POLITICAL REFORMS. Run all elections by mail

POL_a n %
Strongly support 92 10.4%
Somewhat support 106 12.0%
Neutral 135 15.2%
Somewhat oppose 115 13.0%
Strongly oppose 419 47.3%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

POLITCAL REFORMS. Allow people to register to vote on Election Day…

POL_b n %
Strongly support 274 31.0%
Somewhat support 87 9.9%
Neutral 104 11.7%
Somewhat oppose 103 11.7%
Strongly oppose 302 34.1%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

POLITCAL REFORMS. Make Election Day a national holiday

POL_c n %
Strongly support 319 36.0%
Somewhat support 144 16.2%
Neutral 250 28.2%
Somewhat oppose 56 6.4%
Strongly oppose 105 11.8%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

POLITCAL REFORMS. Consolidate local, state, and federal elections to take place at the same time

POL_d n %
Strongly support 263 29.7%
Somewhat support 200 22.6%
Neutral 213 24.1%
Somewhat oppose 74 8.4%
Strongly oppose 121 13.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

POLITCAL REFORMS. Increase the use of Internet voting (online voting)

POL_e n %
Strongly support 24 2.7%
Somewhat support 80 9.0%
Neutral 132 14.9%
Somewhat oppose 133 15.0%
Strongly oppose 505 57.0%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

POLITCAL REFORMS. Require the use of photo identification for voting

POL_f n %
Strongly support 579 65.4%
Somewhat support 128 14.4%
Neutral 91 10.3%
Somewhat oppose 37 4.2%
Strongly oppose 38 4.3%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Election and Registration Confidence: Looking Back to 2022

Looking back to the November 2022 election, to what extent are you confident about each of the following statements?

CONF2022_a. Voter registration lists nationwide were secure from outside interference.

CONF2022_a n %
Very confident 213 24.1%
Somewhat confident 285 32.2%
Not too confident 145 16.4%
Not at all confident 43 4.8%
I don’t know 177 20.0%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CONF2022_b. Voter registration lists in my state were secure from outside interference.

CONF2022_b n %
Very confident 539 60.8%
Somewhat confident 198 22.4%
Not too confident 47 5.3%
Not at all confident 34 3.8%
I don’t know 43 4.9%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CONF2022_c. Votes nationwide were counted as intended.

CONF2022_c n %
Very confident 278 31.4%
Somewhat confident 210 23.7%
Not too confident 158 17.8%
Not at all confident 87 9.8%
I don’t know 130 14.6%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CONF2022d. Votes in my state were counted as intended

CONF2022_d n %
Very confident 580 65.5%
Somewhat confident 150 16.9%
Not too confident 57 6.4%
Not at all confident 45 5.1%
I don’t know 31 3.5%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Election and Registration Confidence: Looking Forward to 2024

Looking ahead to the November 2024 election, to what extent are you confident about each of the following statements?

CONFa. Voter registration lists nationwide will be secure from outside interference.

CONF_a n %
Very confident 218 24.6%
Somewhat confident 296 33.5%
Not too confident 145 16.4%
Not at all confident 60 6.8%
I don’t know 142 16.0%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CONFb. Voter registration lists in my state will be secure from outside interference.

CONF_b n %
Very confident 510 57.6%
Somewhat confident 219 24.8%
Not too confident 68 7.7%
Not at all confident 36 4.1%
I don’t know 29 3.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CONFc. Votes nationwide will be counted as intended.

CONF_c n %
Very confident 272 30.7%
Somewhat confident 254 28.6%
Not too confident 151 17.0%
Not at all confident 61 6.9%
I don’t know 125 14.1%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

CONFd. Votes in my state will be counted as intended

CONF_d n %
Very confident 571 64.4%
Somewhat confident 162 18.3%
Not too confident 74 8.4%
Not at all confident 29 3.3%
I don’t know 26 2.9%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

State Legislatures and New Laws

STATELEG. Since the November 2022 election, has your state legislature passed legislation that impacted the way you conduct elections in your jurisdiction?

STATELEG n %
Yes 540 61.0%
No 227 25.7%
I don’t know 99 11.2%
Web Blank 19 2.2%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

LAWSHELP. On balance, do you think these new laws:

LAWSHELP n %
Improved election administration in your jurisdiction 155 28.7%
Did not improve election administration in your jurisdiction 263 48.8%
I don’t know 122 22.6%
Web Blank 0 0.0%

626 out of 626 responding (100.0%)

Voter Centric Attitudes

RELATE_a. To what extent do you agree or disagree with …. I enjoy educating citizens about voting rules and procedures

RELATE_a n %
Strongly agree 337 38.0%
Somewhat agree 317 35.7%
Neither agree nor disagree 174 19.6%
Somewhat disagree 30 3.4%
Strongly disagree 7 0.7%
Web Blank 23 2.6%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RELATE_a. The lack of citizen knowledge about voting rules and procedures causes significant problems when people go to vote

RELATE_b n %
Strongly agree 246 27.8%
Somewhat agree 388 43.8%
Neither agree nor disagree 135 15.2%
Somewhat disagree 71 8.0%
Strongly disagree 22 2.5%
Web Blank 24 2.7%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RELATE_a. The primary responsibility of local election officials is to conduct the election, not worry about voter education or voter satisfaction

RELATE_c n %
Strongly agree 67 7.6%
Somewhat agree 184 20.8%
Neither agree nor disagree 150 17.0%
Somewhat disagree 264 29.8%
Strongly disagree 198 22.4%
Web Blank 22 2.5%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RELATE_a. Local election officials should consider it part of their responsibilities to work on voter education and voter satisfaction

RELATE_d n %
Strongly agree 240 27.1%
Somewhat agree 328 37.0%
Neither agree nor disagree 199 22.5%
Somewhat disagree 49 5.5%
Strongly disagree 47 5.3%
Web Blank 23 2.6%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RELATE_a. My office has enough time and resources to work on educating voters, along with conducting the election

RELATE_e n %
Strongly agree 49 5.6%
Somewhat agree 188 21.2%
Neither agree nor disagree 192 21.7%
Somewhat disagree 240 27.0%
Strongly disagree 194 21.9%
Web Blank 23 2.6%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RELATE_a. It is part of my job to encourage voter turnout

RELATE_f n %
Strongly agree 284 32.1%
Somewhat agree 256 28.9%
Neither agree nor disagree 229 25.8%
Somewhat disagree 50 5.6%
Strongly disagree 46 5.1%
Web Blank 22 2.4%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

RELATE_a. Local election officials should work to reduce demographic disparities in voter turnout

RELATE_g n %
Strongly agree 161 18.2%
Somewhat agree 148 16.7%
Neither agree nor disagree 407 46.0%
Somewhat disagree 56 6.4%
Strongly disagree 83 9.4%
Web Blank 30 3.4%

886 out of 886 responding (100.0%)

Voter Education, Misinformation, Countering Misinformation

VOTER EDUCATION. Which methods of outreach have you regularly used in your jurisdiction, if any, so voters receive accurate information about elections?

VOTER_EDUCATION n % of LEOs selecting
Interacting with voters face-to-face in my office, via phone, or through email 699 78.8%
Sharing information on social media 451 50.9%
Running ads in local newspapers 392 44.2%
Conducting interviews with local newspapers or TV stations 264 29.8%
Mailing print materials to voters (pamphlets, voter guides) 224 25.3%
Organizing in-person town hall meetings 101 11.4%
Running ads on TV or radio 100 11.3%
None of the above 65 7.3%
Other 33 3.7%

VOTER EDUCATION_2. Which method of outreach do you think is most effective in your jurisdiction to ensure that voters receive accurate information about elections?

VOTER_EDUCATION_2 n %
Mailing print materials to voters (eg., pamphlets, voter guides) 87 9.8%
Interacting with voters face-to-face in my office, via phone, or through email 378 42.7%
Organizing in-person town hall meetings 13 1.4%
Conducting interviews with local newspapers or TV stations 38 4.3%
Running ads in local newspapers 60 6.8%
Running ads on TV or radio 14 1.6%
Sharing information on social media 142 16.0%
Other (please specify): 11 1.2%
Posting information on local/municipal website 22 2.5%
None of the above 72 8.1%
Tours 1 0.1%
Speak at meetings/presentations 0 0.0%
Set up booths/tables schools/clubs/events 6 0.6%
Outgoing robocalls/reverse 911 1 0.1%
Bulletin boards/signs/posted materials 0 0.0%
Pass out printed information/brochures/flyers 0 0.0%
Newspaper columns/articles 0 0.0%
Don’t know 2 0.2%
Web blank 40 4.5%

865 out of 886 responding (97.6%)

Misinformation

MISINFORMATION Some jurisdictions have had to deal with misinformation over the past few election cycles. To what extent, if at all, is misinformation a problem in your jurisdiction?

MISINFORMATION n %
A serious problem 175 19.8%
A minor problem 421 47.5%
Not a problem at all 206 23.3%
I don’t know 65 7.3%
Web blank 19 2.2%

879 out of 886 responding (99.2%)

COMBAT_MISINFORMATION1 Which approach to addressing misinformation do you think is most effective?

COMBAT_MISINFORMATION1 n %
Mostly reactive (e.g. debunking/ responding to stories as they emerge) 13 2.2%
Mostly proactive (e.g. pre-bunking dominant mis/disinformation claims from recent election cycles) 64 10.8%
A mixture of reactive and proactive 373 62.6%
None of it seems to be effective 87 14.7%
I don’t know 58 9.7%
Web blank 0 0.1%

703 out of 704 responding (99.9%)

COMBAT_MISINFORMATION2 Which of the following, if any, have you done to directly confront or combat misinformation in your jurisdiction? (Select all that apply.)

COMBAT_MISINFORMATION2 n % of LEOs selecting
Posted information on social media 274 46.0%
Provided statements to newspapers 199 33.5%
None of the above 169 28.4%
Developed a webpage or FAQ about misinformation 121 20.3%
Other 86 14.5%
Sent informational mailers or newsletters 79 13.3%
Appeared on television news 64 10.7%
Written Op-Eds 39 6.5%

Voting Values

PC_EDEARLY. Statement A: I prefer that all voters cast ballots on Election Day at a polling place or voting center. Statement B: I prefer that voters have lots of options at home or early in-person voting along with Election Day voting.

PC_EDEARLY n %
1 - Strongly agree with Statement A 130 14.7%
2 73 8.2%
3 46 5.2%
4 - Neutral 134 15.1%
5 93 10.5%
6 143 16.2%
7 - Strongly agree with Statement B 259 29.3%

876 out of 886 responding (98.9%)

PC_ACCESSSECURE. Statement A: It is important to establish processes that make it easy for people to exercise the right to vote, even if doing so presents some security risks. Statement B: It is important to make voting as secure as possible…

PC_ACCESSSECURE n %
1 - Strongly agree with Statement A 50 5.6%
2 61 6.8%
3 77 8.7%
4 - Neutral 222 25.1%
5 154 17.4%
6 121 13.6%
7 - Strongly agree with Statement B 163 18.4%

866 out of 886 responding (97.7%)

PC_INDIVGOVT. Statement A: Individuals ought to take responsibility for making sure they’re registered to vote. Statement B: Government ought to take responsibility for making sure all eligible voters are registered to vote.

PC_INDIVGOVT n %
1 - Strongly agree with Statement A 495 55.9%
2 114 12.8%
3 91 10.3%
4 - Neutral 101 11.4%
5 20 2.3%
6 18 2.0%
7 - Strongly agree with Statement B 30 3.4%

871 out of 886 responding (98.3%)

PC_DUTYCHOICE. Statement A: Voting is a duty; people should vote in every election no matter how they feel about the candidates and parties. Statement B: Voting is a choice; people can choose to vote or not to vote depending on how they feel…

PC_DUTYCHOICE n %
1 - Strongly agree with Statement A 101 11.4%
2 58 6.6%
3 43 4.8%
4 - Neutral 157 17.8%
5 70 7.9%
6 142 16.0%
7 - Strongly agree with Statement B 297 33.5%

869 out of 886 responding (98.1%)

Demographics

AGE. What is your age?

AGE n %
18 to 25 3 0.3%
26 to 34 33 3.8%
35 to 49 186 21.8%
50 to 64 419 49.0%
65+ 212 24.8%
I prefer not to answer 32

883 out of 886 responding (99.7%)

GENDER. How do you describe yourself?

GENDER n %
Male 134 15.9%
Female 705 83.6%
Other (please specify) 0 0.0%
I prefer not to answer 43

879 out of 886 responding (99.2%)

ETHNIC: Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

ETHNIC n %
Yes 35 4.5%
No 749 95.1%
I prefer not to answer 99

882 out of 886 responding (99.5%)

RACE. How would you describe yourself?

RACE n %
American Indian or Alaskan Native 4 0.6%
Asian 3 0.4%
Black or African American 35 4.5%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 0 0.1%
White 706 91.7%
2 or more races 19 2.5%
I prefer not to answer 117

883 out of 886 responding (99.7%)

EDUC. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

EDUC n %
Some high school 1 0.2%
High school 115 13.8%
Some college 253 30.4%
College 287 34.5%
Some graduate school 72 8.7%
Graduate school 88 10.5%
I prefer not to answer 54

880 out of 886 responding (99.3%)

SALARY. Please select your salary range.

SALARY n %
Less than $20,000 102 12.9%
$20,000 to $34,999 138 17.4%
$35,000 to $49,999 80 10.1%
$50,000 to $74,999 250 31.5%
$75,000 to $99,999 141 17.8%
$100,000 or more 72 9.1%
I prefer not to answer 93

880 out of 886 responding (99.3%)

PARTISANSHIP. Where would you place yourself on the following scale?

PARTISANSHIP n %
Strong Democrat 53 8.5%
Not very strong Democrat 21 3.3%
Independent, lean Democrat 80 12.9%
Independent 132 21.2%
Independent, lean Republican 109 17.5%
Not very strong Republican 45 7.2%
Strong Republican 139 22.2%
Other party (please specify) 34 5.5%
I prefer not to answer 262

879 out of 886 responding (99.2%)