Newsletter: Defending election integrity, confronting threats to certification, and more
“Counting the Vote,” a Firing Line special with Margaret Hoover on PBS
In recent years, election administration has faced unprecedented scrutiny, and as November draws near, election integrity has become top of mind for many Americans. Tonight’s Firing Line special explores how votes are counted and efforts to increase voter confidence. Throughout the documentary, David Becker, executive director of CEIR, helps shed light on vote counting processes.
Earlier this month, Becker also joined Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and election lawyer Ben Ginsberg on PBS’s Firing Line to discuss their confidence in the electoral system ahead of the general.
Upcoming webinars
Confronting Threats to Election Certification: The Role of State & Local Officials
September 16th, 12-1:30 pm ET
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By law, election certification is a ministerial duty — officials have no discretion whether to certify or not. Nonetheless, in recent years, we’ve seen a number of local officials refuse to certify election results, often based on unfounded claims of fraud and other misinformation about our election systems. This can potentially delay finalizing election results and confuse voters about the election process.
CEIR and Protect Democracy are teaming up to host a webinar for state and local officials where several officials will share their experiences responding to certification threats in prior elections. The panel will discuss how the threats arose, what tools they leveraged in responding, and lessons learned for future elections.
Communicating in a Crisis
September 19th, 2-3 pm ET
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In this webinar for U.S. election officials, you will learn tips to help you prepare for, deftly respond to, and successfully navigate crisis scenarios. An election office crisis plan can help with enduring the hot spotlight on election administration and managing the public perception of routine election hiccups that are blown out of proportion. Preparing ahead of time for a crisis allows you to put your best foot forward when it matters most.
American Bar Association names CEIR an “Unsung Hero of Democracy”
The American Bar Association (ABA) has named the Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) a recipient of the 2024 Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award. This honor recognizes outstanding efforts by individuals and organizations to uphold and promote the rule of law by advancing our democratic system of government.
ABA President Mary Smith described several features that brought CEIR’s work to the attention of the award task force. “CEIR is renowned for its nonpartisan work with election officials of both parties,” she said, “conducting research, coordinating pro bono legal defense for election officials under threat of harassment, and advocating for best practices that have tangibly improved the security, transparency, and efficiency of our elections.”