High Turnout Wide Margins

S3E22 – We’re All in This Together with Representative and Former County Clerk Peggy McGaugh Aug 14, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Peggy McGaugh. She’s the State Representative for the 7th District, which includes Carroll, Linn, Livingston, and part of Ray counties. Before being elected to the House, she served for 33 years in the Carroll County Clerk’s Office.

They spoke about McGaugh’s experience, the benefits of state legislators coming from election administration backgrounds, and how clerks and state legislators can better work together.

S3E21 – Perspectives from Brand New Election Administrators Jul 31, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with some new election administrators in the state of Missouri – all of whom have been in the job less than four years, and are now preparing for their first presidential election.

They spoke about Rachel Lightfoot in Polk County, Heather Hall, the Republican Director of the Election Board in Clay County, and Adrienne Lee in Vernon County. They each spoke about how the job has been doing so far, some of the challenges they’ve faced and what they are looking forward to in November.

S3E20 - Piloting Domestic Election Observation with Montana’s Jeff Mangan Jul 17, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Jeff Mangan. He’s a former Commissioner of Political Practice in Montana, and one of co-chairs of the Montana Election Observation Initiative [MEOI], a Carter Center-supported nonpartisan election observation effort.

MEOI conducted their first pilot observation during Montana’s June 4th primary in Missoula. You can read the preliminary report – here (https://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/peace/democracy/u_s_elections/meoi-statement-of-findings-june2024.pdf)

They spoke about how these domestic election observations came about, how their first pilot went and about how nonpartisan election observation efforts could play a role in the future.

S3E19: It's happening.....it's finally happening! Tom Hicks with the EAC Jul 03, 2024

The High Turnout Wide Margins team recently traveled to Portland, Oregon, for a special workshop on State Associations hosted by the Election Center. While there, we were able to have face-to-face conversations with people working in elections across the country.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Commissioner Tom Hicks, one of the longest serving members of the Election Assistance Commission, or EAC.

They spoke about Tom’s time as a commissioner, how elections can be more accessible for disabled voters, and how the EAC could play a role in developing the election administration workforce.

S3E18 - A Tale of Two Cities with Michigan’s Jackie Beaudry and Melanie Ryska Jun 19, 2024

The High Turnout Wide Margins team recently traveled to Portland, Oregon, for a special workshop on State Associations hosted by the Election Center. While there, we were able to have face-to-face conversations with people working in elections across the country.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Jackie Beaudry and Melanie Ryska. They’re both local clerks in Michigan and leaders of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.

They spoke about the implementation of some new election law in the state, how their association works alongside the Michigan Association of County Clerks, and how their association is trying to balance the needs of very large and very small municipalities.

S3E17 - Virginia is for Voters with Henrico County’s Mark Coakley Jun 05, 2024

The High Turnout Wide Margins team recently traveled to Portland, Oregon, for a special workshop on State Associations hosted by the Election Center. While there, we were able to have face-to-face conversations with people working in elections across the country.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Mark Coakley. He’s the General Registrar of Henrico County, Virginia.

They spoke about Mark’s long history working in elections and the unique way that local election administrators in Virginia are setting their own educational priorities and learning from each other.

S3E16 - Professionalizing the Election Field One OREO at a Time with Ohio’s Aaron Ockerman May 22, 2024

The High Turnout Wide Margins team recently traveled to Portland, Oregon, for a special workshop on State Associations hosted by the Election Center. While there, we were able to have face-to-face conversations with people working in elections across the country.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Aaron Ockerman, the Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials.

They spoke about the importance – and power – of state associations, how having a non-election administrator in charge can strengthen an association, as well as the role a state association can play in better preparing election officials, both old and new, for the increasingly complex nature of their jobs.

S3E15 – Investment, Representation and Reflection in North Carolina with Derek Bowens in Durham County, NC May 09, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Derek Bowens, the Elections Director in Durham County, North Carolina.

They spoke about crafting narratives to help election administrators share and showcase the need for local investment in elections and about the importance of having election administrators that represent and reflect the voters they serve.

S3E14 - A behind-the-scenes look of the private election industry with Matthew Fitch Apr 24, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Matthew Fitch. He’s the owner of Merriman River Group, a private election firm that works with organizations such as labor unions and, recently, the Missouri Democratic Party for the presidential preference primary. They spoke about how one manages a private election, including preparation for the ballot box, technology trends, and creating trust with voters.

S3E13 - Exploring a Victorian Election System with the UK Association of Electoral Administrators’ Peter Stanyon Apr 08, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Peter Stanyon. He’s the Chief Executive for the Association of Election Administrators, or AEA, in the United Kingdom.

They spoke about the complexities of the UK's election system with its limited time frame for some elections, changes in voter ID law, and the challenges of adding modernization on top of a system originally designed in the 1800s.

S3E12 - Putting the Face in… Personalizing the Need for Congressional Elections Funding with Issue One’s Gideon Cohn-Postar Mar 20, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Gideon Cohn-Postar. He’s the Legislative Director from Issue One, an organization that advocates for cross partisan political reform at the Congressional level – on issues such as social media reform, protecting the safety of election officials and consistent federal funding for elections throughout the country.

They spoke a little about the current status of congressional funding for elections, as well as how projects, like “Faces of Democracy,” can help personalize these issues for members of Congress.

To learn more about and read previous “Faces of Democracy articles,” visit https://issueone.org/projects/facesofdemocracy/.

S3E11 - Laying it on the electionline: covering local election news with Mindy Moretti Mar 06, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Mindy Moretti, the editor-in-chief of electionline, a news source and aggregator for local election administrators that sends out a daily newsletter on all things election news.

They spoke about how electionline has evolved over time, what it takes for Moretti to curate it each morning, and a very special partnership that’s coming soon.

You can learn more about electionline and sign up for the daily newsletter at https://electionline.org/

S3E10 - Brewing up Election Security with Scott McDonell in Dane County, Wisconsin Feb 22, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Scott McDonell in Dade County, Wisconsin. After a number of threats and attempted break-ins, McDonell decided that election officials needed a safer and larger space for election processes. So, after traveling around the country to look at other election offices, McDonell chose the new space at an unexpected location- a local brewery. They spoke about how a County Clerk embarks on a project of this size, keeping election workers safe, and maintaining trust with other clerks across the state.

S3E9 - A Legacy of Election Communication, Collaboration and Martial Arts with Tommy Gong in Contra Costa County, California Feb 08, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Tommy Gong from Contra Costa County, California. They spoke about Tommy’s long history working in California elections, about his work with Bay Area Votes – and how they’re trying to educate and connect with voters – and a little about his unique connection to Bruce Lee.

https://www.facebook.com/BayAreaVotes/

S3E8 - Rebuilding Trust in Elections One Local Office at a Time with Fred DeCaro III in Greenwich, Connecticut Jan 24, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Fred DeCaro III, one of the two elected Registrars of Voters in Greenwich, Connecticut.

They spoke about the unique nature of Connecticut’s election administration, some of the challenges of being a part-time local election administrator, and about what all election administrators could do to rebuild citizen’s trust in the electoral system.

S3E7 - Election Transparency with Heider Garcia in Dallas County, Texas Jan 10, 2024

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Heider Garcia in Dallas County, Texas. Garcia has had a couple of high-profile years – first, being highlighted on “This American Life” for the inclusive and in-depth way he engaged with people who were skeptical of or had questions about the elections process.

Then, after a close result in Tarrant County in 2020, Garcia became the target of accusations of voter fraud, as well as serious threats and racist attacks – including the release of his personal address on social media.

You can read Garcia’s full testimony from 2022’s “Protecting Our Democracy’s Frontline Workers” hearing in front of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on the Judiciary – here.

They spoke about Garcia’s passion for educating voters, about what other election officials can learn from his experiences and what he’s most excited about in his new role in Dallas County, Texas.

S3E6 - HTWM Live: Looking to 2024: Insights from Gabriel Sterling in Georgia and Trey Grayson in Kentucky Jan 03, 2024

Last November, the High Turnout Wide Margins team held a live event looking ahead to 2024’s election cycle.

Hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey spoke - for the first time – with Secretary of State-level election administrators: Gabriel Sterling in Georgia and Trey Grayson in Kentucky. They spoke about some of the things they’ve learned during their time working in elections.

S3E5 - Reimagining Inventory Management with Jamie Shew in Douglas County, Kansas Dec 13, 2023

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Jamie Shew in Douglas County, Kansas. They spoke about how innovations - like RFID, or Radio Frequency Identification technology, can be used for keeping track of all of the equipment needed to run a good, efficient election.

S3E4 - Hacking Elections with BiaSciLab Nov 29, 2023

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak with BiaSciLab, a teenage white hat hacker who has been working in the elections cybersecurity space since she was 11 years old. They discuss the role of DEF CON’s Voting Village and ethical hackers in testing and identifying cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the American election system.

To learn more about DEF CON’s Voting Village, visit their YouTube page – here.

S3E3 - Collaboration between Election Administrators and Election Researchers with MIT's Charles Stewart III Nov 15, 2023

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Charles Stewart III. He’s the director of the MIT Election Data and Science Lab and the co-director of the Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project (https://electionlab.mit.edu/).

They spoke about the relationship between academics studying elections and the local election administrators who are conducting them, how academic research can become functional tools for election administrators to use and how academic-election administrator collaboration could impact future elections.

S3E2 - The Creation of ERIC and the Challenges of Keeping Voter Lists up to Date with John Lindback Nov 01, 2023

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with John Lindback. He’s been involved in elections administration for many years and was the first Executive Director of ERIC, the Electronic Registration Information Center, after its creation in 2012.

They spoke about the creation of ERIC, how the multi-state voter-registration monitoring collaborative functions, as well as some of the challenges that come along with maintaining the integrity of a voter list.

S3E1 - HTWM Live at NCSL: How Local Election Officials and State Legislators Can Work Together with Ruth Hardy and Carlton Wing Oct 18, 2023

This past August, the High Turnout Wide Margins team headed to Indianapolis for the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Legislative Summit, which brings together lawmakers from all across the country.

Hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey did a live taping at the event where – for the first time – they spoke with state legislators. They spoke about how state legislators and local election administrators can work together to foster trust and confidence in American elections.

S2E26 - Reflecting on a Family Legacy of Election Administration with Miller County, Missouri’s Clinton Jenkins Apr 13, 2023

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak to Clinton Jenkins – a third-generation county clerk in Miller County, Missouri. As of the 2020 Census, Miller County has a population of 24,722.

They spoke about his family legacy of public service, the many tasks that come with the job, and some of the challenges he has faced in his small, rural jurisdiction.

S2E25 - The State of Federal Election Funding with the EAC’s Ben Hovland and Votebeat’s Carrie Levine Mar 29, 2023

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak to Ben Hovland and Carrie Levine. Ben is the current Vice Chair for the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, and Carrie is the Story Editor for Votebeat, a “nonprofit news organization committed to reporting the nuanced truth about elections and voting at a time of crisis in America.”

They spoke about the current state of federal election funding heading into the 2024 Presidential election cycle and about some of the funding challenges that come from the U.S.’s decentralized system of elections. They also spoke about the important role local election administrators play when it comes educating the public and rebuilding trust.

S2E24 – HTWM Live at the US Alliance for Election Excellence with Michigan’s Jocelyn Benson and Colorado’s Pam Anderson Mar 08, 2023

In February, High Turnout Wide Margins was invited to do a live recording at the first in-person meeting of the US Alliance for Election Excellence – a nonpartisan collaborative of election administrators and subject matter experts.

Hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey spoke with two election administrators that night – Jocelyn Benson, the Michigan Secretary of State, and Pam Anderson, who ran for Colorado Secretary of State and has a long history of working in Colorado elections.

S2E23 – HTWM Global Edition: Brianna Goes to Tunisia Feb 23, 2023

In December, host Brianna Lennon went on her first international election observation mission. She traveled to Tunisia in northern Africa to observe their December 17, 2022, Parliamentary election, which comes after a consolidation of power under their current president and a relatively new constitution that he helped craft.

She and co-host Eric Fey spoke with Don Bisson, the head of the Tunisia Election Observation Mission for the Carter Center before the observation took place to learn more about his experiences, as well as more about international observation, in general.

And then Brianna spoke with Justin Roebuck, the County Clerk of Ottawa County, Michigan, after the observation was completed about some of what they both learned throughout the process.

You can read the Carter Center’s Preliminary Report from the Tunisian elections on December 17, 2022, “Historically Low Turnout in Tunisia’s Parliamentary Election Confirms Need for Renewed Dialogue” at https://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/2022/tunisia-121922.html.

You can read about the Carter Center’s Preliminary report from the Tunisian runoff elections on January 29, 2023, “Post-election Statement: Low Turnout in Tunisia Election Reaffirms Need for Broad-Based Consensus” at https://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/2023/tunisia-020123.html/.

S2E22 – HTWM Live: Discussing the Documentary ‘No Time to Fail’ with Rhode Island’s Rob Rock Feb 01, 2023

Back in November, High Turnout Wide Margins hosted a film screening at Ragtag Cinema in Columbia, Missouri. The documentary called ‘No Time to Fail’ follows the work of numerous Rhode Island election administrators during the 2020 Presidential Election as they navigate their day-to-day work, the growing threat of disinformation and mistrust in elections and the global pandemic.

After the screening, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey spoke with one of the film’s protagonists, Rob Rock, the Director of Elections for the state of Rhode Island, about his experiences in elections.

You can learn more about the documentary at https://www.notimetofailfilm.com/

S2E21 - Preventing Physical Harassment & Violence Against Election Officials with Kathy Boockvar Jan 12, 2023

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Kathy Boockvar. She’s the former Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2019- 2021 and a member of the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections, which works to protect election officials from physical threats, violence, and intimidation through coordination with law enforcement.

They spoke about some of her own experiences working with law enforcement for protection during her time as Pennsylvania Secretary of state, as well as about how local election officials can start working now to ensure the physical safety of their staff and their office during the 2024 election cycle.

S2E20 – HTWM Global Edition: Domestic Observation with Promo-LEX’s Mariana Novac and Nicolae Panfil Dec 29, 2022

In June, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey, along with Managing Editor Rebecca Smith, traveled to Central and Eastern Europe to learn more about election administration in democracies overseas.

In this episode, our hosts are back in Moldova – a small country nestled between Romania and Ukraine that was a part of the former Soviet Union. They spoke with Mariana Novac and Nicolae Panfil with Promo-LEX, an association that organizes domestic observations of elections at all levels, shares with governmental organizations and citizens about how elections have gone, and shares ways they believe processes could be improved – to restore and build trust in the Moldovan democratic process.

S2E19 – HTWM Global Edition: Moldova’s Center for Continuous Electoral Training Dec 14, 2022

In June, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey, along with Managing Editor Rebecca Smith, traveled to Central and Eastern Europe to learn more about election administration in democracies overseas.

In this episode, our hosts are back in Moldova – a small country nestled between Romania and Ukraine that was a part of the former Soviet Union – speaking with Dr. Doina Bordeianu and Pavel Cabacenco with the Center for Continuous Electoral Training, or CICDE. This is a partner organization of the country’s Central Election Commission that focuses onthe continued education of election workers and the education of the next generation of voters in the country.

S2E18 – Navigating the Future of Election Policymaking with the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Matthew Weil Dec 07, 2022

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak with Matthew Weil, the executive director of the Democracy Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

They spoke about some of the work his team is doing, some ways local election administrators can get more involved in the policy making process, and about some of the challenges American democracy is facing – like Moore v. Harper, a case being heard this week by the US Supreme Court that could have major implications about how elections are administrated and election policy is made.

S2E17 – HTWM Global Edition: The Central Election Commission of Moldova at 25 years Dec 01, 2022

In June, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey, along with Managing Editor Rebecca Smith, traveled to Central and Eastern Europe to learn more about election administration in democracies overseas.

In this episode, our hosts speak with Angelica Caraman, the current Chairperson of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Moldova – a small country nestled between Romania and Ukraine that was a part of the former Soviet Union. They spoke about how the CEC coordinates elections throughout Moldova, some of the unique challenges the organization faces, and some of the efforts they are currently undertaking to improve trust in elections and fight disinformation.

S2E16 – Pushing back against election misinformation with Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum Nov 17, 2022

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak with Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum in Michigan about how she pushes back against election misinformation, the need for greater voter education, and how she hopes all election officials – regardless of party – can work together to address election-related conspiracy theories.

S2E15 – Reflecting on an Elections-Focused Career with Missouri Senator Roy Blunt Nov 02, 2022

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak with Missouri Senator Roy Blunt and reflect on his 26 years in Congress and his previous careers in local election administration – as both the County Clerk in Greene County, Missouri, and the Missouri Secretary of State.

S2E14 – An Insider Look at the Business of Voting Equipment with Hart InterCivic’s Peter Lichtenheld Oct 19, 2022

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Peter Lichtenheld with Hart InterCivic – one of the companies that provides election technology, software, and services to election jurisdictions – about the business of election equipment, some of the challenges the industry has faced, and how things have changes for these companies since 2000.

S2E13 – When Observation Becomes an Obstacle With California Election Officials Joanna Francescut and Natalie Adona Oct 06, 2022

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Joanna Francescut in Shasta County, California, and Natalie Adona in Nevada County, California, about how interactions with the public have changed since 2020 and about how the new demands of educating skeptical voters and people wanting to observe the election process can make it hard to get the day-to-day work of local election administration done.

S2E12 – Researching Trust in Elections with Soren Jordan and Ryan Williamson Sep 21, 2022

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Ryan Jordan and Ryan Williamson at Auburn University about their Trust in Elections study that is looking at how Americans perceive messaging from elections officials – on social media, with “I Voted” stickers, etc. – and about how local election administrators can modify their messages to build and restore trust.

S2E11 – Keeping Elections Running in Mesa County, Colorado with Stephanie Wenholz Sep 07, 2022

Mesa County, Colorado, has been in the election’s world spotlight since Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was accused of election tampering in August 2021. Since then, she has been indicted by a Mesa County grand jury on seven felony and three misdemeanor counts of election tampering and misconduct related to the alleged May 2021 security breach.

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Mesa County Elections Manager Stephanie Wenholz about what it was like in the Mesa County office during that tumultuous time and how she keeps herself, and her staff, going despite the controversy.

S2E10 – Social Media & the Battle Against Misinformation with Facebook’s Eva Guidarini Aug 24, 2022

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak with Eva Guidarini, the manager of state and local government outreach at Facebook. They spoke about how local election officials can use their social media platforms to educate voters and push back against misinformation.

S2E9 – HTWM Global Edition: Moldovan Democracy 101 with Igor Munteanu and Igor Boțan Aug 11, 2022

In June, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey, along with Managing Editor Rebecca Smith, traveled to Central and Eastern Europe to learn more about election administration in democracies overseas. In this episode, our hosts take a broad look at democracy in the Republic of Moldova – a small country nestled between Romania and Ukraine that was a part of the former Soviet Union. They speak with Igor Munteanu, the former Moldovan ambassador to the United States and Igor Boțan, the Executive Director of the Association for Participatory Democracy to learn more about the history of this relatively young democracy and explore some of the unique challenges it faces.

S2E8 - HTWM Global Edition: The Belarusian Democratic Movement with “Election Commissioner-in-waiting” Alexander Shlyk Jul 27, 2022

In June, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey, along with Managing Editor Rebecca Smith, traveled to Central and Eastern Europe to learn more about election administration in democracies overseas.

In this episode, they speak with Alexander Shlyk, the Special Representative on Elections for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the former head of the Elections Department of OSCE ODIHR, or the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Tsikhanouskaya is the leader of the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement who many believe truly won the 2020 election against President Alexander Lukashenko.

Shlyk is currently living in exile as one of the 16 people working for Tsikhanouskaya, and he’s working to prepare the legislative and practical framework for democratic elections in Belarus – which he believes will inevitably happen.

S2E7 - HTWM Global Edition: Bosnia & Herzegovina with Dr. Irena Hadžiabdić Jul 20, 2022

In June, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey, along with Managing Editor Rebecca Smith, traveled to Central and Eastern Europe to learn more about election administration in democracies overseas.

In this episode, they speak with Dr. Irena Hadžiabdić with the Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Election Commission about the state of democratic collaboration in Eastern and Central Europe, as well as some of the challenges like disinformation and harassment of female election officials that Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing.

You can find the election e-portal for citizens living abroad that Dr. Hadžiabdić mentions at https://eizbori.izbori.ba/.

S2E6 - Colorado's Election System with Judd Choate Jun 29, 2022

In this episode, hosts Eric Fey and Brianna Lennon speak with Judd Choate, the Director of the Division of Elections for the Colorado Department of State about the voter-centric election system in the state – a nearly all vote-by-mail model.
In 2013, Colorado passed “The Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act of 2013,” which requires ballots to be mailed to every registered voter for most elections.

S2E5 - Tale of Two Election Jurisdictions, Part 2: Los Angeles County with Dean Logan Jun 16, 2022

In the second of a two-part exploration, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey take a look at resource allocation and how that differs between cities of different sizes. In this episode, they speak with Dean Logan, the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk of Los Angeles about funding and what it is like to oversee the “most complex county election jurisdiction in the Country” with 5.2 million registered voters.

High Turnout, Wide Margins Credits: Managing Editor: Rebecca Smith Managing Producer: Aaron Hay Associate Producers: Katie Quinn, Abigail Ruhman

S2E4 - Tale of Two Election Jurisdictions, Part 1: East St. Louis Board of Elections with Kandrise Mosby and Joe Lewis Jun 01, 2022

In the first of a two-part exploration, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey take a look at resource allocation and how that differs between cities of different sizes. In this episode, they speak with Kandrise Mosby and Joe Lewis with the East St. Louis Board of Elections about funding and how elections that feel like family reunions can overcome challenges and obstacles.

S2E3 - The US Alliance for Election Excellence with Whitney May May 19, 2022

In this episode, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey speak with Whitney May, the Director of Government Services at the Center for Tech and Civic Life about the recently announced US Alliance for Election Excellence. This is a “nonpartisan collaborative of election officials, technologists, designers and other experts, working across all 50 states to improve the performance of systems serving 240 million voters.”
You can learn more about the US Alliance for Election Excellence by listening to the TED Talk, “An election redesign to restore trust in US democracy” given by Tiana Epps-Johnson, the founder and executive director of the Center for Tech and Civic Life
https://www.ted.com/talks/tiana_epps_johnson_an_election_redesign_to_restore_trust_in_us_democracy

S2E2 - Crisis Management, Part 2: Maricopa County with Stephen Richer Apr 27, 2022

In the second of their two-part exploration on crisis management in local elections, Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey spoke with Stephen Richer from Maricopa County, Arizona. Maricopa County was the national center of attention following the 2020 election for its multiple recounts.

S2E1 - Crisis Management, Part 1: Bill Cowles and Megan Wolfe Apr 20, 2022

In the first of a two-part exploration, hosts Brianna Lennon and Eric Fey take a look at crisis management in local elections. They speak with Bill Cowles from Orange County, Florida, who lived through the 2000 Florida election, and Megan Wolfe, the Wisconsin elections commission administrator, whose position was brought to center stage following the 2020 election.

#60 2021 Wrap Up & What to Expect in 2022 Dec 31, 2021

Brianna and Eric recap 2021 and share what's to come in 2022.

#59 Avoiding Homesteading with Scott Konopasek Dec 20, 2021

Scott Konopasek, General Registrar and Director of Elections for Fairfax County, VA, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about his election administration career that's taken him all across the country, why he came out of retirement, and advice for new election administrators.

#58 Election Journalism with Jessica Huseman Dec 08, 2021

Jessica Huseman (VoteBeat) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about county clerks and journalists, including advice on communicating open records requests, interacting with journalists, and getting out good information for voters.

#57 Travis County, Texas and Dana DeBeauvoir Nov 24, 2021

Dana DeBeauvoir joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about her 30+ year career as the Travis County, Texas Clerk.

#56 NYC Board of Elections with Derek Tisler Nov 17, 2021

Derek Tisler joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the Brennan Center's recommendations to improve the New York City Board of Elections (https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/how-fix-new-york-city-board-elections).

#55 EAVS Data and CISA Resources with David Kuennen Nov 12, 2021

David Kuennen (CISA) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about EAVS data and cybersecurity resources.

#54 Town Meetings with Grace Bannasch Nov 03, 2021

Grace Bannasch, town clerk for Shutesbury, MA, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about serving small towns, Town Meeting, and their 1934 ballot box.

#53 A Fresh Look at Elections Administration with Gabriella Cázares-Kelly Oct 27, 2021

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, Pima County, AZ Recorder (and the first! Indigenous woman to hold office in Pima County), joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about her new tenure as an elections official and her vision for voting in Arizona.

#52 Chicago Elections with Lance Gough Oct 20, 2021

Lance Gough, former executive director of the Chicago Board of Elections, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about elections in Chicago and what's changed over his 40+ year career.

#51 Elections in Canada with Stephanie Plante Oct 13, 2021

Stephanie Plante (Elections Canada consultant) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about voting and elections administration in Canada in the context of the September 2021 federal election.

#50 A Very Special 50th Episode Oct 06, 2021

Ben Hovland (EAC Commissioner & alum of the Missouri Secretary of State's Office) flips the script for this special 50th episode and interviews Brianna and Eric about lessons learned and what to expect in future episodes.

#49 Swedish Elections with Bill Werngren Sep 30, 2021

Bill Werngren (Director, City of Gothenburg, Sweden) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about Gothenburg's internationally-recognized youth election, his experience as part of the International Association of Government Officials, and the Swedish elections system.

#48 EI-ISAC with Jess Cone Sep 22, 2021

EI-ISAC Program Manager Jess Cone joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about how local election officials can better engage with the cybersecurity partnership and how to navigate that stoplight system of emails.

#47 All About the Election Center with Kathleen Hale and Mitchell Brown Sep 15, 2021

Direct from the Election Center's Annual National Conference, Dr. Kathleen Hale and Dr. Mitchell Brown (Election Center, Auburn University) join Brianna and Eric for a conversation about Election Center, professionalization of the elections administration community, and opportunities for innovation and education.

#46 Casting Ballots Overseas with Sean Greene Sep 08, 2021

Sean Greene joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about casting ballots as an overseas voter, navigating different state requirements, and the challenges overseas voters had in 2020.

#45 CSG OVI with Taylor Lansdale Sep 03, 2021

Taylor Lansdale (Program Manager at the Council on State Governments Overseas Voting Initiative) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about military and overseas voting in 2020 and things to consider for future elections.

#44 New York Elections with Dustin Czarny Aug 26, 2021

Dustin Czarny, Onondaga County, NY Elections Commissioner, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the structure of elections administration in New York, the aftermath of NY-22, and upcoming state law changes.

#43 A Special Election Day Aug 23, 2021

In odd-numbered years, August and November are reserved for special elections in Missouri. This year, St. Louis County had a small county election (just over 8% turnout), but many counties did not (including Boone County) so we took the opportunity to observe and learn. It also gave us the chance to ask some pressing questions to employees from four different offices.

#42 Mathematics, Confidence, and Elections with Audrey Malagon Aug 18, 2021

Audrey Malagon (Professor of Mathematics at Virginia Wesleyan & Mathematical Advisor to Verified Voting) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the role of mathematical education in public policy, quality control in elections, and the popular Verifier tool.

#41 Attorneys, Clerks, and Wisconsin with Michael Haas Aug 04, 2021

Michael Haas, current attorney for Madison, WI and formerly of the Wisconsin Election Commission, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about Wisconsin elections, practicing elections law, and advising election administrators.

#40 Elections and Journalism with Pam Fessler Jul 21, 2021

Pam Fessler, recently retired National Public Radio correspondent, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about journalism, election administration, and the importance of narrative.

#39 Harassment, Safety, and Preparation with Jennifer Morrell Jul 14, 2021

Jennifer Morrell joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the increase of threats to election administrators, preparing offices for 2022, and the importance of working together in the elections space.

#38 Behind the Scenes of Elections Administration with Gloria Bilchik Jul 07, 2021

Gloria Bilchick (author of Election Insiders) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about going behind the scenes with election administrators in 2019.

#37 List Maintenance and ERIC with Ericka Haas and Shane Hamlin Jun 30, 2021

Ericka Haas and Shane Hamlin (ERIC) join Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the Electronic Registration Information Center and how states and local election officials utilize it to encourage voter list integrity and outreach.

#36 A Historical View of Local Election Administration with Alec Ewald Jun 23, 2021

Alec Ewald, professor at the University of Vermont and author of The Way We Vote, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about 19th Century election administration, felon voting enfranchisement, and even a little bit of art history.

#35 Generational Change with George Stern Jun 16, 2021

Jefferson County (CO) Clerk & Recorder George Stern joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about innovation and updating clerk offices in Colorado.

#34 Elections Research with Paul Gronke Jun 09, 2021

Paul Gronke, professor of Political Science and Director of the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College in Portland, OR, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about current elections administration research and what questions remain unanswered in the field.

#33 CEIR & Voter Trust with David Becker Jun 02, 2021

David Becker joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about his organization, Center for Election Innovation & Research, their mission, and the importance of voter trust in elections.

#32 Maricopa, Antrim, and What Constitutes an Audit with Ryan Macias May 29, 2021

Ryan Macias (election technology, security, and administration subject matter expert and observer in Maricopa County) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about best auditing practices, how local election authorities can combat misinformation and disinformation, and what he's learned from Maricopa and Antrim after 2020.

#31 Geo-Enabled Elections (GIS) with Jamie Chesser and Bert Granberg May 26, 2021

Jamie Chesser (Director of Programs for the National States Geographic Information Council) and Bert Granberg (Director Of Analytics for Wasatch Front Regional Council, UT) join Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the importance of using GIS in elections and how local election authorities can adopt or enhance it in their counties.

#30 CISA's Role in Elections with Geoff Hale May 19, 2021

Geoff Hale, Director of the Election Security Initiative at CISA/DHS, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about how local election authorities can work with CISA and what the department is doing to promote cybersecurity post-2020.

#29 How'd We Get HAVA with Alysoun McLaughlin May 12, 2021

Alysoun McLaughlin, Deputy Election Director, Montgomery County, MD, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the origins of the Help America Vote Act from her direct experience as an on-the-ground election policy professional in the early 2000s.

#28 Associations, Organizations, and CASE with Ricky Hatch May 05, 2021

Ricky Hatch, County Clerk/Auditor for Weber County, Utah, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the importance of getting involved in local, state, and federal elections associations.

#27 The Creation of the EAC with Paul DeGregorio Apr 28, 2021

Former Chairman of the Election Assistance Commission Paul DeGregorio joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the origins of the Election Assistance Commission, bipartisan legislation, and his path in elections.

#26 Domestic Election Observation with Avery Davis-Roberts Apr 21, 2021

Avery Davis-Roberts, Associate Director and manager of the Carter Center's Democratic Election Standards Project, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the Carter Center's elections work, upcoming projects, and the value of nonpartisan domestic observation.

#25 CTCL Resources with Tiana Epps-Johnson Apr 14, 2021

Tiana Epps-Johnson (Founder and ED of the Center for Tech and Civic Life) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the beginnings of CTCL, its core mission, and how it met the challenges of the 2020 election cycle.

#24 The Future of Voting Equipment with Eddie Perez Apr 07, 2021

Eddie Perez (OSET Institute) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about how voting equipment is certified, what impact VVSG 2.0 will have on the industry, and how election officials can be empowered to make change.

#23 All Things Kentucky with Jared Dearing and Chris Cockrell Mar 31, 2021

Jared Dearing (ED of the Kentucky State Board of Elections) and Chris Cockrell (Montgomery County, KY Clerk) join Brianna and Eric for a conversation about how Kentucky weathered 2020 and successfully navigated the legislative process in a bipartisan and cooperative way.

#22 California Elections with Neal Kelley Mar 24, 2021

Registrar of Voters for Orange County, California Neal Kelley joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about modernizing elections, serving a jurisdiction of 1.8 million voters, and how Orange County chose to adapt to a vote center/mail voting model.

#21 Presidential Commissions & Elections with David Levine Mar 17, 2021

David Levine (Alliance for Securing Democracy) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about his recent recommendation for a presidential commission for election security and best practices.

#20 Auditing Georgia 2020-2021 with Joseph Kirk Mar 10, 2021

Joseph Kirk, Bartow County, GA Elections Supervisor, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about hand-count audits and his experience handling the 2020 and 2021 elections in Georgia.

#19 Designing Elections Materials with Whitney Quesenbery Mar 03, 2021

Whitney Quesenbery, director and co-founder of the Center for Civic Design, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the effectiveness of good design, the Center's resources, and soliciting feedback from the public.

#18 Social Media and King County with Halei Watkins Feb 27, 2021

King County, WA Communications Officer Halei Watkins joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about social media, well-run mail voting systems, and reaching voters where they are.

#17 The Importance of County Clerk Associations with Matt Crane Feb 24, 2021

Matt Crane, current Executive Director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about his experiences as a clerk and as an executive director, as well as the benefits of a strong association.

#16 Risk Limiting Audits with Monica Childers Feb 20, 2021

Monica Childers (Voting Works) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about risk limiting audits, how they work, and what's involved in making one happen.

#15 Running Elections in Philadelphia with Al Schmidt Feb 17, 2021

City Commissioner Al Schmidt (Philadelphia, PA) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about Philadelphia elections in 2020, new voting equipment, and Pennsylvania's unique election judge selection process.

#14 Florida Elections with David Stafford Feb 13, 2021

David Stafford, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections, joins Eric and Brianna for a conversation about UOCAVA voting and Florida's elections evolution since 2000.

#13 Prioritizing Accessibility with Michelle Bishop Feb 10, 2021

Michelle Bishop, Voter Access & Engagement Manager for the National Disability Rights Network, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about accessibility and what local election authorities can do to ensure better voter access and experiences.

#12 Nonpartisan Election Observation with John Ault Feb 06, 2021

John Ault, Director of UK-based Democracy Volunteers (https://democracyvolunteers.org), joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about nonpartisan election observation and perspective on American elections.

#11 Voting from Home with Amber McReynolds Feb 03, 2021

Amber McReynolds joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about voting from home and the importance of voter-centric policies.

#10 State and Local Election Authority Dynamics with Dave Nichols Jan 30, 2021

Dave Nichols, Elections Services Manager for the Virginia Department of Elections, joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about how state and local election authorities can work together and what it's like managing 2020 and 2021 amongst massive legislative changes to election statutes.

#9 Election Twitter & Empowering Poll Workers with Genya Coulter Jan 27, 2021

Genya Coulter (@electionbabe) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about poll worker experiences and engaging on #ElectionTwitter.

#8 CISA and Common Data Formats with Matt Masterson Jan 23, 2021

Matt Masterson (DHS, EAC) joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about common data formats, CISA's work to build relationships with state and local election officials, and plans for his new role at Stanford Internet Observatory.

#7 Michigan 2020 with Tina Barton Jan 21, 2021

Rochester Hills, MI Clerk Tina Barton joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about election reforms in Michigan, managing change, and the 2020 election.

#6 Voter Centers & Community Outreach with Teneshia Hudspeth Jan 17, 2021

Harris County, TX Clerk Taneshia Hudspeth joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about Harris County's move to a voter center model and the importance of prioritizing buy-in from voters, policy makers, and the community.

#5 EAC and the VVSG with Ben Hovland Jan 14, 2021

U.S. Election Assistance Commission Chairman Ben Hovland joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the EAC's role in working with local election administrators, the evolution of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines, and elections funding.

#4 Clerking in Smaller Counties with Batina Dodge Jan 10, 2021

Scotland County, MO County Clerk Batina Dodge joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about the realities of administering elections in smaller counties and how to get more involved in the elections world.

#3 Election Mail with Tammy Patrick Jan 06, 2021

Tammy Patrick joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about working with the USPS, communicating with voters, and troubleshooting election mail.

#2 Election Security with Noah Praetz Jan 02, 2021

Noah Praetz joins Brianna and Eric for a conversation about election security, transparency, and communication.

#1 Introduction with Brianna and Eric Dec 29, 2020

Local election administrators Brianna Lennon (Boone County, MO) and Eric Fey (St. Louis County, MO) introduce High Turnout Wide Margins, explain how they got into elections, and what to expect in future episodes.

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