The Certificate in Election Administration hosts an annual conference focused on an important and timely topic in election administration. Speakers include elections officials and experts from across the country. You can view past conferences below.
In the leadup to the 2024 elections, election administrators are under the microscope more than ever. In this intense environment, what can and should local election officials be doing to prepare for the fall elections? At the Certificate in Election Administration's (CEA) third annual conference, featured experts explored available resources, innovative vote centers, and other practical steps election officials can take to ensure a safe, accessible, and secure election in the fall.
Elections administrators, the people who referee our democracy, are literally and figuratively under threat. Long hours, harassment, malicious open records requests, hyper partisanship – these and other factors are driving people out of elections administration. How do we attract and retain people willing to make a career of elections administration while meeting the training and collegial demands of a more professionalized workforce? The Certificate in Election Administration’s second annual spring conference explored the state of election administration professionalism, the role state associations play in the development of a vibrant, resilient field, and national and state-specific training programs that can help drive the profession forward.
Local and state election officials in the United States — who work hard to run accurate and secure voting processes — are finding that facts are not a sufficient defense of their election outcomes. Despite the rigorous steps that protect voter registration, ballot distribution, election systems and vote counting, conspiracy theories are undermining the public's trust in this most basic act of a democracy. To combat this problem, experts from around the nation analyzed the problem to provide actionable steps so election administrators can go on the offense to manage communications before, during and after an election.