Faces of Democracy

Election officials and poll workers are our neighbors and friends – and they make our democracy work. Issue One’s Faces of Democracy campaign, powered by election workers themselves, aims to strengthen our country’s critical election infrastructure by winning sufficient, regular, and predictable federal funding for state and locally-administered elections, bolstering protections for election workers and facilities, and building trust in our system of free and fair elections.

Here are some facts:

• Nearly 3 in 4 election officials report an increase in threats against election officials in recent years.
• Over 50% of local election officials are concerned about political interference in how election officials do their jobs.
• 1 in 5 election officials will be serving for the first time in the 2024 elections.
• 7 in 10 Americans believe the federal government should be equally, if not more, responsible for funding elections than state governments and local municipalities.

Sources: 2023 polls by Brennan Center and Issue One

Principles:

The Faces of Democracy campaign is informed by the experiences of its members – election officials and poll workers from red and blue states, rural and urban communities, and all levels of election administration. The campaign is guided by the following principles:

• Elections are critical infrastructure for our democracy and Congress should provide states and localities with regular, predictable, and sufficient funding to ensure the security and modernization of our elections.

• All eligible voters should have access to a safe, secure, and accessible voting process.

• Election officials and poll workers should uphold the highest ethical and professional standards and follow all federal, state, and local laws.

• Election officials and poll workers should carry out their job duties in a nonpartisan manner.

• Election officials and poll workers should not face political pressure, threats, or intimidation for doing their jobs and protecting the integrity of our elections.

Solutions:

To address increasing threats against election officials and continue to ensure the integrity of our elections, Congress should:

1. Authorize significant and regular investment in America’s election infrastructure to ensure our elections are adequately funded;
2. Provide new funding streams that election administrators and their staffs can utilize specifically for threat monitoring, safety and doxxing training, privacy services and home security;
3. Enhance information sharing and coordination about threats against election officials between federal, state and local law enforcement entities;
4. Clarify and expand existing federal protections against threats and intimidation to include authorized election agents, contractors, vendors, and volunteers; and
5. Increase privacy protections for election workers and their families to protect against doxxing and harassment.