Resources for State and Local Election Officials

Recommendations, Best Practices, and Analyses to Help Election Officials Prepare for the 2024 Election and Beyond

Last Updated: September 20, 2024

Published: February 6, 2024

Defend Our Elections
- Election Integrity
- Election Security

Defend Our Elections
- Election Integrity
- Election Security

Election Security Best Practices & Recommendations

Securing the 2024 Election (2023): recommendations for election officials and policymakers to safeguard the 2024 elections.
AI Scenario Planner (2024): guidance for election officials on preparing for and combatting possible AI crisis scenarios.
Artificial Intelligence and Election Security (2023): recommendations for election officials and vendors to protect election infrastructure and personnel from AI-generated threats.
Safeguards for Using Artificial Intelligence in Election Administration (2023): recommendations for election officials looking to use artificial intelligence tools to assist with election administration.
Voting on Campus (2024): recommendations for how election officials, in collaboration with campus stakeholders, can prevent disruptions at campus voting locations.
Gun Safety Signage and Instructions for Polling Places (2024): toolkit and customizable signs on gun safety for states where guns are prohibited at polling places and/or drop boxes, as well as states where guns are not strictly prohibited but could result in unlawful intimidation of voters or election workers.
Personal Physical Safety Checklist for Election Workers (2022): steps that election workers can take to protect their personal safety at work and at home.
The Responsibilities of Election Officials Regarding Access to Records and Equipment (2022): recommendations for election officials on how to address requests and subpoenas for sensitive information or equipment.
Addressing Insider Threats in Elections (2021): recommendations for election officials and policymakers to prevent attempts to sabotage election administration.
Preparing for Cyberattacks and Technical Failures (2019): recommendations for building resiliency plans to safeguard against election day disruptions.

Cost Estimates & Funding Needs

Costs for Replacing Voting Equipment (2024): estimate of funding needed to replace aging voting infrastructure.
Estimated Cost for Protecting Election Workers from Threats of Physical Violence (2022): estimate of funding needed for key measures to keep election offices and workers physically secure.
Estimated Costs for Protecting Election Infrastructure Against Insider Threats (2022): estimate of funding needed for basic security measures to guard against insider threats.

Research & Analysis of Election Threats

Survey of Local Election Officials (2024): analysis of 2024 Brennan Center survey of local election officials which shows that election officials continue to face a hostile environment with insufficient resources.
Attacks on Voter Rolls and How to Protect Them (2024): analysis on election deniers targeting best practices for maintaining accurate voter rolls and proposing flawed alternatives to ERIC.
A New Antidemocracy Tool (2023) and Unreliable Tool Could Wrongly Remove Numerous Voters from Rolls (2024): analyses on the EagleAI program that activists have used to generate unreliable data and support mass voter challenges.
Election Officials Under Attack (2021): report on attacks against election officials and proposals to increase their protection.
3 Lessons on Misinformation in the Midterms Spread on Social Media (2023): analysis of misinformation on social media during the 2022 midterm elections and recommendations on how to fight it.