It is critical for states to protect voters and our election system from attempts by election deniers to interfere with our elections. In response to efforts to upend how elections are run at the state and local levels, officials can and should protect voters’ ability to participate in impartially administered elections. Voters should feel confident going to the polls and knowing that their votes will count because these rules exist and that most election officials are working hard to uphold the integrity of our elections.

That’s why we worked with the Brennan Center for Justice to develop four sets of guidelines for proper election administration in our states. The first of these pieces addresses how some politically motivated bad actors are outright encouraging and training prospective poll workers to engage in improper conduct.

March 21, 2024

Washington, DC—Today the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and All Voting is Local released guides for election officials in 8 swing states that break down the existing state and federal laws and legal protections that they can use to prevent or stop disruptions and/or interference by rogue poll workers in 2024.

The series covers Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The guides were first issued in 2022 and have been updated for 2024 to reflect changes in state laws and guidance. In 2022, we saw reports indicating that individuals who subscribe to falsehoods about election processes were being recruited as poll workers across the country. Some election deniers were encouraging and training prospective poll workers to engage in improper conduct by, for example, tampering with election equipment or interfering with election administration. There are signs that the same recruitment is happening again in 2024.  As the guides explain, each of the 8 states prohibits poll workers from intimidating, harassing, or improperly influencing voters and also limits the ability of poll workers to challenge voter eligibility.