Law Enforcement and Election Officials

Please join the Ash Center for a discussion of how law enforcement and election officials can work together to protect election officials, poll workers and voters while safeguarding public trust in the electoral process.

The webinar will draw on the Ash Center report The Necessary and Valuable Partnership: Law Enforcement and Election Officials, which examines the complicated historical relationship between voting and law enforcement in the United States. The report highlights the importance of clear communication, careful coordination and respect for the distinct roles of election officials and law enforcement.

The panel will explore lessons from recent elections and discuss practical strategies for developing effective partnerships before, during and after Election Day. Panelists will consider how law enforcement agencies and election officials can prepare for threats, respond to safety concerns, and protect the voting process without creating confusion or deterring voters.

This event is part of the Ash Center’s Democracy 250 series, which convenes leading scholars, policymakers and practitioners to examine the nation’s democratic past, present and future.

Speakers include:

• Jason P. Armstrong, retired police chief and CEO of Armstrong Consulting
• Shenna Bellows, Secretary of State of Maine
• Al Schmidt, Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Christine M. Cole, safety and justice policy advisor and Ash Center fellow