Election officials are our neighbors and friends who dedicate long hours before, during and after Election Day to ensure our elections are safe, secure and accurate.
Campaign Legal Center (CLC) spoke with Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt and Kent County, Michigan Clerk Lisa Lyons about the important role of election officials and poll workers. They spoke about the many checks and balances in our system that make sure our elections are fair and accurate.
Schmidt ran elections at the county level in Pennsylvania for 10 years. Now he serves as the state’s top election official. A lot of people don't understand that preparing for elections is a year round job, Schmidt told CLC.
For Lyons, part of her role includes managing all of Kent County’s elections. Every year, her and her team train anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 workers for the election. She also plays an important role in election equipment testing and voter education.
Learn more about who election officials are and what they do here.