In Brief:
- Turnover rates in election offices, trending upward for years, have reached new levels.
- The U.S. has a strong record of secure elections, but some Americans have expressed distrust in the voting system, particularly after President Donald Trump falsely claimed he’d won the 2020 election.
- In response to these challenges, states are stepping up their training efforts for election administrators ahead of 2026.
Election administrators face a number of challenges in the leadup to the 2026 midterms, including managing a changing workforce.
A new study by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and the University of California, Los Angeles finds that election office turnover continues at unprecedented rates. In 4 out of 10 local offices, the 2026 midterms will be in the hands of people who have never run a national election.
The turnover rate in 2024 is the highest ever recorded, says Rachel Orey, director of BPC’s Elections Project. This is an extension of a trend that started long before President Donald Trump’s false claims of fraud in the 2020 election, and the rise in threats and harassment against election officials they set in motion.
Turnover doesn’t necessarily mean risk to the integrity of 2026 outcomes, but it increases chances for glitches that could be exploited to create the appearance of fraud.
Moreover, election officials’ jobs are changing, now requiring knowledge of cybersecurity, social media and de-escalation. States are stepping up to address these challenges with new training programs for election officials, often with the help of groups like Orey’s.
State-Level Education
It’s important to recognize the nuance in turnover trends, says Jennifer Morell, co-founder of the Elections Group. Pay is low in smaller offices. “Turnover” might mean a high performer in a small office is moving to a better-paid job in a bigger one. The new person leading an office might have decades of election administration experience. In other cases, BPC has found, workers new to elections have long careers in other areas of government that serve them well.
Still, preparing people who have not run a national election before is a paramount concern for all states, says Eric Fey, director of elections for St. Louis County. Certification programs from national organizations such as the International Association of Government Officials can be cost prohibitive, however, especially for small and rural jurisdictions.
To remedy this, the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities has stepped up. “This year, we are starting our own certification program to help all of our members, even those that have been around for a while, have affordable continuing education that will hopefully prepare them for what lies ahead,” says Fey, who is also a member of the Election Workforce Advisory Council, a joint project between BPC and the Elections Group to foster innovations that improve recruitment, training and retention of election workers.
Offerings include both online and in-person classes that keep members current in election procedures and law. Costs are in the $50 to $100 range, within the reach of all members. It’s early days for the program, Fey says, but it’s an example of a trend he’s seeing across the country.
State election associations have created more robust training programs in a number of states, he says. Colorado, Florida and Ohio are examples of states that have built training capacity for election officials, Morrell says.
In addition to work from state associations, universities such as Auburn, the University of Minnesota and Northern Arizona University are beginning to offer programs that address the legal, communications and technical skills a chief election administrator now needs to succeed. More people are coming to these jobs with advanced degrees in public administration or public policy, Morrell says.
A Better Place
Since 2020, states have considered record numbers of election administration changes in their legislative sessions. Often, the legislative proposals don't come with new funding, Orey says.
New requirements require new training. Forty-three states have some form of statewide training available, but the depth of curriculum varies. “We know from talking to election officials that some are great and some leave a lot to be desired,” Orey says.
Anyone coming into election administration at this time is well aware they will be under a microscope, Fey says. But criticism of election administration and even record turnover aren't reasons to panic.
“Even though we have so many new people, I think they will be well prepared,” Fey says.
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