Sep 29 2009
Professionalism in Election Administration
Heather Gerken points to localism and partisanship as the primary barriers to better elections in America. One of her arguments is that both result in a lack of professionalism in the administration of elections.
“Though McCormack is too generous to admit it, the lack of professionalism is a problem that runs through the system. Even at the local level, the overriding qualification for administering elections is often party membership, not professional qualifications. As a result, local election administrators are usually amateurs. They are people of good faith, but they lack the professional training or experience enjoyed by election administrators in other mature democracies.” Page 18-19
In some ways, I’m People’s Exhibit A when it comes to noncareer people in election administration. I came from a largely political background. My experience in elections was primarily in running campaigns, although I certainly had dabbled into the legal side as well.
Three times voters have taken a look at my performance and decided to return me to office. I think in part is because of my professionalism, even if in the first years it wasn’t evidenced by long service in an election office.
Experience in election administration can certainly be a benefit to anyone coming into the position of County Clerk in Illinois. But it’s not the only thing that matters. An ability to manage staff, openness to new ideas, a history of good public service, and a commitment to integrity are more important.
Interestingly, while Gerken bemoans the lack of professionals in broad terms, she has high praise for a number of people who didn’t have a background in elections prior to taking over an election administrator position.
“Just ask Joe Mansky, who moved from a career in hydrology to become a highly respected elections official in Minnesota.” Page 19
“Smith became director of elections after retiring from a high-powered position in the private sector, where he oversaw international operations for a company with 250,000 employees.” Page 22
What’s interesting is that so-called professionals have overseen some of the biggest election administration debacles in the last few years. Theresa Lepore had 15 years experience rising up through the election administration system before designing the butterfly ballot. Dean Logan had a checkered history in King County Washington, moved to Los Angeles County and presided over the so called double bubble ballot. A host of other “professionals” have poor records.
Of course, the same can be said about the elected administrators. Though unlike appointed administrators, voters can dismiss an elected administrator that fails to meet professional standards. In L.A. County, just months after presiding over the double bubble ballot, Logan moved from interim registrar to permanent. LePore, on the other hand, lost her seat after her debacle.
Within the Democracy Index, Gerken calls for more training. That would be welcome in a host of areas. But professional qualifications and certificates only go so far. Additionally, more training comes with a price tag. Many times I’ve seen the brochures for the training conducted by the Election Center and had to pass due to county finances. I also am concerned when training that takes a narrow view of the job.
For example, one of the skills I brought to this office is a relational database programming background. It’s hard to imagine that many election administrator training sessions are going to focus on that. But it’s also hard to imagine that I could have made some of the progress I’ve made here without that. Other County Clerks in Illinois bring other skill sets to their jobs that I don’t have. One of the advantages of bringing in individuals from outside the realm of election administrators is that you get thinking from outside that realm as well. It’s interesting, that Gerken makes much of the resistance to change of election administrators. I certainly have seen some of that. I think however, that fresh people from outside the election administrator establishment are the ones to shake up the system. Gerken herself points this out.
So to greater training, I give a big yes. To a good old boy system among election administrators I say no. Let’s find the best, most innovative, and honest people we can and give them the training and tools to succeed in their positions.
Mark, just reading your blog anyone can see your dedication to your work and to the public.
You also have more autonomy than do election directors employed in non partisan election administration settings.
My state has non partisan election directors who administer the elections. If you were one, you would likely have a job/career for life, although you would have a bit less autonomy.
My county hired an election director who had formerly been running elections for a county in Michigan. It was a big adjustment to him to become part of our system, but he will never have to run for office or run his own election again. This gentleman is one of the better officials in our state because of his administrative ability, management talents, politica skills (still needed in order to deal with public) and even his ability to work with the technology.
But anyway, Mark – in my state you’d probably have a job for life, and we would enjoy the continuity of excellent administration.
Meanwhile, in places like Florida, some counties veer from ditch to ditch as they elect/hire politicians to do a tough administrative managerial job that requires excellent organizational skills on top of everything else.
Anyway, it sounds like your county is lucky to have you but I wish you didn’t have to run for office each time, but could just be hired.
Thanks Joyce.
This issue is one that gets debated a lot in Illinois because we have more units of local government than anyone in America. Many feature elected board members and I am often asked about the necessity and possible waste.
Appointed or elected, good government primarily comes down to citizen participation. Not just in the election, but after.
I have no doubt that one of the reasons that our office runs well is that Democrats who don’t always agree with me have been engaged and watching what we are doing.
So while a nonpartisan person can make everyone feel good, that good feeling can soon evaporate when, through a lack of oversight by a concerned citizenry, that nonpartisan person implements ideas or policies that people don’t agree with.