When Virginians cast their ballots, either in the early voting period or on Election Day, they can be confident that the commonwealth’s election system is secure, that their votes will be accurately counted and that the results will be faithfully reported.
That doesn’t happen by accident, but rather due to the diligence of state and local election officials who take their duty seriously and work tirelessly to ensure the process runs smoothly. At a time when misinformation and conspiracy theories run rampant, Virginians can rest easier knowing that the commonwealth’s elections are trustworthy and transparent.
It wasn’t so long ago that election workers were universally celebrated for their invaluable service to our communities. Those employed in the Virginia Department of Elections, those who work at local registrars offices and those who volunteer to work the polls are sentinels of democracy, devoting their time and expertise to answer questions, resolve problems and protect the integrity of the process.
More recently, however, those same citizens have been subjected to baseless attacks by those eager to sow doubt about the elections process and, by extension, the results they produce. No less than the president of the United States inspired a mob to ransack the U.S. Capitol in 2021 by asserting — without evidence and in the face of 64 lawsuits that said otherwise — that the 2020 election was “stolen.”
Threats against election workers and voting systems were escalating before that dark day in our nation’s history. They have exploded since, prompting new laws and protocols to protect election staff and volunteers, and strengthened cybersecurity measures to defend voting systems and voter information from intrusion and theft.
A July survey of election workers by the Brennan Center for Justice offers a detailed view of a very grim landscape. Sixty percent of respondents expressed concern about federal cuts to election security services, and “61% specifically concerned about cuts to services provided by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,” charged with protecting voting infrastructure.
It is deeply problematic that 59% now fear political leaders interfering with elections, 81% expressed concern about the proliferation of false information regarding elections, and 46% worry about politically motivated investigations aimed at disrupting the execution of their duties.
And it is unacceptable that 38% say they have experienced “threats, harassment or abuse because of their job.” Of those, 63% say they were threatened in person.
It’s little wonder, then, that the ranks of those willing to participate in the administration of our elections are growing thin. The Bipartisan Policy Center recently reported that 2 of every 5 election officials who worked the polls in 2020 had left their positions before the 2024 elections. That’s the highest rate on record, and to look at the polling about threats to these men and women, and their families, is to know why.
There are bad actors out there — both domestic and foreign — who seek to undermine public confidence in elections for their own nefarious ends. But arguably worse are public officials who knowingly spread lies to achieve their selfish partisan ends.
For instance, it’s notable, but not surprising, that the Trump administration’s Department of Justice plans to dispatch election observers to California and New Jersey — two states led by Democratic governors — but not to Virginia, where Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin remains the chief executive. The goal here isn’t election integrity, but cultivating an atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty.
The simple fact is that Virginia elections are secure, as the state elections department has repeatedly certified over the years. Commonwealth voters have elected Republicans and Democrats in recent statewide contests, and while some may be disappointed with those results, they cannot dispute the accuracy of the results.
We can be thankful that those Virginians who staff the polls, who protect voting infrastructure, and who ensure the process runs smoothly remain dedicated and steadfast in spite of it all. We owe them our gratitude, on Tuesday and each time the commonwealth votes.
