Episodes

  • Episode 15: West Virginia Sec. of State Mac Warner Shares How he Rebuilt Public Trust in Elections

    Episode 15: West Virginia Sec. of State Mac Warner Shares How he Rebuilt Public Trust in Elections
    Feb 23 2023
    EAC Commissioner Don Palmer welcomes West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner to discuss why he believes the erosion of confidence in elections is the worst form of voter suppression and the steps he has taken to restore trust in elections in his state. Sec. Warner details the difficulty for deployed military voters to cast a ballot and the importance of regularly updating voter registration lists to remove those who have died or moved out of state. He also explains his background with the Rule of Law program in Afghanistan and the decision to significantly increase his investigative staff so allegations of election irregularities or possible fraud can be examined immediately. Finally, Sec. Warner shares why he believes it is imperative for states to remain in control of their elections but how the federal government can play a vital role in helping the states conduct them successfully.
    Show more Show less
    28 mins
  • Episode 14: How Florida Counts Votes And Releases Results So Quickly

    Episode 14: How Florida Counts Votes And Releases Results So Quickly
    Dec 12 2022
    EAC Commissioner Don Palmer welcomes Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford to discuss why Florida's system counts votes and releases results so swiftly on Election Day.



    With a major military presence in his county, Stafford also explains how he makes sure service members and their spouses get their ballots in a timely fashion - and how that can be difficult when those personnel are in a war zone or deployed on a ship in the middle of an ocean. Finally, Palmer and Stafford discuss the challenge of local officials staying up to date on aging voting machines, which are often very expensive, and what kind of funding local leaders need to conduct elections properly.
    Show more Show less
    32 mins
  • Episode 13: New Independent Audit Technology Recounts and Visualizes Every Ballot, Every Vote, Any Discrepancy

    Episode 13: New Independent Audit Technology Recounts and Visualizes Every Ballot, Every Vote, Any Discrepancy
    Sep 29 2022
    Mark Earley, current head of local election officials in Florida, explains the new Automated Independent Audit and Vote Visualization that is currently operational in Florida. The certified audit technology independently recounts all paper ballots with a different tabulation system to immediately confirm the accuracy of the election results. The popular new process provides visualization of every single ballot, race, and discrepancy in the election and has remarkedly increased transparency and trust in elections across Florida.
    Show more Show less
    39 mins
  • Episode 12: Michigan State Rep. Ann Bollin Draws on Local Clerk Experience to Improve Elections Process

    Episode 12: Michigan State Rep. Ann Bollin Draws on Local Clerk Experience to Improve Elections Process
    Aug 11 2022
    Michigan State Representative Ann Bollin joins Don to discuss how Michigan localities are working to fund and operate elections that facilitate the rights of voters and establish the best possible process to produce accurate and timely results. Bollin also explains how her 15 years as a township clerk informs her work in the state legislature, especially on election and voting issues.
    Show more Show less
    29 mins
  • Episode 11: 20 Years of HAVA: How the Help America Vote Act Improved Our Elections

    Episode 11: 20 Years of HAVA: How the Help America Vote Act Improved Our Elections
    Aug 4 2022
    Don welcomes Doug Lewis, former executive director of The Election Center, to tell the inside story of how advocates for the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) navigated past partisanship from both parties to pass major election reforms in the wake of the Election 2000 drama. Don and Doug also discuss what areas of our elections process currently need the most attention and what the greatest danger is to our elections.
    Show more Show less
    33 mins
  • Episode 10: The Intersection of the First Amendment and Election Administration

    Episode 10: The Intersection of the First Amendment and Election Administration
    Jun 16 2022
    Don welcomes former Federal Elections Commission Chairman Lee Goodman to discuss what sort of speech is permitted at or near the polls on Election Day, what is against the law, and the gray areas in between. How may courts review election laws in the future? You've probably seen campaign supporters outside as you approach your polling place. Are poll watchers allowed to advocate for their candidates in the room where the voting occurs? Are voters allowed to engage in political speech? Can they wear shirts or buttons promoting a particular candidate or a general political message? And what freedoms and limitations do members of the press have at polling places? Goodman walks us through years of court cases and policy decisions that spell out what you can say on Election Day and where you can say it.
    Show more Show less
    37 mins
  • Episode 9: The Election Must Go On: Election Heroes in the Midst of Destruction

    Episode 9: The Election Must Go On: Election Heroes in the Midst of Destruction
    Apr 28 2022
    Don Palmer of the Election Assistance Commission welcomes Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin to discuss how he and his team managed to hold successful elections during a pandemic and then in the aftermath of three devastating hurricanes just a year later. Secretary Ardoin discusses some of the major logistical hurdles his office faced and how people pulled together to protect the right to vote. Palmer and Secretary Ardoin also discuss Louisiana's commitment to new and improved voting systems and how supply chain problems could have a big impact on this year's elections.
    Show more Show less
    35 mins
  • Episode 8: Voting Expectations and Preparation in 2022: A Conversation on Election Integrity with Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee

    Episode 8: Voting Expectations and Preparation in 2022: A Conversation on Election Integrity with Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee
    Mar 22 2022
    Florida's Chief Election Official Laurel Lee joins EAC Commissioner Don Palmer to discuss the state's extensive preparation for the #2022elections and how the past informs the present. Secretary Lee details her coordination with local officials well ahead of the elections; the work she does to make sure the process works properly on Election Day; and the procedures in place to ensure election results are timely and accurate.
    Show more Show less
    35 mins