Why Election Officials & Law Enforcement Need to Learn From Each Other

CSSE Member Kathy Boockvar explains how Law Enforcement Quick Reference Guides help election officials and law enforcement better understand each other’s roles, strengthen partnerships, and support safe and secure elections.

Election officials and law enforcement officers share a common goal: ensuring that voters can participate in elections safely, securely, and without disruption.

But despite working toward the same objective, the two professions often operate in different worlds.

Election officials are experts in election administration, voting procedures, and state election law. Law enforcement officers are experts in public safety, emergency response, and protecting communities. While their responsibilities frequently intersect during election periods, opportunities to learn about each other’s roles can be limited.

That’s why the Committee for Safe and Secure Elections (CSSE) developed its Law Enforcement Quick Reference Guides.

In a new video, CSSE founding Member and former Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Kathy Boockvar, discusses how the guides help bridge the gap between election administration and public safety.

“Keeping up on every single law can’t ever be possible when you have a million things going on to take care of as an election official,” she explains.

The state-specific guides provide election officials and law enforcement with an easy-to-use resource that outlines key election laws, operational considerations, and guidance for responding to election-related incidents. Designed to fit in a pocket, the guides give users quick access to information they may need during voting periods, Election Day, and ballot counting operations.

Perhaps most importantly, the guides help foster a shared understanding between the people responsible for administering elections and the people responsible for protecting them.

“We need to do a better job at educating law enforcement about elections and educating election officials about law enforcement,” Boockvar says.

That simple idea has been at the heart of CSSE’s mission since its founding.

When election officials and law enforcement understand each other’s roles, communicate regularly, and prepare together before challenges arise, communities are better equipped to respond to threats, support voters, and maintain confidence in the democratic process.

Watch the video to hear Kathy Boockvar discuss why education, communication, and partnership remain some of the most important tools for keeping elections safe and secure.