A report released Thursday from the nonpartisan National Task Force on Election Crises detailed proposals for combating mis- and dis-information that have arisen amid recent U.S. elections.
The report asserts that while efforts such as greater communication, transparency, and coordination combated information threats during the 2022 midterm campaign season, serious concerns remain as the 2024 election approaches.
“Two years after the turbulent election of 2020 and its troublesome aftermath that put into question the stability of our elections, the last election has offered us a way forward in reducing the risk of certain election crises in 2024 and beyond,” said Trey Grayson (R), former Kentucky Secretary of State and former President of the National Association of Secretaries of State. “But while the risk of some of the worst forms of election crisis has fallen, complacency is not an option as serious threats of election crisis remain.”
The task force targeted several categories of challenges and potential crises to be closely monitored in 2023 and 2024, including:
|
“While the most feared threats to election administration and vote counting did not materialize in 2022, that doesn’t mean that the elevated risks to our elections have disappeared and we can lower our guard,” said Wendy Weiser, Vice President for Democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. “We need to make commonsense reforms to strengthen our electoral system ahead of 2023 and 2024, giving voters more protection against election subversion, intimidation, and other interference.”
The task force also suggested potential reforms, including:
|
“As a country, election crises and the threat of political violence directed towards election officials and voters cannot be the new normal,” said Tammy Patrick, Chief Executive Officer for Programs at the Election Center. “The recommendations to prevent extremism and acts of violence are a start. Staying vigilant will be necessary for 2024 because something as simple as a tweet of mis-information can set off a chain reaction that leads to an election crisis”
