Introduction
On 2023 LESS Control Matrix, Tools and Resources, I covered the topic of GR 6 Physical Security, 1 Personnel Screening. Personnel screening is essential before and during the election to ensure the safety of election equipment, voters and sensitive information. Therefore, failure to comply with personnel screening practices has severe consequences on voting processes, voters and election equipment. It may further result in (1) security breaches or malicious acts from individuals who desire to manipulate or steal sensitive election data; (2) compromised election integrity and loss of public trust. Compromised election integrity causes catastrophic damage to the election process, consequently allowing individuals with conflicts of interest to influence the election outcomes. Other consequences include (3) legal repercussions that may result in financial penalties and legal consequences from the election authorities and (4) damage to candidates. Most importantly, events of inadequate personnel screening have the highest potential of damaging the reputation of the election process. Opponents can use public trust as a political tool to change election outcomes and implicate severe legal repercussions on opponents.
In a news article by Ron Fonger, the author mentions a case served against former Flint Township clerk Kathy Funk following the election irregularities she committed in the August 2020 primary election (Fonger, 2023). Funk was a candidate in the election and served as Flint County election supervisor. She was accused of breaking the seal on a secure ballot canister to invalidate all the votes in the ballot (Fonger, 2023). Vote won in the election by a narrow margin but could not hold office for more than four months. County Clerk-Register John Gleason suspended Funk in the fourth month. In December 2022, Domonique Clemons, the current county Clerk-Registrar, terminated Funk from the county position (Fonger, 2023). Her case was filed when a Michigan Police investigation noted her involvement in suspicious activities on the eve of the August 2020 Flint Township primary election (Fonger, 2023).
The election malpractice Kathy Funk committed as essential personnel in the August 2020 election resonates with our focus on personal screening to mitigate such physical security threats on election materials and integrity. Virginia Department of Elections 2023 locality election security standards (LESS) require general registers to General Registrar to conduct an extensive background check on election officers, including their locality, prior to the election date. The LESS standards also command that cameras or card readers should man physical species where election materials are stored. Documentation and quarterly reporting of activities when authorized personnel get access to election material is mandatory.
Reflecting on Kathy Funk’s case and the Virginia Department of Election LESS framework shows how we have the potential to eliminate potential election irregularities caused by the failure to conduct personnel screening. If the LESS regulations were applicable in Flint Township, the GR would have noted the purported irregularities before and during the election period. Cameras or card readers would inform the GR of her misconduct. The LESS regulations would also ensure that GR reviews quarterly documentation of personnel activities allowed to handle election equipment and ballot boxes during and after the election.
In conclusion, personnel screening and adopting reliable election standards are fundamental to protecting the physical security of election material, election integrity, and trust among the candidates. They are also essential to detect purported malpractices by election personnel in a timely manner before, during and after the election.
References
Fonger, R. (2023). Former flint township clerk takes plea deal, gets no jail time in ballot tampering case. https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/2023/01/former-flint-township-clerk-takes-plea-deal-gets-no-jail-time-in-ballot-tampering-case.html
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT of ELECTIONS, 2023 LOCALITY ELECTION SECURITY STANDARDS (LESS), CONTROLS MATRIX, TOOLS AND RESOURCES
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