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               Congressional                                                        ____
             .Research Service






Election Worker Safety and Privacy



Updated September 9, 2024

Concerns about election workers' safety and privacy have been reported in surveys, news articles, and
congressional hearings from the 2020 elections through the current election cycle. Those concerns, along
with a perceived increase in politically motivated job scrutiny, have led some to leave, or consider
leaving, their roles. This Insight provides a brief overview of recent federal activity on election worker
safety and privacy.


Background

Federal law prohibits certain types of intimidation of or interference with election workers, including
intimidation to discourage serving as a poll watcher or election official or in response to such service;
interference by members ofthe Armed Forces with election officials' exercise oftheir duties; and
intimidation for helping voters register or cast a vote. Many states have laws that address other threats to
election workers, such as through privacy protections for election commissioners. More general laws,
such as prohibitions against voter intimidation or harassing or threatening interstate communications,
might also apply to some conduct.
Some  state and local officials have responded to recent reports ofthreats to election workers with
administrative action or legislative proposals. Election officials have included local law enforcement in
poll worker trainings, for example, and implemented new security measures in their offices. State
legislators have established new prohibitions or protections, such as a New Hampshire law that prohibits
intimidating election officials to interfere with their work and an Oregon law that extends existing privacy
protections to election workers.


Federal Activity

The executive branch has taken some action on election worker safety and privacy since the 2020
elections. In July 2021, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the creation of an Election Threats
Task Force to address the rise in threats against election workers, administrators, officials, and others
associated with the electoral process. DOJ has reportedly charged 20 individuals and secured 15
convictions related to the task force as of September 2024.


                                                                  Congressional Research Service
                                                                    https://crsreports.congress.gov
                                                                                        IN11831

CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
Committees of Congress

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