Building Better Elections

At the onset of the 2024 presidential election cycle, drastic changes in election laws and processes have created a situation where too many voters distrust the manner in which elections are conducted and the officials who administer them. As a result, election officials increasingly feel unsupported and threatened for doing their jobs. Without a balanced framework for elections, confidence in our democratic system is threatened. To meet the moment, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and The Carter Center released “Guiding Principles of Election Administration” in February 2024. Those 10 principles are intended to provide a bipartisan way forward to strengthen elections across the country and equip stakeholders with the principles needed to truly improve elections.

On May 17, at the fourth annual conference held jointly by the The Carter Center’s Democracy Program and the Baker Institute’s Presidential Elections Program, civil servants, former secretaries of state, and Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs convened and shared how the “Guiding Principles” can be effectively situated within a national context and discussed how they can influence local practices and reforms in election administration.

This event was free and open to the public.

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Registration

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Agenda

All times below are in Eastern Daylight (Atlanta) Time. Session details are available below the agenda.

 Session Details

Session I — Framing the Guiding Principles in 2024 and Beyond

The Carter Center and The Baker Institute for Public Policy gathered former Secretaries of State Nellie Gorbea, Trey Grayson, and Kim Wyman and election attorney Benjamin Ginsberg to advise and collaborate on the “Guiding Principles for Election Administration.” Written by Fors Marsh’s Doug Chapin, it is a set of 10 bipartisan principles that can serve as a framework for state and local election officials as they develop practices that can promote trust in election results. This session will introduce the 10 guiding principles with a conversation between the author and three of the advisors about the importance of the principles during the upcoming, hyper-polarized presidential election and in future elections.

Lunchtime Discussion — Lessons From a Deputy Secretary

In 2020 and 2022, Georgia garnered national attention as a critical swing state where local and state election officials faced an intense environment. Today, distrust of Georgia’s election officials continues to disrupt the processes that secure and verify state election results. Join us for a discussion between Jason J. Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, and Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs as we learn what lessons the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office have to share from the past four years and how they intend to serve Georgia voters in new and innovative ways.

 Session II — How Is Georgia Gearing Up for 2024?

In Georgia, harmful narratives have created a dangerous environment for election officials, who have found themselves unable to do their jobs and trust their communities when they are needed the most. They are some of the most integral stakeholders in this year’s elections, and they are facing increasing threats to the integrity of their jobs. As Georgia prepares for its general and nonpartisan primaries on Tuesday, May 21, join us for a conversation with local and state election leaders to discuss how their offices are meeting the moment for one of the most intense election cycles in our country’s history and how the “Guiding Principles” can support transparency and resiliency in the state’s elections.