Resources > Ensuring Physical Safety for Election Personnel

Ensuring Physical Safety for Election Personnel

Emergencies and Security

This guide will help you develop a plan to protect yourself and your staff.

table of contents

Today’s election officials, while extremely resilient, face unparalleled exposure to a range of threatening activity. Everyone involved in administering elections, from office staff to poll workers, is vulnerable. Given that there are known patterns of threat behavior, security plans can be developed for the most likely scenarios, and then quickly implemented if a threatening situation emerges. This guide will help you build a plan around the three pillars of building a relationship with law enforcement, heightened office and worksite security and improving personal physical security.

This guide offers a less detailed overview than the related guide, Withstanding Intimidation and Preventing Overt Attacks. That guide may be ideal for larger jurisdictions and those who consider disturbance likely. This guide is suitable for offices seeking a basic level of security and preparedness.

The Elections Group created this tool to support the voluntary, nonpartisan Standards of the US Alliance for Election Excellence.

What you’ll need

A download of the guide Running Secure Elections: Ensuring Physical Safety for Election Personnel
Microsoft Word or a word processing program to edit the In-Crisis Checklist to meet your needs
A list of potential security partners such as local or state law enforcement leaders.
Staff interested in building the plan with you or providing feedback and expressing their security concerns.

Getting started

This guide will help you understand how to approach law enforcement, share information with them and structure meetings. It will help you think about the physical security of your workplace. And it will provide personal security tips that can help prevent difficult situations or help you and your staff de-escalate them.

Using the tool

Use this tool to understand the types of security situations your office may face, and how you can prepare for them. Edit the In-Crisis Checklist based on your needs and partners, so you have a list of steps to take when a difficult situation arises. Preparedness and confident response will help deter, constrain and de-escalate acts of intimidation and violence

Customizing for your office

Any tips for customizing this resource for my office?

This guide offers options and ideas for you to choose from to build your own plan. In particular, the checklist can be modified to address situations you feel are most likely and to add relevant contact information.

How do I know if this resource is helping?

You’ll know the resource is working if you and your staff know who your security partners are and how you will work with them to respond to concerning developments.

Which Standards of Excellence does this resource support?

Emergencies and Security

Which Values of Excellence does this resource support? Why?

Values for the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence define our shared vision for the way election departments across the country can aspire to excellence. These values help us navigate the challenges of delivering successful elections and maintaining our healthy democracy.

Alliance values are nonpartisan and designed by local election officials, designers, technologists and other experts to support local election departments.

You may find this tool especially helpful for this Value:

Comprehensive preparedness. It helps you prepare for potential security incidents.

To learn more about the Values for Election Excellence, and to see the full list, visit the Alliance website.

Sharing feedback

How was this resource developed?

This resource has been put into practice by at least one jurisdiction. Share your experience with this resource and improve it for your peers by reaching out to support@ElectionExcellence.org.

How do I stay in touch?

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Have a specific idea, piece of feedback, or question? Send an email to support@ElectionExcellence.org