Training and professional development
Whether large or small, each election office is an organization that must function well year-round to meet the myriad responsibilities of administering elections. The necessary abilities include building a positive culture, navigating resource needs and effective staffing through hiring, training and management. Together, these operational competencies allow election offices to carry out their regular duties and foster a resilient organization capable of adapting to changing technologies, laws and voter needs. This is one of five standards that define excellence in election office operations. This draft standard will be updated based on feedback from the election community.
Standard
Your election office delivers training to onboard new staff, provides ongoing development within roles, and supports professional advancement in the field of election administration. To achieve this standard:
- You have an onboarding process that defines role expectations and reinforces your core values.
- You share documentation with instructions for routine processes.
- You provide training around key processes, reinforce training with hands-on instruction, and conduct debriefs.
- You cross-train staff so they are prepared for a variety of responsibilities.
- You connect staff to opportunities for professional development, including networking and external education.
- You regularly update training materials and processes to reflect learnings, provide opportunities for improvement and incorporate staff feedback.
Why this standard matters
It is important that we are explicit about the underlying why for each standard. While not attached to measurements, the intended impact of an election department achieving this standard is that:
- Staff will have a clear understanding of their roles and expectations and work better as a team to manage election procedures accurately and efficiently.
- Staff will have opportunities to grow their skills within the office, adapt to new roles with greater responsibility, and contribute to leadership in the field.
- Voters will interact with staff who are helpful and knowledgeable, building confidence in the election process.