Newsletter

EOLDN Helps Election Offices Boost Public Confidence, At No Cost

February 2024

Since The Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN) began offering communications support to elections offices at no cost, election officials across the country have taken advantage of this valuable opportunity. Tommy Gong, Clerk-Recorder for Contra Costa County, CA was the first to submit a request. Pleased with the help he received, he encourages other election officials to “take EOLDN up on this offer… it will be invaluable to you going into 2024.”

When Gong completed the communications request form, EOLDN quickly connected him with communications professionals. They reviewed his office’s existing materials, including their media plan, press releases, factsheets, and logos. Gong said, “To us, it was great to have someone look at it through a communications lens.”

The assistance continued when Gong’s office unexpectedly came under fire because of its use of a particular poll worker management system. When the president of that system was indicted, extremists targeted Gong’s office for abuse. As his office faced “borderline threatening messages” and accusations of election fraud, Gong again asked his EOLDN-provided communications team for help.

The team understood the painstaking work that Gong’s office had done to build trust with the community. They advised him to “reach out to a few TV news reporters and newspaper journalists who are trusted folks that [they felt] could give [the office] a fair shot, an honest story about the situation” to be able to preserve trust. Working with the communications professionals “really helped [Gong’s office] get ahead of the narrative,” and he shared that he is “already looking forward to working with that communication advice going forward.”

Elevate Your Election Office's Communications Strategy, at No Cost

When we repeatedly heard that election officials were experiencing challenges with communications and with spreading accurate information to counter disinformation, we recognized an opportunity to provide free assistance. EOLDN matches election offices with communications professionals who offer specialized and comprehensive guidance to navigate these challenges.

If you are interested in getting free communications help, please visit the EOLDN website for more information. If you believe that your office may benefit from this service, we encourage you to consult with your municipal counsel to determine if this option is right for your office and consider submitting our request form.

The EOLDN team will quickly review your request and follow up with you. After being matched, election officials have the opportunity to discuss their needs and create a tailored plan for their office.

Not ready to submit a request? Check out EOLDN’s Resources Page for helpful guides and other materials.

What's Happening at CEIR?

David Becker Weighs in on Trump's Legal Issues

The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) Executive Director David Becker joined Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation” to discuss Trump’s legal issues, including claims of presidential immunity and efforts to disqualify him from the ballot, which are both likely to be considered by the Supreme Court this month.

Click here to subscribe to the CEIR newsletter.

Communications Quick Guides for EOs

Are you an election official looking for some quick communications tips? Check out our monthly highlighted communications one-pager, written by the EOLDN-provided communications pros.

Missed Our Arizona Webinar?

View the recording of last month’s EOLDN webinar with Arizona election officials Lisa Marra and Bill Gates.

EOLDN On the Road

International Association of Government Officials Mid Winter Conference — Savannah, GA

EOLDN staff spoke on a panel on election official protection in January. 

American Bar Association Midyear Meeting — Louisville, KY

CEIR Executive Director David Becker and EOLDN Project Lead Angie Pitha spoke about threats to election officials and how attorneys can help.

 

Interested in having EOLDN at your event? Contact us at outreach@eoldn.org.

What is EOLDN?

The Election Official Legal Defense Network is the brainchild of former Presidential Commission on Election Administration co-chairs Bob Bauer and Ben Ginsberg. David Becker, Executive Director of CEIR and an elections expert, leads EOLDN. 

EOLDN offers two services in support of election officials:

Pro Bono Legal Assistance: This service matches experienced pro bono attorneys with election officials who have been harassed and intimidated for simply doing their jobs of running fair elections.

Free Communications Assistance: This service matches election offices with free communications assistance to combat mis-, dis-, and mal-information about elections in their communities, educate voters, and provide general strategy support.

Share Resources with EOs 

Please forward this message to your contacts and take a look at our digital toolkit that makes it easy to share information about our free, safe, and nonpartisan legal and communications services.

Election Officials, Request Help

Click here to request legal or communications assistance on our website, eoldn.org or contact us via email at help@eoldn.org or phone at 1-877-313-5210 anytime.

Click here for EOLDN Terms and Conditions. If you believe you’re eligible to receive help from EOLDN and are interested in requesting assistance from a pro bono attorney or communications professional, we encourage you to get in touch.

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Attorneys, Join Our Network of Lawyers

Please forward this message to attorney contacts, so EOLDN is prepared for 2024 and beyond. We need all types of attorneys, as election officials can experience a wide variety of legal issues stemming from their duties, and many simply need general guidance. Learn about joining the network as a pro bono attorney, or as a law firm, here

Interested in helping us recruit other attorneys or firms into the network? We have information to help you present EOLDN to other lawyers. Please email outreach@eoldn.org for more information.

READ COVERAGE OF THREATS TO ELECTION OFFICIALS