In a recent GSPM webinar on election security, elections law attorney Juan-Carlos “JC” Planas and Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson offered a behind-the-scenes look at how election officials, political parties, and voters work together to protect the integrity of the electoral process. From ballot verification and audits to misinformation and election-day contingencies, the discussion underscored the importance of transparency, accountability, and public understanding in maintaining confidence in our elections.
1 - Transparency can turn skepticism into confidence.
One of the strongest themes of the conversation was the value of giving voters an opportunity to see the election process for themselves. Henderson explained that county clerks regularly invite voters to tour election facilities and observe procedures firsthand. For voters with questions about how elections work, experiencing the process in person replaces assumptions with confidence in the safeguards in place.
2 - Election security depends on multiple layers of checks and balances.
The speakers described a system in which election workers, canvassing boards, political-party observers, audits, and courts each play distinct roles. In Florida, for example, ballot review includes multiple levels of staff review before certain ballots reach the bipartisan canvassing board. Political parties can also have observers present throughout the process. As Planas explained, there have even been instances where “the Republican lawyers and the Democratic lawyers” agreed that a process needed attention and jointly raised the issue with election officials. These overlapping mechanisms provide multiple opportunities to identify and address problems.
3 - Preparing for disruption is itself a form of election security.
Henderson described election officials' approach to potential disruptions, from natural disasters to threats against election facilities or unexpected government intervention, as an exercise in contingency planning. Utah's use of extended early voting, vote-by-mail, ballot drop boxes, and other options means that an election does not depend on a single day or location. “If something goes wrong, we have time to fix it,” Henderson explained. The broader lesson: resilience comes from building flexibility into the system before a crisis occurs.
4 - Combating misinformation requires trusted, accessible sources of information.
The panel also addressed the challenge of misinformation and declining confidence in elections. Henderson’s advice was straightforward: voters should go directly to their local election officials and trusted sources rather than relying on viral claims online. Transparency, she argued, also means acknowledging that human errors can occur, and being accountable when they do.
5 - Trust and accountability can and should coexist.
The conversation ultimately returned to the idea that confidence in elections does not require ignoring legitimate concerns. Election systems have established procedures for audits, recounts, challenges, and judicial review when questions arise. As the discussion concluded, the message was clear: “Every vote does count,” and there are legal avenues for addressing concerns about how votes are processed. Maintaining public confidence therefore depends both on understanding the safeguards built into elections and on preserving faith in “the institution of fair and free elections,” which the panel described as a pillar of democracy.
Take Your Election Security Knowledge Further
Interested in going beyond the webinar? GSPM’s Election Security Credential offers a deeper dive into election administration, physical security and cybersecurity through flexible, self-paced online learning.
The program gives participants the opportunity to build practical knowledge, apply what they learn to real-world election security scenarios, and earn a GW RevU Election Security Professional Micro-Certificate Digital Badge upon successful completion.