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MATTER OF FACT. ELECTION DAY. 2024 IS LESS THAN A YEAR AWAY. BUT GIVEN THE TURNOVER OF ELECTION OFFICIALS, WHO’S GOING TO OVERSEE IT? THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE RECENTLY SURVEYED LOCAL ELECTION WORKERS FOR MORE THAN 1 IN 5 OF THEM. THIS WILL BE THEIR FIRST TIME SERVING DURING A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THAT’S EQUIVALENT TO UP TO TWO LOCAL OFFICIALS LEAVING OFFICE EVERY DAY SINCE NOVEMBER 2020. PENNSYLVANIA IS ONE OF MANY STATES TRYING TO URGENTLY FILL THESE VACANCIES ARE CORRESPONDENT DAN LIEBERMAN TRAVELS. THERE TO FIND OUT WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ON A JOB THAT MANY ARE CHOOSING TO LEAVE. I KNEW THAT THERE WAS KIND OF A REVOLVING DOOR WITHIN THE BUREAU OF ELECTIONS, BUT I DIDN’T REALIZE HOW BAD IT WAS UNTIL I GOT THERE. BETH GILBERT IS ONE OF AT LEAST EIGHT ELECTION OFFICIALS IN LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, WHO HAVE LEFT THEIR JOBS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I WAS HIRED ORIGINALLY AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS ON MY THIRD DAY ON THE JOB, I WAS CALLED INTO THE THEN DIRECTOR’S OFFICE AND I WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD BE LEAVING. SO I WAS QUICKLY BEING FORCED INTO THE ROLE OF ACTING DIRECTOR. LUZERNE IS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS. THREE MONTHS INTO THE JOB DURING THE 2022 MIDTUM ELECTIONS, HER OFFICE FAILED TO ORDER ENOUGH BALLOTS AT THE WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. HAPPENED TO ME. AN INVESTIGATION LATER CONFIRMED A LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE WAS TO BLAME. BUT GILBERT STILL BEGAN RECEIVING DEATH THREATS AND DECIDED TO RESIGN. BEING THAT I HAVE A YOUNG SON, I JUST DECIDED THAT IT WASN’T. IT WASN’T WORTH IT. HIGH TURNOVER OF ELECTION OFFICIALS IS NOT UNIQUE TO LUZERNE. ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA’S 67 COUNTIES, MORE THAN 50 OFFICIALS HAVE LEFT THEIR JOBS SINCE 2020. THAT’S YOUR BALLOT? YEAH. THE WAVE OF RESIGNATIONS HAS LEFT THE MAJORITY OF THE STATE’S COUNTIES WITHOUT EXPERIENCED STAFF TO RUN ELECTIONS IN POLLING SITES. THERE’S NO REDOS WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTIONS. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE DO EVERYTHING EXACTLY RIGHT. AL SCHMITT IS PENNSYLVANIA’S SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH, WHO PREVIOUSLY SPENT A DECADE AS A PHILADELPHIA CITY COMMISSIONER, HELPING TO RUN ELECTIONS. HIS FAMILY, TOO, FACED DEATH THREATS DURING THE 2020 ELECTION. IN TESTIMONY BEFORE CONGRESS, SCHMITT RECENTLY SOUNDED THE ALARM ABOUT HOW THE THREATS ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE RECEIVING MAKES IT HARD TO KEEP THEM ON THE JOB IF THEY’RE ABLE TO RETIRE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THEY DON’T WANT TO PUT UP WITH THIS ANYMORE, THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WHAT IS PENNSYLVANIA DOING TO RESPOND TO THIS CRISIS? NOW? ONE IS RECRUITING ELECTION WORKERS TO TO STAND UP AND FILL THIS IMPORTANT ROLE. AND, AND THE ONES WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY THE NEWER ONES, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO THEM. HEY, I GOT THREE BALLOTS FOR BERKS COUNTY HERE TODAY. THE BEST TRAINING COMES FROM SEASONED COUNTY ELECTION OFFICIALS LIKE JERRY FEASER, WHO HAS BEEN HEAD OF ELECTIONS IN DAUPHIN COUNTY, WHICH INCLUDES THE STATE CAPITAL OF HARRISBURG FOR TEN YEARS. YOU BASICALLY HAVE FOUR ELECTION CYCLES. SO IT TAKES FOUR YEARS. IF YOU’VE NOT HAD ANY EXPERIENCE IN ELECTIONS TO REALLY GET A COMPLETE PICTURE. HE SAYS THAT MENTORSHIP AND THE TRANSFER OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IS KEY, AND HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS TRAINING HIS SUCCESSOR, 33 YEAR OLD CHRIS SPACKMAN. HE’S YOUNG ENOUGH TO BE MY SON AND JOKINGLY SOMETIMES I REMIND HIM I HAVE TIES OLDER THAN HIM. WHEN I STARTED TO THINK, NOW’S THE TIME FOR ME TO START TO PLAN, AND I WAS GOING TO LEAVE IN 2023. I MADE THE DECISION THAT I WANTED TO GIVE THAT YOUNG MAN ALL THE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE I HAD. AND KNOWLEDGE, FEASER SAYS, IS CRITICAL TO ENSURING VOTERS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR OFFICIALS AND THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. YES, THE PERFECT IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW TO EXPLAIN THE SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE SYSTEM, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO ENGENDER THE CONFIDENCE OF THE VOTERS BECAUSE YOU CAN’T DISPEL THEIR MISCONCEPTIONS. YOU CAN’T EXPLAIN TO THEM HOW WHAT THEY HEARD IS NOT EXACTLY HOW IT WORKS. SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST THEY’RE TRYING TO KEEP THEIR HEAD ABOVE WATER AND THEY’RE GETTING GRENADES BOMBED. YOU KNOW, THROWN AT THEM. THREATS OF VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION THAT AL SCHMITT SAYS MUST BE ADDRESSED FOR RECRUITING EFFORTS TO BE TRULY SUCCESSFUL. HE’S CALLING FOR FEDERAL FUNDING TO SECURE ELECTION SITES AND THOSE WORKING THERE. GRANT FUNDING IS ONE MECHANISM FOR THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT ELECTION FACILITIES ARE PROTECTED THE WAY THEY SHOULD, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THIS IMPORTANT ROLE FEEL SAFE IN DOING THEIR JOB. A FEELING THAT BETH GILBERT SAYS WILL HELP PREVENT RESIGNATIONS LIKE HERS AND AS A RESULT, ENSURE PUBLIC TRUST IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. IT’S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO GET PEOPLE IN THERE WITH ELECTIONS EXPERIENCE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THESE ISSUES DON’T HAPPEN, AND SO THAT WE DON’T ADD MORE FODDER FOR ELECTION DENIERS. ALL FOR MATTER OF FACT,