PA 685 Election Administration

Course Description

This is a course about how we administer elections in the United States. As distinct from a Political Science class, we will not talk about the characteristics of individual candidates, how voters choose between candidates, political adverting, polarization, or the other myriad of issues that define campaigns and elections. Our focus will primarily be on election administration in North Carolina, but we will also use comparisons to other states to come to a better understanding of how we stack up to other states and areas where we might improve. 

While I hope you’re taking this class because of its importance and interest, this is a course in an MPA program and as such, it should also have practical utility for your career (e.g. it should help you be more markable). And, good news: this course does! Election administration is a burgeoning field and there is a realistic possibility of you finding a rewarding career in election administration. As such, we will spend some time this semester discussing and brainstorming ways to continue your professional training in the field and market yourself as an election administrator.

Even if you don’t end up pursuing a career in election administration, election administration can provide a wonderful lab for understanding broader issues in public administration. Bureaucratic discretion, efficiency v. effectiveness, performance measurement, the importance of public sector values, data-informed decision-making—all of these issues have practical application in the world of election administration.

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Plan, direct, lead, and evaluate elections, from voter registration to recounts to electoral integrity to managing intergovernmental relationships among a nation’s local, state/provincial, and federal governments.
• Apply Election Law accurately and appropriately to officials, voters, and situations at the federal, state, and local level.
• Know the structure of American federalism and the intergovernmental system, including theory, historical developments, major themes emerging issues, and the distinct phases and hurdles of the policy process. Be able to apply this knowledge to the implementation of new election laws and to the development and execution of electoral policies.
• Identify policy and management problems in election administration that are well-served by data collection and analysis.
• Articulate how election administration fits into the broader structure of county governments.
• Articulate how broader issues in public administration are borne out in election administration
• Plan a career in election administration