Secretaries of State Brad Raffensperger & Jocelyn Benson on Election Operations | SALT Talks #163 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Secretaries of State from Georgia and Michigan discuss the importance of election integrity and the challenges they faced during the 2020 election.

Key Insights

• 🥰 The 2020 election was a successful and fair process, with measures in place to protect the integrity of the vote and ensure every voice was heard.
• 🪡 Secretaries of State emphasized the importance of personal integrity in election administration and the need for objective measures, such as signature verification and paper ballots, to maintain election integrity.
• ❓ Cybersecurity threats pose ongoing challenges, and continued efforts are necessary to protect election systems from potential breaches.

Transcript

hello everyone and welcome back to salt talks my name is john darcy i'm the managing director of salt which is a global thought leadership forum and networking platform at the intersection of finance technology and public policy salt talks are a digital interview series with leading investors creators and thinkers and our goal on these salt talks i... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the secretaries of state prepare for the challenges brought by the pandemic during the 2020 election?

Secretary Raffensberger and Secretary Benson both implemented measures to adapt to the pandemic, including increasing access to absentee and early voting options, ensuring safety protocols at polling places, and educating voters about the changed voting process.

Q: How did the secretaries of state address allegations of voter suppression and fraud?

Both secretaries emphasized the importance of integrity in the election process and debunked allegations of widespread voter fraud. They highlighted the measures taken to protect the sanctity of the vote and the transparency in the counting process.

Q: Did cyber attacks pose a significant threat to the election process?

The secretaries of state recognized the ongoing threat of cyber attacks and emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant. They highlighted the efforts made to secure election infrastructure and the success in preventing any significant breaches during the 2020 election.

Q: What role did misinformation play in the election and how did the secretaries combat it?

The secretaries acknowledged the significant impact of misinformation on public perception of the election. They highlighted the importance of educating voters about the truth and countering false narratives with facts and data.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Secretaries of State Brad Raffensberger and Jocelyn Benson emphasize the need to protect the integrity of the electoral process and ensure every vote is counted.

• They explain how they prepared for the challenges brought by the pandemic and implemented measures to educate voters about voting options and safety protocols.

• Both secretaries highlight the importance of objective measures, such as signature verification and paper ballot systems, in maintaining election integrity.