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Election Official Legal Defense Network

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Election Official Legal Defense Network
FormationSeptember 2021
Legal statusNonprofit project
PurposePro bono legal defense of election officials
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
Co-chairs
Robert Bauer, Benjamin Ginsberg
Parent organization
Center for Election Innovation & Research
Websitehttps://eoldn.org/

The Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN) is a nonprofit project connecting election officials who experience threats, harassment, or exposure to criminal penalties with licensed, qualified pro bono attorneys.[1][2] This service is available regardless of an election official’s political affiliation or whether they work in red or blue states or counties.[3]

EOLDN is a project of the nonpartisan nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR).

History and mission

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In the aftermath of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, Robert Bauer, a Democratic attorney who served as White House counsel under Barack Obama, and Benjamin Ginsberg, a longtime Republican election lawyer who represented President George W. Bush’s campaign in the 2000 election, became increasingly concerned[4] about growing threats and harassment aimed at election officials, as well as their exposure to new laws Bauer and Ginsberg characterized as "repressive."[5]

Bauer and Ginsberg had collaborated in 2013 as co-chairs of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, a yearlong investigation into voting irregularities, convened by President Obama.[6] They reunited in June 2021 to co-author a New York Times op-ed calling attention to what they called "pernicious provisions" in recent state laws that threatened punishment of elections officials and workers "for just doing their jobs." The article also drew attention to the increasing problem of personal threats and harassment received by election officials.[4]

Three months later, in response to these concerns, they partnered with CEIR Executive Director David J. Becker to create the Election Official Legal Defense Network as a project of the nonpartisan organization.[3]

To join the network, attorneys must have at least five years of legal experience (or 3-4 years with supervision), carry professional liability insurance, and commit to providing services free of charge for EOLDN-matched clients.[7] As of June 2024, EOLDN included more than 6,000 pro bono attorneys.[8]

In February 2025, in response to concerns expressed by election administrators of both parties over what it called an "expanded threat environment," EOLDN announced a broadening of its scope by preparing to assist election officials in the event of targeting by federal agencies, potentially including the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or Congress.[9]

EOLDN's current project lead is Angie Pitha.[10]

Activities

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Although individual cases are confidential, some have been covered in the media with the officials' permission. Among them:

  • Christine Gibbons, former registrar of Lynchburg, Virginia, was not reappointed to her position in 2023 by the Lynchburg Election Board after what she described as a pattern of accusations and harassment following the 2022 election. This non-renewal was a departure from the tradition of reappointing registrars with positive performance reviews. Seeking legal recourse, Gibbons connected with an attorney through EOLDN to challenge her dismissal.[11]
  • Natalie Adona, clerk-recorder for Nevada County, California, contacted EOLDN for support and was matched with a pro bono attorney after receiving persistent harassment regarding allegations of fraud in the 2020 election and her attempts to enforce a mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
  • After Cochise County, Arizona Elections Director Lisa Marra refused to conduct a hand recount of the county's 2022 election ordered by the county board of supervisors — believing that it would have violated state law, an assessment later confirmed by a judge[13] — her EOLDN-affiliated attorney cited an “outrageous and physically and emotionally threatening” working atmosphere as well as “objectively difficult and unpleasant working conditions” including "public disparagement."[14] In May 2023, Marra received a $130,000 settlement for being subjected to a toxic work environment.[15]

Awards

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In July 2024, EOLDN's parent organization CEIR and EOLDN co-chairs Benjamin Ginsberg and Robert Bauer received the American Bar Association's "Unsung Heroes of Democracy" Award for their efforts in support of election officials.[16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Election officials face fines, charges in GOP voting laws". AP News. 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  2. ^ Parks, Miles (2021-08-17). "Death Threats And Conspiracy Theories: Why 2020 Won't End For Election Officials". NPR. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  3. ^ a b Wines, Michael (2021-09-18). "Harassed and Harangued, Poll Workers Now Have a New Form of Defense". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  4. ^ a b Bauer, Bob; Ginsberg, Ben (2021-06-04). "Opinion | State Election Officials Are Under Attack. We Will Defend Them". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  5. ^ Bauer, Robert; Ginsberg, Benjamin (September 7, 2021). "Election officials need our help against repressive laws and personal threats". Washington Post. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  6. ^ "Presidential Commission on Election Administration | Bipartisan Policy Center". bipartisanpolicy.org. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  7. ^ "Pro Bono Attorneys Needed to Defend Election Officials". We The Action. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
  8. ^ "Washington Lawyer - July/August 2024 - Democracy Watch feature". washingtonlawyer.dcbar.org. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
  9. ^ "Election officials express new concern, EOLDN answers". Election Official Legal Defense Network. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  10. ^ "Angie Pitha". The Center for Election Innovation & Research. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  11. ^ "Legal network provides pro bono support for election workers - The Fulcrum". thefulcrum.us. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  12. ^ "Washington Lawyer - July/August 2024 - DC Bar Annual Report". washingtonlawyer.dcbar.org. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  13. ^ Fifield, Jen (2023-01-25). "Cochise County elections director resigns after protecting midterm ballots from Republican officials". Votebeat. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  14. ^ "Post Politics Now: Biden hosts Democrats at White House as debt limit standoff continues". The Washington Post. 2023-01-24. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  15. ^ "Ex-Cochise County official who claimed election deniers made work 'toxic' gets $130K settlement". AP News. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  16. ^ "ABA announces recipients of Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
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